It is very sad to see a friend or relative in pain or in need, especially when they pretend that everything is fine. It is a delicate situation to approach someone in this difficult situation, as often a person's pride prevents them from seeking comfort. How to offer your help to an independent friend or relative in this position requires some clever manipulation and a not-so-obvious plan to help. If the problem at hand is a financial matter, the first response would be to offer them a loan. On the other hand, most people would be embarrassed to admit it and perhaps offended by the offer. However, instead of offering them money, exchanging a service for payment wouldn't feel like you were helping them out. For example...