Money Secrets for the Sandwich Generation is a simple book written for those who are simultaneously caring for elderly parents/grandparents on the one side and adult/minor children on the other. Many are “squeezed in the financial middle” as the two sides tug at both their heartstrings and their purse strings. The purpose of the book is to help ease the bewilderment and sense of helplessness many of those traveling down this path sometimes feel by giving them guidance as they make this journey.
The book begins with a definition of the sandwich generation — who you are, where you are — and then provides a historical perspective on how you came to be, along with a discussion of the outlook for the future. It has lengthy chapters on taking care of yourself first, as well as how to care for the other two sides of the sandwich — the older generation and the younger generation. Retirements secrets; information on long-term caregiving; common money scams and how to avoid them; reverse mortgages; and ways to improve one’s finances are all covered in great detail in the book along with pages of useful resources that are sure to lighten the reader’s load.
The book is instructive, offers sound recommendations, along with witty advice from both Ms. Davis and her delightful, no-nonsense mother, Mimi, to whom many of us were introduced in Davis’ book, Mimi, Money and Me—101 Realities About Money Daddy Never Taught Me but Mama Always Knew. At the beginning of each chapter, Davis asks, “What Would Mimi Say?” The answer lies in many of Mimi’s favorite sayings, which we all have come to appreciate.