It is already week 2 of "The Saved Quarter Challenge" and time to update. Things are always changing around here. We are living with my mom and dad since the recent discovery of brain/skull cancer for my mom. She needs help with dad and she will definitely need help as she undergoes radiation treatment. I am a full time caregiver for both and my husband helps when he is home from work.
Our income is strictly what my husband makes. For now. My parents and I did reach an agreement that they would pay me when we moved out to our house, but I am re-thinking that. Depending on how long we are here at their house, I still think I need to be paid something. What do you think? Family and money can be a
sticky subject!
I have been striving to build an online income with blogging and Virtual Assisting jobs. But.... that has been a challenge with the care of my parents. I am not giving up on it, as blogging keeps me sane!
Income Update Week 2: $53.00
How about you? Do you have any earning goals for your blog? Join along with Penny at The Save Quarter with her challenge.
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5 comments:
Family and money is definitely a touchy subject!
Ain't that the truth!!
well, you wouldn't have had to move out to their place unless you had to offer caregiving, right? So it seems that you being the caregiver should be the payment, imho. I guess it depends on your family dynamics.
Now, I've never been in this situation. And, Lord help me, I hope I don't have to be for ages (or ever!). But I think your parents should look at it as a business transaction. Right now they have three options: 1) They can hire an outside care giver and pay them the costs of providing the same support you do (assuming this is the more expensive route); 2) They can hire you to provide the support you are doing now (assuming this is at a discount from the professional care giver route); 3) They can do neither and move into an assisted living facility.
From how you put it, you "feel" as if you should be paid. Often times we get caught up in, "But I deserve this!" and it should be looked at with a business eye. If you talked about it before, and agreed that when they moved in with you, you'd be paid... how is this situation different? Why didn't it come up before?
If you're looking at it for a strict income only range, I think you might reconsider. In my area, at least, you can have insurance cover a good bit of homecare costs with licensed companies.
I guess you'd have to ask yourself whether you really NEED this money in order to live. Do you? Is your husband's income enough? Or do you feel you DESERVE some kind of income because you're giving up your time to take care of your parents? There's two ways to think of it...and how you posed the question above makes me think you're in the "deserve" category rather than the "need". In this instance, your family isn't trying to use you; they are in genuine need of a service and sometimes we give up some things in order to make life better for others. If your mom and dad offered to pay you without any prodding on your part, that's different and should be considered more of a gift.
Again, I've never been in this situation, but if I were I'd feel like I shouldn't accept money unless necessary to make sure the basic needs of my own family are met (Basic meaning food, shelter, etc. Not cable, fancy cell phones, designer clothes, etc.).
I am not sure if I understand your comment. I feel I should be paid since I am the primary caregiver. The move back to my house is delayed by my moms radiation treatments.
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