Comments on: What’s the Best Way to Help Someone?

By: D. Flor

D. Flor — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:07:20 +0000

Nurses are in demand. It is a portable job and there is availability all over the country. With the aging population there will always be a need for nurses. I think her choice of nursing school is reasonable.

By: Slinky

Slinky — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:42:03 +0000

Nursing is a great option as there seem to be plenty of jobs whether you’ve got a 2 yr, 4 yr, masters, etc degree. There’s also a lot of demand for them, so they make good money. If she could get even a 2 year degree, she could make more money.

The best way to help people is to help them help themselves. I’d be much more happy helping her go to school than helping out with Christmas or even rent money. I only donate to charities that are a hand up instead of a hand out.

There used to be a charity for the homeless in my area. They had a program in place where you got a place to stay to get you off the street. Then you got a job. Then you moved into your own place. If you didn’t keep with the program, you were out. I thought this was absolutely fabulous.

By: JLP

JLP — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:55:48 +0000

Lindsay,

I think I read in the article that the lady talked about the program taking two years so she may be going for something like a vocational education.

By: JLP

JLP — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:54:55 +0000

Moneymonk,

I agree that financial education is key. However, some people need more than that in order to get their feet on the ground.

By: Moneymonk

Moneymonk — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:52:10 +0000

financial education

By: Lindsay

Lindsay — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:36:00 +0000

The only thing about her deciding to go to nursing school – It’s not my business, but wouldn’t it be more profitable to go to a 2-year vocational school to learn to do something where you could make a decent amount of money sooner than 4+ years from now?

My opinion on the Christmas stuff: If it’s a choice between a Christmas tree and basic clothing and hygiene items, the choice is obvious. But it doesn’t really have to be a choice between them, does it? A lot of us could give both – and the worst thing that would happen in that situation is that maybe we “accidentally” give “too much” to someone else.

By: Beth

Beth — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:21:59 +0000

Yana, I have to respectfully disagree. While I agree with the point that a lot of this Christmas spending is foolish, until you can change society’s attitude you won’t be able to stop people from wanting their kids to have a “normal” Christmas like everyone else. Kids may not understand that “you don’t get to have Christmas because your mommy and daddy made bad financial decisions”, but they do understand what it feels like to be left out of something that everyone thinks is so important.

I do feel that it’s the ongoing sense of deprivation that’s going to leave it’s mark. I’m all for educational training and all that other kind of help, but I still think inclusion is key to keeping kids on track in life.

By: KC

KC — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 02:14:39 +0000

I’m not sure these people are financially inept. Simply trying to house, cloth, and feed a family of 7 on $1000/mo. doesn’t make you financially inept. I couldn’t do that either. That being said I think the best way to help people is with things they really need – clothing, shoes, toiletries, food. Basic things. This way they can take the money they earn and perhaps use it for something else that month besides basic needs.

By: Yana

Yana — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:22:56 +0000

That’s a hard question, but not being able to afford Xmas is not a problem. These people do not need a tree in their living room, or even the suggestion that commercial holidays have any real meaning. Money helps, but the needs don’t end. Gift cards for grocery stores, gas stations and utility payments are helpful. Housing assistance is helpful. Anything that meets an actual need is helpful. Luxuries and foolish spending miss the point, and teaching people that a tree in the house is a need is the kind of thing that breeds financial ineptness and lack of responsibility in the first place.

By: Brad Ford

Brad Ford — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 23:39:51 +0000

They should refer her to the Texas Attorney General’s office. They have a Child Support Enforcement unit that provides free legal services to custodial parents who need help collecting on child support obligations. They can and do garnish wages and/or throw deadbeat dads in jail.