Your online resource: from shidduchim through shana rishona.
Home
Advertising Jewish
Wedding Guide Planning Directory
LookingGood Jewelers Contact
|
|
|
Spender or Saver, What's
Your Score? 1. You want a caffeine fix while away from home, so you: a) pour a cup of coffee from the thermos you brought along from home; the home brew comes out to 40 cents a cup. b) get a cup for $1.50 at a bagel store. c) pick up your daily cup of Starbucks for $4. 2. When you go shopping you: a) review store circulars to find which place has what on sale and bring just the amount of money you plan to spend and along with store or product coupons. b) may look over a store’s ads then grab a credit card c) don’t bother with circulars. What’s the point when you will see what’s in the store for yourself anyway? You bring at least 2 credit cards; you don’t want to miss a buying opportunity just because you’ve hit the max on the first card. 3. Your mode of operation on shopping for a pair of walking shoes is: a) staying focused on what you need, ignoring all the dress shoes, and looking at the price tags before you even consider a pair as a possible purchase. b) looking for a comfortable pair that fits well but also trying on a pair of pumps in yours size that is within your price range and a basic you know you will use. c) trying on whatever catches your eye and buying whatever looks good, regardless of price or present need; after all, you never know when that pair of lilac suede ballet flat will just make your outfit. 4. A designer name on something indicates: a) you’re paying too much for it. b) it is more expensive but may be better than one without, so it is worth buying on sale. c) you made the right choice because the name on the item tells the world you have good taste. 5. When you feel the need to cheer up, you: a) do something constructive that will make you feel accomplished and thrifty like clearing the yard. b) treat yourself to a bit of refreshment (low fat if watching your weight) c) treat yourself to a little something like a cashmere sweater, earrings, or French perfume sold in tiny bottles. 6. A trip to the city means an opportunity to: a) take advantage of the many free attractions available. b) an excursion out that may include a bite out and some browsing. c) a chance to shop at some of the most fabulous stores. 7. Your car got splattered with mud, so you: a) get out sponges, cleanser, buckets, a hose, and your vacuum, roll up your arms and get to work. b) pull into a car wash that advertised an $8 special. c) get the works for $195: washing, detailing, simonizing (whatever that is) and waxing, which reminds you to book a waxing for yourself. Your car should look good but not better than you. 8. Your car is out of commission for a week while your mechanic awaits the part that needs to be replaced. You work out your commute to work by: a) finding out which one of your coworkers you can go along with and offer to repay the favor or even form a carpool once your car is back. b) taking public transportation or car service to get to work. c) taking the week off and seeing this as a perfect opportunity to take a vacation; after all, you can’t get to work without your car, so your boss would surely have to give you the time off. 9. Vacation conjures up the following images: a) walking, bicycling, picnics, and attractions without entrance fees. b) a place away from home reachable by car, motels, interesting places that are not tourist traps. c) planes, exclusive hotels, elegant cuisine, luxury shopping. 10. Shopping at Wal*Mart is: a) a good idea so long as you keep focused on buying only what you need and resist buying what you don’t just because the price is low. b) a great choice for saving on certain grocery items and finding accessories inexpensive to treat yourself to. c) not what I do. 11. When you think of dinner, the next thought is: a) what you have in your refrigerator and freezer to be cooked b) what you can pick up that is fast and easy. c) a new restaurant. 12. You are contributing a fruit platter for a shower, so you: a) select the fruit and cut it up, arrange it, and wrap it up –cost $15. b) pick up some precut melons and berries, so you don’t have to do any cutting just arranging and wrapping –cost $28. c) phone in an order for one be delivered; that’s $55 for the platter plus $7 for delivery. 13. When a hem falls on your skirt, you: a) sew it up yourself. b) find a seamstress to sew it for you. c) toss it into the back of the closet and buy a new one; it’s obviously a sign that you should. 14. Your view on manicures: a) pay someone to paint my nails? Get real! b) something to treat yourself to for special occasions. c) standing appointments every week are essential. 15. You get a tax refund of a thousand dollars, so you: a) put it in a bank account and consider possible investments. b) use half to splurge on a purchase normally beyond your budget and save the rest. c) go shopping and then out to eat at the most expensive restaurant you can get to. 16. There’s a book you really want to read, so you: a) put in a request for it at your library; you can enjoy reading it as much a month later as you would now. b) check for the lowest price on it online to get it delivered within the week. c) find a full-price bookstore that has it in stock so that you can get it immediately. Who wants to wait? 17. It’s your friend’s birthday, and you surprise her with: a) a homemade cake in her favorite flavor and a card. b) a dinner for the two of you. c) a party for 50 of her friends at an elegant restaurant. 18. An enjoyable date: a) does not have to cost anything if you skip the overpriced drinks and places with admission charges. b) often does cost something, but the real measure is the conversation. c) is one that cost a minimum of three figures. 19. Your selections of dishes for your home would be: a) practical, inexpensive, and replaceable, as they are bound to break down the road. b) something you like that won’t break your budget even when it breaks eventually, though you will try to get something not too delicate. c) the height of elegance to reflect your refined taste; only the finest brand name china is fit to your grace your dinner table. 20. Your view on credit card interest is: a) it should be avoided above all, even if that means always paying cash. b) it may unavoidable if unexpected expenses have to be covered. c) what has to be paid each month as part of the minimum payment on the statement. To assure you answer each question honestly, be sure you don’t have anyone peeking over your shoulder while you mark your choices. You don’t want to feel pressured to mark what you believe would be expected of you. Take 3 points for each A you select. Take 2 points for each B you select. Take 1 point for each C you select. A score of 20-27 indicates that you view budgets the same way some do deadlines – as something put in place just to be broken. With such spending tendencies, you could find yourself in debt even with a substantial income. If your score is 53-60, you are a cautious person who can be counted on to stick to a budget. You should be able to achieve goals such as owning a home, educating your children, and having enough saved to retire into a comfortable old age. But you would likely not be able to tolerate someone who buys first and thinks of bank balances. If you score 37-43, you are quite in the middle of the range between spending and saving. However, there is not just a single center. If you score 28-36, then you have a tendency to some extravagance, which may need to be checked if your income does not keep pace with your tendency to spend. If you score 44-52 you have a tilt toward thrift which should serve you well in keeping on a sound financial course, though you would not be strictly rigid about saving all the time. A person who is basically centered but tends to give in to strong temptations to spend could be counterbalanced by a spouse who tends toward the other end. While opposites may initially attract, two people at opposite ends are likely to clash because their perspectives are fundamentally different, which would make it very difficult for them to come to an agreement about their finances. On the other hand, the middle of the road individual, who is conscious of both the need for budgeting and the temptation of treating oneself with something extravagant is probably the best choice for either extreme. Someone who is in the center can possibly curb the tendency of the spendthrift or influence the saver to relax the virtue of thrift when appropriate with a sympathetic understanding of the forces that drive another into more extreme behavior.
This article has been updated and expanded. It is now an 8 part series at http://www.examiner.com/x-18522-NY-Jewish-Bridal-Examiner~y2010m6d3-Dont-knock-a-cheap-date ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From the Winter 2008 issue: Don't Throw It Out “They don’t make them like they used to.” You know that cliché you’ve hear from your parents or even grandparent? Unfortunately, it is true. Built in obsolescence applies not only to items that utilize the latest technology .like cell phones but to simple, everyday items like shoes. They are designed to be thrown out rather than repaired. The shoes of yesteryear were made with an understanding that a well-made shoe can last for many years even though the heel will wear down after only a few months of use. Consequently, the shoes were made in a way that allowed for heel replacement. For $5 you would get new heels to replace the worn ones on women’s shoes, $8-$10 for the larger men’s heels. But now when I bring in my husband’s shoes for heel replacement, the shoemaker says that it cannot be done. He explains that today’s shoes have hollow heels which makes them impossible to repair. There are two reasons for this state of shoes. One is the hollowness makes them lighter, something the wearer appreciates. The other is that it costs less to make the shoe, something the manufacturer appreciates. The manufacturer may also appreciate the fact that irreparable shoes need to be replaced altogether, which means another pair sold for him. It is really a shame that a shoe that otherwise completely intact requires replacement because the one worn part cannot be repaired.
As this type of situation is frustrating
to the frugal among us who hate to be wasteful and throw
things out, there is a book to alleviate the problem. While
it does not offer a solution for the heels on shoes,
Don't
Throw It Out: Recycle, Renew and Reuse to Make Things Last by Lori Baird and the editors of Yankee
Magazine (Rodale:2007) offers solutions and approaches to
many other things you would use in your home. The ideas could
not only save you money but help diminish some of the waste that
contributes to the decline of our environment. The list price on the
paperback is $17.95, but it is available from Amazon for
$12.21.
I
Don't Throw It Out gives you the techniques for cleaning and maintaining the many things you are likely to find in your household, not just the big ticket items, but even hairdryers and irons -- both for clothes and hair. Within the pages, you’ll discover the tricks to remove the type of stains, spots, and discolorations you may have thought were impossible to rectify, from rust to rings on wood. You’ll find that vinegar is an indispensable item in a home even if you have absolutely no inclination to make cucumber salad. It can be used to clean so many things and is both non-toxic and inexpensive, a very good combination. If all else fails, the book offers a wealth of ideas for recycled uses of objects that can no longer serve in their original capacity.
Efficiency Among the topics covered is the setup and maintenance of appliances, including diagnoses and remedy of problems One point on appliances to consider when making a purchase, while energy efficiency is certainly a virtue you seek in an appliance, do consider just how much savings in energy cost the Energy Star rating on an appliance promises you. Then do the math to calculate if it pays to pay $50 more now to save $10 a year on operating costs. Sometimes the difference between an Energy Star rated appliance and one that does not quite make it into the category is not great enough to warrant the higher price tag.
Self-Reliance A basic understanding of how your appliances function is essential, even if you do not feel confident enough to change the heating element of your oven yourself -- though the instructions are in the book for those who are. If you are completely clueless, you are in danger of being duped by incompetent or unscrupulous repairmen. For example, a few years ago, my not-old-but-past-warranty-age oven ceased to function properly. I called a company whose name I found in numerous ads for a diagnosis and estimate. I explained to the repairmen who came that I no longer heard the oven fan operate. They claimed that I did not understand that the real cause of the problem was the oven’s computer, which would cost over $400 to replace. As the man said this with a straight face, he was either completely incompetent or a consummate liar. But I wasn’t buying. Instead, I called Mark of A1, who confirmed that it was the fan alone that needed to be replaced, a repair that cost about $80.
Inefficiency and Warranty Something to be aware of with respect to appliance repair is the limitations on service contracts. A new appliance usually is under warranty from the manufacturer for about a year. You sometimes have the option of extending the warranty coverage by purchasing a service contract. While it sound like a good idea in theory, in fact, there are some facts you have to be wary of. First of all, the warranty is voided by a number of possible actions on your part, so you must review the fine print. Among those actions is having a repair done on your own, even by a competent professional. Well, why would you want to pay someone for a repair that would be covered for free anyway? The answer is timing. While your warranty may guarantee a repair at no cost, it does not guarantee that it will be done at your convenience. A neighbor of mind said she was still waiting after 2 weeks for her oven to be repaired. In the meantime, she was shuttling across town to use her daughter’s oven. I have also seen desperate request for repair from people whose ovens have broken down shortly before a Yom Tov who simply cannot wait those weeks to get their service contract repair.
. Here are some pointers from the book with the page numbers that show its range from kitchen stoves to lipstick and the many reasons not to throw away those filters you thought you couldn’t use anymore.
Appliance Settings and Setup You can cut down on your energy bills and the wear and tear on your appliances. How do you maximize the efficiency and lifespan of your refrigerator? By setting it at the right temperature, which is between 36 and 38 degrees F. That setting uses the minimal amount of energy to keep cold enough for the food within. For a freezer, set the temperature between 0 and 5 degrees F. Another thing you can do to keep your freezer running more efficiently is to keep it well stocked. That is because a nearly empty freezer has to work harder than one filled with food that helps maintain the cold (5).
Less on Laundry If the clothes you are washing are not soiled but just not fresh, you can cut down the amount of detergent you use to half and set your machine for the shortest wash cycle. This would still effectively freshen clothes that do not need any stain removal. You would save on detergent, and the shorter cycle saves water and energy, as well as the “wear and tear” that washing causes on clothing and your machine (209).
Out of the Dryer: You’re not really going to toss out that dryer sheet just because you used already? Don't Throw It Out certainly lives up to its title in explaining how that dryer sheet can yet be used in any of the following ways (216):
When to Seek Cover Covering your food processor with plastic wrap before locking the lid in place will keep it from requiring a cleaning that contributes to scrapes on its surface. (12) But do not try to apply this idea to keeping your oven floor clean. Placing aluminum foil on the bottom can result in a damaged heating element (7).
Location, Location, Location If you have the option to set up your kitchen, try to set the refrigerator apart from your oven or range. While it may be convenient to pop food right out to the stove without having to walk across the room, the heat surrounding the refrigerator forces the compressor to work harder to maintain its cool temperature. As a result, it uses up more electricity and wears itself out faster (4). Another placement concern is the damaging effect steam has on wood. Cooking with steamers or steam kettles releases moisture that is not kind to the woodwork. Consequently, you should try to distance such appliance from cabinets overhead and minimize steam contact by placing kettles on the front of the range, so that they are not directly under the wood ( 27).
Creative Coffee Filter Uses These are so varied and useful you may choose to try them even if your coffeemaker still takes the filters you have. The idea was that if you find yourself with filters that do not fit your new coffee maker, you do not have to toss them because they can be used in so many other ways (16-17):
Cool Cosmetic Pointers Shape Up Your Lipstick: A warm environment may sound inviting in winter, but high temperature can cause your makeup to melt. Lipstick can actually get so soft that it breaks apart when you attempt to apply it, and your pencils will smear as you try to draw a line. Don’t toss them, move them. Keep them in the refrigerator to keep them firm while its hot. Chilling your lipstick is also a good idea if you find that it has lost its shape. Use a razor to slice the end to shape it like new. But be sure the lipstick is firm before you do this, so pop it in the fridge first. Another lipstick trick comes from the freezer. After applying lip gloss, run an ice cube over your lips to reduce the number of times you have to touch up (199).
Still, even the author of Don't Throw It Out has to concede that there comes a time when your cosmetic should be tossed. Even though they do not come with “best if used by __” on them, cosmetics do have limited lives. The lifespan of lipstick is given as a maximum of 18 months. The same goes for foundation and moisturizer. Other cosmetics have an even shorter duration: a year for eye shadow, pencils and concealer and a half a year for mascara (200). Considering these points, you don’t really save by buying the makeup with greater quantity if you will not use it all by the expiration date. I confess, that I have kept my makeup for longer than the recommended amount of time, though I do try to remember to replace my mascara as it can products used about the eyes can prove harmful if kept too long.
Save Yourself Time and Frustration
This book is not just about what to do yourself but how to find key information. So you want to call a company but do not have the number for it? You can try to find the company online to get its number. If that doesn’t work, you can still get the number of a though EDGAR (Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system) if it is a public company. Find the company phone number listed at www.sec.gov/edgar/searchedgar/companysearch.html). Of course, sometimes the phone number just leads to further frustration of endless recorded messages. If you get as annoyed by the never-ending automated menus you encounter when trying to reach a person at a company, you’ll really value the insider’s trick this book offers. There is a website, gethuman.com/us, that lists over 500 companies’ toll-free numbers and the “shortcut to reach each company’s live customer service department” (166).
Now that tip alone may well be worth what you pay for the book. In truth, the creative and practical ideas of the book could save you quite a number of pretty pennies in the long run. Though I started this article with the affirmation of one old saying, I must point out that the cliché, “A penny saved is a penny earned” is not true. Pennies saved are better than pennies earned because what you save you keep, while what you earn is subject to federal, state, and local withholding. Still, if you are not yet certain about Don't Throw It Out, just imagine the possibilities. Picture your mother-in-law’s r reaction when you casually mention that you did not need to call her plumber because you fixed the problem with your faucet yourself. The home repair saves you the cost of a service call, but the astonished expression on your mother-in-law’s face would be priceless indeed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
from the Summer 2008 issue
The best things in life are free; for everything else, there’s Master Card. That could be the slogan for a vacation to Washington DC. This is one place where the best things to see are, in fact, free. When I say "free," I mean totally free – not "free" like the places in New York that claim to be free but extort a "suggested donation" admission price from all visitors. But while you get in to the many government buildings, monuments, museums, and the zoo without being buttonholed for a cent, the food, lodgings, and parking within the city do not come cheap. With a bit of research on where to go, to stay, and to eat, though, you can put together a very affordable vacation at our nation’s capital. You can return from your vacation feeling very virtuous for having been enlightened without lightening your wallet too much. Below is an overview of some of the highlights based on previous summer stays and a winter break visit this year.
The Museum of Natural History at 10th Street & Constitution Ave. NW, in Washington, D.C. 20560 202-633-1000.Regular hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. With extended hours until 7:30 on certain dates. While it doesn’t have as many dinosaurs on exhibit as the natural history museum in New York, it does offer some and, even better, scientists working on real fossils right on the premises. Its gem collection, with the famous Hope Diamond (pictured on this page), is extremely impressive. You can buy replicas in various jewelry forms in the gift shops.
There is so much to see in Washington DC that it is nearly impossible to do it all in single trip, especially during the summer when you are bound to encounter lines to enter popular attractions.. But if you plan your days early and head out later for the places that do not require timed admissions or tours for entry, you should be able to tick your must-sees off your list. As parking is rather scarce in the middle of town, be prepared to pick one spot and walk between buildings. Plan your itinerary accordingly to economize your time and travel. With the right planning, you’ll have a great time with very minimal expense. Enjoy some of the best on offer for free for a vacation experience that is indeed priceless.
From the winter 2005 issue of Kallah Magazine: Take Charge! Are you armed and dangerous? A credit card in your wallet could turn into a loaded weapon, triggered by your spending habits and aimed at your credit score. A credit card has great potential – it can prove greatly beneficial or seriously harmful. Misused, a credit card may be one of the most dangerous things to have in your possession. Alternatively, if you maintain control over it, your credit card can actually serve as a tool to build your credit and assist you in tracking your expenditures. Think of it as a force like that of water: you can harness its power to your advantage. On the other hand, if it breaks beyond set boundaries, you will be lost in the depths. Would you take out a loan at a rate of interest of about 20%? How high is that? It is about triple the rate you would be paying on a mortgage and, unlike mortgage or home equity loans, this interest is not at all tax deductible. Another way to appreciate how much it costs you to effectively borrow from your credit card by not paying your entire bill is to look at what banks pay you. Right now a saving account or CD may yield somewhere around 3.5%. Given those numbers, it is mind-boggling that many people consider it a virtue to put aside some money in their savings accounts while they continue to make only the minimum payments on their credit cards. They are paying 20% or so to keep back money that will earn less than a fifth of that! Yes, saving is important, but it is more important to cut down costly debt. Carrying credit card debt is a very expensive long-term venture for millions of Americans who cannot pay off their credit card bills. As interest rates have risen, carrying credit card debt costs consumers even more.. The problem has grown to such proportions that, according to a Wall Street Journal report, the government is now stepping in, requiring higher minimum payments for credit card monthly statements to force people to start digging themselves out of the debt that mounts with each purchase and each month’s accumulation of interest and finance charges. The government mandate compels people’s minimum payments to include a portion that will chip away at the debt, rather than merely satisfying interest payment. How do so many people fall into credit card debt? Often it starts with a faulty assumption. People justify buying what they really cannot afford by positing that their income will rise in the future. Their position is that they may as well buy the furniture, entertainments system, or vacation package they wish to enjoy now, and they will be able to pay it off as their income rises to meet their expenditures. Now it is true that people’s incomes to tend to rise as they gain success and advancement in their careers. However, the unfortunate fact of life is that our cost of living tends to rise even faster. It is not just a question of inflation but of the increased expenses that inevitably are incurred by growing families. You can spend a lot less on food and clothes as a couple than you can as a family of four, and when you add child care and tuition costs into the picture, it is very clear that a much higher income would be needed just to stay afloat. Consequently, the philosophy of “Buy now; pay later,” often used to sell bigger ticket items can cost you big time. If you cannot pick up the tab later, you are forced to get into deeper and deeper debt. In the end the $2000 vacation package that was just too good a deal to pass up can prove far more expensive when you add in all the interest charges you incur. Once you start failing to pay your credit card debt in full, you are in danger of falling down, down down -- much like Alice descended in the rabbit hole – as you find yourself deeper in debts. It requires a great deal of effort to pull yourself out, and it gets more difficult to dig yourself out of that hole as time goes on. That is why many people can stay in debt for decades . With the possibility for such dire consequences, why do people ever venture on applying for a credit card – or rather accepting one of the many offers that comes in the mail? The fact is that there are real benefits to using a credit card. But, as with so many other key issues in life, you have to know yourself. If you are the type of person who buys things just to have something to do, or to cheer yourself up, and you don’t have the disposable income to keep pace with your spending, a credit card in your hands may turn into a ticking bomb that can destroy your budget and leave a negative mark on your credit history. You also shouldn’t continue to carry a credit card if someone else has gotten hold of the information because their charges will become your liability. Always check your statement for unauthorized charges and bring them to the attention of the credit card company immediately. Demand that they be investigated, and if there is evidence that someone is making charges on your card, cancel it. However, that does not mean everyone should shun credit cards. They can prove useful and offer several advantages:
I.
Convenience: 1)freedom from carrying cash to pay for purchases 2)ability to pay for purchase without worrying that there is enough in the account now to cover the check 3)ability to make purchases over the phone and internet 4)ability to place reservations at hotels, etc. II.Consumer protection: In cases when you have received damaged or the wrong merchandise, your credit card company can freeze the charges to the merchant in question until the matter is settled. If you have paid cash, you are in a far less favorable position to recover the cost. III. Establishment of credit history: A favorable credit score, which grants you the reward of lower mortgage rates and sometimes even lower insurance rates, is the result of establishing your credit. In order to accomplish that, you have to not only abstain from not paying debt, you have to prove yourself responsible by having handled credit well. In order to do that, some people actually take out loans they don’t even need just to pay them back to establish themselves as credit-worthy. But paying your credit card bills in full can have the same effect with no interest charges. IV.Other benefits: 1) Some credit cards “reward” you with miles, merchandise, or rebates on purchases. For example, the credit card I use is linked to gas station, allowing me to earn free gas at the rate of 1% of my purchases. 2) Another extra, I get with my credit card is a contribution to yeshivas. My MasterCard is registered with both eScrip and Count on Me, programs that contribute about 3% of purchases to the designated organization at participating stores. I also have it registered with UPromise, which is supposed to build up a college savings account based on the percentage return at participating merchants.. You can enjoy all the advantages above without getting burned by the dangers if you keep yourself and your expenditures under control. Once you establish yourself as a good credit bet, you will be presented with the most favorable loan and financing rates, which could save you substantial amounts over the life of the loan. You also gain more respectable standing for those who hold your debt, so that a minor lapse on your part will more likely be forgiven than your less well-established counterpart. For example, it has happened to me that the check I mailed to pay off my statement never arrived at the destination. As soon as that fact came to my attention, I contacted the company. The phone representative then reviewed my payment history, and on that basis waived the finance fees. Had my history shown that neglecting to pay was an ingrained habit, I would have had to pay over $100 over the charges. A good reputation is indeed worthwhile. It is somewhat comforting to think that virtue can get you more than its own reward. So take charge of your credit! From the first issue: Considering Cost: Medical Insurance by Ariella Brown When you get married, you have to reassess your situation and insurance needs. You need to get adequate coverage for your car, home, and, -- when you have or are about to have dependents – your life. Most important of all is insuring your health. While you may think you cannot afford adequate health insurance, the fact is that you cannot afford to be without it. As obstetrical and hospital costs have skyrocketed, it is important to be adequately covered. Even the least complicated births can amount to $10,000. When choosing your coverage, you have to not only consider the costs of the premiums but of the deductible and co-insurance amounts. Be aware of both the range and limitations of your coverage, so you know which doctors you can choose from at full coverage and which will cost you out of pocket. Also be aware of what is considered your responsibility. Do not agree to pay your doctor directly and then get reimbursed by your insurance until you’ve ascertained that your plan is structured that way. Many insurances policies do not issue checks to the policy holders but pay doctors according less than what they would bill you for according to their contract agreement. You have to educate yourself about your policy’s options, so that you do not put yourself in a situation which gives your insurance an excuse not to cover your costs. Each of my children was born into a different health insurance plan. So I got to learn that changes policies can result in huge differences in one’s out of pocket costs. With my first child, I had the traditional type of insurance that after a deductible covers 80% of medical expenses. Of course, the remaining 20% came out of my pocket. Now 20% may not sound like a lot, but it adds up to well over a thousand dollars in the course of a completely uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery. The doctor’s fee alone was $5000 (this was 12 years ago). That fee did not include the cost of lab work, ultrasounds, or the hospital stay. At Columbia Presbyterian at the time, the rate for a semi-private room, for which expectant moms were encouraged to bring our own pillows from home and nursing attention that reflected an attitude of not altogether benign neglect, the charge was $1225 per day. The nursery care was $750 per day. Any pain killers would incur additional charges, but they didn’t offer me anything when I was in labor despite my complaints about the pain. Oh, yes, there also is a delivery room charge, but since my baby was born in the elevator (after waiting in the hospital for some 16 hours – but that’s another story), they couldn’t tack that one on to my bill. So even in the simplest of deliveries without even the aid of the episiotomy that they seemed to have planned for me, my share of the maternity care costs was significant. Just after my first was born, we switched to US Healthcare and to a doctor affiliated with Einstein. As in the case for most HMO’s, all maternity costs were covered 100% for in-network service providers. In this case, we did not have an uncomplicated birth. In the beginning of my seventh month, I had a placental abruption and an emergency C-Section. As a result, I had to stay in the hospital for 4 days, and my baby had to be in the NICU for 3 weeks. Even after she was discharged, my preemie had several appointments with specialists that are not necessary in normal births. I don’t know what the total fees amounted to because I was not responsible for them, but I would estimate that the hospitalization and doctors’ bills would have amounted to $20,000 or more due to all the additional procedures and the extended stay. That does not mean that the insurance paid the doctors that amount. They only pay the set contract amount, which is often far lower than the fees charged to individuals would be, so don’t feel too indebted to your insurance carrier for paying your medical expenses. When I was expecting my third, we were on Oxford insurance and living in New Jersey. Though it carried much higher co-payments, Oxford’s coverage, like US Healthcare’s, was designed to cover maternity costs 100%. So I was surprised that the office demanded $20 from me each time I came in. By the third time, I figured out something didn’t jive. Then they told me that the doctor had not yet entered the pregnancy diagnosis and so was billing the insurance – and me – for each visit separately, rather than chalking them up to set fee for maternity care. Unfortunately, the doctors I went to (who were recommended) were not content with the fee set by the Oxford contract even though they had bound themselves to it. So they come up with a plan to circumvent the limitations and get a few hundred dollars more out of Oxford and $60 more out of me. When I voiced my objections, the office manager said, “$60 is not so much to pay to have a healthy baby.” That response ignores the fact that those doctors were not only cheating me, but cheating the insurance and all the people whose premiums go into maintaining the insurance. While I tried to report this to Oxford, the “customer service” people didn’t do anything about it and did not seem to be the least bit concerned about being defrauded. So I complained to the insurance agent of my husband’s employer. She took action to force the doctors to refund the co-payments they collected beyond the first visit. What was the doctors’ response? They sent a cool letter refusing to keep me on. That was a consequence I could live with. I found another practice that proved quite competent, as well as honest. I stayed with them through the birth of my next child. While there were insurance changes along the way, they did not have a major impact. Based on my experience, I would recommend you get an insurance plan that gives you 100% coverage for maternity. Even though 10% of the cost of a standard delivery may be manageable within your budget, the costs can shoot up if something unexpected happens while you’re expecting. When your income is limited, such expenses can be devastating. However, you also have to consider if the doctors and hospitals you prefer are included in the plan. Remember to review all the options, including premium costs, out of pocket expenses, and in network limitations, so that you make the choice that’s best for you. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From the fall 2006 issue: The Bandwagon Versus the Budget
When you start setting up a new household, you will find that there are many things you need. The basics include something to sleep in, something to sit on, something to eat at, something to eat with, and something to prepare your food in. The cost of the basic bed, chair, table, pots, and pans should fit within your budget. The question is can you stretch you budget beyond the basics? While shopping for the basic necessities, your eye will inevitably be drawn to the more luxurious offerings. Then you may start thinking: “Why should I settle for just a bed and a dresser when I could have a beautiful bedroom suite in mahogany? Why do I have to choose my linen from the clearance bins instead of the stunning 500 thread count designer sets?” Your voice of reason would answer: “A thousand dollars is the maximum you can spend on the bedroom, including all furnishings, pillows, sheets, and blankets. That is why you cannot buy the designer pieces.” As you are a reasonable person, you resolve to stick to your budget. But then you hear another voice pipe up, “But everyone today starts out with a full bedroom set and top of the line linen.” Where did that voice come from? It could be from a friend, a relative, or even inside your own head. It is the voice of the bandwagon argument, named for the image of jumping on the bandwagon to join everyone else. It is an argument frequently used in advertising, most obviously in slogans such as, “Everyone is doing it.” What is understood by that statement is if everyone is doing something, then you must follow suit. When you were in school, you may have tried that argument on your own mother by saying, “Every girl goes to Florida without her parents for winter break.” Likely, you mother would have responded: “Well, ‘everyone’ is not my daughter,” or more classically, “If ‘everyone’ decided to jump off a bridge, would you do it, too?” Of course, for teenagers who are easily swayed by peer pressure, the answer would actually be “yes.” But your mother was correct in not being swayed by the fact that other people were doing what you wanted to do. Following the latest fads or emulating whatever the “in” group appears to be doing is a form of behavior that is alien to our core values. Such conduct is based on the logic of the bandwagon argument, but that logic is faulty. Though we do say “acharey rabbim lehatos,” that only holds for competent Torah authorities. The truth is that you cannot ascertain that something is right for you to do on the basis that other people are doing it. For that reason, the bandwagon argument is one of the logical fallacies that students of rhetoric are trained to look out for. It is a fallacy because something does not become valid or necessary simply because many people pursue it. Should you find yourself in the unwelcome situation of being surrounded by smokers, would you light up also? If you are still in possession of the sense that has become all too uncommon, you would not only resist but remove yourself, or get them to move, so that you can breathe. On the hand, you would accept their offer of a cigarette and light and proceed to inhale carcinogens if you opt to follow the bandwagon.. The bandwagon fallacy is something you must train yourself to look out for when planning your purchases. If you are not aware of its hazards, then you may find yourself riding the wagon right over the bridge your mother referred to, but in this case, the bridge is your budget that keeps you from falling into the pit of debt. To avoid that danger you must learn to distinguish between what you really need to meet the basic requirement of food, clothing, shelter, and some recreation in accordance to your income, and what you could think you should have because other people have it. For instance, all your friends started out in a 2 bedroom apartment. After doing the math you find that a budget based on your income will only cover the rent for a one bedroom. Will your home decision be based on the reality of your situation or on joining the bandwagon? Even if you could swing the larger apartment if you dip into your savings, consider this: living within your means will allow you to keep that safety net of savings growing so that there will more there for you when you really need it. Stint as a couple so that you will not need to stint when your family grows and you really do need more space, food, and diapers. The Gemara’s recommendation when planning one’s budget is to dress within one’s means, to eat below one’s means, and to honor one’s wife above one’s means. Notice there is nothing about one’s neighbor’s means. You have to consider your budget from the perspective of your own income, and even then, you should not spend the maximum that you could afford. The advice is to dress within your means but not below it: so your clothes should be as good as you can afford within your budget. That means you shop within your price range and forego a bandwagon trip to the exclusive boutique where your neighbor picked up a frilly skirt for $350. Food should take up less of your budget than what you may consider given your income. For example, say you really could afford to eat lunch out everyday as you see the people all around you do. What will decide you? On the one hand is the appeal of the bandwagon – seeing what the crowd does and following suit; on the other hand is the significant amount of money that can be save by brown bagging your lunch. Let’s say you want to enjoy a tuna salad and iced tea: you can either pay upwards of $6 for it, or prepare it at home for a total cost of $2 (or less). That $4 (or more) a day turns into $20 a week, which adds up to over $1000 in a year! So what are to make of the counsel to honor one’s wife above one’s means? The measure here again is internal, not based on what other wives are getting. For instance, a husband who plans to buy himself a new Yom Tov outfit and allocates X amount for it should be willing to allot his wife a greater amount. Yet, that does not mean that she should blow the whole year’s budget on a couture outfit – even if her neighbor just got one. Similarly, someone earning $40,000 a year would not be obligated to buy his wife a $4000 fur coat (or, more commonly, a custom sheitel). Of course, honor to one’s wife can be accomplished without spending a cent, by demonstrating consideration in conversation and in household chores. Complimenting her on the way she looks in what she does have may make her feel better than telling her to buy something new. But the bandwagon doesn’t show such private practices. Admittedly, it does take more effort to show honor without money, but you cannot always have your wallet do the talking for you if you are to have an emotionally rewarding relationship in which the measure of all things is not how much it costs in dollars. Living within your budgeting does not mean leading a life devoid of fun. Just as you must budget for the basic necessities of life, you must budget for recreation. Yet, again, it must not be determined by what others do, but by what is affordable for your income range. You may have neighbors who summer on Fire Island, winter in Puerto Rico, spend Pesach in Switzerland, and hold season tickets for the Yankees, Knicks, and Rangers. Can you keep pace with them? Unless you’ve just won the lottery, don’t even try. Yet you can find vacations and forms of entertainment that will not leave you paying off credit card debt. Don’t focus on what you cannot do but on what you can. Your three day trip to Boston may leave you with as many fond memories as the trip to Europe your rich friend took. A good book could take you places in your imagination. A good shiur could take you to new levels of inspiration. A free show or concert in the park can be as enjoyable as one on Broadway. But not if you’re watching what’s happening on the bandwagon instead of enjoying what you are doing. Just let that bandwagon go by and enjoy the show. You’ll not only be more secure emotionally, but financially, as well.
|
Take a Break Without
Breaking Your Budget by Ariella Brown