Debt Dumpers 2023

[fifthdimensiondweller]

2023 Goal Progress- Summer Check in!

-Pay immediately for all plumbing work, but use CCs for rewards as always. DONE. Ended up using some of what I didn't put down for the house to pay most of my HVAC Work off. I have a bit more for some electrical work I also had done still in financing. Now that Child Support has been fully figured out following my divorce things are looking a lot better. I think I'll probably take money from my savings at the beginning of the year and finish that off, as soon as I'm sure my car or roof doesn't go between now and then.

-Begin saving for DLP vacation. Get a seasonal job this fall to help meet this goal. So far, so good. I just need to get my coparent to agree to take our son a few extra nights for the 8 weeks or so I'd be working seasonally. If that doesn't work out, I'll probably turn to reselling and upping my consignment game to make up the difference. But I've done well.

-Declutter my son's outgrown clothing, books, and toys and place those in sellable condition up for sale at my local Kid's Consignment Sale in Spring, Fall, and Winter. Also declutter holiday decor and regiftables for the holiday sale, as they are accepted. Hope to net a profit of $1500 for DLP between all 3 sales in 2023. Going well! My first sale netted me around $350- not as much as I'd hoped but it should still be fine. This sale is usually the 2nd slowest, and I'm hoping the holiday sale will go well since I'll have some holiday decor to pad my inventory. The Fall sale is fast approaching! My mom's health isn't great, and she's now unsure if she wants to make the trip. We're still planning on going, and we've had family friends decide to join. I'm desperately hoping my mom can go, but I understand how she feels and don't want to force her to do something she isn't comfortable with.

-Continue my CC reward churning as I have been for years. Use a Southwest sign up bonus and referral from my mom to pay for flights in DLR in 2024. Use Disney CC rewards earned between now and then towards hotel (just cashed mine out for the cruise, but already have about $70 again thanks to all of my new house expenses). Use other misc cash back from other cards for food and any add ons we may choose do, like Legoland, SeaWorld, Universal, etc. If this trip solidifies by the end of the year, I plan to get my son some SeaWorld or Universal GCs for Xmas for his spending. Just want to make sure this trip materializes and doesn't get nixxed for DLP before I buy anything. At the end of the day, this trip is more of a "nice to do" trip but I'd much rather prioritize DLP if it comes down to it. Doing well! I have $115 in Disney Rewards towards Disneyland already. I have had a friend and her family volunteer to join us on the trip, and we'll be able to split a few expenses, so I think it's going to happen! Hoping to use my Disney Dollars to cover 50% of our ticket cost for DLR. We'll be splitting the room at Legoland with our friend potentially, and possibly a few other nights at the time share as well. I do want to stay at Grand Cali for a night when we go, though. It's a dream of mine and also will just be so much easier with the little one to be onsite. I need to start looking at flights to be released and get my mom to give me the referral.

Oof. That took like an hour to work out and type up. Here's to 2023 guys!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I've always wondered if this could happen. I desperately could use a reduction at a 38 HH, but I'm trying to hold out a bit longer until I'm absolutely sure I'm never going to have another baby, because I think that could make them grow back too.

It does make it almost impossible to breastfeed because so many ducts are cut, they no longer lead to the nipple.

 

[chattadisser]

Don’t stress about the financial aspect of this until you have a consult with a plastic surgeon.
I work in breast imaging and meet a LOT of ladies who have a reduction. Most cases are covered by insurance. A plastic surgeon who commonly performs breast surgeries should be able to tell you if you’re a candidate for insurance coverage.

One of my coworkers had this done years ago and told me all about her consult experience. She said they basically had her stand topless with arms at her sides, and dont quote me but something like if they hang lower than her elbows or something in relation to her elbows. I forget that part exactly. They also visually compare breast size in proportion to the rest of the body and look for permanent indentations along top of shoulders from bra straps digging in.
Also they inquired about back or neck pain from the weight of her breast.
They should be able to get an answer from your insurance before being scheduled for surgery.

Don’t assume you’d have to pay everything out of pocket unless your insurance denies coverage.
Good luck!

Thanks for the info! It's helpful. I know when I asked my OBGYN about it at my last appointment she told me that she didn't think Kaiser would cover the procedure unless I lost a bunch of weight. Mind you, I'm not an overly large person, but since they still go by the outdated (in my opinion) BMI chart my BMI number is too high for them.

I still want to at least go in for a consultation, I just need to find the time to make an appointment and see what happens.

I've always wondered if this could happen. I desperately could use a reduction at a 38 HH, but I'm trying to hold out a bit longer until I'm absolutely sure I'm never going to have another baby, because I think that could make them grow back too.

It does make it almost impossible to breastfeed because so many ducts are cut, they no longer lead to the nipple.

I'm usually just a lurker over here but I thought I'd give my two cents here on this topic. I had a reduction about 15 years ago and it was one of the best things I ever did. I was a 34J - J like jugs. Like I had no idea bras even went up to that size as the most I could ever find in a store was a DDD. Like @ruadisneyfan2 states, they'll have you stand with your arms down at your side and your nipple line should be in line with halfway between your elbow and shoulder on your arm. That is the lift part, they will talk with you about what your desired cup size in relation to your body. I went down to a D. If I could have went down to a B I would have, but I was worried about taking so much off. I'm only 5' so on any chart I'm going to be overweight unless I'm like 12 years old. But, it's also really hard to exercise when you literally have two dumbbells on your chest.

After I went to the consult we did a song and dance with the insurance company to get it covered. I did PT for a few weeks for the "back pain", all of us knowing full well that the back pain would be resolved when the 10 pounds was taken off my chest. Insurance did end up covering it after all this. The doctors offices know if they can possibly get it covered by your insurance. I did have my second child after this surgery and no milk came in, in case that is a concern for you. I didn't really have any come in prior to the surgery with my first child and I didn't have any interest in breastfeeding but in case you do, just good to know the possibilities going in.

I second the suggestion of asking around for opinions. I would also say, go with your gut, if an office doesn't feel right cross them off the list.

 

[chattadisser]

Duplicate post

 

[pblack]

I'm usually just a lurker over here but I thought I'd give my two cents here on this topic. I had a reduction about 15 years ago and it was one of the best things I ever did. I was a 34J - J like jugs. Like I had no idea bras even went up to that size as the most I could ever find in a store was a DDD. Like @ruadisneyfan2 states, they'll have you stand with your arms down at your side and your nipple line should be in line with halfway between your elbow and shoulder on your arm. That is the lift part, they will talk with you about what your desired cup size in relation to your body. I went down to a D. If I could have went down to a B I would have, but I was worried about taking so much off. I'm only 5' so on any chart I'm going to be overweight unless I'm like 12 years old. But, it's also really hard to exercise when you literally have two dumbbells on your chest.

After I went to the consult we did a song and dance with the insurance company to get it covered. I did PT for a few weeks for the "back pain", all of us knowing full well that the back pain would be resolved when the 10 pounds was taken off my chest. Insurance did end up covering it after all this. The doctors offices know if they can possibly get it covered by your insurance. I did have my second child after this surgery and no milk came in, in case that is a concern for you. I didn't really have any come in prior to the surgery with my first child and I didn't have any interest in breastfeeding but in case you do, just good to know the possibilities going in.

I second the suggestion of asking around for opinions. I would also say, go with your gut, if an office doesn't feel right cross them off the list.

Thanks for the info! It's appreciated. I definitely understand it being hard to exercise. I think it's partially why I lack motivation a lot of the time, because a lot of the things I'd like to do aren't that easy with the excess weight on my chest. I'm like 98% positive that we won't be having kids and even if we did I don't think I'd want to breastfeed anyway. I watched my best friend struggle with it and it was a quick nope from me.

You guys are motivating me to get my act together and actually make some phone calls lol. Just need to find the time to do it.

 

[barkley]

*New* Look into how much a breast reduction will cost - I still haven't made the appointment for this yet. I keep going back and forth on spending this kind of money at the moment. So I guess we'll see what happens with this.

a family member has kaiser and had this done in april 2022. kaiser (at least in our area) is contracting out for this and wait times to get appointments can be 6 months minimum/surgical another 6 months so you might want to see how far out they are even booking. kaiser paid for the procedure-no weight loss required b/c the surgeon found a medical basis to justify it. we helped with recovery-best investments ever were-shower chair and shower wand, and a transport (push style) wheel chair (less than $100 from walmart online). since the procedure was outpatient we opted to stay with them the night of the procedure at a hotel down the road-it was SO helpful getting them into hotel/home (that anesthesia knocks some folks loopy for a couple of days).

We're going to see the new Haunted Mansion movie tomorrow night and I'm pretty excited about it.

have you seen the muppet version from a couple of years ago? we LOVED it-great homage to both the mansion AND the old classic muppett show.

Our company did firmwide layoff today, thankfully my job is safe (for now) but it really opened my eyes. I guess I was in la-la land because I've worked for this company for 7 years and never felt like my job was in jeopardy...until today. It just reminded me that no job is safe and that I need to tighten up my budget and pad my emergency fund.

that emergency fund is SO important! my son had a job loss this past february and despite having every iota of documentation EDD wanted/needed to do a claim it took close to 4 months to get a payment. sure, it was retroactive but had he not had an emergency fund he would have been in a world of hurt. he later heard from a another co-worker that their claim took almost a year to process both cases it was straight forward job loss, no employer contesting anything, all paperwork submitted from day one.

 

[barkley]

my update-

what started out last winter as an issue with our hot tub turned into a large repair (including electrical source) and while we were waiting for parts i happened to glance under our deck to discover an entirely cracked supporting beam we were VERY lucky to find someone who could repair/reinforce without waiting until 2024 (it was next to impossible to even get someone to come out to take a look to let us know if it was safe to walk in vincinity of it). we decided pre-repair that we could either pay a chunk of change for repairing the old hot tub or invest more and go with a new one with a warranty (as impossible as it seemed to find someone to work on the deck it is harder still to find hot tub repair professionals outside warranty work) so we decided to to bite the bullet and order a new one (it will also be more energy efficient which is a plus). we were so pleased with the deck work we asked for a bid, thinking that next year we might consider getting it refinished AND replacing the wood spindles with cables. well.............bid came back, the company has some time available inbetween the insurance jobs they normally do so..............the large hot tub repair is now going to be a much more costly new hot tub, newly reinforced, refinished and cabled deck.

we will cash pay for it so no new debt, we live on the thing summer long (and we are going to get heated mats to the make a walkway to the hot tub from the slider during the snowy months) so we figure it's money well spent.

 

[disney-inspired]

that emergency fund is SO important! my son had a job loss this past february and despite having every iota of documentation EDD wanted/needed to do a claim it took close to 4 months to get a payment. sure, it was retroactive but had he not had an emergency fund he would have been in a world of hurt. he later heard from a another co-worker that their claim took almost a year to process both cases it was straight forward job loss, no employer contesting anything, all paperwork submitted from day one.

Thankfully I live with my folks so don't have to worry about the basics. I pay them rent but they wouldn't hesitate to 'cover me' if there was a delay.
I've gotten unemployment before and thankfully I found CA to process them rather quickly. Still, would love to not depend on that or my parents, so just stacking the cash for now. Very glad that my monthly bills are less than one of my paychecks.

 

[fifthdimensiondweller]

It does make it almost impossible to breastfeed because so many ducts are cut, they no longer lead to the nipple.

That's a good point- hadn't thought about that either. Also with DS5 breastfeeding didn't work anyway due to my size, because he couldn't latch properly, so maybe it wouldn't matter anyhow. Definitely something to consider though, I do remember them warning me of that when I went in for a consult at 19. One of the reasons I decided to wait.

I'm only 5' so on any chart I'm going to be overweight unless I'm like 12 years old. But, it's also really hard to exercise when you literally have two dumbbells on your chest.

Oh my goodness! I'm ALSO 5 feet! I don't think I've ever met anyone with a body type like mine, LOL. Totally understand, my doctor told me years ago that I just have to ignore the guidelines because I'm going to be at least 10-15 pounds lighter if I had a normal cup size. Like you said, too, exercising is downright uncomfortable at this point too. I am thinking about insurance, too. Years ago I went in for a consult and was denied, but my doctor was confident they could appeal the decision with my height. However, I was 19 and decided to wait since technically you're not done "growing" until you're 26. Glad I did, I think I went up 3 cup sizes since then.

 

[chattadisser]

That's a good point- hadn't thought about that either. Also with DS5 breastfeeding didn't work anyway due to my size, because he couldn't latch properly, so maybe it wouldn't matter anyhow. Definitely something to consider though, I do remember them warning me of that when I went in for a consult at 19. One of the reasons I decided to wait.




Oh my goodness! I'm ALSO 5 feet! I don't think I've ever met anyone with a body type like mine, LOL. Totally understand, my doctor told me years ago that I just have to ignore the guidelines because I'm going to be at least 10-15 pounds lighter if I had a normal cup size. Like you said, too, exercising is downright uncomfortable at this point too. I am thinking about insurance, too. Years ago I went in for a consult and was denied, but my doctor was confident they could appeal the decision with my height. However, I was 19 and decided to wait since technically you're not done "growing" until you're 26. Glad I did, I think I went up 3 cup sizes since then.

Hi fellow shorty! Yes, it was time consuming dealing with insurance regarding the appeals and then PT - which I went into telling them here's why I'm here. They got it and it consisted of me walking on a treadmill for like 20 minutes. Umm if that was all it took to get these things smaller. It just drew out the timeline and eventually they paid for it but just be prepared for it to be a time consuming process. After my reduction I am now able to exercise like a normal person, no more double sports bras or wrestling to get them off. I've even ran a few half marathons. If the insurance doesn't work out, most surgeons offices have payment plans too and while I would rather get insurance to pay, it was so life changing to me that if I had had to pay for it, I would. You will also be amazed on how much easier your clothes fit. It had become so normal to me to have to make adjustments to clothes that it was eye opening. Good luck to you and feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Hi fellow shorty! Yes, it was time consuming dealing with insurance regarding the appeals and then PT - which I went into telling them here's why I'm here. They got it and it consisted of me walking on a treadmill for like 20 minutes. Umm if that was all it took to get these things smaller. It just drew out the timeline and eventually they paid for it but just be prepared for it to be a time consuming process. After my reduction I am now able to exercise like a normal person, no more double sports bras or wrestling to get them off. I've even ran a few half marathons. If the insurance doesn't work out, most surgeons offices have payment plans too and while I would rather get insurance to pay, it was so life changing to me that if I had had to pay for it, I would. You will also be amazed on how much easier your clothes fit. It had become so normal to me to have to make adjustments to clothes that it was eye opening. Good luck to you and feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

A lot of our patients who’ve had reductions say they wish they had done it 20 years before.
I think it’s just human nature to tend to resist elective surgery of any kind and keep on tolerating things that eventually become intolerable. Then people get fed up and seek a surgeon. Not just for breast related but other surgeries such as knee replacement, impacted wisdom teeth, varicose veins, chronic sinusitis, etc.

 

[pblack]

have you seen the muppet version from a couple of years ago? we LOVED it-great homage to both the mansion AND the old classic muppett show.

I have not. I'm not a big muppet fan so it didn't appeal to me. I actually really enjoyed the new version. I definitely feel like you need to be a fan of the haunted mansion in Disneyland though to truly appreciate the movie. It felt like more of a back story on how the haunted mansion became the haunted mansion. More so than the Eddie Murphy version, which I also enjoy.

 

[barkley]

I definitely feel like you need to be a fan of the haunted mansion in Disneyland though to truly appreciate the movie

l LOVE the one at disneyland-we were very disappointed at the one at WDW (it seemed so much smaller and not as imposing). crazy story-i was 8 when it opened at disneyland and we went that fall. back then it was pretty common to drop off kids to roam the park w/o adult supervision so i went with my 13 or 14 year old cousin. i had talked of nothing but riding it so we immediatly got in the VERY LONG line and waited for ages to get in. we get in and the room starts to stretch.....i begin to whimper in fear......i begin to scream-and the room slams to a stop, compresses back down and we are both kicked off the ride with my cousin being told in no uncertain terms to NOT return with me. cousin was ROYALLY embarrassed (and ticked off at me). i did get to ride it that day though-my dad came to the park to retrieve us later that night and i felt much safer in his company.

 

[goofytinkerbell]

1

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

The humidity finally broke, which was great, but then I got super sick. I've been trying really hard to do things, but it's rough. Outside of checking the mail and taking out the garbage, I haven't been out in a week. I had such big plans!

Financially:
1. Keep the credit cards empty - DONE! Still using them and paying them off before they start earning interest.
- My card was run up due to car repairs, and I haven't been able to pay it down yet. We're not to the point where the interest kicks in yet, so I'm trying my best to wipe it out
2. Figure out a way to put some sort of extra on the mortgage, even if it's the $100 minimum - DONE!
3. Get some things I NEED to have (rims/tires for the car, items that need replacing at home, etc)
-Bought 1 tiny item I couldn't wait any longer for (less than $20) but it's more than I'd have wanted to.
4. Get a savings plan going for the big stuff that comes due in one lump sum payment (insurance, property tax)
-Nothing, all the money went to the credit card

General stuff:
1. Make a will - DONE!
2. Continue to clear out the crap. I need to go through my clothes and that sort of thing. I got a pile done in 2022, but it really wasn't enough.
-2 items gone
3. Look for a new job. The reason nothing has been getting done is because I'm burned out from my existing job and I'm being severely underpaid for the work I do.
-Checked the email notifications and jobs sites daily, and replied to a recruiter. I haven't heard back from him, and at this point I don't expect to.
-Read a self improvement book, which isn't much but I'll do what I can at this point
-Spend an hour on an online course to improve my skills
4. Get my passport.-DONE!
5. Knock some half-finished projects off the list. Everything from making a scarf to some jewelry. Lots of stuff has been started, but not finished. Enough already!
-Nada
6. Get into better shape. I'd like to say 'lose weight', but I'd be happy to be able to run up my own steps without getting winded. The weight loss may or may not come, but it's not as important.
-Did 5 workouts, which nearly dropped me
-Dropped a pound, but honestly I think that's more because I'm sick than anything else. It hurts to swallow, so I don't want to eat.
7. Spend more time with loved ones. I don't see friends/family much. I guess I really need to do #3 in order to facilitate this one.
-Dropped off my SO for a visit with his family last weekend, spent the night there and drove back. I'll call that a visit, since I hung out for an evening. Then I immediately wound up sick, so I can't be around people.
8. Organize my stuff!
-Nothing. Standing is painful, so I still haven't even done regular cleaning.

Did you get your throat swabbed to test for strep? For me, that’s the only thing that makes it hurt to swallow. If it is strep, penicillin would have you feeling soooo much better within 2 days.

 

[barkley]

Did you get your throat swabbed to test for strep? For me, that’s the only thing that makes it hurt to swallow. If it is strep, penicillin would have you feeling soooo much better within 2 days.

if there is any chance it could be strep-GET TESTED. i am RABID about strep b/c while i've had it many times and it was quickly resolved with antibiotics (when the quick strep test was developed vs. waiting multiple days for results it was a godsend)-i've also lost 2 (in their early 30's and 40's at the time) friends to the same severe strain that also took the life of jim hensen. it's a quick trip to walk-in care, a throat swab, 10 minutes later you have the results.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Also, if it is strep, be sure to get a new toothbrush before finishing the meds (not while you’re still contagious) or else you can re-infect yourself.

Hope you feel better soon!!

 

[fifthdimensiondweller]

Not just for breast related but other surgeries such as knee replacement, impacted wisdom teeth, varicose veins, chronic sinusitis, etc.

SO true! Funny you mention Varicose veins. I have one from my pregnancy that is painful. It's the only one that is visible, but I'm guessing I have more because even though I can't see them, I can definitely feel them. I'd been holding off because I didn't know if I'd get pregnant again, but I just made the appointment to get it looked at and hopefully lasered. . The elective surgery thing is a hangup for me for sure. My son is so young, and if I had any complications or anything it would be so march harder with a young child. I've heard reductions aren't so bad these days though. Looking forward to getting my veins done.

Well, this week hasn't been too bad on the budget for day to day expenses. BUT I put a deposit down for both of my son's birthday parties (we do separate friend and family parties, it's tough to find a venue that can accommodate my large family, my ex's family AND friends). That was about $500 between the two parties, but in both cases that's the majority of what I owe aside from food. I scored some awesome décor secondhand at consignment a while back for one of his parties (LEGO theme). The other is "Mario in Minecraft" so that's going to be a tougher find. Going to start scrolling ebay and checking consignment sales as they start popping up to see what I can score. My cousin will make both cakes for a very reasonable price (especially considering the quantity and detail she puts into them). But I still need to start budgeting for what's left. I have until November, so I have plenty of time to put a little aside each month and not blow the budget while still hopefully hitting my savings goals for our trips.

Next consignment sale registration is coming up. OF COURSE it has to be the same day as our family reunion. The spots fill up super fast, so you need to be on right at 9am when they open (but I'm a pro thanks to Disney). That morning will be quite the scramble, but everything I make towards it will go towards our trips, so it'll be worth it!

 

[goofytinkerbell]

1

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

When I called the hospital yesterday, they told me it was a 16-18 hour wait, the walk in clinics are full, and it's a 6 week wait to get into my doctor (who's actually dropping me as a patient at the end of this month because she has too many). There are no walk in clinics today, and the hospital says the ER doc called off, so there's no one available to see patients. I guess I try again tomorrow. Yes, the healthcare system is broken

I hope you can get in soon and start feeling better!