Just One of those Crazy Days - It Should be Illegal

I think I mentioned last month that, right after I returned to the US after my trip with my mom, that we found out that she had been donating over $300 a month to different charities and sometimes up to $500 a month. 

There was $310 just in withdrawals from her checking to charities. Those were from actual calls made to her home by charities. Here are some of the one's on her debit card:

American Indian Fund
Children's Wish Foundation
Republican National (3 times)
American Conservative
E donations
Philanthropies
Media One
FRC Action 6
Tea Party Patriots
Southwest Indian
Next Generation (4 Times)
College Republicans
Republican National
Conservative Majority
Republican Leadership
Tea Party Express 
ETC..

Each time was for a different amount. Always ten dollars or more. sometimes as much as $25. I think they keep it small so that you don't raise flags at the bank.

The photo at the top shows the junk mail she received the week we were gone. There is a stack about three inches thick. All asking for money. Most are different organizations than those taking out of her checking using her debit card. 

Then there were the checks she sent as well as the debit card withdrawals. Most were political in nature which was funny since they were all AFTER the election. 

This is all on top of donations to her church.

For months she was complaining that she had no money. Finally, after looking at her bank statements, we figured out the problem. We got her a new debit card but that won't last long as the calls are coming in. She isn't good with her memory since her accident, (See here about that post) and when we confronted her with all the donations, she got upset and said, "They are good organizations and I want to help." 

However, when I called the numbers where the charges came from off the debit bill, it was a man's personal phone. 

My mother lives in an assisted living center and even though people are not supposed to do sales in the building, she is forever buying "health drinks", "Vitamins" and health insurances that as soon as the person leaves, she doesn't remember she even has.

There is no way to block her door or mail from all the junk. We put her home and cell number on the "Do not call" list but for some reason, that guy with the personal phone that is doing all these donations..... He didn't get the message.!

Today, I was on the phone with my oldest brother talking about the latest bank statements and we talked with my mother to see how she was doing with the calls. I was pleasantly surprised when she said she has been telling them that "because she donated before, she didn't have money to live and would they please take her off their list." 

I love my mother but sometimes it is a great deal of work taking care of someone that has had brain trauma. I am grateful that we were able to get her into assisted living but I am sad that there are people out there who take advantage of others mental issues or emotional weakness and prey on them for their own gain. I can think of how much our family could have used that $500 a month to support her later or, to help her grandchildren going on service missions or college etc. 

You know it is going to be one of those crazy days when you wake to a text at 8 a.m. telling you "there is no power in room number six again!" I had quite the text conversation with someone who has "no power" and wanted me to take care of it. They finally figured out they had the wrong person but the day just goes from there. Funny though, my computer cord just quit and I had "no power" unless I crimped the cord and pushed it around. I spent time looking for a new one but after finding one that was actually a Panasonic, it was out of stock. I don't want to use an after market one as i haven't had much luck with those in the past.

I washed all the blankets from the stash in the family room along with the "neck pillows" which left blankets drying all over the house. I had so many on doors that I had to use both floors of doors in the house to get them dry as many can't be put into the dryer. 

I wanted to clean off a few computers to donate to charity and ended up cleaning out my file drawer on my desk instead as I dropped an Sd card into it and thought it was a sign to clean it out. (More accurately, I couldn't find the card without cleaning it out. :-)

Having only gotten a few hours of sleep due to coughing, I dragged all day. I did make a wonderful roast for dinner and cooked up the squash and potatoes that froze in my garage due to the cold winter we are having as well. We now have lots of frozen squash and mashed potatoes for Princess 3 to take back to college this long weekend.  

Believe it or not, I didn't even turn on the computers needing cleaning. However, I am glad to know they are all going to good homes once I get them cleaned off. We were blessed to have a friend give us hers this Christmas as she got a new one so we thought we would share the wealth and donate our old one's to a family member and charity. 

Thanks for letting me rant on about the donations. It is so frustrating not being able to do anything about all that money they took. At least we can keep an eye on it now. She may have so much now that she doesn't donate, that she may not know what to do with it all all! 

Well, we can always hope anyway.. . . . .