Ex wife told me her mom (retired) was having trouble with her budget. This pertains to me because she does watch the kids occasionally and feeds them, so she wants money for food.

I am responsible, so I don't have a problem giving her money for food, or providing food. But this needs a little context.

The ex MIL spent a long protracted battle with her old city over something they fucked up. Won't go into details because it is extremely specific, but after over a decade of legal wrangling, her old city paid her enough to clear all her debt and buy a new house free and clear. She gets Social Security, her own 401k, her own pension, part of her ex husband's pension, and lifetime alimony. She has no debt and no mortgage. She doesn't drive. She lives cheaply.

So my question is, how the fuck is she so financially destitute? What is she spending her money on? Yes, she has property taxes, but those are only a few thousand dollars per year.

I have a few ideas.