For about a year now, my mother in law has been living in my house.  She moved in when I was in Korea.  I get along well with her, but enough is enough.  Being in the way is an understatement.  The fact that she brought a little "kick-me" dog with her didn't help the situation at all.  She's 72 years old, and is getting to the point where she might need us to start looking after her.  Kind of hard to do when she lives two states away, so my wife moved her in.

The main reason she moved in though, is because she could no longer afford to live in her house in Texas.  There's the mortgage, home owner's association fees (it's a gated community), and the utilities and groceries.  It was just too much for her.  Now she doesn't have to worry about the utilities or groceries.  I take care of all that for her now.  She still pays the mortgage and home owner's association fees.

She has been on a waiting list for an apartment for retirees ever since she got here.  It's an assisted living establishment (for those who need assistance), and the rent is only $270 a month with no utility bills.  The problem is that she cannot afford both the rent on the apartment and the mortgage on her house (which has been on the market since she came to stay with us). 

Three weeks ago, she got a call from the apartment complex, telling her she was number one on the waiting list, and they had a vacancy.  The only problem: still being stuck with the mortgage on her house.

My wife and I discussed it, and we agreed that it was time for her to get out.  I was going to pay her rent for her, provide her with a telephone, cable and internet access, and supply her with groceries, and take care of whatever else she could not afford.  We looked at our budget, decided where to cut corners, and made a plan, trusting that the house would eventually sell, and we would be financially constrained for only a short while.  It was a leap of faith.

So a couple days later, my wife and mother in law went to the apartment complex, filled out all the paperwork, signed the lease, and got a move in date.  When they came home, there was a message on the answering machine.  It was from her realtor back in Texas telling her she got an offer on the house.  One week later, it was a done deal.  She cleared $73,000 after closing costs and realtor fees.  Two weeks ago, I moved her completely out of the house and into her apartment.  She's paying all her own bills now. 

Life is good.  It's even better when your mother in law doesn't live with you.  Don't get me wrong though!  My mother in law is actually pretty awesome.  I get along with her really well.  Couldn't ask for better.

Have a great weekend, friends.