Our once-vaunted world leadership in science & research has long faded as we direct our tax dollars into a senseless war and give tax breaks for the richest 1%.
Heath care laws that prevent best health care practices (but make some companies rich) are bought and paid-for by Big Insurance and Bigger Pharmaceuticals, perpetuating medical mediocrity....
All that said, I wish you well and hope for your speedy recovery.
are leaders in certain areas of medicine. So, I think it's probably best to scout out the most advanced country for whatever you need. I know India is a leader in cardiac care, oncology and I also read dentistry. But, maybe you wouldn't go there for some other treatments. This would be an interesting thing to look into - cost vs. quality. Thanks for the comment and the good wishes!
I remember when my contract ended with a cell phone carrier I had, I did a little shopping around for different carriers and plans. I then called my company and said that now that the contract was up, I noticed I could get better deals elsewhere, and was there anything they could do to retain my business. (I said it in an entirely friendly way, non-confrontational).
Wouldn't you know it, they gave me a new phone, and cut my costs almost in half! I of course had to sign another 12 month contract, but it was well worth it in the end.
I guess that depends. I have trouble walking because I'm in chronic pain, but maybe the treatments will work so well I'll be able to trek around in no time!
Admittedly, this article was written more to poke fun at holiday shopping rituals, rather than illustrate my new mantra in life.
In fact, where I currently (temporarily) live, I am in a very remote place in Hawaii, and have chosen to send a few meaningful things home to family & friends that they couldn't otherwise get, which I hope will remind them of me and bring us closer.
Between that and on-line shopping, I have a new lease on holiday shopping!
When I clicked on the link, this website seems to be something called register.com. All the links on it are just searches for other stuff. Am I missing something here? Everything I clicked didn't lead to any of the things you talk about here. I'm confused...
If I can go to a bar and have a few drinks bought for me, and spend a few hours chatting, then that works out at $0 for a good time. But if you know of something cheaper, (which I suspect means someone pays you to go out and have fun) then I'm absolutely all ears.
Maybe I wasn't clear but my point was that the stores were not honoring their sale prices. I do not buy things because they are on sale, in fact all these items I have been watching for them to go on sale for some time because of the brand (intimate wear in one case) or the unusual nature (very larage dog bed) of my purchases. I was just offering a tale of caution that I think because of the holiday season some stores try to take advantage of you if you don't pay attention at the checkout. They know we are usually pressed for time, shopping after work or on our lunch hour & many are too reluctant to fuss. I can't believe that you don't get mad when people (or companies) lie to you - which is what they do when the advertise a price & then attempt to not honor that sale price.
This is a good idea. I wish I had more time to do this, but I don't. My father-in-law does it, and he goes to a half dozen stores each week for deals. Of course, he probably spends more on gas than he saves on groceries.
I wouldn't put much credence in the government's CPI data. I have seen reports that examine inflation based on the calculation used before it was changed during the Clinton Administration. Using the old formula, inflation is running 7% year over year, not this 2.5% that the government now reports. I wonder what the inflation rate in the 1970s would have been using today's formula. Probably not double digit rates.
Stores have been doing this ever since I've been shopping, and that's a lot of years. You just finally discovered it for yourself. It's a technique that teaches a lot of people to become more careful shoppers, but the stores probably still make a bundle from the suckers who don't notice or can't be bothered to comparison shop.
For our cat, the options are to inject her every day with insulin ($$$$) or manage her diabetes with diet ($$) - in her case, raw meats/organs, some egg yolks, homegrown oatgrass. Had we known, we probably could have avoided spending thousands treating our dog's cancer by feeding him properly in the first place. They're carnivores - why do we feed them so much grain?
In the past, I ground her food, but these days I just divvy up bits and pieces into fridge containers and scoop out servings. It's not precisely the same mix every day, but why should it be?
One note: bouillon is not stock - it's got none of the nutritive value of the real thing, which helps gut, joint and immune health, so it's not a good regular substitute. Many bouillons also contain MSG, which shouldn't be fed to children at all. It's really worth the minor hassle of throwing some bones in the crock-pot with a little leftover wine and freezing in recipe portions.
Homeless shelter, youth shelter, shelters for young moms - yes, the handmade lavender and chamomile goat's milk soaps might be outside the norm, but that may make it even more special. Our local food bank holds summer yard sales, too, and they might be pleased to deal with the extra five or six thingamabobs too many. :) I also like Freecycle - our group tends to offer surplus candy after the various candy holidays, and they never last. :)
"Christmas is not an emergencey. It comes the same time every year" -Dave Ramsey.
You know how much you spend on each person every year, so in January start saving up a little each month and then when December rolls around you won't go into debt, you won't ruin your savings plan, you won't forgo paying off debt in lieu of Christmas presents. You'll have it all paid for. IT's easy to set up a seperate savings account (and at tons of places you get great rates on them) for your Christmas expenses.
And you are right about missing out on a social life because of being too tight with your money - that doesn't do any good. That's actually when most people splurge and mess up their budget (or diet)......when they've deprived themselves of everything fun. Cheers!
I want to add to your great list by noting that because of competition for voice calling among cell, Internet, and landline providers; phone number portability; the convergence of broadband, voice, and TV; and, finally, satellite TV as an alternative to cable, you can really get some amazing deals if you just ask for them or threaten to leave.
Cell carriers are changing their termination fees, with some now pro-rating them. So instead of having to pay $175 to $250 if you leave within any two-year period, it might be $25 to $100. A new carrier will often agree (in writing) to pick up your previous carrier's termination fee, and will sometimes pay you a bonus.
A year ago I was testing a T-Mobile phone system for a newspaper review (T-Mobile wasn't providing writers with review units at that time). I bought it on my own dime and returned it within the 14-day rescission period.
The manager at the T-Mobile kiosk kept offering me more and more stuff to keep the service: two $200 credits for the two lines my wife and I had at Cingular we'd have to pay fees on; $100 if we stayed customers for 90 days credited to our bill; plus the free phone and router that were part of the T-Mobile deal already. I asked if he'd put it in writing, and he said yes. I still declined, but it was remarkable.
For TV services, you can often play one off the other. When I called to cancel my cable TV (in favor of satellite), they were persistent at offering tons of discounts, including a cheaper rate for an entire year -- it would have meant hundreds of dollars off my bill. (The satellite service, by contrast, offered free dish and installation, three months' discount on monthly charges, and a $50 (with rebate) DVR--effectively $0.00 to switch from cable, and I was paying $10 less per month for more service and a better picture.)
Finally, with broadband, if you're in a market that's competitive, where a phone company, a cable company, and sometimes a firm like Clearwire all offer broadband, you can often call and threaten to switch and get a large discount. AT&T has these one-year, $15 a month plans for new subscribers that they will often extend, if you threaten cancellation, to existing ones.
Finally, I had the most remarkable credit card experience. I had a large balance at low interest and stupidly failed to pay one month. The interest rate went to 19% and I had hundreds in extra fees. I immediately transferred the balance via a home equity line of credit (higher interest than the original credit card deal, but not much higher). I called the company to cancel the card, and a retention expert offered me a full point lower than my previous deal (3% instead of 4%), and a waiver of the full month's interest. Done. (I put myself on the automatic payment plan via their Web site, too, so I never miss a payment.)
Yes, it's really only useful within the community of Esperantists, although it could be stretched to serve beyond that, much as Hawala can be stretched to serve beyond its primary ethnic and cultural community.
There are plenty of solutions that work, each with its own limits. You mention Paypal, which makes you have an account as well, although just having an account is free. Western Union can send money almost anywhere very quickly and doesn't require an account (although it's not cheap--send money two or three times and you'd have payed for a membership in UEA). I just think the Esperanto solution is interesting, because of its parallel with Hawala.
Health care in this country is f**** up.
The Fundamentalist wackos (and our sham President) won't allow stem cell research.
Our once-vaunted world leadership in science & research has long faded as we direct our tax dollars into a senseless war and give tax breaks for the richest 1%.
Heath care laws that prevent best health care practices (but make some companies rich) are bought and paid-for by Big Insurance and Bigger Pharmaceuticals, perpetuating medical mediocrity....
All that said, I wish you well and hope for your speedy recovery.
are leaders in certain areas of medicine. So, I think it's probably best to scout out the most advanced country for whatever you need. I know India is a leader in cardiac care, oncology and I also read dentistry. But, maybe you wouldn't go there for some other treatments. This would be an interesting thing to look into - cost vs. quality. Thanks for the comment and the good wishes!
I remember when my contract ended with a cell phone carrier I had, I did a little shopping around for different carriers and plans. I then called my company and said that now that the contract was up, I noticed I could get better deals elsewhere, and was there anything they could do to retain my business. (I said it in an entirely friendly way, non-confrontational).
Wouldn't you know it, they gave me a new phone, and cut my costs almost in half! I of course had to sign another 12 month contract, but it was well worth it in the end.
All it took was a phone call!
I wish you success in your quest.
I've now a number of people who had their dentistry done in Mexico or eastern Europe. All of it had to be redone.
I guess that depends. I have trouble walking because I'm in chronic pain, but maybe the treatments will work so well I'll be able to trek around in no time!
How much sightseeing does a medical tourist get to enjoy?
Admittedly, this article was written more to poke fun at holiday shopping rituals, rather than illustrate my new mantra in life.
In fact, where I currently (temporarily) live, I am in a very remote place in Hawaii, and have chosen to send a few meaningful things home to family & friends that they couldn't otherwise get, which I hope will remind them of me and bring us closer.
Between that and on-line shopping, I have a new lease on holiday shopping!
thanks for the information. can anyone site this though? it seems prudent if anyone has the final word on it.
I'm sorry - that was the curse of typing too fast! I apologize. The link is corrected in the article. It is www.naturesbabyproducts.com.
Thanks!
When I clicked on the link, this website seems to be something called register.com. All the links on it are just searches for other stuff. Am I missing something here? Everything I clicked didn't lead to any of the things you talk about here. I'm confused...
If I can go to a bar and have a few drinks bought for me, and spend a few hours chatting, then that works out at $0 for a good time. But if you know of something cheaper, (which I suspect means someone pays you to go out and have fun) then I'm absolutely all ears.
Maybe I wasn't clear but my point was that the stores were not honoring their sale prices. I do not buy things because they are on sale, in fact all these items I have been watching for them to go on sale for some time because of the brand (intimate wear in one case) or the unusual nature (very larage dog bed) of my purchases. I was just offering a tale of caution that I think because of the holiday season some stores try to take advantage of you if you don't pay attention at the checkout. They know we are usually pressed for time, shopping after work or on our lunch hour & many are too reluctant to fuss. I can't believe that you don't get mad when people (or companies) lie to you - which is what they do when the advertise a price & then attempt to not honor that sale price.
This is a good idea. I wish I had more time to do this, but I don't. My father-in-law does it, and he goes to a half dozen stores each week for deals. Of course, he probably spends more on gas than he saves on groceries.
I wouldn't put much credence in the government's CPI data. I have seen reports that examine inflation based on the calculation used before it was changed during the Clinton Administration. Using the old formula, inflation is running 7% year over year, not this 2.5% that the government now reports. I wonder what the inflation rate in the 1970s would have been using today's formula. Probably not double digit rates.
I can do #6 in three moves.
For me it is about how effectively I can use my small budget. Going to bar is a waste. There are a ton of other ways to socialize that cost much less.
Stores have been doing this ever since I've been shopping, and that's a lot of years. You just finally discovered it for yourself. It's a technique that teaches a lot of people to become more careful shoppers, but the stores probably still make a bundle from the suckers who don't notice or can't be bothered to comparison shop.
For our cat, the options are to inject her every day with insulin ($$$$) or manage her diabetes with diet ($$) - in her case, raw meats/organs, some egg yolks, homegrown oatgrass. Had we known, we probably could have avoided spending thousands treating our dog's cancer by feeding him properly in the first place. They're carnivores - why do we feed them so much grain?
In the past, I ground her food, but these days I just divvy up bits and pieces into fridge containers and scoop out servings. It's not precisely the same mix every day, but why should it be?
One note: bouillon is not stock - it's got none of the nutritive value of the real thing, which helps gut, joint and immune health, so it's not a good regular substitute. Many bouillons also contain MSG, which shouldn't be fed to children at all. It's really worth the minor hassle of throwing some bones in the crock-pot with a little leftover wine and freezing in recipe portions.
Homeless shelter, youth shelter, shelters for young moms - yes, the handmade lavender and chamomile goat's milk soaps might be outside the norm, but that may make it even more special. Our local food bank holds summer yard sales, too, and they might be pleased to deal with the extra five or six thingamabobs too many. :) I also like Freecycle - our group tends to offer surplus candy after the various candy holidays, and they never last. :)
"Christmas is not an emergencey. It comes the same time every year" -Dave Ramsey.
You know how much you spend on each person every year, so in January start saving up a little each month and then when December rolls around you won't go into debt, you won't ruin your savings plan, you won't forgo paying off debt in lieu of Christmas presents. You'll have it all paid for. IT's easy to set up a seperate savings account (and at tons of places you get great rates on them) for your Christmas expenses.
And you are right about missing out on a social life because of being too tight with your money - that doesn't do any good. That's actually when most people splurge and mess up their budget (or diet)......when they've deprived themselves of everything fun. Cheers!
I want to add to your great list by noting that because of competition for voice calling among cell, Internet, and landline providers; phone number portability; the convergence of broadband, voice, and TV; and, finally, satellite TV as an alternative to cable, you can really get some amazing deals if you just ask for them or threaten to leave.
Cell carriers are changing their termination fees, with some now pro-rating them. So instead of having to pay $175 to $250 if you leave within any two-year period, it might be $25 to $100. A new carrier will often agree (in writing) to pick up your previous carrier's termination fee, and will sometimes pay you a bonus.
A year ago I was testing a T-Mobile phone system for a newspaper review (T-Mobile wasn't providing writers with review units at that time). I bought it on my own dime and returned it within the 14-day rescission period.
The manager at the T-Mobile kiosk kept offering me more and more stuff to keep the service: two $200 credits for the two lines my wife and I had at Cingular we'd have to pay fees on; $100 if we stayed customers for 90 days credited to our bill; plus the free phone and router that were part of the T-Mobile deal already. I asked if he'd put it in writing, and he said yes. I still declined, but it was remarkable.
For TV services, you can often play one off the other. When I called to cancel my cable TV (in favor of satellite), they were persistent at offering tons of discounts, including a cheaper rate for an entire year -- it would have meant hundreds of dollars off my bill. (The satellite service, by contrast, offered free dish and installation, three months' discount on monthly charges, and a $50 (with rebate) DVR--effectively $0.00 to switch from cable, and I was paying $10 less per month for more service and a better picture.)
Finally, with broadband, if you're in a market that's competitive, where a phone company, a cable company, and sometimes a firm like Clearwire all offer broadband, you can often call and threaten to switch and get a large discount. AT&T has these one-year, $15 a month plans for new subscribers that they will often extend, if you threaten cancellation, to existing ones.
Finally, I had the most remarkable credit card experience. I had a large balance at low interest and stupidly failed to pay one month. The interest rate went to 19% and I had hundreds in extra fees. I immediately transferred the balance via a home equity line of credit (higher interest than the original credit card deal, but not much higher). I called the company to cancel the card, and a retention expert offered me a full point lower than my previous deal (3% instead of 4%), and a waiver of the full month's interest. Done. (I put myself on the automatic payment plan via their Web site, too, so I never miss a payment.)
Thanks for the easy-to-decipher net worth chart.
I appreciate the link to my blog.
Keep up the good work and let me know if you ever need my help on a post.
Yes, it's really only useful within the community of Esperantists, although it could be stretched to serve beyond that, much as Hawala can be stretched to serve beyond its primary ethnic and cultural community.
There are plenty of solutions that work, each with its own limits. You mention Paypal, which makes you have an account as well, although just having an account is free. Western Union can send money almost anywhere very quickly and doesn't require an account (although it's not cheap--send money two or three times and you'd have payed for a membership in UEA). I just think the Esperanto solution is interesting, because of its parallel with Hawala.
Ooh... I love learnu!