Hello,
I’m hoping someone can help me, help my mum. It’s a very long story but I will try to keep it concise. My parents met in 1992, and very quickly fell in love, married and had my brother a year after getting together. My mum was 30 and had put her entire life savings into the deposit for a beautiful house, my dad chipped in but didn’t contribute as much as mum. I was born 3 years later, everything was great. My dad worked full time, mum had multiple part time jobs whilst me and my brother were at school. My parents divorced when I was 8 years old, and my dad earned more than my mum so when they divorced he bought her out of the house for £50k. My mum was 41 and she had to start again, with £50k. My mum searched and searched for a new home, and of course needed to be close for me and my brother to see her, eventually she settled on a flat in the same town, but it wasn’t very nice, unfortunately all she could afford in the area, as the house prices had soared. She always knew it was going to be a challenge, she wanted to decorate the whole place, and she had to get a full time, stable job to secure a mortgage etc. She became a public sector key worker, full time, and I am so so so proud of the contributions she makes every day to society. Anyway, years and years passed and if I’m honest she doesn’t earn a great salary, and she works long hours she’s really struggled with getting round to do it, and I know that she’s struggled with the loneliness. As I have got older I’ve only been able to appreciate how hard it must have been, moving away from her two children, having them once a fortnight, it breaks my heart. I’m now 25, and I go to my mum’s flat every day for a cuppa tea (I still live at home with my dad and brother, in the house she worked so hard to buy and keep) and I try my absolute best to help as much as I can. I have an average job, and will always help put financially, and try to help round the flat, but I’m no DIY expert, I have an admin job. Nonetheless I recently carpeted her hallway using carpet tiles, it’s not the best job but it’s an improvement, I paint and even managed to laminate her kitchen floor! She is so appreciative and just wishes she had the money and time to do it all. Her wallpaper in the bedroom is falling off the walls, it’s woodchip so is in need of removal and re-plastering, the Window wood is starting to rot so I think it may need replacing, her kitchen and bathroom are over 20 years old, she hasn’t replaced the curtains or blinds since she’s moved in and it’s because she spends almost every penny she earns on her mortgage, bills, and food. I would absolutely love to be able to give her £15,000 to do her bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. I do help where I can but I can’t afford to help her as much as she needs. I slip money into her purse occasionally, every little helps I guess. She’s saved money from birthdays and christmas, I think for the last 2 years, as she would like a pair of bifocal glasses so she doesn’t have to constantly swap glasses to see properly. I think deep down she would like to sell her flat, and buy a smaller, but nicer flat. But unfortunately her flat is leasehold, and it only has 65 years left on the lease, so realistically she’s not going to be able to sell it. It will cost around £30,000 to extend the lease to 99 years, which is more likely to sell. She’s told me she feels trapped and she always pretends she’s fine and “what will be will be” but I just wish I could do something to help. That’s why I’ve come here today. I’m not really sure exactly what I’m asking for, but every little helps. If you are able to help, thank you so so much. She really is something else is my mum and there is no one more deserving than her. My PayPal link is @chloe699798
Thanks for reading and wish you all well