4Learning - Secondary - Resources4Learning - Secondary - Resources - PSE - Off Limits: Looking After the Penneys

The saga of Penney family life continues to unfold and the financial issues each one of them faces becomes clearer. We meet Pete Clulow for the first time. He is Sally’s father, Maureen’s husband and Scott and Emma’s grandfather. He is retired from work and becomes a significant player in the family’s attempts to spend and save money.

0.00	We revisit the main events of programme 1: Scott ‘s acquisition of a mobile phone, Jeff ‘s desire to buy a car and Emma’s debts.
0.41	The episode starts in the grandparents’ house. Pete is searching for an insurance policy he took out ten years ago. He finds it and gets into his car.
1.19	Pete arrives at the Penney house as Jeff is leaving. During their conversation it becomes clear that Jeff is determined to sell his car and Pete does not approve.
2.04	In the Penneys’ kitchen, Scott teases Emma about reading a serious newspaper; all he’s interested in is pop music, the local football team and the new car. Pete feels strongly that there’s nothing wrong with it and that Scott is too preoccupied with how things look.
3.30	At the fire station, Jeff is drinking coffee with a colleague, looking at a brochure and wondering whether he can afford the new car he wants.
3.52	Scott tries to use his mobile only to find there’s no money left on it … again.
4.10	When Sally leaves the hotel for her lunch break she is met by Pete and Lara. Pete wants a chat.
4.28	On her way home from college, Emma buys a lottery ticket and scratch card. She rubs the latter to find she has won… nothing. However she gives a Big Issue seller Ł1, declining the magazine as she already has one.
4.44	In the park, Pete and Sally are eating sandwiches. The conversation reveals several of Pete’s views – particularly where money is concerned: he has made a profit on some shares he bought with his retirement money long term loans are a bad idea as they carry high interest Jeff has fancy ideas about what he wants but Sally is more sensible Pete and Maureen are going to cash in an insurance policy they took out for Emma early, to take some financial pressure off her while she’s studying Scott has no idea how to manage money he is very proud of Emma’s achievements at university Sally might have to work full-time to pay for a new car; she is not prepared to do that The clear message is that Pete thinks they don’t need a new car – ‘they can’t have it all ways’.
6.47	Emma is in the café reading another credit card statement when Scott comes in and demands a toastie. He also asks to borrow Ł50 from her, which he assumes she can afford as she has a student loan. He doesn’t want to use his savings (kept in some tights under his bed) which are for his Manchester City season ticket (Ł400). He has also promised to take Katie to the Radiohead concert (Ł40). Emma suggests he gets a job as he’s been sacked from his paper round.
8.35	Pete is in the Penneys’ living room babysitting. When the phone rings it’s someone interested in buying the car. He tells them it’s already sold.
9.16	At lunchtime in the café, Emma is busy and when a mobile rings Scott checks his, not remembering that it’s out of credit. He agrees to give Emma a hand serving and she tells him that Maureen will give him a job in the café. He’s not sure – he wants the money but not the image. Katie arrives with some friends and Scott has to admit his problem with the concert tickets.
10.11	On the Penneys’ doorstep, Pete is telling more lies to a prospective car buyer.
10.42	Back in the café Katie is not impressed by Scott‘s failure to get the concert tickets or his refusal to touch his savings. She’s even more displeased to discover he’s working in the café all hours to pay for his season ticket. She wonders where she stands in his priorities. If he’d told her about the problem sooner she would have bought the tickets out of her allowance, which is what she’ll do now. Scott doesn’t see any need to be contrite about his behaviour. Meanwhile Emma is looking at job adverts in the newspaper.
12.02	Pete is in the Penneys’ living room, on the phone putting off another potential customer.
12.55	Later in the afternoon Pete takes Lara to the café and congratulates Emma on getting a good mark for her essay. He passed the eleven-plus exam but did not go to grammar school, as his mother couldn’t afford the uniform. He’s very keen for Emma to be at university but knows students are short of money. He asks if Ł2,000 would help!
13.51	At a cashpoint Katie takes out some money, waits for her statement and checks it. She comments to her friend that Scott doesn’t spend what little money he does have wisely.
14.10	Back at the café Emma is in tears over her grandfather’s gesture. He is very proud of her. He hasn’t a clue why she really needs the money.
14.33	At the Penneys’ house, Jeff and Sally unload the weekly shopping and fantasise about the accessories in their new car. They wonder if anyone has phoned about the old car.
14.50	In the café Scott is rushed off his feet. Katie is flirting with another lad, very much aware that Scott is jealously watching. Two chilly paperboys come in. Their condition cheers up Scott but Emma joins in with putting him down. Katie at least, feels sorry for him.
15.50	Outside the Penney's house, the window cleaner is passing. He glances at the car parked in their drive… then his expression changes!
16.02	In the living room Pete is leaving and Sally is saying how much she values his help with Lara. Jeff answers the phone to the window cleaner who is livid about the lies he’s been told about the car. Jeff puts two and two together, and Pete realises that he’s been found out.
16.47	The café is closed for the day and Scott is tired out and thoroughly demoralised.
17.10	In the Penneys’ kitchen, Sally is making excuses for her father’s behaviour. Jeff doesn’t think that the amount of support Pete and Maureen provide entitles them to interfere with his plans. Scott arrives home. Sally explains that her parents never buy anything on credit; they always save for what they want and she’s inherited that attitude to some extent. Jeff reveals that he’s just let Emma off paying two weeks’ keep. Sally is shocked, and Scott thinks this is more proof of how easy life is for students financially.
18.07	Katie calls to see Scott. Downstairs, Sally is furious with Emma. She cannot understand how she frittered her money: student loan, café wages, money her father sent and still not paid her keep. On the one hand, Emma would be paying much more if she lived out, on the other, Sally and Jeff wouldn’t charge any keep if they could afford it. Sally shows Emma how she keeps account of all their income and expenditure. She suddenly realises where Emma’s money has gone. She reminds Emma how proud of her achievement at university they all are and how they are prepared to support her as much as they can. She and Jeff are so hurt and disappointed. Emma will have to get rid of her credit and store cards.
20.40	In Scott’s room he and Katie have made up their differences. He wants her to go with him the match tomorrow and in exchange he’ll go shopping with her.
21.50	In the kitchen Sally has calmed down, Jeff makes tea and they seem to think that everything is out in the open as far as Emma’s financial problems are concerned. Upstairs Katie asks Scott about his feelings for his dad and Jeff.
22.45	Finally, Emma agrees that credit cards don’t feel like real money. She accepts the scissors from Sally, surreptitiously looks at the cards in her wallet, removes one and cuts it in half.