<p>&lt;strong&gt;DEAR ABBY:&lt;/strong&gt; I have a friend, “Doug,” I’ve known for 30 years. I moved away, but we get together once or twice a year. I’ve known his wife longer than him and watched their son grow up, attending his sports activities when visiting and contributing to school fundraising activities. He’s a good kid.</p>

<p>&lt;strong&gt;DEAR ABBY:&lt;/strong&gt; Fifteen years ago, after six years of marriage, my husband and I moved 3,000 miles away from everyone I knew. I wasn’t in favor of the move and never felt at home in the new city, but I tried to make the best of it. We struggled financially the entire time because of the recession and our large mortgage. I met some nice people but made only one real friend, who I’ll call “Gayle.”</p>

Instead of putting all of your eggs in 2025’s basket, why not look at it as: “New year, improved me”?

<p>&lt;strong&gt;DEAR ABBY:&lt;/strong&gt; I was recently informed that my teenage granddaughter is identifying as a boy. She has a male name she prefers and wants people to refer to her using he/him pronouns. Her parents are supportive, to a point. Her mother uses her preferred name and pronouns. Her father supports her using this name and pronouns in school and elsewhere, but at home, he will still use her birth name and pronouns. He has apparently told her this, and she accepts the situation.</p>

<p>What I love even more than the genius tips my readers send in are the little love notes and thank-yous tucked in alongside them. Honestly, I’m a complete sap for that kind of friendship, and it means more to me than I can say. Knowing there’s a whole community of friends out there reading and enjoying these columns? That’s the wind beneath my slightly frazzled wings.</p>

<p>Need a last-minute gift for an office party, a beloved friend, neighbor, coworker or anyone else on your gift list, and for any occasion? Here are seven great ideas that won’t take much time and certainly won’t break the bank.</p>

<p>&lt;strong&gt;DEAR ABBY:&lt;/strong&gt; My best friend of 60 years lost her husband 13 years ago. She has one son, who is successful and busy with his young family. They try to include her in various family gatherings, but she always has an excuse as to why she can’t attend — she doesn’t drive at night, doesn’t like their friends, etc.</p>

<p>&lt;strong&gt;Dear Savvy Senior:&lt;/strong&gt; Can my kids inherit my debt after I die? I have taken on a lot of credit card debt over the past 10 years or so, and I’m worried that my son and daughter will get stuck with it when I die. &lt;strong&gt;— Indebted Senior&lt;/strong&gt;</p>

<p>&lt;strong&gt;DEAR ABBY:&lt;/strong&gt; I am a 43-year-old woman who has struggled with self-esteem and personal relationships my entire life. My fiance and I have talked in depth about past trauma, but it wasn’t until within the past year that I’ve realized how much of an impact my mother had on those aspects of my life.</p>

<p>Is your monthly grocery spending eating up a big portion of your income? You’re not alone. Figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture show that as of March 2024, on average, a family of four spends $1,341 per month on groceries to be eaten at home. Here, let me do the math: That’s $16,092 annually! And that doesn’t take into consideration the amount the typical household is spending on eating out.</p>

<p>&lt;strong&gt;DEAR ABBY:&lt;/strong&gt; My husband and I have been married 10 years and in a relationship for 20. I just found out that for more than a year he has been lying about working. He pretended he had a part-time contracting job and has been using our savings to pass as income from this fictional job.</p>

<p>&lt;strong&gt;DEAR ABBY:&lt;/strong&gt; I’ve been with my husband for 10 years. For a long time, I didn’t decorate our house because I didn’t want to spend the money. But for the last few years, I’ve spent many hours poring over Pinterest. I LOVE interior decorating and know exactly how I want each room of the house to look.</p>

<p>Chair yoga — it’s the latest exercise trend making waves on social media, popping up in feeds with promises of gentle stretches and easy movement for all ages. And let’s be honest, who hasn’t felt the appeal of something that requires little more than a chair and the willingness to try?</p>

<p>&lt;strong&gt;DEAR ABBY:&lt;/strong&gt; I have had a falling out with my sister over her 13-year-old son, my nephew. He is generally a happy child, with everything a boy could want in moderation. My sister is separated from his father. She has primary custody, but they do have a co-parenting relationship.</p>

<p>When the Instant Pot hit the scene back in 2010, it wasn’t just another kitchen gadget — it was like someone had unlocked a secret to faster, easier home-cooked meals. And if you ask the millions who swear by it, it’s become as essential as salt and pepper in the kitchen</p>

<p>&lt;strong&gt;DEAR ABBY:&lt;/strong&gt; My husband and I have been taking care of my father-in-law for four years — getting his groceries, going to the bank, picking up prescriptions and doing different tasks. He’s disabled and lives in an upstairs apartment with no access to getting downstairs. He can’t walk, bathe himself or get in and out of bed by himself. He has hired a nurse to get him in and out of bed every day. Because we live 30 minutes away and we both work, there is no way we can manage this.</p>

<p>&lt;strong&gt;DEAR ABBY:&lt;/strong&gt; My husband and I have three grown children, all of whom still live at home. I had always thought that once they graduated from college and got good jobs, they should start paying rent. Because my husband had to pay rent when he still lived at home, he said he would never do that to his kids.</p>

<p>&lt;strong&gt;Dear Savvy Senior,&lt;/strong&gt; What’s the best way to go about writing a living will? I’m approaching age 73 and in poor health and would like to get this done without spending a lot of money. &lt;strong&gt;— Need Help&lt;/strong&gt;</p>