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Posts tagged with: getting out of debt

Aging in Place

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I return to Texas within the week. Caring for my daughter and her fiance has been a very different experience then caring for my parents. Aging is place seems like a buzzword. But as I get more and more familiar with the care available (or not available/accessible in many cases) to seniors, it just makes so much sense. But it definitely does require planning and fore thought.

Our Story

We kind of fell into it with my mom. When she was originally diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia and then that was changed to Parkinson‘s almost a year later, the gradual decline made it possible for us to talk through options and make plans as she went down hill. My family has taken EXCEPTIONAL care of her for the past 8 years. There are definitely advantages to having 5 kids and 3 of them living within 20 miles!

Hope and her parents in 2018

We took family photos in 2018 knowing it would most likely be my mom’s last time. Her memory and physical capabilities were fading fast. I’m so grateful we had these done.

Hospice was called in almost 3 years ago now. At the time, they didn’t expect her to last a month.

Now we watch every day, never knowing what it is to come. The long goodbye is definitely an accurate description of this debilitating disease. Her breathing is labored and raspy. It continues to get more and more laborious to feed her and prompt her to open her mouth and swallow.

But if anything my family sticks. My parents are truly examples of those often forgotten marriage covenants they made to one another over 50 years ago now.

Preparing for What’s Next

I feel very blessed to be here for this chapter in their lives and mine. I realize this is a privilege not many are given.

And I’ve realized that for now, being present for those that need me is exactly where I need to be.

And before you jump in the comments with the negativity or foreshadowing of some thing…I am sticking to my financial plan, saving and continuing to pay off my student loans. But I don’t know what or when my next chapter will come. And for the first time, that’s okay. Being present for my parents (and my kids) while they need me.

Savings to Date – Ally Review

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My focus is split – student loans and savings. I just updated you on my debt load after payments made this month. Now it’s time for a savings update.

I currently have a total of $6,249 in my personal savings accounts. $807 is in my long standing personal savings account. And the rest is in my new Ally savings account assigned to all my savings buckets that I created when I created my budget. There was original (post house sale $4,000 more in savings. I will explain use when I get a May finance update together.)

ally savings bucket view

*Note: before you come for me, this image only shows $6,049 as there is a $200 transfer pending.

How do you like Ally?

I am so grateful to the person in my comment about a high yield savings account who recommended Ally. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the buckets and related goal and date feature. And then seeing cumulative total is very motivating.

It’s been so easy to set up and use. And feels “far away” so I’m not at all tempted to look at it often let alone touch the money there.

My only complaint is that transfers take anywhere from 3-4 business days. While they take the money out of my account on day 1, they take 3-4 days to deposit it into my account. (Even if they listed it as Not Available). They do show the transfer as pending, but seems like a stretch to take that long to even record in my account.

I only have the single savings account. And I’ve already earned just over $17 in interest. And that’s in just over a month. Woot, woot!

Very motivating.

Future Plan

The plan remains the same, with a small hiccup of this unplanned stay in GA while Beauty and fiance recover from 4 wheeler accident.

I will continue to live with my parents, helping care for my mom (and dad as needed) until I am no longer needed. Things are working well with dad. I take care of day time care – feeding, bathing, and changes. And then cook several times a week for dad and I, eating leftovers in between. Dad handles evening care and is free to get out of the house during the day. We are both quite happy with this schedule.

And I’m able to work around mom’s schedule, and vice versa. I start at 4:30am daily. And we make it work. I am diligently saving and paying some extra to my student loans every month. But I think I am leaning slightly more to saving.

My siblings have stepped back in while I am here in GA.

 

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