Go scouting!

This past Saturday my children had a party to attend, so my husband and I took the opportunity to scout the area. We have lived in this area for a year and a half and there were many stores we had driven by and never stopped at. We visited pawn shops, second hand stores and normal retail stores By taking the time to visit eight stores we hadn't been in before and three that we hadn't been to for some time, we got a better idea of what is available to purchase here. We didn't spend much...just bought a set of pruning shears on sale at Home Hardware for $7.99 and went out to lunch at the new Mexican restaurant in Ronan. The thing of value that we acquired in that afternoon was the knowledge on where to get things And yes, there's at least one of those second hand stores I won't be going back to because it stunk....literally!

How about some spring organizing?

How about some spring organizing?

There have been a couple of things that I thought I needed this week only to find out I already have them. My son was sick and I ran to WalMart and bought some medicine. Later when looking through my cupboard, I found I already had a brand new box of medicine...ooops. I also thought I needed more black socks. However, when I was cleaning out my closet, I found that I had stashed some pairs up there last summer (because they have wool in them). I had forgotten that I hadn't pulled them all down. Now that I "found" more black socks, I won't need to go buy some.

So, along with that spring cleaning I know you are all working on, do some organizing. Knowing what you already have can save you!

Saving on medical bills

Medical costs just seem to keep going up. Unless you have a great insurance program that covers all your costs, I am sure you have considered what you can do to keep your medical costs down. Of course, the most obvious thing to do is take good care of yourself by eating what is healthy and getting excercise. However, when you do need medical help, here are some things to remember:
1. Find out what clinic in your area is most affordable. The best one we have found is in Missoula. It is called Cost Care. At www.costcare.com you can check out their hours and locations (they currently have 4). The appointments cost $45. They keep their costs affordable by having a small staff and collecting payment when they give service. They are happy to provide you with a receipt you can submit to your insurance company.
2. When you go in to the doctor, ask if they give a discount for cash payments. This is advantageous for them because they don't have to pay credit card processing fees and they also know that they will be able to collect on the services they have provided. If you explain your situation, a good receptionist will be able to tell you what financial options are available...but you must ASK.
3. Check the statements that you receive from your doctor (and insurance company) to make sure you are only being charged for services you received. If you have a question about your bill, call and ask about it. Recently I had a doctors appointment and I had a question about something on my bill. It took some persistence. At first the receptionist transferred me to someone in billing. She couldn't help me, but transferred me to the office manager. The office manager wasn't in, so I had to leave a message. She called me back the next business day. I explained the situation. She said she wasn't authorized to change anything without talking to the doctor. So I asked her to ask the doctor about it. She did and called back to let me know the doctor authorized the change on the billing. It definetely took effort to get to the bottom of the issue, but it saved me $106.
4. The most important thing to remember is that as a patient you are a consumer. Don't feel bad about asking for an explanation. Doctors provide medical services and you are entitled to understand what you are receiving and what you are being charged for it.

It is never convienant to have a medical issue. So, be a bit proactive and find out where affordable medical help is available. Of course, you are talking about your life here...so cheap is not the most important thing. You are looking for someone who has good expertise, you feel comfortable with, and who can offer you affordable care.

Call on those warranties!

I was talking with my sister today and she told me it was warranty week at her house. She went on to tell me how they have replacement parts coming for their kitchen faucet that is leaking (saving them $150) and a new Logitech mouse (saving them $30) for their computer. Why? Because when those things stopped working they took they time to call the company and check into their warranties. The faucet had a lifetime warranty on it. Moen did not ask them for their receipt or proof of purchase, they simply got the information on what kind of faucet it was and said they were mailing the parts out right out. They had the mouse for their computer for under a year when the right click button quit working. They called Logitech and they are sending them a new one. Sometimes with warranty claims you have to mail the defective product back, but they didn't have to in either of these circumstances.

So, when something breaks down (and you know it will happen eventually!) before replacing it, take the time to check whether it might have a warranty. It may save you some big bucks!

Is it possible to get a good deal on organic produce?

Yesterday I was shopping at Safeway. I have to admit, I didn't really feel like grocery shopping...but they had a coupon for $10 off a $50 purchase in their weekly ad that expired yesterday so off I went. As I walked through the produce section I saw that they had oranges for $1 a pound. I kept walking as I buy oranges when I can get them for $.30 - $.50 a pound. When I walked on I saw that the organic oranges were $.25 a pound! That struck me as very strange since organic produce is usually quite a bit more expensive. So I asked the produce gal who was right there about it. She said they had shipped them twice the amount of organic oranges they had ordered. So instead of letting them go to waste, they discounted them to clear them out. So, be aware when you wander through the store...you just might find an unexpected deal!

One of the things the produce gal mentioned was that organic produce has a very short shelf life. Have any of you been able to get good deal on organic produce that has to be used right away? Please post comments and share any experiences that the rest of us can learn from.