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I hate to do this, but I think I need to ask for help. Not for me, but for my mother, though I know she'll probably be mad at me for asking for it.
As most of you know, my father passed away last week. Unfortunately, this has left my mother in rather dire financial straights. Most of their income was from him, through VA benefits relating to his disability and through SSDI, both of which have ended now that my father has passed away. My mother hasn't worked for several years, and while that may not have been the best choice in retrospect it did allow them to truly spend time together during his last few years.
Now, though, my mother is left with bills totaling about 2,000 a month, and an income that has shrunk to roughly 200 dollars a month from some of my father's pensions. She does have savings, but they won't last forever, and some of her money is tied up in retirement accounts and cds that won't mature for several more years. Similarly, she cannot yet collect Social Security, either her own or my father's, since she is only 56.
She's looking into what she can do to reduce expenses, including the possibility of either getting a roommate/roommates or even selling her house and moving into an apartment. Nothing has been decided yet. She's also going to be looking into possible employment, but given her age and the fact that she's been out of the workforce for about 6 years now, it's not looking great in this economy. I am, however, encouraging her to look for jobs outside of her previous field. She used to work in retail management, but many of those skills are easily transferable to other fields, such as development associate for a nonprofit. I think that would be a better direction for her than trying to work her way back up the ladder in retail again, since she was thinking about going back to the cashier level (something her current health would really not allow... there's no way that she could stock a store with her back and hips, or stand for the length of time being a cashier requires). Not to mention the fact that, even if she cuts her expenses in half with a roommate, cashier jobs just don't pay very much.
I know you guys aren't in the position to help out financially. I'm not asking for that. But if you know of any resources that might be able to lend a hand... charities, government assistance programs, whatever... I'd appreciate it. Also, if you have any leads that might help a 56 year old woman with a 6 year gap in her employment history get hired in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area, let me know. And thank you.
Of course, winning lottery tickets would be appreciated too...
As most of you know, my father passed away last week. Unfortunately, this has left my mother in rather dire financial straights. Most of their income was from him, through VA benefits relating to his disability and through SSDI, both of which have ended now that my father has passed away. My mother hasn't worked for several years, and while that may not have been the best choice in retrospect it did allow them to truly spend time together during his last few years.
Now, though, my mother is left with bills totaling about 2,000 a month, and an income that has shrunk to roughly 200 dollars a month from some of my father's pensions. She does have savings, but they won't last forever, and some of her money is tied up in retirement accounts and cds that won't mature for several more years. Similarly, she cannot yet collect Social Security, either her own or my father's, since she is only 56.
She's looking into what she can do to reduce expenses, including the possibility of either getting a roommate/roommates or even selling her house and moving into an apartment. Nothing has been decided yet. She's also going to be looking into possible employment, but given her age and the fact that she's been out of the workforce for about 6 years now, it's not looking great in this economy. I am, however, encouraging her to look for jobs outside of her previous field. She used to work in retail management, but many of those skills are easily transferable to other fields, such as development associate for a nonprofit. I think that would be a better direction for her than trying to work her way back up the ladder in retail again, since she was thinking about going back to the cashier level (something her current health would really not allow... there's no way that she could stock a store with her back and hips, or stand for the length of time being a cashier requires). Not to mention the fact that, even if she cuts her expenses in half with a roommate, cashier jobs just don't pay very much.
I know you guys aren't in the position to help out financially. I'm not asking for that. But if you know of any resources that might be able to lend a hand... charities, government assistance programs, whatever... I'd appreciate it. Also, if you have any leads that might help a 56 year old woman with a 6 year gap in her employment history get hired in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area, let me know. And thank you.
Of course, winning lottery tickets would be appreciated too...
