The $3200 remaining charge on a hospital bill is due to a flagrant error in the diagnosis of an illness (both the emergency room and the subsequent Doctor ignorred the in-hand file with previous similar symptons). I indicate "remaining charge" because the hospital rec'd about 10K in insurance reimbursement.
The bill is now two years old. Hospital has refused to credit the charge after numerous letters and phone calls. The validity of my claim has been verified with another Dr. in another hospital. Nevertheless, it has been referred for collection.
I intend to continue to deny the validity of the charge. What happens now? What do I tell the collection agency?
I have been working out 5 days a week since June. So far I have lost 25 pounds. In the new year, I want to continue to work out and get in shape for my first half marathon. Having weightloss as a goal in addition to a race keeps me motivated. I don't know if I will save money. I have had to get rid of most of my clothes and buy new ones and I pay $40/month for a gym membership. But I think it is worth it to be happy and healthy!
Great post Philip,
My favourite part is buying stuff that lasts. This of course always brings a conflict between the short term and long term. Much easier to buy a number of cheap things than one more expensive thing that wil last. Right at that moment of purchase I can find it difficult to limit myself to one item which takes up all the current budget BUT in the end it always seems to be a great choice when after a few years I'm still enjoying it!!
Here's a real good one. I used a product that I got in Hawaii. It is called... get this... Maui Aui. It has Aloe, Caledula for the skin and white willow for the pain and st. john's wort for the itch. It's great through the hurting,itching pealing phases and I think it made me heal faster. It sure made things feel better. It wasn't very expensive, $8 or $9 if remember correctly and it was WELL worth it. There was no phone number on it but the company name says Nature's Rite. This stuff is like Natural Solarcaine. with aloe and skin regenerator. It's really cool.
As I stare the big 50 in the eyes in March, I have realized the the past 20 years have been focused on taking care of everyone but me. I need to find a little piece of who I was before all the obligations came along. So, I will be taking one day or night (sometimes a whole 24 hours!) that will be my time to do some of the things I used to enjoy doing that I have not had time for. Some may see this as selfish, but I see it as reviving that extra sparkle I had! And I know by my feeling better about myself, my husband and family will reap the rewards! This year I lost those stubborn 20 pounds I have been fighting for a couple of years now, so keeping that off is a gimme also. My fifties may just be my best decade yet!!!!
Online auctions such as the ones we have on our website at gohoming do create a way for lenders to optimize price of homes but keep in mind that all the real estate concepts are merely magnified with REO - the longer a property is on the market, the better deal you can get (http://www.gohoming.com)
GH
I drink too much Diet Pepsi. Other than my usual resolution to lose weight, I plan to try to cut down on my diet pepsi consumption and focus on drinking more water. Thank you for the giveaway.
I plan to keep using the rowing machine that I bought for $300 on Craigslist.
It sounds like a lot, but I waited to buy it until I found the exact machine that I wanted and didn't compromise on the brand or model. I got the same kind that my dad has - and he's rowed almost 2,000,000 meters (1,242 miles) on it with absolutely no maintenance whatsoever. I have barely a tenth of that logged, but I'm looking forward to several more trouble-free years of rowing.
My New Year's Resolution is the same every year: Be Happy.
A healthy and happy mindset can go a long way in a lot of aspects of your life, finance included. A happy person is satisfied with what they have, and need less material things to cheer them up. They are also more productive and able to get more done.
Christie, the majority of people would just vacuum up a broken 4-foot fluorescent bulb that smashed on the floor. It is, actually, considered a hazmat situation. Using a normal vacuum would result in your vacuum contaminated with mercury and would blow it into the air whenever you used it. But it's just a light bulb, right?
Information is good if you are capable of using the information. Blindly saying people can use the information is dangerous. Blindly saying people will use the information is presumptuous.
In fact, the linked report has been redacted and linked to a release about why. Seems responsible to me.
Oh, the 'cut that bit off/mold' comment certainly rings a bell, so too the tub of meat fat (it was called 'dripping' in our household.)
Other frugal practices that seems now to have come from the ancient past involve stale bread. Not bread that has gone green, but a loaf or the ends of loaves that have gone hard. That kind of stale bread can be used to make:
1. Summer Pudding
2. Bread Pudding
3. Bread Sauce
4. Bread Crumbs
5. Croutons
Now I'm hankering after a Summer Pudding! This reminiscing isn't good for my waistline.
There's no reason to avoid soap on cast iron. I cook with cast iron and gas exclusively and always wash with soap. This is an old wives tale going back to the days of when soap was typically made of lye. Modern soaps do not damage the pan in any way. My only tip is to make sure they are dried properly so they dont rust, if you have a gas range just toss them back in the oven and they'll dry quickly.
Buying stuff that lasts is hard , higher cost , and the outside apperance of quality dosent work if the wires and hard wear inside is designed to breack down after warenty, in fact thats the only way i can buy some thing good is to look for an item that garentee their products for 5 - 10 years. My mom has a microwwave older than me , im 26 and if i am to but a microwawave i would be lucky to get 10 years out of it. It seems like most stuff is made to last only 3 years.
great post by the way
the amount of your tax return is not a good measure of your total tax burden...you should compare your total tax before and after your marriage. One of you may have been paying less in each paycheck throughout the year.
That is too funny! It's almost kind of loveable how pathologically non-wasteful some of my older relatives can be. It doesn't bother me at all, just gives me a chuckle.
i need to run more often. i have everything else in check, but i cant seem to go run after work (since it is dark) and before work (it is also dark).
I was going to break down and buy a used treadmill, but i want to force myself to get out during the dark season first and see how that goes. maybe start tomorrow???
Great post! I plan on living cheaply for the long term.
I agree that you need to take care of your stuff! (wishes I could get kids to understand that same concept - lol). The husband and I take time to make sure things are maintained as we use them. We even learn how to fix them when something goes awry - like we are pros at fixing a washer now.
Since we moved to a small town in an attempt to "simplify" our lives, My wife and I have resolved to use our cars as little as possible. She rides her bike to work and we ride to the local grocery store for small items. We are saving gas, and getting exercise at the same time! Our "sacrifice" in moving to a small town has really turned out to be a blessing. :)
As a fundraiser at private university (also my alma mater), I feel I should correct this common misconception. Full tuition usually only covers about 2/3 of actual expenses that a school incurs to educate a student. Technically, all students get a "discount," even if they received no scholarships.
If you had a satisfying experience at your alma mater and have benefited from the education you received, you really should give SOMETHING to the annual fund every year.
Mine is to exercise more - my doctor said that having a consistent exercise program is the best way to judge if your heart is having problems and heart disease is a killer. I've been incredibly lazy with no excuses for not getting up on the treadmill.
I'd like to lose 10 pounds too but keeping to a consistent exercise schedule is more important. Also need to lift weights for bone density and strength.
I already eat vegetarian, rarely drink soda, rarely eat out and love to cook. I should probably cut down on the wine intake though so I will work on that too.
I've already been cutting down on pop, so I will continue with that. I exercise sporadically right now, so I'm determined to exercise at least 3 times a week, hopefully more for the new year.
I've also been slowly switching to healthier foods or healthier versions of our current food. I will continue to do that. Unfortunately a lot of times, that seems to cost more not less.
I'm not really going to call anything a resolution because that usually equals failure. I am hoping though to find some online groups that have similar goals to help give me encouragement over the year!
The $3200 remaining charge on a hospital bill is due to a flagrant error in the diagnosis of an illness (both the emergency room and the subsequent Doctor ignorred the in-hand file with previous similar symptons). I indicate "remaining charge" because the hospital rec'd about 10K in insurance reimbursement.
The bill is now two years old. Hospital has refused to credit the charge after numerous letters and phone calls. The validity of my claim has been verified with another Dr. in another hospital. Nevertheless, it has been referred for collection.
I intend to continue to deny the validity of the charge. What happens now? What do I tell the collection agency?
I have been working out 5 days a week since June. So far I have lost 25 pounds. In the new year, I want to continue to work out and get in shape for my first half marathon. Having weightloss as a goal in addition to a race keeps me motivated. I don't know if I will save money. I have had to get rid of most of my clothes and buy new ones and I pay $40/month for a gym membership. But I think it is worth it to be happy and healthy!
Great post Philip,
My favourite part is buying stuff that lasts. This of course always brings a conflict between the short term and long term. Much easier to buy a number of cheap things than one more expensive thing that wil last. Right at that moment of purchase I can find it difficult to limit myself to one item which takes up all the current budget BUT in the end it always seems to be a great choice when after a few years I'm still enjoying it!!
Here's a real good one. I used a product that I got in Hawaii. It is called... get this... Maui Aui. It has Aloe, Caledula for the skin and white willow for the pain and st. john's wort for the itch. It's great through the hurting,itching pealing phases and I think it made me heal faster. It sure made things feel better. It wasn't very expensive, $8 or $9 if remember correctly and it was WELL worth it. There was no phone number on it but the company name says Nature's Rite. This stuff is like Natural Solarcaine. with aloe and skin regenerator. It's really cool.
As I stare the big 50 in the eyes in March, I have realized the the past 20 years have been focused on taking care of everyone but me. I need to find a little piece of who I was before all the obligations came along. So, I will be taking one day or night (sometimes a whole 24 hours!) that will be my time to do some of the things I used to enjoy doing that I have not had time for. Some may see this as selfish, but I see it as reviving that extra sparkle I had! And I know by my feeling better about myself, my husband and family will reap the rewards! This year I lost those stubborn 20 pounds I have been fighting for a couple of years now, so keeping that off is a gimme also. My fifties may just be my best decade yet!!!!
Get the bikes fixed so DH and I can start riding to work. Its only 2 miles for me, about 4 for him.
Erin
Online auctions such as the ones we have on our website at gohoming do create a way for lenders to optimize price of homes but keep in mind that all the real estate concepts are merely magnified with REO - the longer a property is on the market, the better deal you can get (http://www.gohoming.com)
GH
I drink too much Diet Pepsi. Other than my usual resolution to lose weight, I plan to try to cut down on my diet pepsi consumption and focus on drinking more water. Thank you for the giveaway.
koinonia572001@yahoo.com
I plan to keep using the rowing machine that I bought for $300 on Craigslist.
It sounds like a lot, but I waited to buy it until I found the exact machine that I wanted and didn't compromise on the brand or model. I got the same kind that my dad has - and he's rowed almost 2,000,000 meters (1,242 miles) on it with absolutely no maintenance whatsoever. I have barely a tenth of that logged, but I'm looking forward to several more trouble-free years of rowing.
I plan to get on a regimen and treat myself better.
My New Year's Resolution is the same every year: Be Happy.
A healthy and happy mindset can go a long way in a lot of aspects of your life, finance included. A happy person is satisfied with what they have, and need less material things to cheer them up. They are also more productive and able to get more done.
Christie, the majority of people would just vacuum up a broken 4-foot fluorescent bulb that smashed on the floor. It is, actually, considered a hazmat situation. Using a normal vacuum would result in your vacuum contaminated with mercury and would blow it into the air whenever you used it. But it's just a light bulb, right?
Information is good if you are capable of using the information. Blindly saying people can use the information is dangerous. Blindly saying people will use the information is presumptuous.
In fact, the linked report has been redacted and linked to a release about why. Seems responsible to me.
Oh, the 'cut that bit off/mold' comment certainly rings a bell, so too the tub of meat fat (it was called 'dripping' in our household.)
Other frugal practices that seems now to have come from the ancient past involve stale bread. Not bread that has gone green, but a loaf or the ends of loaves that have gone hard. That kind of stale bread can be used to make:
1. Summer Pudding
2. Bread Pudding
3. Bread Sauce
4. Bread Crumbs
5. Croutons
Now I'm hankering after a Summer Pudding! This reminiscing isn't good for my waistline.
Yours hungrily,
Mrs Miser
www.mrsmiser.com
There's no reason to avoid soap on cast iron. I cook with cast iron and gas exclusively and always wash with soap. This is an old wives tale going back to the days of when soap was typically made of lye. Modern soaps do not damage the pan in any way. My only tip is to make sure they are dried properly so they dont rust, if you have a gas range just toss them back in the oven and they'll dry quickly.
Buying stuff that lasts is hard , higher cost , and the outside apperance of quality dosent work if the wires and hard wear inside is designed to breack down after warenty, in fact thats the only way i can buy some thing good is to look for an item that garentee their products for 5 - 10 years. My mom has a microwwave older than me , im 26 and if i am to but a microwawave i would be lucky to get 10 years out of it. It seems like most stuff is made to last only 3 years.
great post by the way
the amount of your tax return is not a good measure of your total tax burden...you should compare your total tax before and after your marriage. One of you may have been paying less in each paycheck throughout the year.
That is too funny! It's almost kind of loveable how pathologically non-wasteful some of my older relatives can be. It doesn't bother me at all, just gives me a chuckle.
i need to run more often. i have everything else in check, but i cant seem to go run after work (since it is dark) and before work (it is also dark).
I was going to break down and buy a used treadmill, but i want to force myself to get out during the dark season first and see how that goes. maybe start tomorrow???
White bread - and white sugar. The butter was the real McCoy. And it was really good. I never got it often enough to hurt my health.
get sucked in to the latest fads!
These were great tips. Thanks!
Great post! I plan on living cheaply for the long term.
I agree that you need to take care of your stuff! (wishes I could get kids to understand that same concept - lol). The husband and I take time to make sure things are maintained as we use them. We even learn how to fix them when something goes awry - like we are pros at fixing a washer now.
Since we moved to a small town in an attempt to "simplify" our lives, My wife and I have resolved to use our cars as little as possible. She rides her bike to work and we ride to the local grocery store for small items. We are saving gas, and getting exercise at the same time! Our "sacrifice" in moving to a small town has really turned out to be a blessing. :)
As a fundraiser at private university (also my alma mater), I feel I should correct this common misconception. Full tuition usually only covers about 2/3 of actual expenses that a school incurs to educate a student. Technically, all students get a "discount," even if they received no scholarships.
If you had a satisfying experience at your alma mater and have benefited from the education you received, you really should give SOMETHING to the annual fund every year.
Mine is to exercise more - my doctor said that having a consistent exercise program is the best way to judge if your heart is having problems and heart disease is a killer. I've been incredibly lazy with no excuses for not getting up on the treadmill.
I'd like to lose 10 pounds too but keeping to a consistent exercise schedule is more important. Also need to lift weights for bone density and strength.
I already eat vegetarian, rarely drink soda, rarely eat out and love to cook. I should probably cut down on the wine intake though so I will work on that too.
I've already been cutting down on pop, so I will continue with that. I exercise sporadically right now, so I'm determined to exercise at least 3 times a week, hopefully more for the new year.
I've also been slowly switching to healthier foods or healthier versions of our current food. I will continue to do that. Unfortunately a lot of times, that seems to cost more not less.
I'm not really going to call anything a resolution because that usually equals failure. I am hoping though to find some online groups that have similar goals to help give me encouragement over the year!