Post Your Wins

[msomnipotent]

We were expecting to have to pay at least $3,000 in 2018 for my daughter's braces and another $1,500 for some "surgery" that is basically slicing her gum to expose a tooth. Turns out that the 3rd dentist (the specialist that we were referred to by the 1st specialist) wants to put in some sort of appliance thing to move her jaw first, so it will only be $1,300 the first year. It gives us time to save up since we can only put in $2,650 a year. We blow through $1,000 just with our copays and what not.

Expensive yet very necessary vet bill in 3, 2, 1....

[rennigade]

We've been there a couple of times but hadn't redeemed any of that stuff yet. We went over today and got the free items, used the $20 gift card toward the rest of our order, and got the free pizza which we had some of for lunch and the rest is now in the fridge (they are huge pizzas).

Those pizzas are actually really good. I think a pie at costco is around $10...its a bargain. There food court is awesome.

[disneysteve]

We joined Costco a few months ago with a Groupon. When you joined, you got coupons for a free 12-pack of paper towels, a free 24 bottle case of their vitamin water, a free large pizza at the food court, and a $20 gift certificate. When you added it all up, it essentially made the membership cost something like $5.

To follow up on this post:

We have always bought Bounty paper towels. We started using the Kirkland (Costco brand) ones and after a few days, my wife said, "You know, those paper towels are just fine." That's a win! Next time we need paper towels, I think we'll be buying Kirkland rather than Bounty. We haven't compared the prices but I'm sure they're cheaper.

[SavingMoneyGoals]

We got our home mortgage approved today and I'm really excited about finally owning our place rather than renting! SCORE!

[Gailete]

Small score. Months ago, I signed up through our electric company to have an energy use audit for our house. Found our fridge is still, after 10+ years of use, being an energy saver. He also gave - and installed a carbon monoxide alarm and gave us a new power strip cord. I think if we had needed more nightlights, he would have given them to us as well, but a few years ago the company sent us some as well as some power surge strips. I'm always happy to be given something for free. He also gave us a paper showing the electric usage of each normal household appliance which is rather handy as well.

[msomnipotent]

We got our live Christmas tree last night. I was expecting to pay an arm and a leg because I read that there was a shortage, but we wound up with a really nice looking tree for $55. That's the cheapest we have paid in probably 10 years. Plus, we bought it from a boy scout troop, so they benefitted too.

[Gailete]

We got our live Christmas tree last night. I was expecting to pay an arm and a leg because I read that there was a shortage, but we wound up with a really nice looking tree for $55. That's the cheapest we have paid in probably 10 years. Plus, we bought it from a boy scout troop, so they benefitted too.

I haven't even seen any trees for sale yet in my area. Haven't had a real one in years and we finally bit the bullet and bought a tiny little tree that we set on a table with trimmings on the tree, hang up stockings, and that is about as far as I go. My hairdresser suggested doing that - decorating the room we spend the most time in - so I don't have to expend much energy to put up and take down.

[Gailete]

Well if they don't change the prices of things too much, today I signed up for my Medicare D prescription program. My new provider should bring my total cost for medications down $1000! I will be paying a higher monthly premium, but the cost of my meds will be less. I'm on one med that is really expensive and the new insurance will bring it down to around $50/month instead of over $100.

[msomnipotent]

Well if they don't change the prices of things too much, today I signed up for my Medicare D prescription program. My new provider should bring my total cost for medications down $1000! I will be paying a higher monthly premium, but the cost of my meds will be less. I'm on one med that is really expensive and the new insurance will bring it down to around $50/month instead of over $100.

That's huge savings! I switched my meds last month, but it really didn't help. Humira and Enbrel were about $980 per month when I first started using them. They are both $4,000 now. I told my doctor that they just are not worth $4,000 a month and wanted something cheaper and maybe something I don't have to inject. He wrote a prescription for Orencia, which is an injectible and "only" costs $3,600 a month. I only have to pay $40 with my copay, but I'm worried about the lifetime max coming back. If they really worked well and didn't cause side effects that are worse than RA, I wouldn't have a problem with their cost. And the pricing structure of drugs has to be the worst scheme I have heard of. The insurance companies don't pay the list price, but you can bet that the list price would go towards my lifetime max!

[Gailete]

That's huge savings! I switched my meds last month, but it really didn't help. Humira and Enbrel were about $980 per month when I first started using them. They are both $4,000 now. I told my doctor that they just are not worth $4,000 a month and wanted something cheaper and maybe something I don't have to inject. He wrote a prescription for Orencia, which is an injectible and "only" costs $3,600 a month. I only have to pay $40 with my copay, but I'm worried about the lifetime max coming back. If they really worked well and didn't cause side effects that are worse than RA, I wouldn't have a problem with their cost. And the pricing structure of drugs has to be the worst scheme I have heard of. The insurance companies don't pay the list price, but you can bet that the list price would go towards my lifetime max!

My doc wanted to start me on Humira years ago and she had heard that they had financial assistance program so I applied for it. Yippee They wrote back that since I already had assistance in paying for my meds through Medicare D, that my co-pay would be $1600! That was ~$400 more than my SS check at that point. Yeah like I'm going to get that. So she started me on Remicade which is an IV med. They have IV days at my arthritis docs. Not everyone is on the same thing, but we all sit around getting our IV meds on the same day chitchatting, reading or sleeping. A chance to socialize with folks with the same problems. Currently they are charging ~$10,985, Medicare approves $6220 and pays $4873.34 while my supplemental medigap policy pays $1244. I pay...ZERO since I have Medicare B and any med given in the doctors office is zero co-pay. While I'm not ready nor will I ever be ready to play golf or jogging, etc. It has taken me (in combo with narcotic pain relievers) from a small flare of several days every week, to only rare flares. Maybe every couple months and usually triggered by weather. I'm still losing ground physically, but I don't hurt so much doing it nor do I have so many days where I just want to curl up, suck my thumb and cry.

I guess my biggest 'Win' is I get the med 6.5 times a year to the tune of over $8000 that my medigap pays, $673/month not counting all the other things and doc apts. that they cover the co-pay on. My policy premium was only $180/month this past year. I think it is going up $10/month this year. So, big monthly wins and they take the premium through a direct debit from my checking account and give me a $2 discount monthly so I save $24 every year. I won't budge from my medigap policy via AARP for several reasons but at this point I've been using them for 11-12 years, but the prescription program I have to change nearly every year.

[msomnipotent]

I won't budge from my medigap policy via AARP for several reasons but at this point I've been using them for 11-12 years, but the prescription program I have to change nearly every year.

I asked about Remicade and was told that I didn't want that. It would be much more convenient for me instead of worrying about traveling with needles that have to be kept at a constant 38 degrees.

If you get prescriptions filled at Walgreens, did you know that you can link your AARP membership to your Balance Rewards card and get bonus points? I just did it yesterday. I was actually coming out ahead when I could get my prescriptions filled at Walgreens. I would buy a discounted Walgreens gift card for the copays, get reimbursed through the FSA, and use the points to buy other things. Now I have to go through Prime Specialty and I have problems every month. I just found out yesterday that they thought I was my dog. The also have some of my prescriptions listed under my husband. The screw ups caused one of my Rx to be over a month late and it still isn't fixed. I had problems at the local Walgreens, but they were a breeze to deal with compared to Prime.

[Gailete]

I asked about Remicade and was told that I didn't want that. It would be much more convenient for me instead of worrying about traveling with needles that have to be kept at a constant 38 degrees.

If you get prescriptions filled at Walgreens, did you know that you can link your AARP membership to your Balance Rewards card and get bonus points? I just did it yesterday. I was actually coming out ahead when I could get my prescriptions filled at Walgreens. I would buy a discounted Walgreens gift card for the copays, get reimbursed through the FSA, and use the points to buy other things. Now I have to go through Prime Specialty and I have problems every month. I just found out yesterday that they thought I was my dog. The also have some of my prescriptions listed under my husband. The screw ups caused one of my Rx to be over a month late and it still isn't fixed. I had problems at the local Walgreens, but they were a breeze to deal with compared to Prime.

Wonder why you wouldn't want that? It took about a year to settle on the correct dose for me, but all things considered I am very happy to get it. I was feeling the effects pretty quickly and when I started having flare ups again a week before my next dose, we knew it was time to readjust the amount and frequency I was getting it. I have a friend that drives me in and out. Not that I can't make the drive myself, but it is exhausting, especially as I feel called upon since i'm in the city to stop off at Barnes & Noble, the thrift stores and get something to eat. With her, we get something to eat and go to one thrift store and then home.

Walgreens is about 15 miles away. So I go to CVS which is right in my town and for every 10 scripts I fill I get $5 bonus bucks, I also get bonus bucks for other things I buy in the store as well as getting 20% off of all CVS brands with my CVS card. I do plan on trying to be more careful about finding the cheapest place to fill most of my meds. My narcs I have to get at CVS as I have a drug contract and am not allowed to go to multiple pharmacies to fill them. The staff there know me and understand me. Know that by the time I get back to the pharmacists I have to sit and take a break. They know I will tell them when I am ready to check out and head back to the front of the store.

[Nutria]

Even after paying $3K to repair the car, our net worth went up 2% (and that's not 2% of $1000, either...)

[creditcardfree]

We were expecting to have to pay at least $3,000 in 2018 for my daughter's braces and another $1,500 for some "surgery" that is basically slicing her gum to expose a tooth. Turns out that the 3rd dentist (the specialist that we were referred to by the 1st specialist) wants to put in some sort of appliance thing to move her jaw first, so it will only be $1,300 the first year. It gives us time to save up since we can only put in $2,650 a year. We blow through $1,000 just with our copays and what not.

Expensive yet very necessary vet bill in 3, 2, 1....

My friend had two children get those appliances to expand the jaw. No braces. Much cheaper! It would be nice if that would be the case for you, but more time to save is also good!

[msomnipotent]

My friend had two children get those appliances to expand the jaw. No braces. Much cheaper! It would be nice if that would be the case for you, but more time to save is also good!

That would have been awesome, but the specialist took better xrays and her mouth looks gross. She has what I call "shark mouth", where it looks like there are rows of teeth just waiting to come in when the others fall out. Instead of just the one tooth they were worried about, there is more like 3 that need to come down. I'm sure she gets it from her father or my sister. I never needed braces so I don't know what to expect. Now they are saying that she will need braces for at least 3 years instead of the 18-24 months, not including jaw time. I'm assuming that the longer you wear them, the more expensive it is.