Tweet
We got together with family for Chanukah. One of DW's sisters and her partner are having a lot of financial difficulty. They've never been great with money but have always gotten through, worked, paid the rent, etc. We didn't delve into details but we could both tell that this is different.
The person she worked for for many years retired leaving her unemployed. She is in her early 60s and has had a lot of medical issues, especially the past year or two, so going out and getting a new job really isn't something she can manage. Her boss was very understanding and flexible with her as she had been there for a long time, but a new employer wouldn't be like that.
He is also 60-ish and does work full time in a warehouse job he's had for years but I'm sure he doesn't make a ton of money.
There is a long-term solution in the works that would ease their situation a lot. DW's mother is planning to move from her house into an apartment. She's currently on the waiting list at the complex and hopes to get a place in the spring. She has offered to let them live in her house rent-free once she moves out. She doesn't need the proceeds from selling the house to live. They would just pay utilities and taxes and take care of maintenance stuff. He's pretty handy so could do most basic things himself.
In the meantime, though, they're struggling to juggle rent and food and medical expenses and everything. Yes, some of this is their own doing and they could make some changes to their lifestyle to lower expenses, but I honestly don't think that stuff would free up enough money to fix things. And they have done some things to help, like getting rid of their cell phone plan and switching to Tracfone just recently, saving themselves about $200/month. They ditched cable and just have internet. So they are working on it and taking good steps to improve their situation. They're also actively looking into what assistance programs they qualify for like the food bank and other stuff.
They have not asked for help. They don't expect help. But DW and I were talking this morning about whether or not there is some way we could help. We don't want to put them on our payroll in an ongoing way for sure. And we don't want to have money become an issue in our relationship with them, as it so often can.
The one thing I thought of was to anonymously send them a supermarket gift card from time to time. We're doing very well financially, better than ever. Sending them $50 or $100 per month would have zero effect on our budget.
What do you all think? Assuming you had that kind of situation, you wanted to help, and you were in a financial position to do so, would you help and, if so, how would you go about it?
The person she worked for for many years retired leaving her unemployed. She is in her early 60s and has had a lot of medical issues, especially the past year or two, so going out and getting a new job really isn't something she can manage. Her boss was very understanding and flexible with her as she had been there for a long time, but a new employer wouldn't be like that.
He is also 60-ish and does work full time in a warehouse job he's had for years but I'm sure he doesn't make a ton of money.
There is a long-term solution in the works that would ease their situation a lot. DW's mother is planning to move from her house into an apartment. She's currently on the waiting list at the complex and hopes to get a place in the spring. She has offered to let them live in her house rent-free once she moves out. She doesn't need the proceeds from selling the house to live. They would just pay utilities and taxes and take care of maintenance stuff. He's pretty handy so could do most basic things himself.
In the meantime, though, they're struggling to juggle rent and food and medical expenses and everything. Yes, some of this is their own doing and they could make some changes to their lifestyle to lower expenses, but I honestly don't think that stuff would free up enough money to fix things. And they have done some things to help, like getting rid of their cell phone plan and switching to Tracfone just recently, saving themselves about $200/month. They ditched cable and just have internet. So they are working on it and taking good steps to improve their situation. They're also actively looking into what assistance programs they qualify for like the food bank and other stuff.
They have not asked for help. They don't expect help. But DW and I were talking this morning about whether or not there is some way we could help. We don't want to put them on our payroll in an ongoing way for sure. And we don't want to have money become an issue in our relationship with them, as it so often can.
The one thing I thought of was to anonymously send them a supermarket gift card from time to time. We're doing very well financially, better than ever. Sending them $50 or $100 per month would have zero effect on our budget.
What do you all think? Assuming you had that kind of situation, you wanted to help, and you were in a financial position to do so, would you help and, if so, how would you go about it?
Comment