I've really only started making positive gains in my finances in the last two years. The first two years of marriage was spent trying to buy the things we thought would make us even happier, but it really only put us in debt. Now, as we've finally learned some tips on budgeting and are implementing them, are we finding that we're enjoying life. We do things together that we did when we were broke college students. We cook together, walk, jog, and do other outdoor things together. We're having fun and I'm loving her more every day. And, we're saving money. I know that being relieved from the burden of debt has really helped things out as well. It was stressful for a while.
I know it would cost a ton more initially to offer things like Chiropractic, Naturopathic care etc. These modalities are so beneficial and preventative though. It's proven that people who seek preventative care like these tend to be healthier and in the long term need fewer major surgeries or medical treatments associated with chronic illnesses and conditions.
I remember when the Ontario Health Insurance Plan removed coverage for Chiropractic care. I stopped going because it was now out of my budget and I've definitely noticed a significant change in the way my back feels. Could be other factors, but I definitely felt better when getting monthly adjustments.
Hey,
I love that heading. It is so true. It goes with the expression that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. We are healthy eaters, not buying as locally and organically as we'd like, but we try to stay away from prepackaged foods as they're just filled with things that will kill you. As far as tips on budgeting, it feels hard to buy fresh and local sometimes because it does cost more to eat healthy and takes up a bit more of out time to prepare. It is definitely worth it though because man do I feel like crap when I eat fast food.
You'll fee better within the *hour* if you eat free-range eggs rather than toaster pastry, and you won't get hungry for much longer.
Organic vegetables have been shown to have higher nutrient levels than conventional because organic culture requires healthier soil, but the difference is even more pronounced between industrial meat and that from animals raised on grass.
I eat almost all organic, local food, including meat, for $5-7.50/day.
I want single-payer simplicity in which preventive care and diagnostics are 100% covered (to insure we're forced to use it), and catastrophic costs are controlled with a sliding-scale deductible.
One thing I found when I had more disposable income is that I didn't really think about what I was buying. If I saw it and thought I had a need for it (someday), I bought it. Now that money is not so available, it forces me to really think about my priorities and focus on what I really need. For me, I think it is more that the end result of spending less is what makes me happy. Instead of going out to eat, I make dinner with my daughter at home, that kind of thing. Money can make things easier, but now that I think about it, the 'experience of life' can suffer. Does that make any sense?
Paul, I am not sure you understand the purpose of the mortgage assistance program. It is intended to prevent forclosures on homes. You are not seen as a forclosure risk, thus you are not eligible for the program.
What you are proposing by stopping payment on your home is akin to someone trying to get themselves laid off because they want to collect unemployment. You take this a step furthur by saying you would like to get a bigger house once your loan is modified, which is like someone trying to get themselves laid off so they can collect unemployment for a while, then find an even more high paying job. I'm sure it can be done. Is it fair to the rest of us? No.
As someone has already stated, your "rant" lacks logic and focus. I am sure they way Citi handled the situation angered you, but you need a more clear and reasonable perspective on this. You are not owed anything by the bank. If you don't like how Citi has treated you, simply don't be their customer next time. It would be their loss.
Maybe step away from this for a week or two and come back with a more thoughful follow up on your situation.
i bought a friend of mine a mr beer kit several years ago. he had some fun making his own beer. for those of us who don't like beer there is also a mr rootbeer kit.
Keep demand health insurance simple - for hospitalizations and those with cronic conditions and maybe a check up every year or two. Drs. should not have to deal with insurance paperwork for those who drop in because of minor ailments, pay the bill out of pocket. This would keep costs down because there are too many who are habitually going to the MD for every "hangnail" because it's covered by insurance.
I concur with the suggestion to find a roommate or two. I'll go further and suggest you find roommates who are in a similar situation to you -- (slightly) older single women. Not only will you get along better, but you can work together to handle the stuff you can't or don't want to do alone. I knew three women in Minnesota who did this. They were divorced or widowed and helped one another with things like hanging curtains, rotating mattresses, cleaning gutters, installing storm windows, yard work, and so on. It was a real blessing to be able to count on each other in addition to financially beneficial.
Just because you need a roommate doesn't mean you have to share a house with raucous college kids or anything. Many people are consolidating and living with less space in order to save money right now.
REMODEL! In the long run you are adding value to the house. I suspect that you're feeling this way because you've been looking at the price you could pay right now for a "bigger" house, and it makes you want to unload your current smaller home. You still have many options - bite the bullet and rent it out. So you'll have to pay a few hundred bucks to cover the mortgage, so what? It won't be forever, and is it really worth the struggle you would face in the future dealing with poor credit? Also, what would you be teaching your children by walking away? As they say, "a winner never quits and quitters never win".
Karen, can you rent a room (or even 2) in your home while you continue to live there to help with the mortgage?
Paul, it's a shame you've reacted so defensively here. How is your decision to stop reading our comments any different from a reader deciding not to follow wisebread.com anymore?
Many people, myself included, spent time and made the effort to discuss your situation. Some even cited references. We are also entitled to our opinions, and simply because by and large the opinions were that you were being a bit unreasonable, you've decided to ignore us? Now THAT's the kind of post that makes me consider not reading your blog anymore!
However, I do plan to continue reading, because I consider this post to be unusual in it's lack of logic and focus. Let's face it, it's basically just a rant. Well, you ranted, and we responded.
any chance you could email me the parts list? im a beginner carpenter and am looking to build a simple frame for my king sized bed. yours looks good for what i want to do minus the headboard.
i checked out your flickr, but only saw pictures of things half put together but did not see anything that would give me a rough idea on what lumber you had used, thickness, length, ect ect.
I'd love a vision plan that includes both eye exams and some portion of contacts/glasses.
But generally speaking, a plan that keeps costs as low as possible and doesn't nickel and dime you, not covering things that are actually medically necessary.
One of the biggest things to me is good customer service. Having a company be clear about what is covered, etc, would be such an improvement, as would better online and phone systems to have speedy answers. From the business perspective, I get that everything can't be covered/free/etc, but reducing consumer frustration with service would make healthcare a less painful experience for all.
Yes, debt elimination scams. That's what I encountered when I was buried deep in debt and wanted to get out. So, now I have learned my lesson. I won't allow myself to make impulse credit card purchases again. Everything is on the budget now. Instead of credit card, I use debit card nowadays!
I'm in the same boat! This, too, is pretty much my story ... except, I want to "down-size" ...
I no longer need a 3bd/2ba home with a yard and a detached 2 car garage ... but I'm stuck paying for it because I'm $50k underwater and can't rent it out for what my monthly payments are ... and although I am still able to make the payments (just barely), if I were to incur any additional expenses (medical deductibles, auto insurance deductibles, auto repairs, home repairs, etc.), I wouldn't be able to make all of the different minimum payments ...
I use to have 3 dogs, 2 cats and a significant other ... now, it's just me and one dog ... and, now, I'm single ... also, I'm not as young as I use to be ... I don't want to shovel and mow anymore ... don't have money to hire someone to do it ... can't let it go because I'll get fined (oops! more unplanned expenses ...).
Plans change, situations change, people change ... and so do our priorities as we grow older ... nothing remains static ... decisions we made 10 years ago were based on the specific set of circumstances at the time ... and the times have changed ... a lot!
I'll be listing my house soon as a short sale ... because I don't want to be in my house for another 10 years "hoping" the housing market gets better ... 10 years ago, I was "hoping" I made a good 'investment' in my house ... (sigh) ...
I'm looking forward to hearing how things work out for you, Paul ... keep me (us) posted!
Thank you for your words of wisdom on debt and debt elimination solution. This is the reason why this site is tops on my list on sources of financial enlightenment.
Well darn, you seem to have a lot nicer things for your kids than I have for mine. Maybe I need to call my bank to get my loan modified so I can catch up to you.
I am actaully quite liberal and I do believe in government assistance for the disadvantaged and for those temporarily out of work. I just don't believe that taxpayer money should be used to move you into a larger home. Why would you even extend the argument beyond that?
Hey,
I've really only started making positive gains in my finances in the last two years. The first two years of marriage was spent trying to buy the things we thought would make us even happier, but it really only put us in debt. Now, as we've finally learned some tips on budgeting and are implementing them, are we finding that we're enjoying life. We do things together that we did when we were broke college students. We cook together, walk, jog, and do other outdoor things together. We're having fun and I'm loving her more every day. And, we're saving money. I know that being relieved from the burden of debt has really helped things out as well. It was stressful for a while.
Cheers,
Hey,
I know it would cost a ton more initially to offer things like Chiropractic, Naturopathic care etc. These modalities are so beneficial and preventative though. It's proven that people who seek preventative care like these tend to be healthier and in the long term need fewer major surgeries or medical treatments associated with chronic illnesses and conditions.
I remember when the Ontario Health Insurance Plan removed coverage for Chiropractic care. I stopped going because it was now out of my budget and I've definitely noticed a significant change in the way my back feels. Could be other factors, but I definitely felt better when getting monthly adjustments.
Cheers
Hey,
I love that heading. It is so true. It goes with the expression that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. We are healthy eaters, not buying as locally and organically as we'd like, but we try to stay away from prepackaged foods as they're just filled with things that will kill you. As far as tips on budgeting, it feels hard to buy fresh and local sometimes because it does cost more to eat healthy and takes up a bit more of out time to prepare. It is definitely worth it though because man do I feel like crap when I eat fast food.
Anyway,
Great post.
Wow - TUMS instead of giving the dog a beef bone? Really?
You'll fee better within the *hour* if you eat free-range eggs rather than toaster pastry, and you won't get hungry for much longer.
Organic vegetables have been shown to have higher nutrient levels than conventional because organic culture requires healthier soil, but the difference is even more pronounced between industrial meat and that from animals raised on grass.
I eat almost all organic, local food, including meat, for $5-7.50/day.
I want single-payer simplicity in which preventive care and diagnostics are 100% covered (to insure we're forced to use it), and catastrophic costs are controlled with a sliding-scale deductible.
+1 for high deductible plan with an HSA. We love ours. Portability is the only thing missing.
One thing I found when I had more disposable income is that I didn't really think about what I was buying. If I saw it and thought I had a need for it (someday), I bought it. Now that money is not so available, it forces me to really think about my priorities and focus on what I really need. For me, I think it is more that the end result of spending less is what makes me happy. Instead of going out to eat, I make dinner with my daughter at home, that kind of thing. Money can make things easier, but now that I think about it, the 'experience of life' can suffer. Does that make any sense?
Transparency in policies that are simple and easy to understand, so I know what's covered, what to expect to pay out of pocket, etc.
The ability to speak with a human being quickly when I do have questions about the plan.
Free or discounted preventative care (gym membership, vitamins) or a discount on my premiums for partaking in preventative care.
Knowing the costs of doctor's visits and procedures.
No pre-existing conditions stuff.
Plans that are decided by me instead of my employer.
Plans that have nothing to do with my employer for that matter.
Paul, I am not sure you understand the purpose of the mortgage assistance program. It is intended to prevent forclosures on homes. You are not seen as a forclosure risk, thus you are not eligible for the program.
What you are proposing by stopping payment on your home is akin to someone trying to get themselves laid off because they want to collect unemployment. You take this a step furthur by saying you would like to get a bigger house once your loan is modified, which is like someone trying to get themselves laid off so they can collect unemployment for a while, then find an even more high paying job. I'm sure it can be done. Is it fair to the rest of us? No.
As someone has already stated, your "rant" lacks logic and focus. I am sure they way Citi handled the situation angered you, but you need a more clear and reasonable perspective on this. You are not owed anything by the bank. If you don't like how Citi has treated you, simply don't be their customer next time. It would be their loss.
Maybe step away from this for a week or two and come back with a more thoughful follow up on your situation.
i bought a friend of mine a mr beer kit several years ago. he had some fun making his own beer. for those of us who don't like beer there is also a mr rootbeer kit.
I agree. NO way do I want a used mattress. gross.
I bought a used dresser for $30 last summer at a yard sale. it was $100 new at target. so I saved money... :)
had a few scratches on it but I did not care. I was replacing a very old one that had been broke for many years.
1. the feds to butt out. To late for that now.
I want to be able to choose my doctors, freedom. choice. And low cost. All which we lose now with the federal takeover.
http://republicanleader.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=13...
Keep demand health insurance simple - for hospitalizations and those with cronic conditions and maybe a check up every year or two. Drs. should not have to deal with insurance paperwork for those who drop in because of minor ailments, pay the bill out of pocket. This would keep costs down because there are too many who are habitually going to the MD for every "hangnail" because it's covered by insurance.
Karen,
I concur with the suggestion to find a roommate or two. I'll go further and suggest you find roommates who are in a similar situation to you -- (slightly) older single women. Not only will you get along better, but you can work together to handle the stuff you can't or don't want to do alone. I knew three women in Minnesota who did this. They were divorced or widowed and helped one another with things like hanging curtains, rotating mattresses, cleaning gutters, installing storm windows, yard work, and so on. It was a real blessing to be able to count on each other in addition to financially beneficial.
Just because you need a roommate doesn't mean you have to share a house with raucous college kids or anything. Many people are consolidating and living with less space in order to save money right now.
Good luck!
REMODEL! In the long run you are adding value to the house. I suspect that you're feeling this way because you've been looking at the price you could pay right now for a "bigger" house, and it makes you want to unload your current smaller home. You still have many options - bite the bullet and rent it out. So you'll have to pay a few hundred bucks to cover the mortgage, so what? It won't be forever, and is it really worth the struggle you would face in the future dealing with poor credit? Also, what would you be teaching your children by walking away? As they say, "a winner never quits and quitters never win".
Karen, can you rent a room (or even 2) in your home while you continue to live there to help with the mortgage?
Paul, it's a shame you've reacted so defensively here. How is your decision to stop reading our comments any different from a reader deciding not to follow wisebread.com anymore?
Many people, myself included, spent time and made the effort to discuss your situation. Some even cited references. We are also entitled to our opinions, and simply because by and large the opinions were that you were being a bit unreasonable, you've decided to ignore us? Now THAT's the kind of post that makes me consider not reading your blog anymore!
However, I do plan to continue reading, because I consider this post to be unusual in it's lack of logic and focus. Let's face it, it's basically just a rant. Well, you ranted, and we responded.
Thick skin? Hardly.
any chance you could email me the parts list? im a beginner carpenter and am looking to build a simple frame for my king sized bed. yours looks good for what i want to do minus the headboard.
i checked out your flickr, but only saw pictures of things half put together but did not see anything that would give me a rough idea on what lumber you had used, thickness, length, ect ect.
jerkius@gmail if you dont mind, thanks!
I'd love a vision plan that includes both eye exams and some portion of contacts/glasses.
But generally speaking, a plan that keeps costs as low as possible and doesn't nickel and dime you, not covering things that are actually medically necessary.
One of the biggest things to me is good customer service. Having a company be clear about what is covered, etc, would be such an improvement, as would better online and phone systems to have speedy answers. From the business perspective, I get that everything can't be covered/free/etc, but reducing consumer frustration with service would make healthcare a less painful experience for all.
Yes, debt elimination scams. That's what I encountered when I was buried deep in debt and wanted to get out. So, now I have learned my lesson. I won't allow myself to make impulse credit card purchases again. Everything is on the budget now. Instead of credit card, I use debit card nowadays!
I'm in the same boat! This, too, is pretty much my story ... except, I want to "down-size" ...
I no longer need a 3bd/2ba home with a yard and a detached 2 car garage ... but I'm stuck paying for it because I'm $50k underwater and can't rent it out for what my monthly payments are ... and although I am still able to make the payments (just barely), if I were to incur any additional expenses (medical deductibles, auto insurance deductibles, auto repairs, home repairs, etc.), I wouldn't be able to make all of the different minimum payments ...
I use to have 3 dogs, 2 cats and a significant other ... now, it's just me and one dog ... and, now, I'm single ... also, I'm not as young as I use to be ... I don't want to shovel and mow anymore ... don't have money to hire someone to do it ... can't let it go because I'll get fined (oops! more unplanned expenses ...).
Plans change, situations change, people change ... and so do our priorities as we grow older ... nothing remains static ... decisions we made 10 years ago were based on the specific set of circumstances at the time ... and the times have changed ... a lot!
I'll be listing my house soon as a short sale ... because I don't want to be in my house for another 10 years "hoping" the housing market gets better ... 10 years ago, I was "hoping" I made a good 'investment' in my house ... (sigh) ...
I'm looking forward to hearing how things work out for you, Paul ... keep me (us) posted!
Thank you for your words of wisdom on debt and debt elimination solution. This is the reason why this site is tops on my list on sources of financial enlightenment.
Well darn, you seem to have a lot nicer things for your kids than I have for mine. Maybe I need to call my bank to get my loan modified so I can catch up to you.
I am actaully quite liberal and I do believe in government assistance for the disadvantaged and for those temporarily out of work. I just don't believe that taxpayer money should be used to move you into a larger home. Why would you even extend the argument beyond that?