If Not Now, When?

[ClingingToHope]

You can't control the in laws. My MIL likes me, but she loves her daughter. And W can't save. Never has been able to so the MIL is going to be the one financing things like trips and electronics.

D11 told me a few weeks ago she may go to New York for Christmas. Really? Two years ago we plotted out a list of family trips to take over the years and going to Broadway was one of them.

I'm saving now for NEXT YEAR'S spring break trip. I know -- OK, strongly suspect -- W isn't going to save for a trip to NYC. It must be MIL.

But then I remember how MIL grew up. After she got married, an aunt died and left her $108,000. They spent all of it over 20 years and now she's down to her final $20,000 on her home equity line of credit because she keeps bailing SIL out of credit card debt.

After that, she's broke.

By my guesstimates, that gives W about three years of leaning on MIL.

In the end, it all boomerangs back. Don't get caught up in the arms race with the ex and his parents.