Free, gifted
A kind letter to Mom or Dad. Once a month.
One short note a month, written for them — sent on your behalf. Plain language. No fear. No tech jargon. No selling. Just one calm tip and a kind hello. Free, forever.
Photo · Vitaly Gariev via Unsplash
What it actually looks like
Dear Sarah,
Your son David asked us to write to you each month. He thought you might enjoy a friendly letter that keeps you a step ahead of the scams that are going around — without you having to think too hard about it. So here we are. Happy May.
This month: a one-line rule of thumb that has saved more grandmothers than any single piece of advice we know.
If you ever get a phone call from someone who tells you that you need to act right now — to send money, buy gift cards, give your Social Security number, or fix something with your account — that call is a scam. There are no exceptions.
You can hang up. You can call David. Real institutions are patient. Real police do not ask for bail money over the phone.
That's it. That's the rule. Tape it next to your phone if you'd like. We hope your May is gentle.
— The Safe Steps Together team
P.S. If you'd ever rather not get this letter, just reply with "stop." No hurt feelings.
A real letter from May, with names and one tip changed for the example. Yours will be just as plain and just as short.
Set up the letter
Takes one minute.
We'll send your parent a quick confirmation email first — they have to say yes before anything else happens. After that, one short letter on the first of every month.
How the Letter works
The whole story, plainly.
Step 1 — You sign your parent up
Two emails, two first names, one consent checkbox. About one minute.
Step 2 — We get their okay
We email your parent a single, friendly confirmation. They click "yes" — or they don't, and we never bother them again.
Step 3 — One short letter, monthly
First of every month, 8 a.m. their time. One observation, one tip, one warm sign-off. They can reply "stop" any time and it really stops.
What's in each letter
One useful idea. Not ten.
We've watched enough "tips for seniors" emails to know that a list of ten things lands as a list of ten chores. Our letters do one thing well.
A new-year rule of thumb. One Sunday a month, you and your kids walk through anything new on your phone or computer. Fifteen minutes. We call it Safety Sunday.
The family code word. Why one weird word — "tugboat," "avocado," anything — defeats the "grandkid in jail" call entirely.
Your inbox, calmly explained. The two questions to ask any email before you click anything in it.
Real Medicare never calls. What to listen for during the open-enrollment season — and what to ignore.
Common questions
What families ask.
Will Mom or Dad feel like they're being treated like a child?
No. We've written every letter as if it were going to our own parents. We never use the word "elderly," we never tell them they're at risk, and we never imply they should "learn" anything. It's a friendly note, not a lecture.
What if my parent doesn't want it?
They reply with the word "stop" and we genuinely stop. We send no recovery emails, no "are you sure?" follow-ups. The Letter is a gift, and gifts can be returned.
Why do you ask for my email too?
Two reasons: (1) you can opt to be BCC'd on every letter so you know what they read, and (2) we send you a quick note when your parent confirms, so you know it worked. We never sell or share your email.
Is this really free?
Yes. The Letter is the free version of our work, paid for by readers who choose to support us through our paid membership and our affiliate partnerships. There is no upgrade tier of the Letter. Free, forever, with our compliments.
Send the first letter
It really does take one minute.
And then your parent gets a friendly note from us on the first of next month — sent on your behalf, with our compliments.
Set up the Letter