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Trust Issues Are Remnants Of Past Toxic Relationships

DEAR ABBY: Marriage is considered to be imperative in my religion and culture. I’m 29 and still not married. I have commitment and trust issues with guys. I have been in only three relationships my entire life. Every time things are going well, I tend to self-sabotage and make excuses to push the guy away. I start arguments for no reason or create problems or issues that I fabricate out of thin air. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that my past relationships were toxic and tumultuous. They were cheaters and liars. I have carried that baggage into my relationship with my ...

Savvy Senior: What You’ll Pay for Medicare in 2021

Dear Savvy Senior, I know there will be a small cost-of-living increase in Social Security benefits next year but what about Medicare? What will the Medicare Part B monthly premiums be in 2021, and when do the surcharges kick in for higher income beneficiaries? — Inquiring Senior Dear Inquiring, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently announced their cost adjustments for 2021 and the increases for premiums and out-of-pocket costs for most beneficiaries will be modest. But if you’re a high earner, you’ll pay more. Here’s what you can expect starting in ...

Gift-Giving This Season

Dear Readers: We are always looking to save money, but the holiday season can be particularly challenging. We want the best for our families, but how can we give without breaking the bank? We face a lot of pressure: TV commercials tell us to spend, spend, spend; kids and grands want what they want; if someone gives you a gift, you feel like you have to reciprocate. Just hold the phone. Before spending anything, sit down, take a hard look at your finances, and create a budget. This will protect you from overspending. And think about starting a savings plan for next year. Giving a gift ...

COVID Causes Rift Between Nurse’s Boyfriend, His Sister

DEAR ABBY: I am a nurse in New York City. My boyfriend lives in Philadelphia. During the height of the pandemic, we didn’t see each other because I worked on a COVID unit and contracted the virus. His sister became very controlling and kept urging him not to see me, which brought me great pain. I was extremely lonely, and for months, the only people I saw were my co-workers. At the end of May, my boyfriend and I began seeing each other regularly. Because he sees me, his sister refuses to see him, which makes me very sad. His mother died two years ago. When his family tries to ...

Not So Neighborly Neighbors

Today’s Sound Off is about yard maintenance: Dear Heloise: With the fall comes yard maintenance: cutting trees back, mulching and raking leaves. Two of my neighbors use those blowers that blow leaves and debris out into the street, but unfortunately they don’t bag the leaves and twigs. The first strong wind that comes along blows everything back where it was, or worse, it ends up in everyone else’s yard. My neighborhood is in the suburbs, and everyone takes great care with their yard. This makes our street look nice, keeps property values up and makes this a healthy, happy ...

Coin Collector Is Blindsided by Wife’s Sale of Gold Piece

DEAR ABBY: My wife recently came back from a gold/silver/coin merchandiser event and told me she had sold an old U.S. $5 gold piece (for probably less than it was worth). I was hurt, not only because I have a coin collection and would have been interested in knowing about and seeing the coin, but also because she didn’t seem to understand how disappointed and hurt I was. She gleefully announced she was going to use the proceeds to purchase an exercise bike. I took a two-hour walk to work off my feelings and then skipped dinner because I had lost my appetite. Sometimes I feel that my ...