Regular, Tatay is dead, Nanay is in her 70's, Ana is alone with only her mother and sister to help her to look after two very young kids, her sister is a little simple as she had some brain damage from yellow fever when she was a child so is really of limited help. So basically they would be in the crap if I was not helping regularly. It it a terrible pressure on me since I lost my business two years ago and with the fact that we still have difficulties getting Ana and the kids over here, I think I am still at least two years away from achieving that
thats easily understandable Oss your supporting your missus her kids and her mum and sister non of whom can work right?
I send regular amount but I made some cut back here to do that and it is hard to save to go there too. Jonalyn's dad died late last year and now they not have his income but she not asked for anymore I only send enough to cover internet and her part of the power bill and a little spending money She finding it hard to get a job in roxas and has talked about going to manila to get a job but I rather her stay with mom for the moment
My wife sorts it out for helping the family, fishing boat, nets etc but we always try to sort it in advance. As the wife now realises we have to take care of the bills and our standard of living first, then with prior warning we can budget to send money to the family. We have had to send money for emergencies in the past and things have gotten tight (mainly due to the exchange rate really) but thankfully these occasions have been few and far between. Though saying that my wife is the youngest of 7 brothersd and sisters and the eldest are starting to knock on a bit so these emergencies will probably start to happen more often.
Sister is unable to hold down a job, not bright enough and it is Manila, Nanay is really too old, I feel guilty about her having to help out with our kids, if she was not staying with us and helping us she could have an easier time living with her son in a nicer house in North Calaocan, Ricardo's wife is well off but works in Europe so Nanay would be ok living with her son. Someone has to look after the kids and James is still to young for fulltime school, Janna is only 2 and half and is a right handful, plus it's Manila and Ana is in her late thirties, so not easy to get a job if you are over 30 and not a graduate, even if she had the time.
I think reading this thread I kind of feel a little lucky right now, but maybe one day I will feel differently. I do help Rizza out, though she never asked me for help until I willingly obliged and sent a regular amount (sometimes as little as 4,000 pesos and sometimes around 10,000 pesos). I did this simply because I know how hard it can be for her, her entire family work as if one unit. Rizza's mother is a dressmaker, her father drives a motor tricycle. Her parents live a few moments walk from Rizza's maternal grandparents where the hub of the family revolves around. Aunt's and Uncles are overseas sending money home, whilst others work in the Philippines where they can. They are not rich, but manage to get by.. And I am glad I am able to help out in the little way I can. Rizza also refuses to treat herself. Once I sent her a large amount of money so she could buy herself some nice things, instead she took 10,000.00 pesos out of it and sent it home so that her mother could open a small family run store (where her sister now works).. I was quite happy when she told me about this and I got the chance to visit the store when I was there a year ago I also don't hear about emergencies although I expect that to change one day, but then Rizza butgets on what she has for the month and has learned to keep her money in the bank. I guess from the levels of poverty I have seen in Pinas, Rizza's family are on a par with my family. Not rich, not starving, just getting by! Some of her relatives have done very well for themselves and employ fellow family members when they can. All that could change and I am aware that all it takes is a tropical storm and all of a sudden my help would be needed like never before... But anyway.. Oss, I can't say much other than I have a lot of respect for you and your help to Ana and her family. I wish you well and hope she is with you soon. Same to subseastu and PATCH, respect for helping out when it is needed. I know too many people would look at you guys (and me) like an idiot, but those few pounds we send go a long way to some of out loved ones in Pinas...
Difficult subject and we have had a few rows over it in the past, and there was emergencies crop up that we had no choice but to pay for. Now things have got easier with her 2 younger brothers and sister working abroad so they contribute as best they can. We had to help out last time for an older brother who was badly injured in a road accident, now its just the odd bit of money for rice,electric bills etc. Mum and Dad in law are both in their mid 60s so I am encouraging them to eat all the fat and sweet foods and lay off the exercising, I am sending them over dripping for their bread.
if we felt we got spare cash aside from savings ..ill be happier if i could send some cash over to the ph.. not just for emergency
We do help. at least once a month, to be fair. I know the signs.... when the time approaches her indoors, starts getting a bit restless, and throws broad hints in my general direction.... As if it is my job to authorize anything.......
My last contribution was a new fishing net at xmas BUT this needs replacing every 3 months or so and needs saving for from the cash generated Ive had to be firm with Jheans Dad after we are married and if theres the budget Im intending to help with house preservation it gets flooded at high tide and the floor and walls are being eroded
i guess i consider myself very lucky as i do not have to send anything... nor help out with expenses even when i was still in Pinas and working... even when my Dad got sick and have to be in ICU, my help at that time was the HMO i took out for him.. but the daily medicines, i wasn't able to give support to my mom... we were lucky that we got friends and family who lent us money at that time.. and it was when i discovered how much my dad was loved.. his former students even organized a fund-raising project for him! anyway, even now, i still don't send money home as there isn't a need to at the moment... but i know, one day i will.. especially when there's an emergency... i pray there wouldn't be any... my sincerest respect to those of you who help your other half's family in Pinas... bless you!
I send regularly to my Nanay as she is 82 and not a pensioner. But she always save all the money I send including my sis and brods remittance for her. She still planting, doing poultry at her age although I tried to stop her for hundreds times but she's hard headed as she never listen to us.
It is being active that keeps her going.... Have you ever thought about that...??? She is doing something that she has done for a lifetime, I suspect, and she enjoys doing. So untile she gives up herself, there is no need in trying to convince her... She will know when.
You're right Dom as I also enjoy what she's doing. But sometimes, I want to see her enjoying her retirement and pamper herself. It's heartbreaking sometimes seeing her cultivating. The most heartbreaking thing she did was last year when she spent her savings for her future grave.
