My brothers want everyone to chip in $1,000 to pay for my parents’ 50th anniversary. I love my mom and dad, but I only have $1,000 in savings

Dear Dave,

I’m trying difficult to get power of my money and get retired of debt, but I had a business travel up nan different day, and I really don’t cognize what to do. I’m 1 of 4 brothers, and our parents’ fiftieth wedding day is early adjacent month. My 2 oldest brothers sewage together and made plans for a statement without consulting nan remainder of us. They want everyone to spot successful $1,000 to thief salary for things. I emotion my mom and dad, but nan only savings I person is $1,000 successful my beginner emergency fund. Will you show maine really to reside this situation?

Ronald

Dear Ronald,

I’m going to beryllium blunt here, okay? Since you weren’t asked astir immoderate of this up of time, and had nary opportunity successful anything, adjacent would beryllium for you and your relative who weren’t consulted to salary zero. Zilch.

Planning thing that costly without consulting everyone progressive good up of time—and expecting them to laic retired $1,000 without warning—is measurement retired of line. And don’t fto your older brothers laic a guilt travel connected you, either. This has thing to do pinch really overmuch you emotion your parents, being greedy aliases thing for illustration that. It has everything to do pinch information and communication, aliases successful this case, a deficiency of these connected their part.

If I were you, I’d fto your oldest brothers cognize precisely what your financial business is for illustration correct now. Explain what you’re doing and why you’re doing it, past fto them cognize successful a nice, but firm, reside you’ll springiness them immoderate you tin scrape up, but you won’t beryllium chipping successful thing adjacent to $1,000. Oh, and I’d show them adjacent clip they hatch up a big, costly scheme for illustration this, to cheque pinch each their brothers measurement up of time.

Best of luck, Ronald. I’m sorry you person to woody pinch this.

— Dave