Well folks, it's been about a year since the last substantial update, and we have been extremely busy pushing through a multitude of problems. While we have paid down on all of our debt across the board, it feels like there hasn't been much movement (which is why the debt snowball is so psychologically awesome).
After plowing through our smaller debts last year, we were left with larger ones with long pay-down timelines. Over the past year, however, we have made great strides to reduce all of them, and now we're just about to the point of making huge gains and cascading payments through the debts once again. All I have to say is you really need to push through the pain and make this happen.
I think this is the point that most people throw up their hands and say "well, I tried, I can't make it work" and then give up -- going back to the way things used to be. If you can stay motivated, it is very much worth it to keep pushing. How does one do that you ask? Well, I tried to gamify paying down debt. I did it by making a spreadsheet and giving myself "achievements" for hitting certain levels of debt, and giving myself a nice carrot to run to after I made it through the sprint. What that carrot is will be different for everyone, but find something that motivates you and push for it.
Among the setbacks, most notably we have continued to have large medical expenses and our van was totaled. We had insurance, but the replacement value wasn't enough to get something in good shape, so we had to finance. The van is our primary vehicle, and it needs to be reliable. I'm driving a 15 year old Eclipse now, and we couldn't risk having two cars that may or may not work :).
Regardless of that, we have been able to recoup the car payment by adjusting lifestyle and budget -- so we have the liquid funds like we did before the accident. What pumps me up is that we will have even MORE liquid funds available after the van is paid off than before we bought it.
I'm excited to be able to actually post payoff goals here in the coming months, rather than sitting on my hands for year. Here's to a more productive 6 months!
Monday, July 8, 2013
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Still On Track
We are still on track with the plan I came up with at the beginning of the year. With that being said, we've paid off my car and are about to pay off another card by next week. It's awesome seeing these things dropping at an increased pace :).
The biggest thing that will get you on track and keep you on track is setting a budget. I know it's something that everyone says, but it seems like no one actually does it. We've split it into two types: recurring bills and snowball budget.
We start by taking all of our recurring monthly bills and have those subtracted off the top of any income we get for that month. This also includes taking money out for fun stuff (eating out, going to the movies, etc). After that is accounted for, we work on the "snowball budget". This budget is made up of extra money that doesn't have a home. If there isn't anything extra we need that month, then it all gets divided between various debts to knock them down/out. Just last month, there was some landscaping work I wanted to do, so that money came out of this extra slush fund. Sure, it slowed down my snowball, but we made the improvements with cash, and still payed extra on debt.
Making the time to sit down and work this out is super important, and it keeps both you and your spouse on the same page (and eliminates any arguments as well.. bonus). We are currently in the process of becoming foster parents as well, and planning out all of the expenses that go along with that has made climbing this mountain very achievable.
Speaking of fostering, we originally wanted to adopt but found the process way to expensive -- absurdly so (I mean, the kids need help. Why make it hard?). We found that by fostering to adopt, we can help kids in need AND have the option of adopting the ones that have been permanently separated from their parents by the state. The best part is the State basically pays for the adoption -- so it's a win-win for the foster kids AND us :).
The moral of the story is if you want your financial life organized, YOU have to be organized. Tell your money where to go -- don't wonder where it went at the end of the month. By doing so, you will be able to accomplish some pretty awesome things.
The biggest thing that will get you on track and keep you on track is setting a budget. I know it's something that everyone says, but it seems like no one actually does it. We've split it into two types: recurring bills and snowball budget.
We start by taking all of our recurring monthly bills and have those subtracted off the top of any income we get for that month. This also includes taking money out for fun stuff (eating out, going to the movies, etc). After that is accounted for, we work on the "snowball budget". This budget is made up of extra money that doesn't have a home. If there isn't anything extra we need that month, then it all gets divided between various debts to knock them down/out. Just last month, there was some landscaping work I wanted to do, so that money came out of this extra slush fund. Sure, it slowed down my snowball, but we made the improvements with cash, and still payed extra on debt.
Making the time to sit down and work this out is super important, and it keeps both you and your spouse on the same page (and eliminates any arguments as well.. bonus). We are currently in the process of becoming foster parents as well, and planning out all of the expenses that go along with that has made climbing this mountain very achievable.
Speaking of fostering, we originally wanted to adopt but found the process way to expensive -- absurdly so (I mean, the kids need help. Why make it hard?). We found that by fostering to adopt, we can help kids in need AND have the option of adopting the ones that have been permanently separated from their parents by the state. The best part is the State basically pays for the adoption -- so it's a win-win for the foster kids AND us :).
The moral of the story is if you want your financial life organized, YOU have to be organized. Tell your money where to go -- don't wonder where it went at the end of the month. By doing so, you will be able to accomplish some pretty awesome things.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Slow and Steady
It has been five months since my last post, and I have learned something in this time -- getting out of debt is a process. It is something you have to be patient with because you will be much better off in the end.
While slow, the last few months have been very fruitful. I was blessed with getting a new job that along with a significant pay increase allows me to work from home 100% of the time, letting me help out if the kids are sick. The new job has also freed Terra up to do volunteer work at a local charity that helps families that are struggling (just like we were a few years ago). Sure, she doesn't have an income to help us get out of debt faster, but she's playing a key role in helping families getting back on their feet, and that is much more important than shortening our timetable slightly :).
Doing our cash-only Christmas this year slowed the snowball down, but it is always nice starting the new year off w/o any extra debt :). Now that the new year has started, I've kicked things into high gear again. I'm about $800 away from paying my car off (which makes it really tempting to just take all the money I can one month and pay it off). So, in a few months, I'll have two paid for cars and lots of $$ back in my pocket -- all to knock out the next debt which is sitting around $2800. By year's end, I should have this one and possibly the next one paid off, freeing up an additional $500 or so in cash flow. I have to say, it feels good getting traction on this stuff :). Just keep at it, and you'll hit your goals.
While slow, the last few months have been very fruitful. I was blessed with getting a new job that along with a significant pay increase allows me to work from home 100% of the time, letting me help out if the kids are sick. The new job has also freed Terra up to do volunteer work at a local charity that helps families that are struggling (just like we were a few years ago). Sure, she doesn't have an income to help us get out of debt faster, but she's playing a key role in helping families getting back on their feet, and that is much more important than shortening our timetable slightly :).
Doing our cash-only Christmas this year slowed the snowball down, but it is always nice starting the new year off w/o any extra debt :). Now that the new year has started, I've kicked things into high gear again. I'm about $800 away from paying my car off (which makes it really tempting to just take all the money I can one month and pay it off). So, in a few months, I'll have two paid for cars and lots of $$ back in my pocket -- all to knock out the next debt which is sitting around $2800. By year's end, I should have this one and possibly the next one paid off, freeing up an additional $500 or so in cash flow. I have to say, it feels good getting traction on this stuff :). Just keep at it, and you'll hit your goals.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Fall is in the Air
As summer comes to a close, I have a few things to be thankful for. The most of these is the fact that the girls have been well for about five months! This has been a huge relief to us emotionally as well as financially. Recently, they did have a cold but they were able to kick the fever in four days which is unheard of around here.
So, what have we been up to this Summer? Well, more of the same it seems :). We have been able to pay everything down across the board. No new things have been paid off, but the entire mess is lower. One good thing is that we have been able to keep Terra's check out of our budget so it is truly extra income when it comes in -- which rocks. We also have our emergency fund almost completely built back up :)
Speaking of the emergency fund, there was one thing with Ramsey's plan I didn't think I needed to do, and that was the envelope system. It's a simple enough concept -- you make a budget, then withdraw the money you need for each category and put it in separate envelopes. Then, when you need money for something in that category, you just take it from that envelope until it is gone. I thought to myself "hey, I have Quicken, I don't need this, I can keep track of it." The problem was my rational brain was making that decision, not the irrational, hungry, I want side of my brain that apparently can't estimate well :).
So, after stumbling with a few problem areas in the budget, I pulled those out into the envelope system to better mange things. In particular, the Food (out to eat), Fun, and Clothing categories where the problem children. We would always go WAY over in these areas by underestimating how much we had spent earlier in the month. By pulling the money out ahead of time, it's something you just don't have to think about. If there's money there, awesome. If not, you're brown bagging it. I personally like not having to deal with those receipts as well. I've got one transaction in Quicken instead of 14.
Because of this, we now have a bunch of extra money in the Fun envelope (who says you HAVE to spend it, right?). As that money piles up, we are planning on a cool trip later to take the girls out and pay cash for the whole thing. Amazing what you can do when you plan for stuff :)
I've got three bills in the snowball lined up for the next 6 months depending on how things go, but I think 6 months is a reasonable goal. One of the items in there is my car, so that's got me pretty excited :).
Friday, June 24, 2011
Help Comes From The Heart
First off, I just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who donated to our campaign. I feel very humbled by the fact that we were able to raise $5450, which had a massive impact on our financial situation.
The last few months have been busy with our noses to the grindstone. We were able to pay off Terra's van as planned, and made small strides despite some dental needs that came up. But, that all changes with the campaign :)
Now for the fun bits:
We were able to pay off three major medical debts and a few minor bills. In all, these bills represent $450/month of expense that is GONE. This gives us a HUGE amount of breathing room, and allowed me to pull Terra's check out of the budget so that it is finally extra money. This extra can go for extra snowball money or fun money without impacting the established get-out-of debt plan -- which makes me very happy :). Words cannot describe the relief I'm feeling at this point.
However, this isn't the best part. I recently discovered that Aetna is reprocessing all of our Vivaglobin claims as a pharmacy benefit instead of a major medical benefit. Translation? That means that instead of each dose costing $800 per kid per month (then subject to deductibles and 80/20), each dose is $65 flat. $65!! Since Aetna's pharmacy was one of the three major debts we paid off with the campaign, we will be getting approximately $1200-$1500 back from Aetna. THIS IS HUGE :)
I'll use this to pay off the remaining balances on some of the smaller bills and use the rest to continue walking up our debt snowball. Sure, our deductible will be replaced, but we are in a pretty good place now and that's ok :).
THANK YOU again to everyone who has donated and who has been praying for our family. You can still donate at From The Heart by specifying our family in the notes, OR you could go see what other great families are being sponsored and help meet their needs :).
The last few months have been busy with our noses to the grindstone. We were able to pay off Terra's van as planned, and made small strides despite some dental needs that came up. But, that all changes with the campaign :)
Now for the fun bits:
We were able to pay off three major medical debts and a few minor bills. In all, these bills represent $450/month of expense that is GONE. This gives us a HUGE amount of breathing room, and allowed me to pull Terra's check out of the budget so that it is finally extra money. This extra can go for extra snowball money or fun money without impacting the established get-out-of debt plan -- which makes me very happy :). Words cannot describe the relief I'm feeling at this point.
However, this isn't the best part. I recently discovered that Aetna is reprocessing all of our Vivaglobin claims as a pharmacy benefit instead of a major medical benefit. Translation? That means that instead of each dose costing $800 per kid per month (then subject to deductibles and 80/20), each dose is $65 flat. $65!! Since Aetna's pharmacy was one of the three major debts we paid off with the campaign, we will be getting approximately $1200-$1500 back from Aetna. THIS IS HUGE :)
I'll use this to pay off the remaining balances on some of the smaller bills and use the rest to continue walking up our debt snowball. Sure, our deductible will be replaced, but we are in a pretty good place now and that's ok :).
THANK YOU again to everyone who has donated and who has been praying for our family. You can still donate at From The Heart by specifying our family in the notes, OR you could go see what other great families are being sponsored and help meet their needs :).
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
And So It Begins....
It is February 16th, and already we have reached that magical time where our $3500 medical deductible has been met, our $1000 HealthFund is gone, our $2000 Flex Spending Account is gone, and we are now in our 80/20 period. That being said, we still haven't got all the bills yet for the $3500 already incurred :( (minus $1000 for the HealthFund). Dealing with THAT will be no fun.
From here on out, the girls meds should cost us around $400 a month. The thing I'm MORE worried about is the fact that around $2500 is owed to Aetna's pharmacy. I know they allow payment plans, but the little bit of info I've got so far indicates that those plans are spread over a term of around 3-5 months. That means we could be paying $600 per month to catch up, on top of the new $400 per month. Needless to say, that's not going to work :). Now the worry bit -- are they going to withhold their meds until we pay off the existing balance? I would HOPE not, but who knows with the state of the medical industry these days. That being said, I'll post more when I know more.
On to Happier news.
Terra's van will be completely paid off by the end of March (or the beginning if I can work it in) about 6 months ahead of schedule. Next up, Piper's hospital bill from all of our Cincinnati trips last year will be done in another 4 months (around July). After that, Makenna's Cincinnati bill should be knocked out in another 4 months (around November). Looking further out, my car should be paid off about this time next year - about 5 months ahead of schedule. THAT is the debt snowball in action :). Four medium sized debts being knocked out as you compound their payments.
In all, that represents around $7000 worth of debt. It's not as aggressive as I would like, but well, we have some pretty serious new expenses to deal with :). On the bright side, none of this is including Terra's income, so I should be able to accelerate things depending on how many hours she can get in the next few months.
The girls' doctor is also going to switch their meds, so I'm hoping the new one is somewhat cheaper :). I'll let you know how that goes later.
From here on out, the girls meds should cost us around $400 a month. The thing I'm MORE worried about is the fact that around $2500 is owed to Aetna's pharmacy. I know they allow payment plans, but the little bit of info I've got so far indicates that those plans are spread over a term of around 3-5 months. That means we could be paying $600 per month to catch up, on top of the new $400 per month. Needless to say, that's not going to work :). Now the worry bit -- are they going to withhold their meds until we pay off the existing balance? I would HOPE not, but who knows with the state of the medical industry these days. That being said, I'll post more when I know more.
On to Happier news.
Terra's van will be completely paid off by the end of March (or the beginning if I can work it in) about 6 months ahead of schedule. Next up, Piper's hospital bill from all of our Cincinnati trips last year will be done in another 4 months (around July). After that, Makenna's Cincinnati bill should be knocked out in another 4 months (around November). Looking further out, my car should be paid off about this time next year - about 5 months ahead of schedule. THAT is the debt snowball in action :). Four medium sized debts being knocked out as you compound their payments.
In all, that represents around $7000 worth of debt. It's not as aggressive as I would like, but well, we have some pretty serious new expenses to deal with :). On the bright side, none of this is including Terra's income, so I should be able to accelerate things depending on how many hours she can get in the next few months.
The girls' doctor is also going to switch their meds, so I'm hoping the new one is somewhat cheaper :). I'll let you know how that goes later.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Tis the Season
Tis the Season... well, it is according to the stores anyhow. Since before Halloween there has been Christmas stuff out. Anyone listening to Christmas music yet? :).
Christmas is a time where a lot of people can get into trouble. You want to do everything you can for people you care about, but your heart usually gets bigger than your wallet. Instead of stopping, most people just charge it -- and before you know it you end up getting yourself a big nasty bill for Christmas.
For the last couple years now I've been doing a cash only Christmas. The first year was a bit of a train wreck due to medical bills and improper budgeting, but things have been getting a bit better as I get more experience. Even last year, I couldn't do as much as I wanted due to medical bills, but I used those two experiences to make this year spectacular.
I had planned way ahead of time and got all the Christmas money put back for the girls this year in October. Words cannot describe the feeling of satisfaction I had when I deposited the funds into that account. No more do I need to worry about where the money will come from. No more do I need to worry about if I can get things for the girls . No more do I need to worry about the aftermath of how to pay for a debt fueled sea of disaster. It is all taken care of -- and it's going to be a blast to do the shopping.
I've felt pretty bad about the last couple years just for the fact the kids got screwed because of my poor planning and not being able to handle the financial maelstrom we were handed. Not this year though. I'm making up for those lean years and then some. I know they are too young to really know or care, but this is something I feel I really need to do for them. They have been through so much in their short little lives, I want Christmas to be spectacular for them this year.
Speaking of spectacular, we now have four debts about to fall out in the next 6 months (all pretty much at the same time). The combined payments for all of these are right around $600 a month. That's $600 I get back almost immediately as they all drop out within months of each other. That's huge, and will go a long way in bringing the next monster down. One of those four is the Van. It only has about $1000 left, and will be a big psychological win for us (actually something directly tangible for payments).
The only thing that could be a sore spot is medical expenses for the first part of next year. Our insurance resets, so we are going to be having to pay for the girls medication (retails at $2000 a month) until all the deductibles and out of pocket expenses are hit. Thankfully there is a non-profit that is going to be working with us next year to help raise funds to offset some of these expenses. "From the Heart" is a organization started by a friend of ours with the goal of helping families in need of care they cannot necessarily afford. Go find it on Facebook or Twitter and follow. It is a great organization with a good heart and very noble goal. They will also appreciate any donations you want to contribute for their sponsored families :)
I guess my only parting words of wisdom would be to not charge Christmas this year. Sure, it may be hard, but you'll be thanking me in January when that bill doesn't arrive in your mailbox :).
Christmas is a time where a lot of people can get into trouble. You want to do everything you can for people you care about, but your heart usually gets bigger than your wallet. Instead of stopping, most people just charge it -- and before you know it you end up getting yourself a big nasty bill for Christmas.
For the last couple years now I've been doing a cash only Christmas. The first year was a bit of a train wreck due to medical bills and improper budgeting, but things have been getting a bit better as I get more experience. Even last year, I couldn't do as much as I wanted due to medical bills, but I used those two experiences to make this year spectacular.
I had planned way ahead of time and got all the Christmas money put back for the girls this year in October. Words cannot describe the feeling of satisfaction I had when I deposited the funds into that account. No more do I need to worry about where the money will come from. No more do I need to worry about if I can get things for the girls . No more do I need to worry about the aftermath of how to pay for a debt fueled sea of disaster. It is all taken care of -- and it's going to be a blast to do the shopping.
I've felt pretty bad about the last couple years just for the fact the kids got screwed because of my poor planning and not being able to handle the financial maelstrom we were handed. Not this year though. I'm making up for those lean years and then some. I know they are too young to really know or care, but this is something I feel I really need to do for them. They have been through so much in their short little lives, I want Christmas to be spectacular for them this year.
Speaking of spectacular, we now have four debts about to fall out in the next 6 months (all pretty much at the same time). The combined payments for all of these are right around $600 a month. That's $600 I get back almost immediately as they all drop out within months of each other. That's huge, and will go a long way in bringing the next monster down. One of those four is the Van. It only has about $1000 left, and will be a big psychological win for us (actually something directly tangible for payments).
The only thing that could be a sore spot is medical expenses for the first part of next year. Our insurance resets, so we are going to be having to pay for the girls medication (retails at $2000 a month) until all the deductibles and out of pocket expenses are hit. Thankfully there is a non-profit that is going to be working with us next year to help raise funds to offset some of these expenses. "From the Heart" is a organization started by a friend of ours with the goal of helping families in need of care they cannot necessarily afford. Go find it on Facebook or Twitter and follow. It is a great organization with a good heart and very noble goal. They will also appreciate any donations you want to contribute for their sponsored families :)
I guess my only parting words of wisdom would be to not charge Christmas this year. Sure, it may be hard, but you'll be thanking me in January when that bill doesn't arrive in your mailbox :).
Sunday, July 4, 2010
David 1, Goliath 0.
We just found out this week that Aetna has APPROVED my daughters treatments. I'm not sure whether it was the second appeal (or second level appeal as they internally called it -- a source for more confusion about what was going on), the extra info the Doctor submitted, or the fact I had to submit a fax to let the Doctor appeal on our behalf. Frankly, I don't care at this point, because I'm sure whatever process that was involved isn't meant for mere mortals to understand. I'm just basking in the glory that I don't have to drive 4 hours a week for treatments now, and that we aren't saddled with over $20,000 of outstanding medical bills for 3 months of medicine.
You heard right folks, because it was on appeal, they are covering all of the past treatments up until now. This is HUGE, and means I can get back to working my debt snowball instead of piling money up to pay for potential bills. It seems like it is just in time too, because I just discovered about 2" of standing water in the bottom of my furnace due to what probably is a clogged drain pipe. I need to get a service tech out to tackle that one ASAP :)
Wednesday is our first try at doing the treatments at home. We've received all of the supplies for a month, so we are set to get this going. Hopefully it is a bit easier on the girls being able to do it here instead of there. It should be more comfortable in any event.
You heard right folks, because it was on appeal, they are covering all of the past treatments up until now. This is HUGE, and means I can get back to working my debt snowball instead of piling money up to pay for potential bills. It seems like it is just in time too, because I just discovered about 2" of standing water in the bottom of my furnace due to what probably is a clogged drain pipe. I need to get a service tech out to tackle that one ASAP :)
Wednesday is our first try at doing the treatments at home. We've received all of the supplies for a month, so we are set to get this going. Hopefully it is a bit easier on the girls being able to do it here instead of there. It should be more comfortable in any event.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Aetna, why do you hate your customers?
While being busy trying to pay off past medical bills, I have been somewhat tuning out of my mounting new bills. After taking down four of our old ones (only one left!!), I started to turn my attention to the new ones. We have already hit our out of pocket max, so all of the new charges from Cincinnati from here on out will be covered (those Aetna pays for) so I've set up payments for what we incurred to hit our max.
This, however, is the proper start of my rant. A little back story if you will....
Our daughters have been fighting infection for the last two years. Serious infections. You get a cold and have pneumonia in three days kind of infections. You have eight ear infections in six months kind of infections. You have to go to infectious disease doctors to get special antibiotics because run-of-the-mill drugs don't cut it anymore kind of infections. You have to take a low dose antibiotic just to try to function in society infections (and still get above mentioned infections).
Throughout this time, Aetna was actually being awesome about things. They were covering the plethora of doctors and specialist visits at the said co-pays and all of the medication. Granted, I incurred nearly $17,000 in out of pocket expenses during those two years, but we were keeping our girls relatively healthy (even though we couldn't really take them out into the public). We were seeing specialist after specialist and doctor after doctor until we finally exhausted all of the resources in Indianapolis. We knew they both have a compromised immune system, but no one could tell us what was wrong or how to actually treat it. So, we just kept submitting all the claims and visits to Aetna and went on our merry way, thinking we were going to have to keep the kids in a bubble their entire lives.
Our infectious disease doctor referred us to a pair of immunology specialists at the Cincinnati Children's hospital, so we made an appointment, packed up the kids and headed out.
About all that we knew for certain about the girls is that their MBL levels were abnormally low or non-existent. This is important because this protein plays a big role in letting your body know there is an infection. Anyhow, after meeting with the new doctor, he said that the MBL was concerning, but shouldn't be causing this (based on other cases he's worked on). Twelve vials of blood from each kid later, we had a large panel of tests to try to figure out what is wrong.
After a few weeks, and after Aetna gladly paid for the facility, doctor's fees, and labs (aside from my co-insurance), we went back to discuss the results. At this point, they were still in the dark, but it is obvious they have something rare and it will take a lot more research. In the mean time, we decided to switch their prophylactic antibiotic to something stronger to help keep of infection. Like clockwork, the girls got sick again on the new antibiotic (our typical cycle was every two weeks). After consulting with Dr. Kumar, he was very concerned that they still got sick, and decided to break out the big guns to try to at least get them healthy while we tried to figure this out. He decided to switch them to Immunoglobulin G.
Our rep at the hospital called Aetna to get things pre-approved and to make sure that the treatment was covered and got the all clear. She called us up after that was settled and made our first appointment to come in. So, on our third trip to Cincinnati from Indianapolis we got our first infusion (sub Q, in the belly). We were simply waiting on Aetna to approve a home health care company to supply us with the meds and pump so we could do it at home. We figured we would have to come back maybe once more before this was taken care of, but little did we know Aetna in reality hates their customers.
We made a fourth trip, then a fifth trip, then found out the bombshell -- Aetna had denied the treatment for the girls. The thing is, after getting these treatments for three weeks, the girls had shown a dramatic improvement. They were playing, and I mean they were playing HARD. They probably never felt this good in their sick little lives, and actually got over a cold on their own WITHOUT any extra medication. This miracle drug had completely changed their quality of life, and Aetna was wanting to take that all away.
Our Doctor filed an appeal on the decision, but wanted to keep treating the girls because it was obviously working. Thankfully, he has the hospital holding the charges on the medication until this gets straightened out. Aetna has up to 30 days to respond to an appeal, so we waited, and kept driving back and forth from Indianapolis to Cincinnati to get life changing treatments for our girls.
After the 30 days had passed, Aetna finally responded -- with another denial stating that they don't cover IgG treatments for what the doctor had said he was treating them for because it was "experimental". Obviously, the experiment worked because our kids were finally able to be kids. He called and talked to the director of Aetna and found that there was a very specific black and white list of what they approved this medication for. The problem is, we don't have a diagnosis yet -- we just know the immune system is involved. So, he worked up a second appeal and drew more labs to get more ammunition.
Keep in mind, Aetna has been happily processing and paying for all of the facility and doctor fees this entire time, but just refuses to pay for the medication. If they won't pay for the treatment, why are they paying for the facility FOR the treatment? Not to mention that we haven't been to the pediatrician's office for 3 months (instead of every two weeks like before).
Anyhow, another 30 days went by and Aetna responded to the second appeal by sending me a letter. This time, their response was that they couldn't process the appeal because Dr. Kumar wasn't "authorized" to act on our daughters' behalf. HE IS THEIR FREAKING DOCTOR! What more authorization do you need?? So, today I faxed the release in so that their own doctor can see their medical information and act on their behalf.
So, we get to keep going back to get the treatments that actually give our kids a reasonable quality of life until Aetna decides to stop jerking us around. I figured up that every trip costs us nearly $100 in gas and food -- not to mention the fact that I have to work over during the week to make up for the day I have to be out of the office. Between the growing financial burden this is putting on us and the added stress of running so hard, it is amazing I haven't completely lost it yet.
Without insurance, the treatments cost roughly $1000 per kid per week -- so $8666 a month or $104,000 per year. I don't make nearly that much, so there is no way I can pay for this treatment let alone afford to live. Sadly, the girls' quality of life rests soundly upon Aetna's shoulders. If they deny the treatments, they are subjecting our girls to a life of infection, sickness, and being socially isolated. Aetna hates their customers, and apparently hates innocent little girls that just want a chance at a normal life, which this medication gives them.
I can't fight Aetna directly, but I can at least put our story out there so that others can see what kind of company they truly are. Far too often, people with similar conditions have the trouble getting the life changing medications they need. IgG is just one that I know of that people have to fight for. It is incomprehensible to me that people have to fight for IgG given the dramatic effects it has on those who need it.
For a point of reference, this picture represents all of the medications that my daughters (2 and 4) were on for the 6 months prior to starting IgG. We have only had to take over the counter allergy meds since.
I ask that you share our story with anyone you can. Hopefully this will help others in the future with similar battles.
This, however, is the proper start of my rant. A little back story if you will....
Our daughters have been fighting infection for the last two years. Serious infections. You get a cold and have pneumonia in three days kind of infections. You have eight ear infections in six months kind of infections. You have to go to infectious disease doctors to get special antibiotics because run-of-the-mill drugs don't cut it anymore kind of infections. You have to take a low dose antibiotic just to try to function in society infections (and still get above mentioned infections).
Throughout this time, Aetna was actually being awesome about things. They were covering the plethora of doctors and specialist visits at the said co-pays and all of the medication. Granted, I incurred nearly $17,000 in out of pocket expenses during those two years, but we were keeping our girls relatively healthy (even though we couldn't really take them out into the public). We were seeing specialist after specialist and doctor after doctor until we finally exhausted all of the resources in Indianapolis. We knew they both have a compromised immune system, but no one could tell us what was wrong or how to actually treat it. So, we just kept submitting all the claims and visits to Aetna and went on our merry way, thinking we were going to have to keep the kids in a bubble their entire lives.
Our infectious disease doctor referred us to a pair of immunology specialists at the Cincinnati Children's hospital, so we made an appointment, packed up the kids and headed out.
About all that we knew for certain about the girls is that their MBL levels were abnormally low or non-existent. This is important because this protein plays a big role in letting your body know there is an infection. Anyhow, after meeting with the new doctor, he said that the MBL was concerning, but shouldn't be causing this (based on other cases he's worked on). Twelve vials of blood from each kid later, we had a large panel of tests to try to figure out what is wrong.
After a few weeks, and after Aetna gladly paid for the facility, doctor's fees, and labs (aside from my co-insurance), we went back to discuss the results. At this point, they were still in the dark, but it is obvious they have something rare and it will take a lot more research. In the mean time, we decided to switch their prophylactic antibiotic to something stronger to help keep of infection. Like clockwork, the girls got sick again on the new antibiotic (our typical cycle was every two weeks). After consulting with Dr. Kumar, he was very concerned that they still got sick, and decided to break out the big guns to try to at least get them healthy while we tried to figure this out. He decided to switch them to Immunoglobulin G.
Our rep at the hospital called Aetna to get things pre-approved and to make sure that the treatment was covered and got the all clear. She called us up after that was settled and made our first appointment to come in. So, on our third trip to Cincinnati from Indianapolis we got our first infusion (sub Q, in the belly). We were simply waiting on Aetna to approve a home health care company to supply us with the meds and pump so we could do it at home. We figured we would have to come back maybe once more before this was taken care of, but little did we know Aetna in reality hates their customers.
We made a fourth trip, then a fifth trip, then found out the bombshell -- Aetna had denied the treatment for the girls. The thing is, after getting these treatments for three weeks, the girls had shown a dramatic improvement. They were playing, and I mean they were playing HARD. They probably never felt this good in their sick little lives, and actually got over a cold on their own WITHOUT any extra medication. This miracle drug had completely changed their quality of life, and Aetna was wanting to take that all away.
Our Doctor filed an appeal on the decision, but wanted to keep treating the girls because it was obviously working. Thankfully, he has the hospital holding the charges on the medication until this gets straightened out. Aetna has up to 30 days to respond to an appeal, so we waited, and kept driving back and forth from Indianapolis to Cincinnati to get life changing treatments for our girls.
After the 30 days had passed, Aetna finally responded -- with another denial stating that they don't cover IgG treatments for what the doctor had said he was treating them for because it was "experimental". Obviously, the experiment worked because our kids were finally able to be kids. He called and talked to the director of Aetna and found that there was a very specific black and white list of what they approved this medication for. The problem is, we don't have a diagnosis yet -- we just know the immune system is involved. So, he worked up a second appeal and drew more labs to get more ammunition.
Keep in mind, Aetna has been happily processing and paying for all of the facility and doctor fees this entire time, but just refuses to pay for the medication. If they won't pay for the treatment, why are they paying for the facility FOR the treatment? Not to mention that we haven't been to the pediatrician's office for 3 months (instead of every two weeks like before).
Anyhow, another 30 days went by and Aetna responded to the second appeal by sending me a letter. This time, their response was that they couldn't process the appeal because Dr. Kumar wasn't "authorized" to act on our daughters' behalf. HE IS THEIR FREAKING DOCTOR! What more authorization do you need?? So, today I faxed the release in so that their own doctor can see their medical information and act on their behalf.
So, we get to keep going back to get the treatments that actually give our kids a reasonable quality of life until Aetna decides to stop jerking us around. I figured up that every trip costs us nearly $100 in gas and food -- not to mention the fact that I have to work over during the week to make up for the day I have to be out of the office. Between the growing financial burden this is putting on us and the added stress of running so hard, it is amazing I haven't completely lost it yet.
Without insurance, the treatments cost roughly $1000 per kid per week -- so $8666 a month or $104,000 per year. I don't make nearly that much, so there is no way I can pay for this treatment let alone afford to live. Sadly, the girls' quality of life rests soundly upon Aetna's shoulders. If they deny the treatments, they are subjecting our girls to a life of infection, sickness, and being socially isolated. Aetna hates their customers, and apparently hates innocent little girls that just want a chance at a normal life, which this medication gives them.
I can't fight Aetna directly, but I can at least put our story out there so that others can see what kind of company they truly are. Far too often, people with similar conditions have the trouble getting the life changing medications they need. IgG is just one that I know of that people have to fight for. It is incomprehensible to me that people have to fight for IgG given the dramatic effects it has on those who need it.
For a point of reference, this picture represents all of the medications that my daughters (2 and 4) were on for the 6 months prior to starting IgG. We have only had to take over the counter allergy meds since.
I ask that you share our story with anyone you can. Hopefully this will help others in the future with similar battles.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Busy six months
It has been a busy six months in our household. I had canceled our credit cards and we were going without, we had a cash only Christmas, AND I was able to pay off two large debts. Lots of sacrifices were made to make this happen, bit it was all worth it. We sold a car and replaced it with a cheap cash-only alternative, canceled all extra utilities, didn't go out, didn't eat out, worked extra jobs and finally pulled through a big win. Granted, we still have a ways to go, but are in a much better position than we were six months ago.
The biggest lesson learned - FILE YOUR HOMESTEAD TAX EXEMPTION! I waited too long to do this and got burned by my mortgage payment for the last year. That, however, has changed and our new payment is $300 less than it was before, freeing up that much more in the budget for the debt snowball. It is probably good timing because of the ongoing medical treatments the girls will need, but with insurance hopefully covering everything, we should be in good shape.
The next thing on the radar is a couple small medical debts and the Van being paid off. I'll be sure to update this more frequently as we knock down more debts. It CAN be done people.. you just have to have discipline.
The biggest lesson learned - FILE YOUR HOMESTEAD TAX EXEMPTION! I waited too long to do this and got burned by my mortgage payment for the last year. That, however, has changed and our new payment is $300 less than it was before, freeing up that much more in the budget for the debt snowball. It is probably good timing because of the ongoing medical treatments the girls will need, but with insurance hopefully covering everything, we should be in good shape.
The next thing on the radar is a couple small medical debts and the Van being paid off. I'll be sure to update this more frequently as we knock down more debts. It CAN be done people.. you just have to have discipline.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Finances are Spooky
Ok, that was a lame attempt at Halloween humor, but things were a bit scary there for the last couple months. We had built up quite the backlog of medical bills, but I am glad to say that I was able to work out payment plans with ALL of the providers without having to incur any new debt to do so.
I also got some decent news over the last couple months -- the big one being getting a rather generous staged raise between now and January 1st. The first part of it was effective this month, and while I've only had two paychecks with the extra money, the effects are already starting to become apparent. In January, the next phase kicks in. This is awesome not only that it is extra money, but the total between my raises and all of the money that I've been able to free up by cutting lifestyle equates to about what our old house payment used to be :). The realization that you have managed to gain basically a mortgage payment is a very good one indeed.
With the payment plans I've got in place and the extra money coming in now, I've got a great outlook for how the rest of 2009 will go and how 2010 will turn out. I'm already starting to get panicked calls from creditors about my balances going away. I've got a 0% interest medical loan that I've just about paid off. When it got to be about 5 months away from being paid off, they have been calling me once a week with "good news" that I've got money available that they will gladly give me -- at 24% interest. No thanks :). By the way, making sure they only have my Google Voice number is awesome. It makes it easy to ignore them :).
I also got some decent news over the last couple months -- the big one being getting a rather generous staged raise between now and January 1st. The first part of it was effective this month, and while I've only had two paychecks with the extra money, the effects are already starting to become apparent. In January, the next phase kicks in. This is awesome not only that it is extra money, but the total between my raises and all of the money that I've been able to free up by cutting lifestyle equates to about what our old house payment used to be :). The realization that you have managed to gain basically a mortgage payment is a very good one indeed.
With the payment plans I've got in place and the extra money coming in now, I've got a great outlook for how the rest of 2009 will go and how 2010 will turn out. I'm already starting to get panicked calls from creditors about my balances going away. I've got a 0% interest medical loan that I've just about paid off. When it got to be about 5 months away from being paid off, they have been calling me once a week with "good news" that I've got money available that they will gladly give me -- at 24% interest. No thanks :). By the way, making sure they only have my Google Voice number is awesome. It makes it easy to ignore them :).
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Whew... Can I get off this ride yet?
Ok, so I've been quiet on here for a bit, but that's because I've been holding on for dear life trying not to get flung off this marry-go-round of disaster. In July, our insurance reset, so we got another $500 put into an account and $1000 put into our Flex Spending account to last through the end of the year. By 7/31, all $1500 of that money was gone and we are just about through our deductible (of $3000). Granted, it started a bit lower because of the first 6 months of the year, but still :).
Then, to top it all off, Piper had to get some dental work done and because the Dentist lied about taking our insurance, we owe $591. Sure, they can "take" it and send the claim in, but for the things that are actually covered, it is at 60/40 instead of 80/20. Also, because they are out of network, other things cost a bit more. When I confronted them about this, they simply said "oh yeah, we're not in the network because they make us charge less." No kidding... you don't say?
So, here is my nastygram against "Pediatric & Adolescent Dentistry" in Carmel, Indiana. We saw Dr. Laura Brinson Grahm, who actually is a great Dentist, but her business practices are complete crap. The other dentist in that practice is Dr. Rebecca Stuart Donnelson. I'm not sure of her competency, but I still insist that no one do business with them, and if you do currently, please stop :). And for Google's sake, here's some more information in hopes this gets indexed: Address: 13450 N Meridian St. Suite 363 Carmel, Indiana 46032. Phone: 317-846-5893.
Thanks to the wonderful freedom of speech we all have, they can't force me to take this down either, so eat it :). Stating that you can process Delta Dental isn't the same as being in network, and you need to make that clear to patients in need of semi-emergency work.
I've officially got the Vibe listed in hopes of selling that and paying off another year old hospital bill. I've actually got someone coming to look at it tomorrow. They've contacted me before and from the first email I'm sure they are going to low ball me, but we'll see how things go.
What I really need to do is stumble into about $30,000 somehow. That would make things much easier to deal with (and get a few predatory lenders out of our lives). I'd still have a ways to go, but it would be at least a bit more doable. At least my beater is running strong, and I got the AC somewhat fixed too -- so I'm not losing 20 lbs of water during my drive home everyday :).
Let this be a lesson -- Debt is bad, and even worse when you don't have an emergency fund and actually have a couple long term medical conditions to take care of. Cut the cards... live within your means.
Then, to top it all off, Piper had to get some dental work done and because the Dentist lied about taking our insurance, we owe $591. Sure, they can "take" it and send the claim in, but for the things that are actually covered, it is at 60/40 instead of 80/20. Also, because they are out of network, other things cost a bit more. When I confronted them about this, they simply said "oh yeah, we're not in the network because they make us charge less." No kidding... you don't say?
So, here is my nastygram against "Pediatric & Adolescent Dentistry" in Carmel, Indiana. We saw Dr. Laura Brinson Grahm, who actually is a great Dentist, but her business practices are complete crap. The other dentist in that practice is Dr. Rebecca Stuart Donnelson. I'm not sure of her competency, but I still insist that no one do business with them, and if you do currently, please stop :). And for Google's sake, here's some more information in hopes this gets indexed: Address: 13450 N Meridian St. Suite 363 Carmel, Indiana 46032. Phone: 317-846-5893.
Thanks to the wonderful freedom of speech we all have, they can't force me to take this down either, so eat it :). Stating that you can process Delta Dental isn't the same as being in network, and you need to make that clear to patients in need of semi-emergency work.
I've officially got the Vibe listed in hopes of selling that and paying off another year old hospital bill. I've actually got someone coming to look at it tomorrow. They've contacted me before and from the first email I'm sure they are going to low ball me, but we'll see how things go.
What I really need to do is stumble into about $30,000 somehow. That would make things much easier to deal with (and get a few predatory lenders out of our lives). I'd still have a ways to go, but it would be at least a bit more doable. At least my beater is running strong, and I got the AC somewhat fixed too -- so I'm not losing 20 lbs of water during my drive home everyday :).
Let this be a lesson -- Debt is bad, and even worse when you don't have an emergency fund and actually have a couple long term medical conditions to take care of. Cut the cards... live within your means.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Bills Are From Mythology
I swear, bills are really a new form of Hydra. You cut one head off, and three more grow up in its place. Things have been rather interesting around here lately :).
First off, I'm driving the Grand Am as my daily driver (finally), and am getting ready to prep the Vibe for sale. I've even managed to pay off one of the many medical bills we had laying around. The downside, however is that I've incurred about twice what that one was (on another payment plan), and will be having to pay for a MRI soon. THEN, the Max (one of our dogs), began trying to scratch his brain out of his cheek, so we had to take him to the vet. Some shaving, treatment, antibiotics, lamp shade, and $160 later, he's all better. Poor guy, he looked so pitiful for the first day :).
The icing on the cake is the wonder that is increasing property taxes. Due to the recent changes around here, our house payment is going to go up about $200 -- effectively undoing some of what I've been driving toward with freeing up cash flow. If I can sell the vibe and use the proceeds to pay off another medical loan, then I'll be back up $300 a month. With the Van edging in on the $3000 mark, it should be one of the next things to go. Speaking of the Van, I had to get some work done on it which cost a bit. The good news is that I got the Tires for Life deal on it when I bought it, so I'll be getting a new set of tires here soon. The bad news is that to keep the deal, I've got to get it aligned (understandable), which will run about $150. :)
I did get a letter in the mail today from a Pontiac dealer, however. They are looking for Vibes (I guess people have been asking for them). Since they know I have one, they are offering to buy it because they are low on inventory. They're also offering more than what I owe on it, and I could possibly get more out of them -- so that is kind of cool. It would be nice to be able to sell it and get pretty close to what I want without the hassle of actually having to deal with people :).
Anyhow, I'm off for now. The next update will probably be what happens with the car. Stay tuned :)
First off, I'm driving the Grand Am as my daily driver (finally), and am getting ready to prep the Vibe for sale. I've even managed to pay off one of the many medical bills we had laying around. The downside, however is that I've incurred about twice what that one was (on another payment plan), and will be having to pay for a MRI soon. THEN, the Max (one of our dogs), began trying to scratch his brain out of his cheek, so we had to take him to the vet. Some shaving, treatment, antibiotics, lamp shade, and $160 later, he's all better. Poor guy, he looked so pitiful for the first day :).
The icing on the cake is the wonder that is increasing property taxes. Due to the recent changes around here, our house payment is going to go up about $200 -- effectively undoing some of what I've been driving toward with freeing up cash flow. If I can sell the vibe and use the proceeds to pay off another medical loan, then I'll be back up $300 a month. With the Van edging in on the $3000 mark, it should be one of the next things to go. Speaking of the Van, I had to get some work done on it which cost a bit. The good news is that I got the Tires for Life deal on it when I bought it, so I'll be getting a new set of tires here soon. The bad news is that to keep the deal, I've got to get it aligned (understandable), which will run about $150. :)
I did get a letter in the mail today from a Pontiac dealer, however. They are looking for Vibes (I guess people have been asking for them). Since they know I have one, they are offering to buy it because they are low on inventory. They're also offering more than what I owe on it, and I could possibly get more out of them -- so that is kind of cool. It would be nice to be able to sell it and get pretty close to what I want without the hassle of actually having to deal with people :).
Anyhow, I'm off for now. The next update will probably be what happens with the car. Stay tuned :)
Monday, July 6, 2009
More Car Voodoo
I've had some time to really check out the car that I talked about in the last few posts, and have discovered some pretty cool things. The main gem in this is the exhaust problem I had I was able to fix with a $5 roll of JB Weld putty. Turns out that when they put the exhaust on the car, they only welded the bottom half of it to the flange that connects to the header, not the top half. So, a little bit of putty crammed into that joint later, I've got a sealed exhaust system :).
I spent some time cleaning the interior too and it is in surprisingly good shape. I imagine if the previous owner took the time to actually clean it, he could have gotten a lot more out of the car. I'm going to be getting some seat covers here soon, but the seats really don't need it -- they just look a bit dull. After I do some more little cosmetic things to it, it will be a pretty nice little car.
Mechanically, I need to recharge the AC ($30 kit), and at some point the wheel bearings may need to be replaced (I'm noticing some odd vibrations when coasting). Even without doing the usual tuning I do to the intake, ignition, and exhaust systems, this car is getting 32-35mpg -- not bad for a 13 year old car. I'm really curious to see how well it does after I play with it some more.
Now, all I have to do is get the vibe cleaned up and listed for sale. I'll let everyone know how that goes soon. Hopefully it will sell quick :).
I spent some time cleaning the interior too and it is in surprisingly good shape. I imagine if the previous owner took the time to actually clean it, he could have gotten a lot more out of the car. I'm going to be getting some seat covers here soon, but the seats really don't need it -- they just look a bit dull. After I do some more little cosmetic things to it, it will be a pretty nice little car.
Mechanically, I need to recharge the AC ($30 kit), and at some point the wheel bearings may need to be replaced (I'm noticing some odd vibrations when coasting). Even without doing the usual tuning I do to the intake, ignition, and exhaust systems, this car is getting 32-35mpg -- not bad for a 13 year old car. I'm really curious to see how well it does after I play with it some more.
Now, all I have to do is get the vibe cleaned up and listed for sale. I'll let everyone know how that goes soon. Hopefully it will sell quick :).
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Forum Credit Union = Awesome
A few posts back I was ranting about Chase and their aptitude for not being customer centric. With that in mind, I'd like to tell you what happened with my recent dealings with Forum Credit Union.
I had a few questions about a loan I have through them, so I logged into the online banking to get my account number to call. While there, I noticed they had an online chat option, so I decided to check that out. The app ran surprisingly well, and I got someone right away. We worked though the question that prompted the visit, then she asked the classic "Is there anything else that I can help you with?"
"As a matter of fact, there is." I answered. I asked her what would be involved in setting up a checking account, because I was wanting to move my banking business away from Chase. She responded "I can do that for you right here. I just need you to accept these conditions. Agreeing in this chat is the same as doing it in writing." She then proceeded to paste a few paragraphs into the chat window.
That was all it took. She later asked if I wanted debit cards, so those are on the way now. It was by far the coolest experience I think I ever have had with banking. In contrast, most of the correspondence I've gotten from Chase was a small bit of actual content surrounded by auto-generated legalese and the typical "You are very important to us" nonsense. If I were so important, why is most of what you send generated by a computer?? :)
Anyhow, if anyone is looking for a financial institution that isn't going to screw you over (in service or financially), I would highly recommend Forum. They are quick, courteous, and well, they are a Credit Union. They weren't involved in the sub-prime shenanigans and have a decent financial position. Unlike Chase, I don't foresee Forum changing rates on anything to try to compensate for their bad decisions -- but I digress :).
Bottom line: Forum Credit Union = Awesome.
I had a few questions about a loan I have through them, so I logged into the online banking to get my account number to call. While there, I noticed they had an online chat option, so I decided to check that out. The app ran surprisingly well, and I got someone right away. We worked though the question that prompted the visit, then she asked the classic "Is there anything else that I can help you with?"
"As a matter of fact, there is." I answered. I asked her what would be involved in setting up a checking account, because I was wanting to move my banking business away from Chase. She responded "I can do that for you right here. I just need you to accept these conditions. Agreeing in this chat is the same as doing it in writing." She then proceeded to paste a few paragraphs into the chat window.
That was all it took. She later asked if I wanted debit cards, so those are on the way now. It was by far the coolest experience I think I ever have had with banking. In contrast, most of the correspondence I've gotten from Chase was a small bit of actual content surrounded by auto-generated legalese and the typical "You are very important to us" nonsense. If I were so important, why is most of what you send generated by a computer?? :)
Anyhow, if anyone is looking for a financial institution that isn't going to screw you over (in service or financially), I would highly recommend Forum. They are quick, courteous, and well, they are a Credit Union. They weren't involved in the sub-prime shenanigans and have a decent financial position. Unlike Chase, I don't foresee Forum changing rates on anything to try to compensate for their bad decisions -- but I digress :).
Bottom line: Forum Credit Union = Awesome.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
It may be Crap, but it's mine.
Project "find a beater" has been a success, and as of last Friday, I'm the proud owner of a 96 Grand Am. To be fair, it probably isn't that much of a beater. I mean, the interior is a bit rough, the engine is strong (recently rebuilt), and the body is in GREAT shape. The kicker is, I managed to pick it up for $850 :). It has 155,000 miles, which is low for a car that old.
The only REAL problem with it a small exhaust leak between the header and catalytic converter. Out of comic curiosity, I called a muffler shop to see what they would charge me to replace that section of pipe. Apparently "they would HAVE to replace the entire cat for that pipe to be replaced" -- at $600. I was trying really hard not to completely laugh at the guy considering the car is only worth $850 :). After some quick searching at Advanced Auto Parts, I found I can fix it for under $50. SO, that will be my project for this weekend. After that is done, I'll be able to start driving it as my daily, so the Vibe will be listed for sale soon. It will be good to finally get this debt snowball rolling.
If anyone is interested, it is a 2003 and in awesome shape, 88K miles, and I will be listing it for $6800 :).
I'm actually kind of excited about this in a sick sort of way. It reminds me of getting my first car. Even though it isn't all that great, you can enhance its value by accessorizing it :). I'm totally going to be getting an 8-ball shifter for this thing... :)
The only REAL problem with it a small exhaust leak between the header and catalytic converter. Out of comic curiosity, I called a muffler shop to see what they would charge me to replace that section of pipe. Apparently "they would HAVE to replace the entire cat for that pipe to be replaced" -- at $600. I was trying really hard not to completely laugh at the guy considering the car is only worth $850 :). After some quick searching at Advanced Auto Parts, I found I can fix it for under $50. SO, that will be my project for this weekend. After that is done, I'll be able to start driving it as my daily, so the Vibe will be listed for sale soon. It will be good to finally get this debt snowball rolling.
If anyone is interested, it is a 2003 and in awesome shape, 88K miles, and I will be listing it for $6800 :).
I'm actually kind of excited about this in a sick sort of way. It reminds me of getting my first car. Even though it isn't all that great, you can enhance its value by accessorizing it :). I'm totally going to be getting an 8-ball shifter for this thing... :)
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
It has been a LONG month...
Indeed, it has been a long month. Nothing seemed to be going right in the midst of getting beat down by bills, but I have a plan that might do the trick.
Basically, I'm going hardcore and have been getting rid of services and picking things to sell to try to get extra money and to reduce monthly outlay. The latest victims? DirecTV and Vonage. Most of our entertainment comes from Xbox Live and network TV, so the DirecTV had to go. I dropped Vonage and went back to a basic line just so that the alarm has something to use.
The next step will be to get rid of my car. I'm currently looking to pay cash for something around $1500 or so. The idea is that by spending $1500, I can free up roughly $6800 in debt and get rid of about $300 a month in monthly obligations (depending on what I can get for the vibe, of course.)
I've also been working like crazy in a second job to help fund the car plan, so hopefully this will fall into place soon. I'll keep you updated on how it is going when I get the snowball rolling.
Basically, I'm going hardcore and have been getting rid of services and picking things to sell to try to get extra money and to reduce monthly outlay. The latest victims? DirecTV and Vonage. Most of our entertainment comes from Xbox Live and network TV, so the DirecTV had to go. I dropped Vonage and went back to a basic line just so that the alarm has something to use.
The next step will be to get rid of my car. I'm currently looking to pay cash for something around $1500 or so. The idea is that by spending $1500, I can free up roughly $6800 in debt and get rid of about $300 a month in monthly obligations (depending on what I can get for the vibe, of course.)
I've also been working like crazy in a second job to help fund the car plan, so hopefully this will fall into place soon. I'll keep you updated on how it is going when I get the snowball rolling.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Money Saving Tip: Cheap Family Outing
Yesterday we decided to go to the Zoo, which normally could be a fairly expensive ordeal. We, however, managed to go with no cost aside from a couple small things we got the girls in the gift shop. How did we accomplish this great and wondrous feat? Let me explain :).
Now, it does help that we had free tickets to get in, but a lot of money can be spent on drinks and food. Instead of buying that $5.00 burger and $3.00 beverage for everyone, we decided to have a family picnic. The Zoo here doesn't allow you to bring in your own food, but they do give pass outs so you can go back out to your car. There, we opened up the back of the van, sat down, and ate our packed lunch. It was actually a really cool experience. We were the only ones out there, so it was quiet and we were able to sit in peace and enjoy our food and our company without distractions. I tell you what, that sure beats fighting lines and crowds of people to get overpriced food. Not dealing with other people's bratty kids is a plus to :).
Now, it does help that we had free tickets to get in, but a lot of money can be spent on drinks and food. Instead of buying that $5.00 burger and $3.00 beverage for everyone, we decided to have a family picnic. The Zoo here doesn't allow you to bring in your own food, but they do give pass outs so you can go back out to your car. There, we opened up the back of the van, sat down, and ate our packed lunch. It was actually a really cool experience. We were the only ones out there, so it was quiet and we were able to sit in peace and enjoy our food and our company without distractions. I tell you what, that sure beats fighting lines and crowds of people to get overpriced food. Not dealing with other people's bratty kids is a plus to :).
Monday, April 20, 2009
Ode to Being Busy
I apologize if I haven't been keeping up with this as much as I should, but I've actually been busy with a lot of side work to pay for the mess I'm about to describe.
A few posts back, I mentioned getting an 18 month loan at 0% for some medical expenses we've racked up at a local hospital. Well, as of right now, I've paid off just about $1000 of that bill, and have about another $1000 in forthcoming expenses. I've actually been trying to pay the loan and the extra bills in tandem, but I just can't afford to do that anymore. I'm going to try to see if I can increase the credit line a bit and tack the new ones onto my previous loan. It shouldn't raise the monthly bill TOO much, but it will still be very close on the budget. Here's to hoping nothing catastrophic happens (yes, my emergency fund is depleted now too...).
My Father-in-Law wants us to go to Texas for Christmas and is hounding us to figure out if we're coming or not, but the way things look, I don't think we can go -- and all for the sake of money. I'd basically have to start saving what I'm paying in medical bills now to have the cash to go, but since we have the bills and the budget is too tight with them, I'm not sure how that is going to happen. To anyone out there reading this who don't have debt, DON'T GET ANY. Or if you have to, keep it under 25% of your gross. When you lose one person working, it really taxes things. I went from having a few hundred extra a month to put toward debt to going in the red every month. Not a fun place to be.
Looks like I've got a lot more side work ahead of me...
A few posts back, I mentioned getting an 18 month loan at 0% for some medical expenses we've racked up at a local hospital. Well, as of right now, I've paid off just about $1000 of that bill, and have about another $1000 in forthcoming expenses. I've actually been trying to pay the loan and the extra bills in tandem, but I just can't afford to do that anymore. I'm going to try to see if I can increase the credit line a bit and tack the new ones onto my previous loan. It shouldn't raise the monthly bill TOO much, but it will still be very close on the budget. Here's to hoping nothing catastrophic happens (yes, my emergency fund is depleted now too...).
My Father-in-Law wants us to go to Texas for Christmas and is hounding us to figure out if we're coming or not, but the way things look, I don't think we can go -- and all for the sake of money. I'd basically have to start saving what I'm paying in medical bills now to have the cash to go, but since we have the bills and the budget is too tight with them, I'm not sure how that is going to happen. To anyone out there reading this who don't have debt, DON'T GET ANY. Or if you have to, keep it under 25% of your gross. When you lose one person working, it really taxes things. I went from having a few hundred extra a month to put toward debt to going in the red every month. Not a fun place to be.
Looks like I've got a lot more side work ahead of me...
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Fun With Stimulus
I just got my first paycheck containing our tax cuts. Yes ladies and gets, I'm now the proud recipient of a whopping $33 more dollars a paycheck. Seriously? That's almost not worth the effort of updating Quicken and re-doing budgets. But hey, I'll take what I can get considering how we are going to be screwed later with other hidden taxes.
Things have been a bit rough around the house lately. We still have medical bills trickling in, so my monthly budget is still getting beat down. That, coupled with Terra not working anymore has made things tough. The extra $33 helps, but still doesn't mitigate the problem, just makes it a bit less of a problem.
I've actually been trying a lot harder these days to pick up side work, and finally landed a decent one last night. It involved making a co-op website for 2-4 companies so I think it will probably be a pretty stable gig worth a decent amount of billable hours. I'm going to be billing it out in chunks to hopefully help with the cash flow nightmare I keep getting caught in.
I did realize last night that I probably need to look into quarterly taxes now as well. Before, my side stuff really didn't amount to much and when I turned it in, I was never penalized. This job though, could be worth enough that I might get fined if I don't turn in some sort of taxes on it. I haven't ever had to do something like this before, so I'm not quite sure where to turn. Looks like it may be time to consult one of Dave's ELPs to figure out what to do :).
Anyhow, that's what we've been doing lately -- treading water. My main problem now is time. Working full time, and doing this side stuff is very taxing. I still have some other projects I want to do, but they won't necessarily be bringing in a lot of cash right away. Gotta concentrate my efforts on what will pay the most, even though they aren't on the top of my "this would be cool/fun" list.
Things have been a bit rough around the house lately. We still have medical bills trickling in, so my monthly budget is still getting beat down. That, coupled with Terra not working anymore has made things tough. The extra $33 helps, but still doesn't mitigate the problem, just makes it a bit less of a problem.
I've actually been trying a lot harder these days to pick up side work, and finally landed a decent one last night. It involved making a co-op website for 2-4 companies so I think it will probably be a pretty stable gig worth a decent amount of billable hours. I'm going to be billing it out in chunks to hopefully help with the cash flow nightmare I keep getting caught in.
I did realize last night that I probably need to look into quarterly taxes now as well. Before, my side stuff really didn't amount to much and when I turned it in, I was never penalized. This job though, could be worth enough that I might get fined if I don't turn in some sort of taxes on it. I haven't ever had to do something like this before, so I'm not quite sure where to turn. Looks like it may be time to consult one of Dave's ELPs to figure out what to do :).
Anyhow, that's what we've been doing lately -- treading water. My main problem now is time. Working full time, and doing this side stuff is very taxing. I still have some other projects I want to do, but they won't necessarily be bringing in a lot of cash right away. Gotta concentrate my efforts on what will pay the most, even though they aren't on the top of my "this would be cool/fun" list.
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