Stacking Pennies . . .

My parents took out a $15,000 HELOC loan sometime last year in order to make some updates and repairs on their house in preparation to sell it. I thought it was sort of a bad idea and thought they should just save up some cash and pay for it as they go. At least for part of it. I think I bit my tongue, because it isn't really my place to offer unsolicited 'advice' and judge the actions of my parents. I did suggest that while they were waiting to spend it, they put it into a high yield savings account rather than a normal account, but beyond that, I stifled my opinions.

My dad has a bit of a sordid financial past and has difficulty managing money, so my mom was the only one with access to the account. But the repairs didn't happen. My dad kept putting it off, and putting it off, and I was wondering what the hold up was.

Apparently, my mom used the same PIN that my dad uses for several of his accounts. He was borrowing money from the account to pay some other bills (and I still am confused as to what bills these are). He finally told my mom, and then went to Alaska (I know, bizarre) because there was a lot of work for him there making a lot of money in a short amount of time. In fact, he's been there less than a month and has paid back whatever he took (I'm not sure how much it was).

I finally found out today, from my sister. My dad was supposed to tell me himself, but he didn't. I understand him not wanting to tell me, but it makes me think I need to change my attitude. I don't want to be judgmental (though it can be hard to hold back at times), I want to be helpful.

It's hard to offer suggestions to your parents. Suggestions that seem so obvious to me. For example, if you can't pay your bills then you don't get to go on vacation to the Bahamas. (Yes, the really are going. Though the trip was planned before this came to head, and they NEVER go on vacation, it still seems extravagant.) Or, open a Roth IRA and make contributions automatic. Cut up your credit cards if you can't manage them. Track your spending, at least for a few months, just to see what is going on. These are the basics!

Secretly, I considered pulling their credit report without their knowledge. I know their SSN's. There generally are some security questions that I'm sure I couldn't answer, but besides that, it's just a horrible and evil idea. It just isn't my place, even though I want it to be.

Someday, they won't be able to work. What do they have saved? Is it enough? How would my dad ever manage his finances without my mom watching over? Is it too late for him to learn? These are things that I worry about. Maybe that is why I have a personal finance blog--so no one ever has to worry these things about me.

My parents took out a $15,000 HELOC loan sometime last year in order to make some updates and repairs on their house in preparation to sell it. I thought it was sort of a bad idea and thought they should just save up some cash and pay for it as they go. At least for part of it. I think I bit my tongue, because it isn't really my place to offer unsolicited 'advice' and judge the actions of my parents. I did suggest that while they were waiting to spend it, they put it into a high yield savings account rather than a normal account, but beyond that, I stifled my opinions.

My dad has a bit of a sordid financial past and has difficulty managing money, so my mom was the only one with access to the account. But the repairs didn't happen. My dad kept putting it off, and putting it off, and I was wondering what the hold up was.

Apparently, my mom used the same PIN that my dad uses for several of his accounts. He was borrowing money from the account to pay some other bills (and I still am confused as to what bills these are). He finally told my mom, and then went to Alaska (I know, bizarre) because there was a lot of work for him there making a lot of money in a short amount of time. In fact, he's been there less than a month and has paid back whatever he took (I'm not sure how much it was).

I finally found out today, from my sister. My dad was supposed to tell me himself, but he didn't. I understand him not wanting to tell me, but it makes me think I need to change my attitude. I don't want to be judgmental (though it can be hard to hold back at times), I want to be helpful.

It's hard to offer suggestions to your parents. Suggestions that seem so obvious to me. For example, if you can't pay your bills then you don't get to go on vacation to the Bahamas. (Yes, the really are going. Though the trip was planned before this came to head, and they NEVER go on vacation, it still seems extravagant.) Or, open a Roth IRA and make contributions automatic. Cut up your credit cards if you can't manage them. Track your spending, at least for a few months, just to see what is going on. These are the basics!

Secretly, I considered pulling their credit report without their knowledge. I know their SSN's. There generally are some security questions that I'm sure I couldn't answer, but besides that, it's just a horrible and evil idea. It just isn't my place, even though I want it to be.

Someday, they won't be able to work. What do they have saved? Is it enough? How would my dad ever manage his finances without my mom watching over? Is it too late for him to learn? These are things that I worry about. Maybe that is why I have a personal finance blog--so no one ever has to worry these things about me.

My parents took out a $15,000 HELOC loan sometime last year in order to make some updates and repairs on their house in preparation to sell it. I thought it was sort of a bad idea and thought they should just save up some cash and pay for it as they go. At least for part of it. I think I bit my tongue, because it isn't really my place to offer unsolicited 'advice' and judge the actions of my parents. I did suggest that while they were waiting to spend it, they put it into a high yield savings account rather than a normal account, but beyond that, I stifled my opinions.

My dad has a bit of a sordid financial past and has difficulty managing money, so my mom was the only one with access to the account. But the repairs didn't happen. My dad kept putting it off, and putting it off, and I was wondering what the hold up was.

Apparently, my mom used the same PIN that my dad uses for several of his accounts. He was borrowing money from the account to pay some other bills (and I still am confused as to what bills these are). He finally told my mom, and then went to Alaska (I know, bizarre) because there was a lot of work for him there making a lot of money in a short amount of time. In fact, he's been there less than a month and has paid back whatever he took (I'm not sure how much it was).

I finally found out today, from my sister. My dad was supposed to tell me himself, but he didn't. I understand him not wanting to tell me, but it makes me think I need to change my attitude. I don't want to be judgmental (though it can be hard to hold back at times), I want to be helpful.

It's hard to offer suggestions to your parents. Suggestions that seem so obvious to me. For example, if you can't pay your bills then you don't get to go on vacation to the Bahamas. (Yes, the really are going. Though the trip was planned before this came to head, and they NEVER go on vacation, it still seems extravagant.) Or, open a Roth IRA and make contributions automatic. Cut up your credit cards if you can't manage them. Track your spending, at least for a few months, just to see what is going on. These are the basics!

Secretly, I considered pulling their credit report without their knowledge. I know their SSN's. There generally are some security questions that I'm sure I couldn't answer, but besides that, it's just a horrible and evil idea. It just isn't my place, even though I want it to be.

Someday, they won't be able to work. What do they have saved? Is it enough? How would my dad ever manage his finances without my mom watching over? Is it too late for him to learn? These are things that I worry about. Maybe that is why I have a personal finance blog--so no one ever has to worry these things about me.

My parents took out a $15,000 HELOC loan sometime last year in order to make some updates and repairs on their house in preparation to sell it. I thought it was sort of a bad idea and thought they should just save up some cash and pay for it as they go. At least for part of it. I think I bit my tongue, because it isn't really my place to offer unsolicited 'advice' and judge the actions of my parents. I did suggest that while they were waiting to spend it, they put it into a high yield savings account rather than a normal account, but beyond that, I stifled my opinions.

My dad has a bit of a sordid financial past and has difficulty managing money, so my mom was the only one with access to the account. But the repairs didn't happen. My dad kept putting it off, and putting it off, and I was wondering what the hold up was.

Apparently, my mom used the same PIN that my dad uses for several of his accounts. He was borrowing money from the account to pay some other bills (and I still am confused as to what bills these are). He finally told my mom, and then went to Alaska (I know, bizarre) because there was a lot of work for him there making a lot of money in a short amount of time. In fact, he's been there less than a month and has paid back whatever he took (I'm not sure how much it was).

I finally found out today, from my sister. My dad was supposed to tell me himself, but he didn't. I understand him not wanting to tell me, but it makes me think I need to change my attitude. I don't want to be judgmental (though it can be hard to hold back at times), I want to be helpful.

It's hard to offer suggestions to your parents. Suggestions that seem so obvious to me. For example, if you can't pay your bills then you don't get to go on vacation to the Bahamas. (Yes, the really are going. Though the trip was planned before this came to head, and they NEVER go on vacation, it still seems extravagant.) Or, open a Roth IRA and make contributions automatic. Cut up your credit cards if you can't manage them. Track your spending, at least for a few months, just to see what is going on. These are the basics!

Secretly, I considered pulling their credit report without their knowledge. I know their SSN's. There generally are some security questions that I'm sure I couldn't answer, but besides that, it's just a horrible and evil idea. It just isn't my place, even though I want it to be.

Someday, they won't be able to work. What do they have saved? Is it enough? How would my dad ever manage his finances without my mom watching over? Is it too late for him to learn? These are things that I worry about. Maybe that is why I have a personal finance blog--so no one ever has to worry these things about me.