I have just found out from my parents that my sister is having real financial difficulties, and that they are going to be helping her even more in the future than they do already.
I have always known that money is a bit tight for her, her dp is a bit useless and not really interested in working much, and she is a SAHM to her 3 children. However, from what my parents have now revealed, the situation is more desperate than I ever imagined (phone cut off, car about to be repossessed are just two examples they were prepared to tell me about).
I live very far away from both my parents and my sister, but I talk to her pretty much every other day and she has never let on that things are so bad. She does moan a little bit about her dp, but in the sort of way that everyone does sometimes, she certainly never mentioned that he is basically in the pub after work every night spending money that they really could use.
Anyway, I feel awful for her, and I am relieved that my parents are in a position to be able to help out financially (although they are worried that all that will happen is that her dp works even less so their situation won't change at all, but that's another story). They are most worried about their 3 gc, and want to make sure that they are as cared for as possible, which I think is great.
However, I am so worried about my sister, I cannot just do nothing. I would really like to help her in some way. We are not rich, but my dh earns enough for me to be able to stay at home and look after our ds without having to worry too much about money. I budget, I meal plan, we don't go on expensive holidays etc. but I also don't have to worry about how I'm going to get my ds shoes or a new coat for winter.
I don't think I can help out financially as such, and I can't really help in any practical way as I live so far away (I'm not in the UK). And I would so like to do something for her, for my sister (as I say, my parents are going to be helping out financially, especially as far as the kids are concerned), it might only be something small, but I would like her to feel I'm there for her and maybe give her a little treat of some sort every now and again.
Does anyone have any ideas what I could do? It shouldn't be anything too obvious as she has never discussed this with me and I would hate for her to think I pity her or think she needs my charity. But I can't let my little sister be struggling while we are comfortably off. I am near tears whenever I think about it. Any ideas or advice would be gratefully received.