I guess other parents are much more on the ball than we are, but the Kleen Kanteen didn't last long with us. First, my daughter dropped it down a two-story porch accidentally and the screw top broke off and landed in a construction pit next door. I ordered a new top, and of course eventually we lost the thing.
Not need more than one cup? I find if we don't have at least half a dozen we never have one clean and available. Either they're all in the dishwasher, in the car or stroller, got left somewhere, or I have no idea where they are.
Good point on dental insurance also covering things more expensive than fillings--root canals, crowns, extractions, and such can be expensive compared to routine care. So, the the extent that your insurance is covering that stuff, it is legitimate insurance that protects you against a risk.
Good call also, on the observation that HMOs (with their co-pay based model) were an important part of what wrecked the whole notion of what insurance is.
My dentist knocks off about 10% for "PPO adjustment" to better align their fees with what my insurance will pay--that's 10% I'd have to pay if I were paying out of pocket.
It's also very important to calculate the total annual cost of your insurance, then subtract any tax you'd have to pay on it if it weren't taken out pretax. Then you can compare your cost to the cost of going without.
It turns out that my dental insurance costs me $55/year for my two exams, two cleanings and two sets of x-rays. My insurance is pretty good, but even if it weren't, the cost of paying for those things out of pocket after taxes would make insurance be a better deal even with a pretax premium four or five times higher.
Nice article here, but it's worth mentioning that GROUP health, dental, and vision insurance are for the most part no longer risk-based. While it used to be the goal of insurance carriers to pay less than they collected in premiums, most health insurance companies provide 'Administrative Services Only'. This means they pay claims out of an employer's bank account. The premiums paid by employees are to cover the administrative services and keep the employer's bank account full.
Also worth mentioning that these 'ASO' accounts are not subject to state law, only federal.
Be wary of dental insurance as Dentists only tend to mention it after you've had a course of treatment. You then take it out but don't actually need it for the next three years.
One of the biggest rip-offs in the Uk is loan repayment protection insurance. The rates charged are disproportionate to the size of the loan and you'd be better saving the cash to pay off the loan early.
One thing to be aware of with these offers - my daughter found that when she filed her taxes, the bank sends an irs form declaring the amount of the "free" gift and that affected the amount of her tax refund. Nothing is really free.
I have to disagree with this post in regards to dental insurance. Your analysis may work if you are fortunate enough to have strong teeth and for the most part are just talking about your yearly cleanings and an occasional filling. Many of us are not that fortunate. Dental procedures have become prohibitively expensive, even with insurance picking up part of the tab. Without insurance many people can end up with a serious debt or just can't have the work done. This can have further reaching general health ramifications. And, like it or not, we live in a culture that makes judgments based on appearances so it can also affect other areas of one's life. Maybe your cost analysis is accurate when looking at a total population, but for the individual who is stuck either in debt or without the proper care, that's not much comfort.
For a baby, it seems to me the jam jar would be perfect; for a toddler who's running around with his cup, I'd invest in one high-quality safe one. A lot of my friends use a stainless steel Kleen Kanteen which has adapters for different types of mouthpieces. Really, does a kid need more than one cup? When he's done with it, wash it out in the sink, fill it back up with water and hand it back to him. High-performance item, relatively low cost for only one of them.
You make a good point about what insurance is and isn't. I think HMOs have given everybody a warped sense of what insurance is supposed to do. Health insurance is not prepaid health treatment. Most people should be able to afford to pay to go to the doctor and shouldn't need a $25 copay. What they need insurance for is when they have a surgery that costs $30,000 or some kind of illness that racks up thousands of dollars in treatment costs.
The same with most dental and vision insurance. Most of the catastrophic dental and optical issues aren't covered by most of these wimpy dental and vision plans we have available to us anyway and will end up falling under our health insurance anyway.
My biggest pet peeve are extended warranties on consumer electronics. If you can't afford to replace your $100 ipod then you probably couldn't afford it in the first place and I think your life will go on without it.
When I was in Lima Peru I noticed that there were independent entrepreneurs in mini vans picking up people at street corners and taking them around town. Why couldn't someone do this in rural communities? Buy a minivan, and set up a schedule, and be available also at short notice if needed? Just a thought.
Diane
Great post and follow-up comments and so there are some debatable points. While it's possible that your might pay less paying privately, that is the exception not the rule. (Negotiating by paying for cash is a great idea, but most people won't do that and not all doctors will play that game.)
When you have dental insurance and the price of the insurance costs what you would definitely spend in routine cleanings, yet it also provides some catastrophic yet unexpected coverage, it can well be worth the premium. In this case, it works like the fire insurance example by spreading real risk. Of course the insurance company can expect to make a profit on most customers by holding your money before it is paid out and because most folks won't need expensive covered procedures, but that's the cost of your protection. Never risk a lot for a little is another insurance purchase mantra.
Still, insurance is over-sold. Just look at all the in-store warranties on things like printers. As if you'd want a three year old printer repaired in 2011 vs. getting a new one for less than replacement toner!
If you have a choice for disability insurance your better off buying your own than getting it as a work benefit. If you get it through work any pay out is taxable. You are also bound by ERISA laws if you get disability insurance from work, this limits your ability to sue and how much you could collect if they fight paying it. So if people have a choice to maybe just get the cash from the employer that they would pay in on disability insurance, they might want to use that toward buying your own disability insurance. You also then have the ability to shop around and find a company with a good rating rather than being stuck with whomever the employer picked (usually just the cheapest).
Some companies also charge less if you don't have insurance... I can get a contact lens exam for half price by paying cash. That's a $45 savings. Ironic, isn't it?
As for dental insurance, some dentists and oral surgeons will accept medical insurance for part of the bill. We still have to pay 100% for cleanings and fillings, but tooth extractions and anesthesia are covered. What a great surprise for us!
I've tried the betting on weight loss thing before and it didn't work. The real motivation comes from wanting to lose weight. Eat sensibly and exercise more - there's nothing more to it than that.
You guys need to check out www.watch-movies.net. I haven't had to even hit the library for the freebies since I found this. Some don't load great, but it's a pretty good place to start if you aren't extremely particular, and free is free if you don't mind watching on your own PC.
keep a list - any article, story, conversation that mentions a movie I may be interested in - I jot it down. Then, when it comes time to pick (from the library, RedBox, whatever...), I've got a pretty good idea that my choice will be ok. Plus, it gives me backup choices in case my first pick is not available.
You're right, that's an important step and it's buried on the claim form page. Call Compass Bank and let them know what happened. I'm sure they'll be reasonable and let you get a shuffle. If not, let me know and I'll call them. I have added that very important point to the post.
Nice Post... people often overlook the beauty of simplicity in the face of glamorous life style with wealth. Think that is "success". Is the busy work and hectic life style worth it??
Of course, like Joe in the post, one would not have realized until experienced otherwise. Hence the importance to experience and let others experience -- live and let live -- yet be mindful at the same time. Because without certain mindfulness, Joe would not have realized the "quality of life".
My husband made $16,580. last yr and I didn't work at all so how much will we get back on these stimulus checks? If I'm not mistaken it will be $1200. I sure hope so.
Thank you for this article. I have lived and homeschooled our kids in the country for twelve years now, and even before prices got really high with fuel, we took few trips into town because of the logisitcs of getting three children to destinations so far away that they would fall asleep (and then be a little difficult to deal with upon arrival at our destination).
A few things we have done that have helped-
-In addition to growing many of our vegetables and fruits, we purchase food in bulk once a month. Nesheminy Valley delivers every four weeks to our house, and I sometimes order for other famiies. We do not have to order every month, just when we need more food, so we are always able to meet the minimum.
-we do live 5 minutes from a town of 500 so there are some amenities there. Even when the larger city and chains beckon, we have made every effort to support "the little guys" knowing all too well they will disappear if people think driving 45 minutes each way to WM (or another ubiquitous chain) will somehow save them money. I gratefully accept the smaller amount of choices and slightly higher prices to know I can call them in an emergency after hours, know the owners on a first name basis, and know that they in turn will reward my business with a purchase from our farm stand at the farmers' market occasionally,to keep the cycle going, in our communities.
-we started a local "barter network" three years ago, and have over 40 families who list skills, services, and machinery and tools (as well as trucks, etc) they can offer. I bought Paul Glover's "How to Create Your Own Money" book from Ithaca Hours (in NY), set a meeting date, initially met with four others also interested in a local economy. We now know several friendly people we would not have met that live near by in our spread out area- we have seen cabins, greenhouses, treehouses and garden structures built, received astronomy and drama homeschool classes, music lessons, computer assistance, catering help for a party, farm sittng, etc. etc. Luckily,, the group is now so large I am not even aware now of all the exchanges that go on.
By being able to rely on people that live in our rural area, and be relied uppon, we have created a stonger community that I feel is pretty well-prepared to handle the rising fuel prices.Transport to full time work is still an issue for many, but many needs now can be met locally and I foresee more telecommuting in addition to the carpools that are starting to form through the barter network. Our meetings are very informal (Once a month potlucks at a park) and I highly suggest that if you do not have a barter network/alternative currency in your area, that you consider starting one. Its been a lot of fun!
Thanks again for ideas on how t save fuel - I enjoy reading everyone's tips.
I cant believe how much time has been wated on this whole debate on wether CO2 can be liquid and if there is liquid wood. this whole thing is about dents! not chemistry!
I guess other parents are much more on the ball than we are, but the Kleen Kanteen didn't last long with us. First, my daughter dropped it down a two-story porch accidentally and the screw top broke off and landed in a construction pit next door. I ordered a new top, and of course eventually we lost the thing.
Not need more than one cup? I find if we don't have at least half a dozen we never have one clean and available. Either they're all in the dishwasher, in the car or stroller, got left somewhere, or I have no idea where they are.
Thanks, everyone, for all the good comments.
Good point on dental insurance also covering things more expensive than fillings--root canals, crowns, extractions, and such can be expensive compared to routine care. So, the the extent that your insurance is covering that stuff, it is legitimate insurance that protects you against a risk.
Good call also, on the observation that HMOs (with their co-pay based model) were an important part of what wrecked the whole notion of what insurance is.
My dentist knocks off about 10% for "PPO adjustment" to better align their fees with what my insurance will pay--that's 10% I'd have to pay if I were paying out of pocket.
It's also very important to calculate the total annual cost of your insurance, then subtract any tax you'd have to pay on it if it weren't taken out pretax. Then you can compare your cost to the cost of going without.
It turns out that my dental insurance costs me $55/year for my two exams, two cleanings and two sets of x-rays. My insurance is pretty good, but even if it weren't, the cost of paying for those things out of pocket after taxes would make insurance be a better deal even with a pretax premium four or five times higher.
Nice article here, but it's worth mentioning that GROUP health, dental, and vision insurance are for the most part no longer risk-based. While it used to be the goal of insurance carriers to pay less than they collected in premiums, most health insurance companies provide 'Administrative Services Only'. This means they pay claims out of an employer's bank account. The premiums paid by employees are to cover the administrative services and keep the employer's bank account full.
Also worth mentioning that these 'ASO' accounts are not subject to state law, only federal.
Be wary of dental insurance as Dentists only tend to mention it after you've had a course of treatment. You then take it out but don't actually need it for the next three years.
One of the biggest rip-offs in the Uk is loan repayment protection insurance. The rates charged are disproportionate to the size of the loan and you'd be better saving the cash to pay off the loan early.
One thing to be aware of with these offers - my daughter found that when she filed her taxes, the bank sends an irs form declaring the amount of the "free" gift and that affected the amount of her tax refund. Nothing is really free.
I have to disagree with this post in regards to dental insurance. Your analysis may work if you are fortunate enough to have strong teeth and for the most part are just talking about your yearly cleanings and an occasional filling. Many of us are not that fortunate. Dental procedures have become prohibitively expensive, even with insurance picking up part of the tab. Without insurance many people can end up with a serious debt or just can't have the work done. This can have further reaching general health ramifications. And, like it or not, we live in a culture that makes judgments based on appearances so it can also affect other areas of one's life. Maybe your cost analysis is accurate when looking at a total population, but for the individual who is stuck either in debt or without the proper care, that's not much comfort.
For a baby, it seems to me the jam jar would be perfect; for a toddler who's running around with his cup, I'd invest in one high-quality safe one. A lot of my friends use a stainless steel Kleen Kanteen which has adapters for different types of mouthpieces. Really, does a kid need more than one cup? When he's done with it, wash it out in the sink, fill it back up with water and hand it back to him. High-performance item, relatively low cost for only one of them.
You make a good point about what insurance is and isn't. I think HMOs have given everybody a warped sense of what insurance is supposed to do. Health insurance is not prepaid health treatment. Most people should be able to afford to pay to go to the doctor and shouldn't need a $25 copay. What they need insurance for is when they have a surgery that costs $30,000 or some kind of illness that racks up thousands of dollars in treatment costs.
The same with most dental and vision insurance. Most of the catastrophic dental and optical issues aren't covered by most of these wimpy dental and vision plans we have available to us anyway and will end up falling under our health insurance anyway.
My biggest pet peeve are extended warranties on consumer electronics. If you can't afford to replace your $100 ipod then you probably couldn't afford it in the first place and I think your life will go on without it.
When I was in Lima Peru I noticed that there were independent entrepreneurs in mini vans picking up people at street corners and taking them around town. Why couldn't someone do this in rural communities? Buy a minivan, and set up a schedule, and be available also at short notice if needed? Just a thought.
Diane
Great post and follow-up comments and so there are some debatable points. While it's possible that your might pay less paying privately, that is the exception not the rule. (Negotiating by paying for cash is a great idea, but most people won't do that and not all doctors will play that game.)
When you have dental insurance and the price of the insurance costs what you would definitely spend in routine cleanings, yet it also provides some catastrophic yet unexpected coverage, it can well be worth the premium. In this case, it works like the fire insurance example by spreading real risk. Of course the insurance company can expect to make a profit on most customers by holding your money before it is paid out and because most folks won't need expensive covered procedures, but that's the cost of your protection. Never risk a lot for a little is another insurance purchase mantra.
Still, insurance is over-sold. Just look at all the in-store warranties on things like printers. As if you'd want a three year old printer repaired in 2011 vs. getting a new one for less than replacement toner!
If you have a choice for disability insurance your better off buying your own than getting it as a work benefit. If you get it through work any pay out is taxable. You are also bound by ERISA laws if you get disability insurance from work, this limits your ability to sue and how much you could collect if they fight paying it. So if people have a choice to maybe just get the cash from the employer that they would pay in on disability insurance, they might want to use that toward buying your own disability insurance. You also then have the ability to shop around and find a company with a good rating rather than being stuck with whomever the employer picked (usually just the cheapest).
Some companies also charge less if you don't have insurance... I can get a contact lens exam for half price by paying cash. That's a $45 savings. Ironic, isn't it?
As for dental insurance, some dentists and oral surgeons will accept medical insurance for part of the bill. We still have to pay 100% for cleanings and fillings, but tooth extractions and anesthesia are covered. What a great surprise for us!
I've tried the betting on weight loss thing before and it didn't work. The real motivation comes from wanting to lose weight. Eat sensibly and exercise more - there's nothing more to it than that.
You guys need to check out www.watch-movies.net. I haven't had to even hit the library for the freebies since I found this. Some don't load great, but it's a pretty good place to start if you aren't extremely particular, and free is free if you don't mind watching on your own PC.
keep a list - any article, story, conversation that mentions a movie I may be interested in - I jot it down. Then, when it comes time to pick (from the library, RedBox, whatever...), I've got a pretty good idea that my choice will be ok. Plus, it gives me backup choices in case my first pick is not available.
You're right, that's an important step and it's buried on the claim form page. Call Compass Bank and let them know what happened. I'm sure they'll be reasonable and let you get a shuffle. If not, let me know and I'll call them. I have added that very important point to the post.
Nice Post... people often overlook the beauty of simplicity in the face of glamorous life style with wealth. Think that is "success". Is the busy work and hectic life style worth it??
Of course, like Joe in the post, one would not have realized until experienced otherwise. Hence the importance to experience and let others experience -- live and let live -- yet be mindful at the same time. Because without certain mindfulness, Joe would not have realized the "quality of life".
It says that you need to register to get the free iPod BEFORE you open the account. I got in a hurry and opened the account first... :-(
Not available where I live (shucks...) but a super deal, nonetheless!
Thanks, Paul!
My husband made $16,580. last yr and I didn't work at all so how much will we get back on these stimulus checks? If I'm not mistaken it will be $1200. I sure hope so.
Duh!
No car dealer gives anything for free!
i love all this krispy kreme, ice-cream, mickeyD's, dunkin donuts stuff, but where is the free, say box of oatmeal, milk or chicken!?! haha!
Thank you for this article. I have lived and homeschooled our kids in the country for twelve years now, and even before prices got really high with fuel, we took few trips into town because of the logisitcs of getting three children to destinations so far away that they would fall asleep (and then be a little difficult to deal with upon arrival at our destination).
A few things we have done that have helped-
-In addition to growing many of our vegetables and fruits, we purchase food in bulk once a month. Nesheminy Valley delivers every four weeks to our house, and I sometimes order for other famiies. We do not have to order every month, just when we need more food, so we are always able to meet the minimum.
-we do live 5 minutes from a town of 500 so there are some amenities there. Even when the larger city and chains beckon, we have made every effort to support "the little guys" knowing all too well they will disappear if people think driving 45 minutes each way to WM (or another ubiquitous chain) will somehow save them money. I gratefully accept the smaller amount of choices and slightly higher prices to know I can call them in an emergency after hours, know the owners on a first name basis, and know that they in turn will reward my business with a purchase from our farm stand at the farmers' market occasionally,to keep the cycle going, in our communities.
-we started a local "barter network" three years ago, and have over 40 families who list skills, services, and machinery and tools (as well as trucks, etc) they can offer. I bought Paul Glover's "How to Create Your Own Money" book from Ithaca Hours (in NY), set a meeting date, initially met with four others also interested in a local economy. We now know several friendly people we would not have met that live near by in our spread out area- we have seen cabins, greenhouses, treehouses and garden structures built, received astronomy and drama homeschool classes, music lessons, computer assistance, catering help for a party, farm sittng, etc. etc. Luckily,, the group is now so large I am not even aware now of all the exchanges that go on.
By being able to rely on people that live in our rural area, and be relied uppon, we have created a stonger community that I feel is pretty well-prepared to handle the rising fuel prices.Transport to full time work is still an issue for many, but many needs now can be met locally and I foresee more telecommuting in addition to the carpools that are starting to form through the barter network. Our meetings are very informal (Once a month potlucks at a park) and I highly suggest that if you do not have a barter network/alternative currency in your area, that you consider starting one. Its been a lot of fun!
Thanks again for ideas on how t save fuel - I enjoy reading everyone's tips.
I cant believe how much time has been wated on this whole debate on wether CO2 can be liquid and if there is liquid wood. this whole thing is about dents! not chemistry!