by Hope
This is part 5 of my July series: How I Spent the House Proceeds.
As you all may remember last December I signed up for physical and dental insurance that began January 1 of this year. This coverage includes my two youngest children as well.
The health insurance has been used…multiple times. I’m very glad I did it. And for the push by the BAD community to do it.
The dental insurance, not so much. It’s cost me $41 per month and has not been used, even once. And not for lack of trying. We haven’t been able to find a dentist within a 30 mile radius of our tiny town or Princess’ apartment that would take it. And now we’ve tried in Texas as well, no luck! So I’m cancelling it as of this month.
Medical Expenses
I’ve got my typical medical expenses covered in my monthly budget. So I’m not including those here. They are already accounted for. Those include my anti-depressant Lexapro and a variety of supplements I take on a regular basis. And, of course, the insurance coverage which will be cut by more than half once I cancel the dental coverage that is worthless.
Chiropractor
First, when I probably unwisely decided to drive straight through from GA to TX in mid-May and spent 17 hours straight in the car without any proper rest. I ended up with a very tight neck and back. (I couldn’t car camp on that trip as my car was WAY, WAY full especially with two dogs versus my typical one.)
Chiropractic care has always been my go to. I had a great chiropractor in my tiny town. One of the things I miss most. He charged me $45 per visit, always fixed what was wrong, and didn’t require appointments. It was so easy.
When I woke up on my second day in Texas after my marathon drive, I knew I needed to find a chiropractor. For then and the future.
Total Spent: $190
Dentist
No dental insurance is not new for me. The kids and I have all gotten most of our dental care over the years at dental and dental hygienist schools. My parents have done the same for the last 10+ years that they’ve been here in TX. And after struggling for 5+ months to find a dentist who would take my insurance. I gave up.
I called the dentistry school in San Antonio expecting a month+ wait for an appointment. Nope, they got me in the next week. I got a full 360 xray, a full set of individual xrays, a thorough exam, and a deep cleaning.
Total Spent: $206
I’m kind of sad about leaving my chiropractor in Georgia. If I had a car while I was there with Beauty over the last couple of weeks, I definitely would have made a trip to be seen. But thankfully, the chiropractor I have visited in Texas is decent. Just not the same and costs more and does require a appointment and does try to upsell me on all sorts of other things. But when I’m desperate, I’ll go back.
Total accounted for in this series thusfar: $9,743. More to come…
Hope is a resourceful, solutions-driven online business manager with over two decades of experience helping clients streamline operations, manage projects, and grow their businesses through digital marketing and technology.
But life has a way of rewriting your plans.
A year ago, Hope made the decision to move in with her aging parents full time – a season she wouldn’t trade, even as it came with its own financial and emotional weight. Earlier this year, she lost her mother, and is now walking the tender, disorienting path of grief while learning what “forward” looks like from here.
Hope came to the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015 as a single mom raising five foster and adoptive children. She’s written through job changes, financial setbacks, and the bittersweet transition to an empty nest. Her kids are finding their footing in the world now – and so is she.
Rooted in faith and fueled by the same perseverance she’s brought to every hard season, Hope is ready to face her finances with fresh eyes and an honest pen. She believes that clarity, courage, and community can change the trajectory of anyone’s story including her own.
She lives in Austin, TX with her dad, loves adventures with her dog Addie, and is figuring out, one step at a time, what this next chapter is meant to be.
