Eoin McGee, host of RTE’s “How To Be Good With Money”, is developing a new TV series, “Street Wise”, helps participants and their community help each other as the “stark realities of the rising cost of living takes hold.”
Over the last four years Eoin has helped individuals, couples and families ‘How To Be Good With Money’. With the cost of living set to stay high, if not perhaps climb higher, it’s time for a different approach. It’s time to think bigger! In the face of pretty seismic shifts in many peoples’ financial lives Eoin wants to help an entire community help itself and perhaps on the way re-ignite or reinforce a real sense of togetherness, of people power.
Behind every door on every street is a different set of hopes, possibilities and problems. No two stories are the same. There’s a fair chance though that behind those closed doors money is a common theme … how to manage it, how to make it stretch, what to do with it if you’re lucky enough to have more than you need. Can we afford to retire? How do we manage interest rates going up … on top of the electricity and gas? Where can we cut back? Can we afford a mortgage?
For years now Eoin has been showing people how to be good with money – on an individual level. In this series he will continue to do that, offering different households on a single street or in a small community bespoke advice on how to best manage their financial challenges. Eoin will delve into their finances and advise them how to make the most out of their household income. But he will also work with the community as a whole, to see if they can collectively make their lives better. Eoin will work to find simple ways for the group to help individual couples and families to achieve their aims – and in the process foster a strong sense of community. This might be as simple as organising a car pooling system for school runs or work to cut down on motoring costs, or reciprocal babysitting/childminding duties, or even providing a professional service for free – with no expectation of anything in return. Eoin might also look at collective purchasing power – where might the community get a better deal because they are bulk buying?
Eoin McGee’s Street Wise aims to help the nation deal with the rising cost of living and perhaps bring back a form of meitheal for modern Ireland by bringing communities together. Throughout the series Eoin will provide individuals with solid, no nonsense financial advice and help the wider community find the solutions they need to help each other.
Eoin McGee’s Street Wise is made by Indiepics, the makers of How To Be Good With Money for RTÉ. We are currently looking to find our street or small community. If you would like more information please contact Helen on streetwise@indiepics.ie or call 01 708 8146.
What they are looking for
- We are looking for 8 -10 people, who live on the same street or estate, who want to take part in the show Eoin McGee’s ‘Street Wise’. Similar to ‘How To Be Good With Money’, Eoin is looking for people who have short and long term financial goals. Eoin will analyse their accounts and finances and present them with a financial plan to achieve their goals. We would film with them as they follow Eoin’s plan and document the ups and downs of trying to get through what will be a tough year for all of us.
- Aside from the 8 – 10 participants we also want to include the wider community. This series will differ from ‘How To Be Good With Money’ in that Eoin doesn’t want to just focus on the personal finances of the 8-10 participants but he also wants to see if he can help the wider community come together to help each other. After the last 2 years we’ve all seen how important community has been, seeing neighbours coming together pooling their resources and collective skills. Volunteer groups helped each other get through isolation and cocooning. We want to look at ways these groups, neighbours, communities can come together to help each other cope with the rising cost of living and document it to inspire communities around the country.
- A filming schedule is still to be confirmed, but it more than likely would take place over a six month period with participants being required for 6-8 days of filming during that time from approx. September 2022 – February 2023.
- What will you get out of it? Well the 8-10 individuals who wish to take part will get the help of a financial advisor for their personal or business finances. For everyone else who takes part Eoin will be available to answer smaller financial queries. Eoin will also be looking into different options and solutions for the wider community to help them tackle the rising cost of living together.
