My Mom Expects Me To Financially Help Her (She Has No Savings)

The caller's 67-year-old mother and stepfather, both recovering from major surgeries, are struggling financially. They bring in $4,400 a month from social security, but her mother recently revealed $51,000 in credit card debt and zero savings. The mother has a history of poor financial management, having lost two houses and filed for bankruptcy previously. The caller, now debt-free and with a net worth of $1.8 million, is frequently asked for financial help by her mother, who is aware of her daughter's wealth. Despite the caller creating a budget for her mother, she continues to overspend, frequently using services like DoorDash, leading to monthly shortfalls. The caller and her husband are reluctant to provide monetary assistance due to the mother's persistent financial irresponsibility. The stepfather is equally poor at managing money, and their financial struggles are long-standing, dating back to the caller's childhood. They previously spent through their money, lost two homes, and have lived in rentals ever since, exhibiting a strong sense of entitlement. The hosts emphasize that the mother and stepfather have made their own choices, similar to how the caller made choices to improve her financial situation. They stress that it's futile to try and understand the "why" behind others' poor financial decisions. The extreme request for the caller to buy her mother a house highlights the severity of the situation. The hosts advise the caller to clearly define the ways she can help: providing budget assistance, accountability, and a financial plan, but explicitly stating that monetary help is not an option because the parents have sufficient income if managed properly. The caller reveals that many of her mother's credit cards are already in collections, making it difficult to even meet minimum payments. The mother's repeated pattern of losing homes indicates a lack of learning from mistakes. The hosts commend the caller for breaking her family's financial cycle, acknowledging the difficulty of her journey. They recognize that if the mother's struggles were due to unforeseen circumstances, the caller would readily help. However, they compare the situation to enabling an addiction, noting that the mother doesn't want advice, only money, making the relationship transactional. The caller is encouraged to act as the "adult" and set firm boundaries, despite the emotional pain this causes. Giving more money would only fuel resentment and the mother's wasteful habits.