Annies Mailbox: How did the mother-in-law get control of finances?
Dear Annie: My mother-in-law has a heart of gold and always tries to help out — even when it is not welcome. My husband is in the military, and I’m a stay-at-home mom. When he leaves on deployment, his mother takes charge of his bills and decides how much of an allowance I get for groceries, gas, etc. I have told my husband that I would like him to give me control of my own house. I know he tells his mother this, but she either won’t listen or doesn’t understand. I have no idea how to talk to her about this, and his next deployment is in a couple of months. Any suggestions? Overwhelmed Daughter-in-Law Dear Overwhelmed: How does his mother get access to his bills? Are his paychecks coming to her? Since talking to Mom doesn’t help, your husband must set things up so that his income and household bills come directly to you. If you are living with Mom, he can open a post office box or have you pay some of the bills online. He must be willing to do this, or the situation will not change. Un
