Wednesday, October 28, 2009
12 Healthful Foods for $1 or Less
From MSN Money. The same lady that brought us the "Dollar Store Diet" of foods costing $1 or less now has a healthier budget selection without the earth-shattering amounts of sodium, sugar, and reliance on Chinese imports with less-than-rigorous food safety standards.
Monday, October 19, 2009
My Own "Colored Ribbon" Campaigns
From the comment on the Susan G. Komen "cat chow for the cure" campaign:
"I know--let's start a HEALTH REFORM campaign! Let's use green ribbons to represent the money you'd save, and get certain foods labeled as "food for the cure". We'll have walk-a-thons that raise no money (you're supposed to be in it for the exercise), sell hats and t-shirts suitable for being in the sun, and even have "green ribbon" services highlighted at doctor's and nutritionist's offices.
Oh, I forgot--we can also "green ribbon" soap (for washing hands), salt substitute, organic pet foods (what the hell), smoking cessation products, bottled water, sunscreen, vitamins, toothpaste and floss, the list goes on.
The money "raised" or saved can go towards your very own health insurance needs.
How's THAT for a campaign?"
Alternatively, we can invent a "black ribbon" campaign to mark the foods you should STAY AWAY from, like sugar, salt, sodas, cigarettes and tobacco products, alcohol, fast foods, high fructose corn syrup, etc. THAT money could go toward funding the Public Option--basically, they'd be self-insuring without bothering the rest of us.
Hey--if Susan G. Komen can do this, why can't Congress? She "pinked" small appliances, pet foods, groceries, t-shirts and hats, shoes, and heaven knows what all else. Why can't Congress do this very same thing and let CONSUMERS decide if this is what they want to buy (or buy into)?
"I know--let's start a HEALTH REFORM campaign! Let's use green ribbons to represent the money you'd save, and get certain foods labeled as "food for the cure". We'll have walk-a-thons that raise no money (you're supposed to be in it for the exercise), sell hats and t-shirts suitable for being in the sun, and even have "green ribbon" services highlighted at doctor's and nutritionist's offices.
Oh, I forgot--we can also "green ribbon" soap (for washing hands), salt substitute, organic pet foods (what the hell), smoking cessation products, bottled water, sunscreen, vitamins, toothpaste and floss, the list goes on.
The money "raised" or saved can go towards your very own health insurance needs.
How's THAT for a campaign?"
Alternatively, we can invent a "black ribbon" campaign to mark the foods you should STAY AWAY from, like sugar, salt, sodas, cigarettes and tobacco products, alcohol, fast foods, high fructose corn syrup, etc. THAT money could go toward funding the Public Option--basically, they'd be self-insuring without bothering the rest of us.
Hey--if Susan G. Komen can do this, why can't Congress? She "pinked" small appliances, pet foods, groceries, t-shirts and hats, shoes, and heaven knows what all else. Why can't Congress do this very same thing and let CONSUMERS decide if this is what they want to buy (or buy into)?
This Just In From One of My Newsletters
The Privateer #640 (Mid-October edition)
Japan And China Are Getting Together:
In the week prior to the SCO meeting in Beijing, China and Japan announced that they are discussing plans to create an “East Asian Community” which has deliberate similarities to the European Union (EU).
Initially, the areas of co-operation between the Community’s members in general and China and Japan in particular are in the areas of visa free travel, public health, energy and “environmental” issues. From there the issues will widen to common policies on agriculture (straight out of the EU playbook) and defence. And waiting in the wings is possible discussion about a “common currency” for East Asia.
All this has come swiftly out into the open with the demise of the long-ruling LDP in Japan and the new Japanese DPJ government under Prime Minister Hatoyama. Mr Hatoyama is believed to have put the proposal to Chinese President Hu at their first meeting on September 21, days after he was formally sworn in as Japanese Prime Minister. China and Japan are number one and two in the world in regard to
their holdings of foreign exchange reserves, still predominantly denominated in both cases in US Dollars.
Asia as a whole now clearly sees that their future does NOT lie in endless exports to the US. They are acting accordingly - with a speed which is at least matching the fall in the US Dollar.
Why should this matter to you? If China and Japan get together, you'd better learn REAL QUICK how to bow! Their propensity for saving and frugality, combined with production and currency manipulation, makes for an awesome path to Supreme World Leader. EVERYONE will be indebted to them for ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING!!
You are aware (aren't you?) that China's been going around the world buying up resources, or the rights to resources. Pair that with the two main engines of economic growth (savings and production), and they will basically own the world.
Remember--he who has the gold makes the rules...and both Japan and China have some pretty onerous rules in their societies. What do you think their new chief export will become? Hint: new rules--how many kids you can have, how close you can walk behind your spouse, what side of the road you drive on, what side of the car you steer from (Japan has right-side drive cars), what you CAN or CANNOT say to each other, on the web, or to officials, the list goes on. This will all come as a way to "restore order" in the land of the free.
Japan And China Are Getting Together:
In the week prior to the SCO meeting in Beijing, China and Japan announced that they are discussing plans to create an “East Asian Community” which has deliberate similarities to the European Union (EU).
Initially, the areas of co-operation between the Community’s members in general and China and Japan in particular are in the areas of visa free travel, public health, energy and “environmental” issues. From there the issues will widen to common policies on agriculture (straight out of the EU playbook) and defence. And waiting in the wings is possible discussion about a “common currency” for East Asia.
All this has come swiftly out into the open with the demise of the long-ruling LDP in Japan and the new Japanese DPJ government under Prime Minister Hatoyama. Mr Hatoyama is believed to have put the proposal to Chinese President Hu at their first meeting on September 21, days after he was formally sworn in as Japanese Prime Minister. China and Japan are number one and two in the world in regard to
their holdings of foreign exchange reserves, still predominantly denominated in both cases in US Dollars.
Asia as a whole now clearly sees that their future does NOT lie in endless exports to the US. They are acting accordingly - with a speed which is at least matching the fall in the US Dollar.
Why should this matter to you? If China and Japan get together, you'd better learn REAL QUICK how to bow! Their propensity for saving and frugality, combined with production and currency manipulation, makes for an awesome path to Supreme World Leader. EVERYONE will be indebted to them for ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING!!
You are aware (aren't you?) that China's been going around the world buying up resources, or the rights to resources. Pair that with the two main engines of economic growth (savings and production), and they will basically own the world.
Remember--he who has the gold makes the rules...and both Japan and China have some pretty onerous rules in their societies. What do you think their new chief export will become? Hint: new rules--how many kids you can have, how close you can walk behind your spouse, what side of the road you drive on, what side of the car you steer from (Japan has right-side drive cars), what you CAN or CANNOT say to each other, on the web, or to officials, the list goes on. This will all come as a way to "restore order" in the land of the free.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
So Much for Curtain Shopping
We got hung up by people coming over for estimates, and got a thorough education on the intricacies of HVAC systems (hybrids, split-systems, etc.). The guy who did the HVAC estimate got a gold star from me for being a former American Airlines pilot, and knew "Sully" personally.
The first question out of my mouth is "does Al Gore have anything to do with these hybrid systems?" No, he does not. They're a combination of gas and electric, and the gas doesn't come on until a heat load is called for--which means the electric fan is busy circulating the previously-pumped hot air throughout your house.
He got another gold star because he was able to wring almost $5000 in tax credits and rebates from all levels (fed, state, local, and manufacturer) from a $10,000 system that was VASTLY better than what was in the house now. The state, local, and manufacturer are available after installation and coming in the mail, whereas I have to wait for the federal one--I get SOME money back before doing the tax returns, and it's going to the mortgage. The total money I get back from this amounts to somewhere between 6-7 house payments.
Then we have the property tax and interest write-offs, which may amount to more house payments, depending on pro-rate (since we closed in October). There's always next year, when we'll have a full calendar of interest and property taxes--that'll probably be another 3-4 months of house payments.
He also threw in a bunch of freebies like a necessary wiring and circuit upgrade to handle the new system, a thorough check of existing ducts (including pressure check) to see if they need any work (any needed work is also free), new wiring for the new control pad, a new gas line to the attic unit (ours apparently has pinhole leaks in it), a year's supply of filters, two years of coil cleaning, and an extension of the warranty on the outside compressor (normally 10 years--he threw in two more for transferring to new owners), and a bunch of other stuff I can't even remember.
The HVAC info was the same thing a friend of Hubby's (who does HVAC in Colorado) told us, so I trust this guy's info, and plan on referring him to the neighbors, who are doing a near-teardown of the house next door. A Visa gift card worth $100 is given for every referral, and they have one retired customer who makes a tax-free sideline business referring people--he's up to 6 cards already this year.
Captain Sully's friend was enjoyable to talk to--he knew his money shit just like I did, and was up on the legislation both pending and planned. He too knows what's coming down the pike courtesy of Obama. I wouldn't be surprised if he, too, watched Glenn Beck.
Maybe it'll be curtains tomorrow...I was actually excited to find an HVAC salesman (or ANY salesman) who wasn't trying to sell me a crap system for top dollar. For now, I'm getting a Cadillac system for between 40-50% off, and Obama can't tax THIS Cadillac plan!
I've discovered something: like in the MSN article titled "Saving is For Suckers," I'm actually getting more return for my money by spending it this way rather than letting it sit in the bank--the house has already increased (for me) by 30%, and upgrading everything to energy-efficient standards now is only going to help matters when I sell. When was the last time a bank paid 30% interest on savings? To my knowledge, they never have.
The first question out of my mouth is "does Al Gore have anything to do with these hybrid systems?" No, he does not. They're a combination of gas and electric, and the gas doesn't come on until a heat load is called for--which means the electric fan is busy circulating the previously-pumped hot air throughout your house.
He got another gold star because he was able to wring almost $5000 in tax credits and rebates from all levels (fed, state, local, and manufacturer) from a $10,000 system that was VASTLY better than what was in the house now. The state, local, and manufacturer are available after installation and coming in the mail, whereas I have to wait for the federal one--I get SOME money back before doing the tax returns, and it's going to the mortgage. The total money I get back from this amounts to somewhere between 6-7 house payments.
Then we have the property tax and interest write-offs, which may amount to more house payments, depending on pro-rate (since we closed in October). There's always next year, when we'll have a full calendar of interest and property taxes--that'll probably be another 3-4 months of house payments.
He also threw in a bunch of freebies like a necessary wiring and circuit upgrade to handle the new system, a thorough check of existing ducts (including pressure check) to see if they need any work (any needed work is also free), new wiring for the new control pad, a new gas line to the attic unit (ours apparently has pinhole leaks in it), a year's supply of filters, two years of coil cleaning, and an extension of the warranty on the outside compressor (normally 10 years--he threw in two more for transferring to new owners), and a bunch of other stuff I can't even remember.
The HVAC info was the same thing a friend of Hubby's (who does HVAC in Colorado) told us, so I trust this guy's info, and plan on referring him to the neighbors, who are doing a near-teardown of the house next door. A Visa gift card worth $100 is given for every referral, and they have one retired customer who makes a tax-free sideline business referring people--he's up to 6 cards already this year.
Captain Sully's friend was enjoyable to talk to--he knew his money shit just like I did, and was up on the legislation both pending and planned. He too knows what's coming down the pike courtesy of Obama. I wouldn't be surprised if he, too, watched Glenn Beck.
Maybe it'll be curtains tomorrow...I was actually excited to find an HVAC salesman (or ANY salesman) who wasn't trying to sell me a crap system for top dollar. For now, I'm getting a Cadillac system for between 40-50% off, and Obama can't tax THIS Cadillac plan!
I've discovered something: like in the MSN article titled "Saving is For Suckers," I'm actually getting more return for my money by spending it this way rather than letting it sit in the bank--the house has already increased (for me) by 30%, and upgrading everything to energy-efficient standards now is only going to help matters when I sell. When was the last time a bank paid 30% interest on savings? To my knowledge, they never have.
Want Sun Protection? Wear Red or Blue
From HealthDay News.
"The researchers dyed cotton fabrics in a wide range of red, blue and yellow shades and measured the ability of each to absorb UV light. Deep blue shades had the highest UV absorption, while yellow shades had the least, they found."
Now I know what to wear while gardening, besides a hat, sunscreen, and gloves.
"The researchers dyed cotton fabrics in a wide range of red, blue and yellow shades and measured the ability of each to absorb UV light. Deep blue shades had the highest UV absorption, while yellow shades had the least, they found."
Now I know what to wear while gardening, besides a hat, sunscreen, and gloves.
Intrepid Homeowner Unexpected Bonus Post
After closing, we raced over to the house and checked out the garden plot--it wasn't neat, orderly, and squared off (more of a curvy flower bed configuration, bordered with granite blocks), and it wasn't just one. It was THREE, and they all had the exact same plants I would've planted for myself, plus a few I can get rid of.
We found tomatoes (these can go because I'm allergic), bell peppers, a lemon balm bush, cilantro, raspberries, some other berry plant, and some mysterious vines that were about half-dead. She left the plastic tags on most of them, so we could easily identify what was what.
We also inherited a wood picnic table, a swing set, and one of the bedrooms (my pantry room) had a wall-hung shelving unit still mounted--I plan to put this to use in my storage configurations (small stuff can go there, like boxes of decaf tea bags and bars of soap).
I'm glad all I have to do in the garden is pretty much weed and feed, and remove the unwanted plants (maybe replacing them with wanted ones).
The neighbor to the left had apple halves speared onto the top of the chain link fence between us, presumably for birds and squirrels (they were cut-side-up). I added to her bounty with tomatoes that were bug-eaten, and managed to salvage one of the tomatoes and a pepper--the rest had succumbed to a vacant house with nobody to pick them.
The old 80's berber carpets got lifted to discover another bonus: original hardwood floors underneath, and in TERRIFIC condition! The original 60's asphalt kitchen tiles were also in the dining room (in pristine shape) under berber carpet--can't rip this up (it'd have to be abated), so we're going over it with tile-look vinyl until we get ready to move. I wonder what this house looked like before the kitchen/bath renovations!
We also discovered a gas heater in the attic--we thought all CHA systems were pretty much electric, but ours is gas heat-electric A/C. We thought we had a gas water heater too, but it's also electric, and with a 50 gallon capacity (this we plan to change down to 30 gallons, and switch to gas).
It's no wonder the seller left unpaid water bills--I would too of I had to pay for both over-capacity AND electric rates when it came to hot water!
Well, I'm off this afternoon to do grocery shopping and buy curtains for 8 windows I didn't use to have.
We found tomatoes (these can go because I'm allergic), bell peppers, a lemon balm bush, cilantro, raspberries, some other berry plant, and some mysterious vines that were about half-dead. She left the plastic tags on most of them, so we could easily identify what was what.
We also inherited a wood picnic table, a swing set, and one of the bedrooms (my pantry room) had a wall-hung shelving unit still mounted--I plan to put this to use in my storage configurations (small stuff can go there, like boxes of decaf tea bags and bars of soap).
I'm glad all I have to do in the garden is pretty much weed and feed, and remove the unwanted plants (maybe replacing them with wanted ones).
The neighbor to the left had apple halves speared onto the top of the chain link fence between us, presumably for birds and squirrels (they were cut-side-up). I added to her bounty with tomatoes that were bug-eaten, and managed to salvage one of the tomatoes and a pepper--the rest had succumbed to a vacant house with nobody to pick them.
The old 80's berber carpets got lifted to discover another bonus: original hardwood floors underneath, and in TERRIFIC condition! The original 60's asphalt kitchen tiles were also in the dining room (in pristine shape) under berber carpet--can't rip this up (it'd have to be abated), so we're going over it with tile-look vinyl until we get ready to move. I wonder what this house looked like before the kitchen/bath renovations!
We also discovered a gas heater in the attic--we thought all CHA systems were pretty much electric, but ours is gas heat-electric A/C. We thought we had a gas water heater too, but it's also electric, and with a 50 gallon capacity (this we plan to change down to 30 gallons, and switch to gas).
It's no wonder the seller left unpaid water bills--I would too of I had to pay for both over-capacity AND electric rates when it came to hot water!
Well, I'm off this afternoon to do grocery shopping and buy curtains for 8 windows I didn't use to have.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Marketing in Action: Susan G. Komen and Cat Chow for Cancer
From NJ.com
I know it's Breast Cancer Awareness month, and the Save the Tatas campaign is in full swing, but involving PET FOOD? Please...
When you buy "pink", you're merely paying for more "buy pink" campaigns--not actually funding breast cancer research.
I know it's Breast Cancer Awareness month, and the Save the Tatas campaign is in full swing, but involving PET FOOD? Please...
When you buy "pink", you're merely paying for more "buy pink" campaigns--not actually funding breast cancer research.
Steal Your Own Identity Before Hackers Do
From CNN Money.
"No matter which computers we broke into, there was an unbelievable amount of personal information on them," says Feinman, 35. "Even those of the CEOs."
The information doesn't even have to be on computers, as seen in this, this, and this article.
"In 2006 he launched a company to develop his self-hacking application, which he named Identity Finder. Once it sniffs out sensitive information on your machine, the software lets you decide whether to eliminate it or to encrypt it to protect yourself."
"No matter which computers we broke into, there was an unbelievable amount of personal information on them," says Feinman, 35. "Even those of the CEOs."
The information doesn't even have to be on computers, as seen in this, this, and this article.
"In 2006 he launched a company to develop his self-hacking application, which he named Identity Finder. Once it sniffs out sensitive information on your machine, the software lets you decide whether to eliminate it or to encrypt it to protect yourself."
Thursday, October 15, 2009
10 Secrets of Off-Season Home Buying
This article should be named "10 Secrets to Home Buying, Regardless of Season." The article has stuff people should always use any time of year--not just off-season like the title implies.
From Yahoo News. As far as determining peak and off-peak seasons, use the school schedule (the closer you get to Labor Day, the more frantic and generous sellers become). Peak time around here is pretty much Easter to Labor Day, and Halloween to Thanksgiving (so families can move during the winter break).
We toured our house, noticed the seller had kids, and took advantage of the Labor Day squeeze. It worked. Her kids helped me save $30k--too bad she can only write off $3500 each. They were worth much more to me, and I didn't even have to give birth or feed them!
From Yahoo News. As far as determining peak and off-peak seasons, use the school schedule (the closer you get to Labor Day, the more frantic and generous sellers become). Peak time around here is pretty much Easter to Labor Day, and Halloween to Thanksgiving (so families can move during the winter break).
We toured our house, noticed the seller had kids, and took advantage of the Labor Day squeeze. It worked. Her kids helped me save $30k--too bad she can only write off $3500 each. They were worth much more to me, and I didn't even have to give birth or feed them!
The Intrepid Homeowner Post
We looked and looked for something suitable to live in since last October, and thought we had something last spring (the Craftsman-ish house), but we got outbid.
Last July, we had it narrowed down to two possibilities--one was freshly-remodeled from stem to stern, and sat on the market for about 4 months in an under-performing neighborhood (if the owner paid any attention, he would've known this, and not spent $50k remodeling it). We made our offer, but it wasn't accepted--Mr. Flipper wanted his money, and I guess he was willing to wait forever for it.
The other was a house that needed no remodeling--everything in it had been redone some time ago, and was semi-current. The seller was in "short sale" position, her house had sat on the market for about 5 months with no offers, and we moved in for the kill. We made our offer based on Zillow comps plus what our agent could find on HER comps.
We had been watching theses houses (and more) since they first went on the market. Our offers were almost surgical strikes, and most went rejected but one.
After a nail-biting month, the seller's bank accepted our offer. The seller packed quickly, grabbed her kids, and headed for Texas, where a job offer awaited her (she was smart enough to use a corporate relocation service).
We go to closing Friday morning. Pray for my signature hand--last time we closed on a house, I signed 22 documents...TWICE. I had Power of Attorney to sign for my navy husband, who was out to sea. Now he gets to sign for himself.
Because it's a short sale and the seller has a relocation service, the relocation service offered to make up the difference between what I offered and what was owed on the house. Comps at the time were $117k and fluctuating, I offered $120k, and she owed $160k, so the relocators are kicking in $40k to help sell the house. Obama's kicking in $8k, which I collect next year.
Since I've been sitting here awaiting closing, the house has appreciated 30% from my purchase price (according to the appraisal)--I now have enough equity to cover my 25% down payment plus pay for new front windows, and I haven't even moved in yet!
Boy, does patience and a little info pay!! I successfully knocked $30k off the asking price, and made that back plus more in equity. The house will pay me even more next year, when I plan to write off the new front windows, new (more efficient) appliances I'm currently shopping for, a new HVAC that's in the works (I have until December for that), and of course the first-year loan/property tax stuff.
I'll be plowing the excess back into the mortgage principal, because hyperinflation is coming, and the house is the next best thing to gold for appreciation (the price of gold is WAYYYYY to high for me). Besides, I got an extra bedroom that will become a giant walk-in pantry, and now I am free to hang out my laundry, garden (there's already a plot in the back yard), run the dishwasher at night (no neighbors to worry about waking up), and generally make my escape from the ill forces of society (drug dealers, thieves, Section 8 neighbors, etc.), government (socialists/communists), and the economy (falling dollar policy and hyperinflation).
Right now, I'm battling the forces of stubborn utility companies who try to refuse me service based on the seller's prior unpaid bills. I'm NOT responsible for them, and they know it, but they almost want a pint of blood and my first born male child just to get electric, water, and garbage started in my name--the water company wants to see a copy of the deed document before they turn the water back on! So far, the only service running smoothly is the gas company--it's still on and going in my name as of today.
We might actually be moved IN the house by the end of the month...or at least that's MY time frame. We already gave written notice of vacating these premises, and plan to move over there little by little, so as to minimize trauma to the cats.
As for the new appliances, my agent says that black ones are a runner-up to stainless steel, so that's what I'm going for. An eventual kitchen remodel will be in the works when we get ready to sell, and I plan on doing it around my black appliances--black goes with everything, right? And NO GRANITE!!
Last July, we had it narrowed down to two possibilities--one was freshly-remodeled from stem to stern, and sat on the market for about 4 months in an under-performing neighborhood (if the owner paid any attention, he would've known this, and not spent $50k remodeling it). We made our offer, but it wasn't accepted--Mr. Flipper wanted his money, and I guess he was willing to wait forever for it.
The other was a house that needed no remodeling--everything in it had been redone some time ago, and was semi-current. The seller was in "short sale" position, her house had sat on the market for about 5 months with no offers, and we moved in for the kill. We made our offer based on Zillow comps plus what our agent could find on HER comps.
We had been watching theses houses (and more) since they first went on the market. Our offers were almost surgical strikes, and most went rejected but one.
After a nail-biting month, the seller's bank accepted our offer. The seller packed quickly, grabbed her kids, and headed for Texas, where a job offer awaited her (she was smart enough to use a corporate relocation service).
We go to closing Friday morning. Pray for my signature hand--last time we closed on a house, I signed 22 documents...TWICE. I had Power of Attorney to sign for my navy husband, who was out to sea. Now he gets to sign for himself.
Because it's a short sale and the seller has a relocation service, the relocation service offered to make up the difference between what I offered and what was owed on the house. Comps at the time were $117k and fluctuating, I offered $120k, and she owed $160k, so the relocators are kicking in $40k to help sell the house. Obama's kicking in $8k, which I collect next year.
Since I've been sitting here awaiting closing, the house has appreciated 30% from my purchase price (according to the appraisal)--I now have enough equity to cover my 25% down payment plus pay for new front windows, and I haven't even moved in yet!
Boy, does patience and a little info pay!! I successfully knocked $30k off the asking price, and made that back plus more in equity. The house will pay me even more next year, when I plan to write off the new front windows, new (more efficient) appliances I'm currently shopping for, a new HVAC that's in the works (I have until December for that), and of course the first-year loan/property tax stuff.
I'll be plowing the excess back into the mortgage principal, because hyperinflation is coming, and the house is the next best thing to gold for appreciation (the price of gold is WAYYYYY to high for me). Besides, I got an extra bedroom that will become a giant walk-in pantry, and now I am free to hang out my laundry, garden (there's already a plot in the back yard), run the dishwasher at night (no neighbors to worry about waking up), and generally make my escape from the ill forces of society (drug dealers, thieves, Section 8 neighbors, etc.), government (socialists/communists), and the economy (falling dollar policy and hyperinflation).
Right now, I'm battling the forces of stubborn utility companies who try to refuse me service based on the seller's prior unpaid bills. I'm NOT responsible for them, and they know it, but they almost want a pint of blood and my first born male child just to get electric, water, and garbage started in my name--the water company wants to see a copy of the deed document before they turn the water back on! So far, the only service running smoothly is the gas company--it's still on and going in my name as of today.
We might actually be moved IN the house by the end of the month...or at least that's MY time frame. We already gave written notice of vacating these premises, and plan to move over there little by little, so as to minimize trauma to the cats.
As for the new appliances, my agent says that black ones are a runner-up to stainless steel, so that's what I'm going for. An eventual kitchen remodel will be in the works when we get ready to sell, and I plan on doing it around my black appliances--black goes with everything, right? And NO GRANITE!!
Friday, October 09, 2009
5 Things to Never Tell Your Insurer
From MSN Money.
"When making an insurance claim, what you say can mean the difference between a fast payment check and a nightmarish process. Insurance companies are sensitive to certain words, and using them incorrectly could result in a claim delay or even denial."
"When making an insurance claim, what you say can mean the difference between a fast payment check and a nightmarish process. Insurance companies are sensitive to certain words, and using them incorrectly could result in a claim delay or even denial."
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Ever Hear of a GPO? It Has LOTS To Do With Health Care Reform
GPO = Group Purchasing Organization.
A fellow blogger in the health care field has expressed a concern for GPO kickbacks, and how Congress seems to have shielded them from any anti-kickback laws within the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
From what I can see in Google, the Senate has already looked into GPOs, and probably already concluded that little, if any, cost savings can be had by wringing them out further--it might piss off a lobbyist.
Truth be told, that's where the bulk of our health insurance woes reside. Ever wonder about those Wilford Brimley commercials about the diabetes supplies delivered to his home? My F-I-L had some too, and the invoice said the cost was about 5X what I could get equivalent supplies for in Sam's Club or Walmart. Everything was brand-name, with inflated prices, and the exorbitant cost of SHIPPING...! Of course, they always used a too-big box for all this crap, and shipped it from as far away as they could get.
Next time you see an ad for a scooter that "I didn't have to pay a penny out of pocket" for, just think about who DID have to pay, and who kept the difference: WE had to pay (through Medicare), and the overcharge was kept by a GPO.
Multiply that times the number of scooters you see around, and the number of diabetics getting supplies delivered to their door. It adds up to just about enough to fund the public option all by itself.
In short, Liberty Medical and the Scooter Store could fund the public option just in their overcharges to customers!
Tell me, Wilford...what's the right thing to do here?
It's not just him--it's everybody who makes a big deal about accepting Medicare as payment in full. Hearing aid companies, denture makers, medical appliance stores, walk-in bathtub manufacturers, contractors who specialize in handicap retrofits, even plumbers who install "toilet boosters" that raise a toilet off the floor by a couple of inches are all guilty because they belong to kickback-law-immune GPOs.
It doesn't help that Medicare is just a giant check-writing machine.
Now you get a better idea of why Congress wrote "the doughnut hole" into Medicare laws--to make up for losses (money) given away to GPOs.
A fellow blogger in the health care field has expressed a concern for GPO kickbacks, and how Congress seems to have shielded them from any anti-kickback laws within the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
From what I can see in Google, the Senate has already looked into GPOs, and probably already concluded that little, if any, cost savings can be had by wringing them out further--it might piss off a lobbyist.
Truth be told, that's where the bulk of our health insurance woes reside. Ever wonder about those Wilford Brimley commercials about the diabetes supplies delivered to his home? My F-I-L had some too, and the invoice said the cost was about 5X what I could get equivalent supplies for in Sam's Club or Walmart. Everything was brand-name, with inflated prices, and the exorbitant cost of SHIPPING...! Of course, they always used a too-big box for all this crap, and shipped it from as far away as they could get.
Next time you see an ad for a scooter that "I didn't have to pay a penny out of pocket" for, just think about who DID have to pay, and who kept the difference: WE had to pay (through Medicare), and the overcharge was kept by a GPO.
Multiply that times the number of scooters you see around, and the number of diabetics getting supplies delivered to their door. It adds up to just about enough to fund the public option all by itself.
In short, Liberty Medical and the Scooter Store could fund the public option just in their overcharges to customers!
Tell me, Wilford...what's the right thing to do here?
It's not just him--it's everybody who makes a big deal about accepting Medicare as payment in full. Hearing aid companies, denture makers, medical appliance stores, walk-in bathtub manufacturers, contractors who specialize in handicap retrofits, even plumbers who install "toilet boosters" that raise a toilet off the floor by a couple of inches are all guilty because they belong to kickback-law-immune GPOs.
It doesn't help that Medicare is just a giant check-writing machine.
Now you get a better idea of why Congress wrote "the doughnut hole" into Medicare laws--to make up for losses (money) given away to GPOs.
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Ever Hear of "the HAPPY Act?"
From USA Today. A proposed bill in Congress would give us a $3500 tax deduction for qualified pet ownership expenses.
"Against this backdrop arrives a proposed resolution sponsored by U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, R-Mich., granting every household in the land a $3,500 tax deduction for "qualified pet care expenses." This legislation, titled the Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years Act (aka HAPPY Act), is aimed at acknowledging the crucial importance of pets in American family life in a palpable way — via your year-end bottom line.
Pending its passage, up to $3,500 of our pet food and veterinary expenses would effectively be 10% to 30% cheaper than what we currently pay (the discount rate depends on your tax bracket, of course). Considering that most responsible pet owners stand to spend about $1,700 on each pet per year, such a proposal would help each individual or family support a couple of pets a year in the manner to which they've become accustomed."
Where was this act when I had 2 diabetic cats with heart ailments--and the checkups, medicines, supplies, and special foods that went along with them? I still have one of the cats, so maybe I'll be able to write off something.
Maybe a better way to write off animals would be to give a tax credit for every animal adopted from a shelter--that way, it would offset the cost of getting the animal out (spaying/neutering, shots, dental, etc.) and getting it home. In some shelters, it's almost as expensive as a pet store.
"Against this backdrop arrives a proposed resolution sponsored by U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, R-Mich., granting every household in the land a $3,500 tax deduction for "qualified pet care expenses." This legislation, titled the Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years Act (aka HAPPY Act), is aimed at acknowledging the crucial importance of pets in American family life in a palpable way — via your year-end bottom line.
Pending its passage, up to $3,500 of our pet food and veterinary expenses would effectively be 10% to 30% cheaper than what we currently pay (the discount rate depends on your tax bracket, of course). Considering that most responsible pet owners stand to spend about $1,700 on each pet per year, such a proposal would help each individual or family support a couple of pets a year in the manner to which they've become accustomed."
Where was this act when I had 2 diabetic cats with heart ailments--and the checkups, medicines, supplies, and special foods that went along with them? I still have one of the cats, so maybe I'll be able to write off something.
Maybe a better way to write off animals would be to give a tax credit for every animal adopted from a shelter--that way, it would offset the cost of getting the animal out (spaying/neutering, shots, dental, etc.) and getting it home. In some shelters, it's almost as expensive as a pet store.
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Health Insurance Bills Could Be Hardship For Many
From Yahoo News.
"The legislation advancing in Congress would require all Americans to get insurance — through an employer, a government program or by buying it themselves. But new tax credits to help with premiums won't go far enough for everyone. Some middle-class families purchasing their own coverage through new insurance exchanges could find it out of reach."
To compare your current insurance premiums with the different proposed plans, check out the Health Reform Subsidy Calculator--it's meant to calculate how much subsidy you'd get under each plan, but I used it to figure out how much MORE I'd be paying for "the public option" rather than keeping my current insurance. You can do the same by filling out the question box, but stating "NO" on the employer-offered insurance question.
I'd be paying about $1000-$1500 more/year with ANY of these plans! I guess that's supposed to be my contribution toward the upkeep of masses of nutritional heathen. Guess what else I could be doing with that extra $83-$125/month? Certainly something more constructive, like putting it in my Roth account, or pre-paying principal on a house I just learned I got on short sale.
*The extra I'd be expected to pay amounts to a 12.5%-18% tax on health care (see footnote).
"Save the frails! Save the frails!!"
Now you know just how much we'd be OVERpaying the government for health care, and they'd be scraping off the top by withholding care, and squirreling that money away to fund future earmarks, political campaigns, or anything else besides the debt.
*Footnote: A 12.5-18% public option tax, plus the 25-50% energy cost increase if cap-and-trade goes through, plus the sudden tax status change of retirement accounts if Obama gets his Universal Savings program (another 25%, and may move people into a higher federal bracket) add up to something very close to socialist European nation rates. Some of us already pay around 40% in overall taxes (state + federal), and this could push people into bankruptcy--right where Obama wants them!
"The legislation advancing in Congress would require all Americans to get insurance — through an employer, a government program or by buying it themselves. But new tax credits to help with premiums won't go far enough for everyone. Some middle-class families purchasing their own coverage through new insurance exchanges could find it out of reach."
To compare your current insurance premiums with the different proposed plans, check out the Health Reform Subsidy Calculator--it's meant to calculate how much subsidy you'd get under each plan, but I used it to figure out how much MORE I'd be paying for "the public option" rather than keeping my current insurance. You can do the same by filling out the question box, but stating "NO" on the employer-offered insurance question.
I'd be paying about $1000-$1500 more/year with ANY of these plans! I guess that's supposed to be my contribution toward the upkeep of masses of nutritional heathen. Guess what else I could be doing with that extra $83-$125/month? Certainly something more constructive, like putting it in my Roth account, or pre-paying principal on a house I just learned I got on short sale.
*The extra I'd be expected to pay amounts to a 12.5%-18% tax on health care (see footnote).
"Save the frails! Save the frails!!"
Now you know just how much we'd be OVERpaying the government for health care, and they'd be scraping off the top by withholding care, and squirreling that money away to fund future earmarks, political campaigns, or anything else besides the debt.
*Footnote: A 12.5-18% public option tax, plus the 25-50% energy cost increase if cap-and-trade goes through, plus the sudden tax status change of retirement accounts if Obama gets his Universal Savings program (another 25%, and may move people into a higher federal bracket) add up to something very close to socialist European nation rates. Some of us already pay around 40% in overall taxes (state + federal), and this could push people into bankruptcy--right where Obama wants them!
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