It makes driving a little difficult, but not entirely impossible.
My mother insists that her name be on all of my bank accounts.
She loves to spy on me and see how Im spending my money.
Thankfully, my doctor refused to sign off on the disability.
What should I do?
And its a false narrative.
Youre a rational, responsible adult.
I wish I could tell you to close thisbank accountand open a new one without your mothers name attached.
This should be a non-event for a 29-year-old.
But Im guessing this would be a very big deal in your household.
Start building your savings by cutting costs on bills see if any of these options help.
All you have to do is fill out something called a transfer upon death form with your bank.
All Smart Credit Card Users:
Debt can get out of control fast.
(Inflation, amiright?)
That doesnt mean you have to let your debt run your life.
However, it sounds like you have a joint bank account with your mother.
With a joint account, anyone listed as a co-owner can withdraw the balance at any time.
Thats a real concern, given the amount of control your mother exerts over you.
Which brings me to your broader question: What should you do?
Youre in a bad relationship, only its with your parents, not a partner.
You say your main reason for living with your parents is that driving is difficult.
Thats a challenge, but it isnt an insurmountable one.
Plenty of people dont drive, yet still live independently.
Given the explosion inremote jobs, you have more options than ever for supporting yourself without regular transportation.
Obviously, youll need to save money to move out on your own.
Thats going to be a real challenge, given your mothers propensity for spying.
But if youre financially dependent on your parents, tread cautiously.
attempt to think of some ways that you couldsave moneywithout your parents knowledge.
Could you get cash back when you make purchases using your debit card?
Or make relatively minor purchases, then return them and ask for the refund in cash?
Or could you open an online bank account and divert a small portion of your paycheck there?
Perhaps you could tell your mother that youre saving money in a retirement account.
Maybe they could let you stay with them while youre establishing yourself or support you in some other way.
At the very least, they can provide you with a much-needed listening ear.
It sounds like youve been told for a long time that youre not a competent adult.
Now its up to you to change this narrative.
If you dont start asserting your independence, nothing in this situation will change.
Need Some Quick Cash?
If youre looking to boost your income this month, weve got just the thing for you.
Robin Hartill is a certified financial planner and a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder.
Send your tricky money questions to[email protected].
