“My rule of thumb for offering assistance is asking myself, “Will my assistance actually make a difference?” If, after lending a family member money, I know that next month they will still be in the same predicament, then I’m not really helping, just temporarily delaying the inevitable. If I know that my gift will shift an outcome in a sustainable way, I’m more likely to help. Because I see my assistance as a vehicle for change,” says Tiffany Aliche, a financial educator and founder of The Budgetnista.