I am retired and disabled, living on a pension and disability, with a small IRA. I have enough to get by, but that's about all. My younger sister is still working, has a high-paying state government job, and ever since I was forced to retire for my health, she had given me sums of money when I needed help paying for something expensive like dental work or car repair. She never seemed to begrudge it, but she was often in a bad mood with me, snapping at me, correcting me, telling me I'm wrong about everything, and just hurting my feelings in general. I never tried to argue with her; for years I've tried to keep the peace. But recently I asked her to call me once or twice a week, and also asked if we could get together once in awhile just to watch a movie or something. She told me she would NOT call twice a week, once was her limit, and there would be no getting together socially; she only socializes with her friends, with whom she has a lot in common. She is not comfortable with me because she knows I hold many "wrong" views about things. She said we are not friends, she'll give me money, but that's it. She considers me a "bad" person because we don't share the same opinions. Well, I had known this for years, but it didn't make any difference to me, to whom family is family. I was stunned and deeply hurt to hear that she held me in such intolerant contempt. She lives right across the parking lot from me, and now I wonder, why? She could easily afford to move to the nearby city where she works and save herself a long, tiring commute. Anyway, I cried and cried and am still feeling bad. i sent her an e-mail telling her what I thought of her mean words, that I am not an evil person just because we don't agree about everything. Now I am brainstorming ways to be more financially independent, as I just can't take money from her anymore; I don't want to be dependent on her. My biggest expense, apart from my mortgage payments, is the Internet and all the peripheral expenses that go to maintain it. I have to filter my computer because I have ADHD and OCD and these cause me to experience loss of control and feelings of overwhelm when online. I have shopped far too much online and wasted far too much time. If I need to go online for something, there is a public library with over a hundred internet computers just four minutes away. I have calculated that stopping my Internet service could free up at least $3,500 a year, and to me that would be a godsend. True, I'd lose some advantages (including posting here), so it wouldn't be easy to sacrifice, but I've begun to feel I must. I am alone in the world except for this one sister who doesn't want to associate with me. I have to take care of myself in my old age.

What do any of you think?

Lesley