What would Dave (Ramsey) Do???

[rszdtrvl]

Here's my quandry :

Last month, I took my dog to the vet for dental care and eye surgery. The bill was $950.

Almost drained savings account to pay for it.

Now, fast forward to 3 weeks later :

Our male dog stops eating. Argghhhh!! Took him to the vet. Turns out he has a bad tooth, possibly more. He ends up getting a bunch of teeth pulled today (he is still at the vet - I pick him up in 2 hours).

My estimate was $550, before we knew there were going to be more teeth pulled than anticipated. The bill will probably be closer to $750 or so, at least by my estimate.

Do I drain the savings account and make payments? Or do I use the credit card?

DH gets paid on Friday, and he does have holiday pay on the paycheck, so I plan on using all that is over the pay period budget on the vet bill. And the vet will allow payments.

I can pay $300 today, if I almost drain savings. And then probably pay $200-$300 on Friday (if I decide to take pet food out of our grocery budget instead of the pet budget for the month). Or I can just put the entire thing on the credit card and transfer funds here and there, and keep the money in savings.

What would Dave say to do (for all you DR experts)? What would you do?

Thanks! I am totally stressing about this!

 

[chris31997]

CC is out unless it is a debit but I don't think it is

I would say, this is what the Emergancy Fund is for unless that is what you were talking about when you said savings account. Otherwise, I would pay the 300 on it and than fast track it to get rid of it.

You may want to add a line in your budget for the vet for items like this or up it if you already have a vet line in your budget.

 

[rszdtrvl]

I do have a vet line - it is the same one I get the pet supplies out of. And I just re-did the budget to allot for a pay cut for DH (thank you governor) and to add more to the grocery budget, as prices are going way up at the stores lately.

I totally was not expecting a visit this quickly after the last one.

Emergency account IS the savings account, as it was drained for the last vet visit.

That is why I was wondering about using the credit card.

I know we are supposed to get $1000 into an emergency fund. I am down to $3xx.00 in mine due to the last vet visit.

I am really tempted to use the credit card, as I can just be done with the whole thing, and transfer money from checking onto that bill. My interest is low (under 10% apr) and I will be able to pay this vet visit off fairly quickly (hopefully within a month - we are planning a huge yard sale in a couple weeks).

But I know that the credit card is supposed to be off limits. So that is why I am stumped as to what to do.

Just pay what I can today ($300) and pay what I can on Friday (approx. $200) and then as soon as a check I just deposited clears in a week or so I will have another $200 to pay towards it??

 

[chris31997]

If I am understanding, you are just starting this journey on DR Good luck. It can be a hard road but it so worth it.

I would take 250 to the vet. Take the bonus from hubby's pay check to the vet. Take yard sale money towards the vet. Hopefully, the pay check will pay off the vet and than the yard sale can be used to boost up your savings.

 

[Reddy]

if you would be making payments to the vet - what interest rate would he charge??

 

[Planogirl]

I sympathize. For us it was the cars. We had the A/C go out in one and it had to be replaced since all of the belts work together. That was $1400. Just a week prior, the starter went out in my car and that wasn't as bad but still pricey.

This was top of high school graduation expenses and DH having extensive dental work done where the insurance only covers up to a certain amount. When it rains, it pours.

I see nothing with a brief repayment plan personally. I wouldn't go into extensive debt unless something catastrophic happened. A temporary debt wouldn't phase me but I know that's not Dave Ramsey friendly.

 

[CarrieR]

Pretty sure Ramsey would say to pay as much as you possibly can on the vet bill, rebuild the emergency fund ASAP, no cc. There is a lesson in FPU where he talks about Pro Rata etc, that would probably be the best place to start under the subject of "when there is more month than the money."

Unfortunately it's been a year since my FPU and I don't recall that lesson terribly clearly, but that would be my best guess. Four walls first, then take care of the rest. Might be rice and beans for a while 'til you pay the vet off, lol.

 

[DawnM]

Dave would have said to pull those teeth yourself! Sorry, couldn't resist.

This is what Dave calls a Murphy visit and you just have to suck it up, pay what you owe, and save back up your Emergency Fund.

Dawn

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Dave would have said to pull those teeth yourself! Sorry, couldn't resist.

This is what Dave calls a Murphy visit and you just have to suck it up, pay what you owe, and save back up your Emergency Fund.

Dawn

Or get rid of the animals.

I think Dave has some really good ideas and some tough love, but sometimes I just don't agree with his ideas. I understand he generally is dealing with people in heaps of debt, but sometimes he is just too harsh for my taste.

 

[rszdtrvl]

I did transfer $250 from savings and payed that as the down.

My balance is $619.

The poor dog had a really rough time of the surgery. Halfway through it, he vomited, so now we have to keep a real close eye on him to make sure he does not start croup-like coughing. The vet thinks he didn't get any yuck into his lungs because of the tube and umbrella thing blocking his airway, but can't be 100% sure. We just want to make sure he does not get pneumonia from possible fluid in the lungs.

She has already called tonight to check on him and we have an afternoon appt. for her to check on him.

No sleep for me tonight.

He is doing okay, but I need to really keep an eye on him for the next few days.

Anyway, I will pay the extra on Friday from DH's paycheck, and chug along with the money I deposited into the bank account next week.

Sigh.....

edited to add : Getting rid of the animals is not an option. They are part of the family and we made a lifetime commitment with them. However, they will be the last animals we have.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

edited to add : Getting rid of the animals is not an option. They are part of the family and we made a lifetime commitment with them. However, they will be the last animals we have.

Let me clarify my earlier post. I am not suggesting it for you. I have heard others (hard core Dave Ramsey followers) say that sometimes it needs to be done. You asked what would Dave suggest. I think he might suggest this, because he often suggests "clearing log jams" in a budget and other strategies that are often very bold.

I think giving away pets (family members) is an absolute last resort option. I think it is too extreme for the vast majority of people.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

The poor dog had a really rough time of the surgery. Halfway through it, he vomited, so now we have to keep a real close eye on him to make sure he does not start croup-like coughing. The vet thinks he didn't get any yuck into his lungs because of the tube and umbrella thing blocking his airway, but can't be 100% sure. We just want to make sure he does not get pneumonia from possible fluid in the lungs.

She has already called tonight to check on him and we have an afternoon appt. for her to check on him.

No sleep for me tonight.

He is doing okay, but I need to really keep an eye on him for the next few days.

I hope your dog is okay.

 

[marcemc]

Or get rid of the animals.

I think Dave has some really good ideas and some tough love, but sometimes I just don't agree with his ideas. I understand he generally is dealing with people in heaps of debt, but sometimes he is just too harsh for my taste.

I agree, I think some of his advice is extremist sometimes & he can be real cold about some situations.

edited to add : Getting rid of the animals is not an option. They are part of the family and we made a lifetime commitment with them. However, they will be the last animals we have.

You are a good, responsible, loving dog owner
I hope your doggy gets better.
I would recommend looking into a care plan for your dogs in a future, we have 2 dogs & last year we decided to get a plan. It has saved us a lot of money.
I wish you best, I'm sure soon enough you will get your emergency fund up again & things will be better

 

[SandrA9810]

How long is your vet willing to work out a payment plan? At this point it seems the most logical.

Total $750
Today - $300 from savings
Friday - $200 from check
Two weeks - $50
Four weeks - $50
Six weeks - pay the remainder off with the credit card and continue to make as many payments as you can each payday until it's over. But I'd say keep adding a little even 10 or 20 back into your savings with each check too.

Probably not what Dave would do... but if you can keep the "loan" with the vet for a month, that's 10% interest saved. The overall balance on the card would be lower as well, saving a few dollars on interest if you waited till you made a few payments.

 

[chris31997]

I did transfer $250 from savings and payed that as the down.

My balance is $619.

The poor dog had a really rough time of the surgery. Halfway through it, he vomited, so now we have to keep a real close eye on him to make sure he does not start croup-like coughing. The vet thinks he didn't get any yuck into his lungs because of the tube and umbrella thing blocking his airway, but can't be 100% sure. We just want to make sure he does not get pneumonia from possible fluid in the lungs.

She has already called tonight to check on him and we have an afternoon appt. for her to check on him.

No sleep for me tonight.

He is doing okay, but I need to really keep an eye on him for the next few days.

Anyway, I will pay the extra on Friday from DH's paycheck, and chug along with the money I deposited into the bank account next week.

Sigh.....

edited to add : Getting rid of the animals is not an option. They are part of the family and we made a lifetime commitment with them. However, they will be the last animals we have.

Poor baby. I hope he feels better and everything calms down for you. Our fur babies are so important to us. You are doing the right thing by them Not so sure Dave would have told you to get rid of them but . He might have pointed out somethings for you. He has also encouraged people to follow thier hearts but to do it with thier eyes open and know the financial impact.

I hope your dog continues to improve.

 

[hugscot]

Maybe look into pet insurance to help offset some of the cost? I don't know much about it but do know it is out there because IMO it does seem like the dog is getting to an age when other issues will be coming up as he ages. We had this with ours. We spent the tons of money getting teeth cleaned and coatings to put on them. No matter how much we had her teeth cleaned they decayed anyway and fell out. Then she got to where she couldn't move because arthritis was so bad and we had to finally make that decision no pet owner wants to make.
Now I have another larger dog vet said she tested positive for heart worms last year(my fault though) and wanted over $1000 to do a treatment and hospital stay because the treatment could kill her!!! That is hard to stomach and I absolutely could not afford that at the time or something else was not getting paid or someone else wasn't getting provided for. Well I found after some research that because it was detected early I could put her back on the heart-worm meds which would stop any more worms from developing and the ones she had would die off after 7 months. Funny my vet didn't mention that!!! So something to think about too is that treatment the vet says your dog needs really needed or gonna solve things in the long.

 

[DawnM]

I think you bring up a good point.....Vets often recommend expensive treatments that aren't always necessary.

When we lived in CA our Vet was wonderful. Our dog had cancer and we got surgery for $400. The Vet said at that time that the cancer was imbedded in the bone and would come back and when it did, make him as comfortable as possible until he was in pain and then put him down.

Well, we moved to NC and the cancer grew back. A huge lump on his leg and he was in pain. I took him to a Vet here who immediately made me feel like a bad pet owner for not sending him up to Raleigh for an amputation of his leg and rehab. The dog was 12 years old and she told me it would cost about $5,000-$6,000 and even then she said amputations were very difficult for older dogs but that she would do it because she loves her dog (implying I didn't love mine.)

We put him down when he started crying at night from the pain. It was awful, but his breed is only known to live to about 13 years and we didn't have the money to do it nor did we want to put him through that.

Thankfully our current dogs are very healthy and we have only had to have them get routine shots.

Dawn

Maybe look into pet insurance to help offset some of the cost? I don't know much about it but do know it is out there because IMO it does seem like the dog is getting to an age when other issues will be coming up as he ages. We had this with ours. We spent the tons of money getting teeth cleaned and coatings to put on them. No matter how much we had her teeth cleaned they decayed anyway and fell out. Then she got to where she couldn't move because arthritis was so bad and we had to finally make that decision no pet owner wants to make.
Now I have another larger dog vet said she tested positive for heart worms last year(my fault though) and wanted over $1000 to do a treatment and hospital stay because the treatment could kill her!!! That is hard to stomach and I absolutely could not afford that at the time or something else was not getting paid or someone else wasn't getting provided for. Well I found after some research that because it was detected early I could put her back on the heart-worm meds which would stop any more worms from developing and the ones she had would die off after 7 months. Funny my vet didn't mention that!!! So something to think about too is that treatment the vet says your dog needs really needed or gonna solve things in the long.

 

[scrapquitler]

I am really tempted to use the credit card, as I can just be done with the whole thing, and transfer money from checking onto that bill. My interest is low (under 10% apr) and I will be able to pay this vet visit off fairly quickly (hopefully within a month - we are planning a huge yard sale in a couple weeks).

But I know that the credit card is supposed to be off limits. So that is why I am stumped as to what to do.

Just pay what I can today ($300) and pay what I can on Friday (approx. $200) and then as soon as a check I just deposited clears in a week or so I will have another $200 to pay towards it??

Your vet will take payments???? I don't know of ANY vet around here that will take payments of any sort. It's all pay in full for services rendered NOW. When I had to go to the emergency vet back in November for my cat, to the tune of $1200, I had to pay 75% upfront before they would do the procedure, and the other 25% the next day when I picked him up. That's typical around here.

In your situation, I would use the CC to pay the vet, then send every single penny I could to the credit card company until it is paid off.

 

[Swimalie]

I hope your dog is okay. Just think of how much he loves you as you are paying off his dental bills.

We took our cat in last week for a cleaning ($500) and they tried to call to ask if they could pull a bad tooth. Well, my husband gave them an incorrect cell number accidentally so they didn't get through to us to ask. now we're looking at having to take him back in 6 to 12 months to have the tooth pulled. Probably another $300-400. Grrr.

 

[dvcgirl]

Let me clarify my earlier post. I am not suggesting it for you. I have heard others (hard core Dave Ramsey followers) say that sometimes it needs to be done. You asked what would Dave suggest. I think he might suggest this, because he often suggests "clearing log jams" in a budget and other strategies that are often very bold.

I think giving away pets (family members) is an absolute last resort option. I think it is too extreme for the vast majority of people.

I knew what you meant....it means that you really listen to his show.

Dave is from the South, and *some* people from the South treat their animals not *worse* than people in other parts of the country (just differently...before I get pounced on). Sometimes they're viewed more like hunting dogs....or farm animals, and they live outside. They're not treated like members of the family, like in many cases these days.

And I've heard Dave say many, many times....if you're in debt, and Fluffy needs a $5,000 surgery, that not even *he* would do that.

However, I don't believe him. Not in *his* case. He has three dogs...talks about them all of the time. And I don't believe for a minute that he wouldn't let his Vet perform knee surgery (for example) on his young Golden Retriever.

This is an instance where he sort of *talks* like a "Good Ole' Boy", but I don't believe him.

Anyway, that's what this poster was talking about.....but what Dave would "say" and what I really believe he would "do" in this case are two different things.