No generation is free from financial scams as Hard Cash (Monday, BBC1, 7.30 p.m.) discovers. The programme tackles the best way to prevent children falling prey to companies out to cash in on the latest trends - mobile phones, cash-up-front phoney auditions and ruthless advertisers determined to exploit the teenage market.
Jeff Longley's wasted windfall is Alvin Hall's project for corrective surgery this week in Your Money or Your Life (Wednesday, BBC2, 8 p.m.). A sum of £500,000 has been whittled down to just £10,000 after a string of holidays, new cars and risky investments. As usual Alvin faces the challenge of pulling his subject back from the brink of financial ruin.
The last House Hunters in the series explores an alternative way of getting your foot on the property ladder (Thursday RTE1, 8.30 p.m.). As the market makes getting that first house harder, the programme looks at shared ownership schemes. At the other end of the spectrum, the show reports on properties with price tags of a million-plus - complete with pools, jacuzzis, bars and servants' quarters.
A new six-part documentary series, Winds of Change (Thursday, 11.15 p.m., RTE1), presented by RTE's economic editor, George Lee, tackles the world of business. Each programme features an individual from the business world who gives his or her outlook on commerce. The first programme features Frank Dick OBE, former British Olympic coach.
mconway@irish-times.ie
