I am halfway through a debt management program and am considered a reprobate. I was wanting to be as responsible as I could be and enrolled in a debt management program but my credit is completely shot and I may be losing my car (was a lease when I started credit counseling) even though I have not missed on payment on my car.
I feel that there were a lot of things that my counselor did not go through with me when I started up the program, they presented it as though going through a DMP would actually be seen as a strength but in fact no creditor will even lend me $10!
My bank of 10+ years has told me that they won't accept an application from me until 4 years AFTER the DMP is paid ... so 7 years ...
In hindsight I wish that I had considered bankruptcy more seriously because the DMP will be on my credit report a lot longer than if I had just opted for BK or at least they are treated as one in the same.
Both are VERY limiting -- so if you are considering this secure your mortgage and car and other big loans/assets BEFORE you consider BK or DMP.
As a wife to someone who had taken unemployement for the first time a few years back, I totally understand where you're coming from. Sometimes working anywhere gives us a bit of hope (even if the monetary value is little.) Thanks for sharing your experiences!
LOL I'm definitely no rock star (but I play one on TV....) Actually, what makes the show so great, in my opinion, is the high caliber of the people I get to interview. Dr. Davis, for example, is person who has become successful because he empowers others. If you ask me, that's what this country really needs in a health care system.
Thanks for all the ideas -- helping with the day-to-day transition sounds really helpful and thoughtful.
I'll mention that as an RA in college some items (in-room microwaves for example) would blow fuses in older buildings and possibly incur charges for the offending resident (I don't think I ever charged anyone though; on the upside, I learned to check fuses (in fuse boxes, which were typically not locked though they should have been) for looseness and flip appropriate switches.
A) Building a PC is easier than stacking Legos. There are hundreds of guides available.
B) For the same money, you get more features, higher quality parts, and better performance.
C) You get exactly what you want: no more, no less.
D) Your upgrade path isn't blocked by a vendor's scheduled obsolescence.
E) You still get a warranty - you just have to keep more receipts.
F) You get to learn something (even if you've been doing this for decades).
A simple, but very useful gift idea: an assortment of extension cords, power adapters, power strips and surge protectors. Include at least one that's ridiculously long. Include at least one rated to protect a computer. I'm also throwing in one really long (100') LAN cable.
Dorm rooms and cheap apartments aren't always well designed on the electricity front, and you always need just one more place to plug something in and that one place is on the other side of the room. This is what I'm doing for my sister-in-law as she graduates this year, and I'm pretty excited about the idea.
And here's why: grocery stores offer gift cards. pharmacies offer gift cards. Once you've got food and soap and toilet paper covered, you can handle everything else.
When I graduated from college, the VERY best presents that made me feel the happiest and most loved were Shaw's or Whole Foods gift cards from my mom. The first meant I could eat; the second gave me permission to splurge and eat well.
And even just a $10 card is money that the kid would have spent anyway, and now doesn't have to. With grocery store cards, you never run into the problem of not being able to find something to spend on, or of having an unused/unusable amount on card.
I predict no effect. Little increases and/or targeted taxes (beer tax increase or Tabbaco tax increase or hunting fee increases etc.) will counter any increase in take-home pay from the minor tax cut.
Any stimulative effect is wiped out by the fee/tax increases elsewhere.
Since a fair number of the taxes are highly regressive (cig's for example) the people most likely to spend the smaller weekly amounts (lower income folks) will be the most likely to have their 'tax cut' spent on new fees and taxes.
NP Philip, just glad you started it. I am always finding a way to do it myself. I make beer, wine, rum and soap from scratch. I have always made my own candy, bread and cakes from scratch too. It is really amazing what you can learn on the net with just a few days of free time and a twisted sense of fun. My next BIG project, build the still boiler out of copper sheeting from a roll of copper that is used for rain gutters. I have been practicing my silver solder welding with pipes. I need some rivit work and some form of support for the walls, and I will be set!
I have a hard time getting through to customer service for a lot of the same reasons. Once I make contact to a human voice, it usually works out fine, but it's the whole rigmarole of getting that voice that drives me crazy. It really does seem like they're trying to make it as difficult as possible to take up their time.
On the other hand, if you're making a purchase and want to give them your money, I think service changes markedly. Funny how that works, not unlike special promotions for new customers only.
I think we benefit from staying busy. Keep your feet moving, as they say.
Unemployment is fine if you are in fact motivated to look for work, but if you slip into the abysmal pit of lethargy, which can lead, as Kate pointed out, to depression, it can be hard to climb back out of.
I don't know if I agree that there is no benefit to taking a low paying job, because you can continue to search for work even while you're working, it might even inspire you to search. Also, being on the job can be an effective way to network, and at least it keeps you moving, rather than sitting at home wallowing in self-pity, watching TV.
If you can stay motivated and work hard at whatever you do and take pride in your efforts, I think the boost to your self-esteem is huge. Of course, if you really hate your work and it's taking a toll on you, something needs to be done.
I was unemployed for a short duration after college. I knew I could find a job because of the nature of my work and the fact that I lived close to a major university, but I decided to live the good life and surf and party and survive on unemployment. The major caveat was that I was going to have to live with my parents.
I didn't last three weeks before I was back in human resources looking for a job. I guess it depends on the person, but being at home and being dependent on my parents just brought me down.
While I don't necessarily identify myself with my job, carrying my own weight has value to me.
We all know when our taxes are due, and all it takes is some diligence to get them done. Sure, the tax laws are a mess, but knowing what needs to get done and the consequences of your inactions translates into no excuses come April 15. Not that you needed me to tell you that.
Are you rock star now, or what? That is so cool that you've got a radio gig.
And thanks for touching on this important subject. One of the biggest issues that most people face, at least that's the impression I get, is how, with the economy struggling, are we going to maintain our health coverage. It's a drag to have to think about, but for many of us, a primary impetus to keep the jobs we don't love.
I think gift-giving is a personal gig, and to each his own. And as much as I think cash is a great thing, it's hard to know when you're giving too little or going overboard. I acknowledge that it's the thought that counts, but it can be hard to determine the right amount - too little can give the wrong impression, as can too much. Perhaps it's best left to the immediate family.
A gift has more personal and sentimental value, and can say a lot more than cold hard cash, though it takes more thought and effort. If it's something practical, then over the course of it's lifetime, think of how much it will remind the receiver of your thoughtfulness.
Besides, practical gifts can be fun and whimsical, they just get more use and don't end up at the thrift store or by curbside on trash day.
Thanks for the info, Julie, and nice job on the post.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Yes, taxes and the economy are a sensitive subject, and in the end, we'd all prefer to pay less taxes. Rhiannon, I agree that if I were to receive a lump sum, it would be more tempting for me to save it or pay bills, but that hasn't stopped me in the past from spending it on a night on the town. Now that I'm a family man, I'm less incllined to do that.
Julie, thanks for your wisdom and feedback, it's always much appreciated. And I agree with your insight about the cost of a loan over it's lifetime, and on the flip side, I think the capital gains on your house should be considered along these lines, as well. This would give a more grounded and realistic return on your investment, unless of course you're planning on flipping it quickly.
Rosa, whatever you do, don't stop having fun, and keep in mind, it doesn't always take money.
The Economist, thanks for sharing your info about the Austrian School. That's very interesting and I'll check it out. And I agree that our economy was based on this reckless notion of unlimited spending and consumption that could not be sustained, so once the inevitable contraction hit, it wasn't realistic to return to the way things had been, nor was it necessarily desirable. It should be interesting to see where this all leads.
And Kelja, I agree that taxes are a drag, but I would argue that few of us actually escape paying them in some form, whether it be sales tax, gas tax, or income tax.
Thanks to everyone for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.
I am a Certified Medical Coder currently working for a third party billing company. As a coder I also review claims denials for billing and coding errors and correct them for re-submission. There is a long list and a wide variety of mistakes that can create medical claims errors and payment rejections that, if uncorrected, get passed along to the patient. The claims submission process is lengthy and complicated and Third Party Payers and Medicare are looking for ANY reason to deny payment.
A few examples of what I see on a daily basis are:
Incorrect patient Info (age, DOB, Address, SSN)
Incorrect or out-dated Insurance Info
Medical Transcription Errors
Coding errors (Incorrect CPTs, Dx's, Modifiers, Bundling, etc.)
Missing Physician Info and/or referring Physician Info
Timely Filing (most payers have a limited time frame in which the physician can file the claim, after which they will reduce or refuse payment.)
But what I have seen most often is a lack of or missing information from the record of the patients visit.
Coding and Billing guidelines are also regionally specific and payer specific.
Something as simple as your doctor failing to include a supporting diagnosis (ie. difficulty breathing = respiratory testing) is also a very common reason for payment denial. Every rejection for payment gets passed onto the patient.
So there are many scenarios to consider other than just fraudulent billing as to why you, the patient, are being billed and how that amount was calculated. For that reason I highly recommend seeking out the services of a professional to assist you with billing errors. Its not just the services on the bill that need to be reviewed for accuracy but the entire billing and coding process that began the moment you walked out of the doctors office or hospital. Any number of mistakes or errors could have been made along the way that the patient would never ever any idea to question or review.
Taxes suck, plain & simple. If you believe government has the right to collect taxes for the common good, then everyone should be liable for paying taxes. Everyone. The founders wrestled with this problem, some only wanting male property owners to have the right to vote. They understood intuitively that you have to have a stake in the outcome to be able to have a say in what happens.
Today, most people don't pay taxes. Yet many of those who don't pay still get benefits. This has skewed the process. Now, people who get the benefits but don't share the burden have no problem with voting themselves further benefits.
So, some f@gotron decided that he wanted to park his huge ford excursion halfway in my parking spot while my car was parked at the airport on business. When I got back and saw him parked that way, I immediately knew he had been a stupid FU(|< and dented my nice dentless door.
I then proceeded to kick three dents in his door and keyed from the front quarter panel all the way to the back door, including one large penis. What can I say, I'm an artist.
wish I could use these techniques on my WRX, but they're too small I'm afraid.
How bout this, when you reply and say "OMGWTFBBQ IT WORKED!!!!!!" please let us know how big the dent was and what method you used, mmmkay?
So, what if your wood became petrified, and then you melted it into a liquid? I know it wouldn't be plain wood, but it would be liquid "petrified" wood, right?
True, I did mention that I had a pile of cash before. But it's not my style to use the cash my wife and I have been saving to buy a new computer.
The gist of this post was that "wants" like a new computer usually come with their fair share of guilt, especially for a frugal person like myself. But by saving the money on my own, individually of my wife and "our" money, takes care of the guilt.
Which is a great thing. By the way, I got the computer today and am typing on it right now.
"As a gift-giver, I want to be a part of helping someone get established in the real world."
Kudos, Julie! I couldn't agree more.
One thing I'd like to suggest if you're a parent pr grandparent is to do something with your grad -- like take them to see a show or go on a short trip.
My parents took me on a road trip for a long weekend as my graduation present and those memories mean far more to me than any material thing could.
My sunburn is so bad, I can't even put anything on it. Just the wind blowing outside hurts me. I have to sleep sitting slightly up.
*runs to see if my local library carries it*
I am halfway through a debt management program and am considered a reprobate. I was wanting to be as responsible as I could be and enrolled in a debt management program but my credit is completely shot and I may be losing my car (was a lease when I started credit counseling) even though I have not missed on payment on my car.
I feel that there were a lot of things that my counselor did not go through with me when I started up the program, they presented it as though going through a DMP would actually be seen as a strength but in fact no creditor will even lend me $10!
My bank of 10+ years has told me that they won't accept an application from me until 4 years AFTER the DMP is paid ... so 7 years ...
In hindsight I wish that I had considered bankruptcy more seriously because the DMP will be on my credit report a lot longer than if I had just opted for BK or at least they are treated as one in the same.
Both are VERY limiting -- so if you are considering this secure your mortgage and car and other big loans/assets BEFORE you consider BK or DMP.
That is just what we need, some more lawyers. How about forgiving engineers student debt?
As a wife to someone who had taken unemployement for the first time a few years back, I totally understand where you're coming from. Sometimes working anywhere gives us a bit of hope (even if the monetary value is little.) Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Linsey Knerl
LOL I'm definitely no rock star (but I play one on TV....) Actually, what makes the show so great, in my opinion, is the high caliber of the people I get to interview. Dr. Davis, for example, is person who has become successful because he empowers others. If you ask me, that's what this country really needs in a health care system.
Linsey Knerl
Thanks for all the ideas -- helping with the day-to-day transition sounds really helpful and thoughtful.
I'll mention that as an RA in college some items (in-room microwaves for example) would blow fuses in older buildings and possibly incur charges for the offending resident (I don't think I ever charged anyone though; on the upside, I learned to check fuses (in fuse boxes, which were typically not locked though they should have been) for looseness and flip appropriate switches.
Buying a laptop is fine.
Buying a desktop is anti-frugal:
A) Building a PC is easier than stacking Legos. There are hundreds of guides available.
B) For the same money, you get more features, higher quality parts, and better performance.
C) You get exactly what you want: no more, no less.
D) Your upgrade path isn't blocked by a vendor's scheduled obsolescence.
E) You still get a warranty - you just have to keep more receipts.
F) You get to learn something (even if you've been doing this for decades).
That said, enjoy the toy!
A simple, but very useful gift idea: an assortment of extension cords, power adapters, power strips and surge protectors. Include at least one that's ridiculously long. Include at least one rated to protect a computer. I'm also throwing in one really long (100') LAN cable.
Dorm rooms and cheap apartments aren't always well designed on the electricity front, and you always need just one more place to plug something in and that one place is on the other side of the room. This is what I'm doing for my sister-in-law as she graduates this year, and I'm pretty excited about the idea.
Yes-- gift cards!
And here's why: grocery stores offer gift cards. pharmacies offer gift cards. Once you've got food and soap and toilet paper covered, you can handle everything else.
When I graduated from college, the VERY best presents that made me feel the happiest and most loved were Shaw's or Whole Foods gift cards from my mom. The first meant I could eat; the second gave me permission to splurge and eat well.
And even just a $10 card is money that the kid would have spent anyway, and now doesn't have to. With grocery store cards, you never run into the problem of not being able to find something to spend on, or of having an unused/unusable amount on card.
I predict no effect. Little increases and/or targeted taxes (beer tax increase or Tabbaco tax increase or hunting fee increases etc.) will counter any increase in take-home pay from the minor tax cut.
Any stimulative effect is wiped out by the fee/tax increases elsewhere.
Since a fair number of the taxes are highly regressive (cig's for example) the people most likely to spend the smaller weekly amounts (lower income folks) will be the most likely to have their 'tax cut' spent on new fees and taxes.
NP Philip, just glad you started it. I am always finding a way to do it myself. I make beer, wine, rum and soap from scratch. I have always made my own candy, bread and cakes from scratch too. It is really amazing what you can learn on the net with just a few days of free time and a twisted sense of fun. My next BIG project, build the still boiler out of copper sheeting from a roll of copper that is used for rain gutters. I have been practicing my silver solder welding with pipes. I need some rivit work and some form of support for the walls, and I will be set!
I have a hard time getting through to customer service for a lot of the same reasons. Once I make contact to a human voice, it usually works out fine, but it's the whole rigmarole of getting that voice that drives me crazy. It really does seem like they're trying to make it as difficult as possible to take up their time.
On the other hand, if you're making a purchase and want to give them your money, I think service changes markedly. Funny how that works, not unlike special promotions for new customers only.
I think we benefit from staying busy. Keep your feet moving, as they say.
Unemployment is fine if you are in fact motivated to look for work, but if you slip into the abysmal pit of lethargy, which can lead, as Kate pointed out, to depression, it can be hard to climb back out of.
I don't know if I agree that there is no benefit to taking a low paying job, because you can continue to search for work even while you're working, it might even inspire you to search. Also, being on the job can be an effective way to network, and at least it keeps you moving, rather than sitting at home wallowing in self-pity, watching TV.
If you can stay motivated and work hard at whatever you do and take pride in your efforts, I think the boost to your self-esteem is huge. Of course, if you really hate your work and it's taking a toll on you, something needs to be done.
I was unemployed for a short duration after college. I knew I could find a job because of the nature of my work and the fact that I lived close to a major university, but I decided to live the good life and surf and party and survive on unemployment. The major caveat was that I was going to have to live with my parents.
I didn't last three weeks before I was back in human resources looking for a job. I guess it depends on the person, but being at home and being dependent on my parents just brought me down.
While I don't necessarily identify myself with my job, carrying my own weight has value to me.
We all know when our taxes are due, and all it takes is some diligence to get them done. Sure, the tax laws are a mess, but knowing what needs to get done and the consequences of your inactions translates into no excuses come April 15. Not that you needed me to tell you that.
Are you rock star now, or what? That is so cool that you've got a radio gig.
And thanks for touching on this important subject. One of the biggest issues that most people face, at least that's the impression I get, is how, with the economy struggling, are we going to maintain our health coverage. It's a drag to have to think about, but for many of us, a primary impetus to keep the jobs we don't love.
I think gift-giving is a personal gig, and to each his own. And as much as I think cash is a great thing, it's hard to know when you're giving too little or going overboard. I acknowledge that it's the thought that counts, but it can be hard to determine the right amount - too little can give the wrong impression, as can too much. Perhaps it's best left to the immediate family.
A gift has more personal and sentimental value, and can say a lot more than cold hard cash, though it takes more thought and effort. If it's something practical, then over the course of it's lifetime, think of how much it will remind the receiver of your thoughtfulness.
Besides, practical gifts can be fun and whimsical, they just get more use and don't end up at the thrift store or by curbside on trash day.
Thanks for the info, Julie, and nice job on the post.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Yes, taxes and the economy are a sensitive subject, and in the end, we'd all prefer to pay less taxes. Rhiannon, I agree that if I were to receive a lump sum, it would be more tempting for me to save it or pay bills, but that hasn't stopped me in the past from spending it on a night on the town. Now that I'm a family man, I'm less incllined to do that.
Julie, thanks for your wisdom and feedback, it's always much appreciated. And I agree with your insight about the cost of a loan over it's lifetime, and on the flip side, I think the capital gains on your house should be considered along these lines, as well. This would give a more grounded and realistic return on your investment, unless of course you're planning on flipping it quickly.
Rosa, whatever you do, don't stop having fun, and keep in mind, it doesn't always take money.
The Economist, thanks for sharing your info about the Austrian School. That's very interesting and I'll check it out. And I agree that our economy was based on this reckless notion of unlimited spending and consumption that could not be sustained, so once the inevitable contraction hit, it wasn't realistic to return to the way things had been, nor was it necessarily desirable. It should be interesting to see where this all leads.
And Kelja, I agree that taxes are a drag, but I would argue that few of us actually escape paying them in some form, whether it be sales tax, gas tax, or income tax.
Thanks to everyone for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.
I am a Certified Medical Coder currently working for a third party billing company. As a coder I also review claims denials for billing and coding errors and correct them for re-submission. There is a long list and a wide variety of mistakes that can create medical claims errors and payment rejections that, if uncorrected, get passed along to the patient. The claims submission process is lengthy and complicated and Third Party Payers and Medicare are looking for ANY reason to deny payment.
A few examples of what I see on a daily basis are:
Incorrect patient Info (age, DOB, Address, SSN)
Incorrect or out-dated Insurance Info
Medical Transcription Errors
Coding errors (Incorrect CPTs, Dx's, Modifiers, Bundling, etc.)
Missing Physician Info and/or referring Physician Info
Timely Filing (most payers have a limited time frame in which the physician can file the claim, after which they will reduce or refuse payment.)
But what I have seen most often is a lack of or missing information from the record of the patients visit.
Coding and Billing guidelines are also regionally specific and payer specific.
Something as simple as your doctor failing to include a supporting diagnosis (ie. difficulty breathing = respiratory testing) is also a very common reason for payment denial. Every rejection for payment gets passed onto the patient.
So there are many scenarios to consider other than just fraudulent billing as to why you, the patient, are being billed and how that amount was calculated. For that reason I highly recommend seeking out the services of a professional to assist you with billing errors. Its not just the services on the bill that need to be reviewed for accuracy but the entire billing and coding process that began the moment you walked out of the doctors office or hospital. Any number of mistakes or errors could have been made along the way that the patient would never ever any idea to question or review.
Taxes suck, plain & simple. If you believe government has the right to collect taxes for the common good, then everyone should be liable for paying taxes. Everyone. The founders wrestled with this problem, some only wanting male property owners to have the right to vote. They understood intuitively that you have to have a stake in the outcome to be able to have a say in what happens.
Today, most people don't pay taxes. Yet many of those who don't pay still get benefits. This has skewed the process. Now, people who get the benefits but don't share the burden have no problem with voting themselves further benefits.
This will end badly.
I went onto taobao.com, and finally found a vendor willing to tell me this.
I just wanted to add that this Hack worked with my Sony DVP-NS508P , I just
tried out region 2 and 4 and it now works great:
With the DVD player turned off(stand by), press:
TOP MENU
CLEAR
POWER
Choose option 2 and after option 4. Type:
12450 [press enter]
00000 - Then press enter and power off.
DVD will now be region Free.
So, some f@gotron decided that he wanted to park his huge ford excursion halfway in my parking spot while my car was parked at the airport on business. When I got back and saw him parked that way, I immediately knew he had been a stupid FU(|< and dented my nice dentless door.
I then proceeded to kick three dents in his door and keyed from the front quarter panel all the way to the back door, including one large penis. What can I say, I'm an artist.
wish I could use these techniques on my WRX, but they're too small I'm afraid.
How bout this, when you reply and say "OMGWTFBBQ IT WORKED!!!!!!" please let us know how big the dent was and what method you used, mmmkay?
So, what if your wood became petrified, and then you melted it into a liquid? I know it wouldn't be plain wood, but it would be liquid "petrified" wood, right?
True, I did mention that I had a pile of cash before. But it's not my style to use the cash my wife and I have been saving to buy a new computer.
The gist of this post was that "wants" like a new computer usually come with their fair share of guilt, especially for a frugal person like myself. But by saving the money on my own, individually of my wife and "our" money, takes care of the guilt.
Which is a great thing. By the way, I got the computer today and am typing on it right now.
So sweet.
The Writer's Coin | Follow me on Twitter
"As a gift-giver, I want to be a part of helping someone get established in the real world."
Kudos, Julie! I couldn't agree more.
One thing I'd like to suggest if you're a parent pr grandparent is to do something with your grad -- like take them to see a show or go on a short trip.
My parents took me on a road trip for a long weekend as my graduation present and those memories mean far more to me than any material thing could.