A Big Help

When Doug's salary was cut 25% and we found out that we did not quailfy for the stimulus relief check I was a little worried about how we would pay for Cal and Meg's college costs.  We made adjustments to our budget to make up some of the expenses, but were still $900 short in the end.  Doug said not to worry as that was why we had a line of credit at Key Bank.  I was disappointed that we would have to use it, however, as I had worked hard this past year on our family budget and was proud of how well we had done staying inside our spending parameters.

This week we were happy to find out that some of our financial concerns would be taken care of by outside help.  First, Farm Bureau sent us a refund check for $100 on our auto insurance since no one in the family was driving very much right now.  We appreciated the gesture and used it to help reduce our weekly costs.  The biggest relief happened from the source that we worried about the most - Cal and Meg's IU expenses.  At the beginning of April I found out that they could apply for help through the COVID-19 emergency relief at Indiana University.   We had never received help before, but with the financial effects of the pandemic - Doug's salary reduction, Meg's inability to work this summer and Cal's paid internship being terminated - we thought that it wouldn't hurt for them to apply.  We all said that even if they only received $50 each it would be worth it.

This weekend we received news from IU that we had hoped for, but weren't expecting.  Cal was given $1500 from the Cares Act to use toward rent and utilities.  That along with the return of his I-Bucks account would go along way to pay his summer expenses.  Meg's response was a little different.  Instead of a grant, she received a $4500 loan from the US Department of Education that she would be able to use for her summer classes and part of her fall tuition as well.  That was a blessing to us especially since IU had already refunded $1700 for her room and board and Kelley had credited her $250 for program fees.  Doug and I were extremely thankful for the help and impressed with the process.