Advice from R. Eric Thomas.
All of us but one is now retired and she is hoping to retire soon at age 73. She’s continued to work as she’s worried about not having sufficient funds during retirement. The other two have to pinch pennies a bit and many decisions are made based upon cost.
I’ve been trying to figure out a way to help them without offending their pride and making them feel the financial chasm between us. I’ve been unable to come up with a winning method.– Wanting to Be GenerousFirst of all, would you like to be my friend, as well? My pride can certainly withstand a $10,000 gift.
So, ask them directly. “I would like to pay off your car loan; would you allow me to do that?” Or “Is there an amount of money that would make your life easier? I don’t want to offend you, but I want to show you love as a friend.” She notified me via text that she was in labor and on the way to the hospital. In that same text, she informed me that her mother-in-law was flying out to California that same day from New York.
I am very hurt that the mother-in-law was notified instead of me. Several friends seemed surprised and said, “She is out there, not you?”
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