So, I'm really good at pinching pennies. When we lived in Provo as poor students, I'd scour the Maceys ads every week and plan my grocery shopping around what was on sale. I'd stick to a list. Oh, and I'd only buy things if they were HUGELY on sale. Sometimes we didn't have milk - I was that stingy.
Some people drive far out of the way to save a few pennies on items at the grocery store. You think, "I save ten cents here and there on a bunch of the grocery items I buy every week, and that adds up to hundreds saved a year!" And it's true - if you generally go with generic or store brands over national brands, use coupons on things you normally buy, and track sales and stock up on good ones - you'll save money.
But you know what kills your budget? It's not the fact that you bought gas at the gas station that's 5 cents more per gallon than the gas station at the next exit.
It's when you go to get more contacts and you find out your prescription expired 5 days ago so you have to pay $75 for another exam ... which you wouldn't've had to pay if you had remembered to go to Costco on Thursday instead of Monday.
It's when you have your baby at home or with a midwife to save on hospital bills ... then your baby ends up at the hospital in the NICU anyway. Maybe you even get to take an ambulance! Luckily, your baby is fine, but you still have to pay the obscenely outrageous hospital fees.
It's when you buy a house and either A) you end up having to move out sooner than you were planning or B) the market tanks and you lose lots of money in your home. Generally, the breakeven point is about 5 years but of course it's not guaranteed. (You get tax benefits for owning a house, but then there are closing costs and Realtor fees.)
It's when you don't shop around enough for a new car and the salesman takes advantage of the fact that you're naive. Nobody's ever heard horror stories about car salesmen, right? ;)
It's when you have trouble sleeping for years and finally decide to see a doctor. You tell him your insurance won't cover a sleep apnea test (which you've called the hospital about and it costs roughly $1000) but you'll take it next year if you have to and put money into a pre-tax flexible spending account (oh my, don't we sound so smart?!) and you wonder if there's anything he can do for you that doesn't involve taking this test your insurance won't cover.
He says, "We'll work something out."
And orders you the test anyway. And slaps you with a $1200 out of pocket bill because your insurance (surprise, surprise) didn't cover it.
What the flying F, Doctor? Didn't I just tell you not to give me that test? You made it sound like you were doing something different, or at least cheaper. I have some choice words for you ... !!!!
Those, my friends, are the real budget busters. Didn't I read somewhere that medical bankruptcy is the most common kind of bankruptcy? Always have insurance. Never get sick. Never go to the hospital. Never develop a terminal illness. Never have complications when having a baby. Never get sued or go to court for any reason (divorce, custody battles - anyone?)
Not all of the above are personal experiences, BTW. One might be. Ahem. I'm going to get you, Dr. Leaman.
Keeping your money and finding love seem to have a lot in common ...
I guess it's half timing
And the other half's luck.
-Michael Buble
No comments:
Post a Comment