Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello & Help. My Cousin is Autistic. She is 41 years old & has multiple health issues. She cannot handle her finances. She has no one else in the family who can help & advise her. I live 35miles away. How can I approach this delicate subject without it ending up in a disagreement or worse, a row. She has accumulated debts running into £2500+. She still spends money on things that she could live without. She finds financial budgeting difficult. She says she wants to be Debt free but makes very little effort to achieve this. Any advice would be welcome
And what about the various manuals on how to properly handle your finances ?
Those with Autistic traits can become highly focussed, stimulated and addicted to a particular 'something'. In the case of your cousin, buying things and the excitement that goes with it ... along with the comfort that she feels that she has enough 'stuff' in the cupboards. I bet that she would feel the same way about 'making things', 'repairing things' and 'seeking alternatives' rather than spending money. It all depends on whether your cousin would 'latch-onto' this new way of thinking and is therefore prepared to slowly transition to it. Get her to watch stuff like 'The Martin Lewis Show', 'Super Shoppers', etc.
Aimed at those with mental health problems but might be useful. www.mentalhealthandmoneyadvice.org/
Hi NAS35461,
I'm sorry to hear about the situation that your cousin is currently going through. It may be useful to direct her to the following section of the NAS's website, or alternatively sit down and look at the website together: http://www.autism.org.uk/about/adult-life/managing-money.aspx
You may also wish to contact the NAS's helpline team, as they may be able to provide you with information and advice. You can call them on 0808 800 4104 (Monday to Thursday 10am to 4pm, Friday 9am to 3pm).Please note that the Helpline is experiencing increasingly high demand, and you may not reach them straight away.
Please see the following link for further information:
http://www.autism.org.uk/services/helplines/main.aspx
Best wishes,
Nellie-Mod