Debt Dumpers 2023

[jen7233]

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

Yes, hope this got resolved and get care to feel better soon!

 

[wilkeliza]

2023 Financial goal
-Begin 3 year aggressive repayment plans for CC debt.
-No new debt in last quarter.
-Keep a budget for wedding and stick to it.
-financially more responsible when shopping for necessities ie get the best deal. Less eating out.

 

[barkley]

gotta ask-has anyone else started christmas shopping? dh looked at me like i was nuts when i mentioned already ordering a few things. normally i would'nt but i saw the ornaments i wanted for my kids are available and since one is a HUGE fan of the new barbie movie and i found out mattel is taking pre-orders for the microfleece ken-enough hoodie from the movie i could'nt resist.

so fess up.

 

[wilkeliza]

gotta ask-has anyone else started christmas shopping? dh looked at me like i was nuts when i mentioned already ordering a few things. normally i would'nt but i saw the ornaments i wanted for my kids are available and since one is a HUGE fan of the new barbie movie and i found out mattel is taking pre-orders for the microfleece ken-enough hoodie from the movie i could'nt resist.

so fess up.

Not officially but Fiance got his gift months early because the back to school sale was too good to pass up and wait to see if black friday was cheaper.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I haven't start shopping yet but Christmas is my current snowball goal. I should be ready with that by Labor Day weekend.

 

[Tygerlilly]

gotta ask-has anyone else started christmas shopping? dh looked at me like i was nuts when i mentioned already ordering a few things. normally i would'nt but i saw the ornaments i wanted for my kids are available and since one is a HUGE fan of the new barbie movie and i found out mattel is taking pre-orders for the microfleece ken-enough hoodie from the movie i could'nt resist.

so fess up.

Yup, sure have. Found a bunch of Gabbys Dollhouse toys on clearance for my 6 year old and some other assorted things and have them in my closet. I usually start shopping in August/September.

 

[StacyStrong]

gotta ask-has anyone else started christmas shopping? dh looked at me like i was nuts when i mentioned already ordering a few things. normally i would'nt but i saw the ornaments i wanted for my kids are available and since one is a HUGE fan of the new barbie movie and i found out mattel is taking pre-orders for the microfleece ken-enough hoodie from the movie i could'nt resist.

so fess up.

Only in the sense that I’m taking my 5 year old nephew to Disney this month and calling it a birthday/Christmas gift (paying for his flights and park tickets)

My brother, sister, and sister in law are also going and I bought them MNSSHP tickets as THEIR Christmas gifts.

But I haven’t bought any physical gifts for other people (the aforementioned are not getting anything additional)

 

[fifthdimensiondweller]

gotta ask-has anyone else started christmas shopping? dh looked at me like i was nuts when i mentioned already ordering a few things. normally i would'nt but i saw the ornaments i wanted for my kids are available and since one is a HUGE fan of the new barbie movie and i found out mattel is taking pre-orders for the microfleece ken-enough hoodie from the movie i could'nt resist.

so fess up.

Hahaha I'm one of those nuts who starts shopping day after Christmas for the next year (if I can find a deal). But as my son is getting older it's harder to shop TOO much ahead because he has specific wants and interests that change. I'm getting into true shopping mode now, but I've trimmed down my list significantly in the last 3-5 years, so it shouldn't be too bad. I'd rather give more generously to my closest circle (namely my son and 3 y/o niece whose mother passed away) than buy a bunch of random doodads for random people I never see out of a sense of obligation that will just get shoved in a corner. I'm also making it a point this year, now that I'm divorced, to buy gifts FOR MYSELF with some of those freed up gift slots (or let my son "pick" gifts for me a Bath and Body, Target, etc).

I'm hoping there'll be a thread popping up soon here, it usually comes around labor day. I like it for ideas!

 

[jackers]

Thought we were going to have a budget buster today. The alarm on our septic tank went off early afternoon. Thank goodness for a friend who does plumbing work on the side. This is the third or fourth time he’s helped us in the past seven years. An hour of work, he asked for $50, we gave him $100. If we had to call a local company it would have been a LOT more.

 

[barkley]

Thought we were going to have a budget buster today. The alarm on our septic tank went off early afternoon. Thank goodness for a friend who does plumbing work on the side. This is the third or fourth time he’s helped us in the past seven years. An hour of work, he asked for $50, we gave him $100. If we had to call a local company it would have been a LOT more.

no kidding on that being a potentialy expensive issue-we had to do major repairs on ours a few years back. you are fortunate to have a friend who can work on this, we have to pay a premium to get someone from the next state over.

 

[jackers]

The first time he helped us, it cost us less than a $100 which included the part and what he asked in labor - which was about an hour of shovel time (with DH's help) and replacing a sheared pipe on the septic tank. Most of the houses in our small neighborhood were built in the last 8 years by the same local contractor and we know of at least 4 others that all had the same issue within the first 3 years of the house being built (because the guy didn't do it right). Our next-door neighbors called in a local company to fix their sheared pipe. That company brought in 4 guys and a backhoe and were there for at least half a day. I can't imagine what their bill was.

Our buddy M is a godsend. Has always shown up within a few hours, teaches my husband a little bit along the way and has really saved us so much money. We always double what he asks for and I put a gift card in our Christmas card to them the years he has helped us.

 

[DisneyHardin]

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

You sound like me for our local consignment sale. It always fills up within about 15-20 minutes. I set an alarm 10 minutes before it opens, get logged in so I can submit the moment the clock turns (our registration always opens at 8 PM).

 

[goofytinkerbell]

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[goofytinkerbell]

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[DLgal]

That's what they think I have, but as it turns out it's basically impossible to get an in person appointment now. It's all done via phone or online. In my case online, since I didn't have my voice. They said it sounds like a 'textbook case' of strep though, and now I'm on meds.

Do you not have anything like a CVS minute clinic or similar nearby? I have done this a few times on weekends when the urgent cares had long waits and the ER was not really appropriate. Its covered by our insurance, but even out of pocket its only like $75 for a visit and if you need meds, they deeply discount them if you don't have insurance coverage for CVS and had a Minute Clinic visit where they were prescribed.

Sorry you are sick but glad you got meds and hope you feel better soon.

 

[cvjw]

That's what they think I have, but as it turns out it's basically impossible to get an in person appointment now. It's all done via phone or online. In my case online, since I didn't have my voice. They said it sounds like a 'textbook case' of strep though, and now I'm on meds.

We have had to see our doctor several times the last few months - I picked up covid on the Disney fantasy and my DH is having back issues. Each time, I was able to be seen same day or the next day. I also went to the cvs minute clinic. They make same day appointments around here and are staffed by nurse practitioners.

 

[barkley]

Thanks! I managed to get a tele-visit, and they do think I have strep. They sent me a note for work and a couple prescriptions. Not feeling great yet (too soon), but the meds have already made it easier to swallow. At someone's suggestion, I'm going to swap out my toothbrush at the 3 day mark (when they say I should stop being contagious) so that I hopefully won't reinfect myself. I feel like I'm just whining, but I also rarely get this sick. Normally it's the sniffles, maybe a minor cough. I haven't needed a prescription in years.

this is why i buy toothbrushes at the dollar (and a quarter) store in multipacks. sore throat, sniffles, cold sores....i can toss them and start new (and i don't feel as guilty having the family toss brand new ones out at the end of a vacation when i can get a 4 pack for $1.25).

p.s. speaking of the $ store-i scored today and am convinced that it's the best place to get certain shelf stable stuff. a1 steak sauce/5 oz bottles (vs. walmart's price at $3.98). sure, they are the smaller sized bottles but the unit price can't be beat so i snagged 10. contadina squeeze bottle pizza sauce (my son has found he can use this to add more sauce to frozen pasta meals which saves me from opening a whole jar of pasta sauce only to freeze 4/5ths) a savings of over $2 per 15 oz bottle (i snagged 8).

the smoke from area fires has it looking more like fall so i'm feeling inclined to do my annual winter stock up. i was at the grocery store earlier today and even the sale prices just floored me. i ended up doing price comparissons between what seems to be the new normal sales prices at the local stores, walmart and amazon on some canned goods-amazon won out (esp. after you figure in the 5% cash rewards for using my amazon card). 76 cans are on their way but i saved upwards of 50 cents per can on average.

 

[DisneyHardin]

Do you not have anything like a CVS minute clinic or similar nearby? I have done this a few times on weekends when the urgent cares had long waits and the ER was not really appropriate. Its covered by our insurance, but even out of pocket its only like $75 for a visit and if you need meds, they deeply discount them if you don't have insurance coverage for CVS and had a Minute Clinic visit where they were prescribed.

Sorry you are sick but glad you got meds and hope you feel better soon.

We use the Clinic places a lot too. My favorite here is The Little Clinic in Kroger. They seem to always have plenty of appointments. In fact, DH woke up feeling terrible this morning. I went online about 7 and got him an appointment at 9.

 

[fifthdimensiondweller]

You sound like me for our local consignment sale. It always fills up within about 15-20 minutes. I set an alarm 10 minutes before it opens, get logged in so I can submit the moment the clock turns (our registration always opens at 8 PM)

Ours always being 9AM on a Sunday is a blessing and a cruse. On the one hand, it is a scramble if we have something else going on that day, like we do this time, on the other hand, it's nice because I never have to try to do it in the middle of the workday or something.

 

[goofytinkerbell]

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