Dental Pain Without Insurance

Have you ever woken up one day to realize you needed some dental work done but didn't have insurance? This happened to my husband last year and it's something we never want to go through again.

My husband hadn't had dental insurance in years and because of it, he wasn't going for cleanings. When he saw an advertisement for a free first visit from a nearby dentist, he went to see how much it would be to completely restore his mouth. After his exam and x-rays, they told him he needed two wisdom teeth extracted, he needed about twelve fillings and he needed a deep cleaning. When they gave us the final estimate, it was around $5,000 to get his mouth healthy again.

Affording the Dental Problem

Since we didn't have dental insurance at the time, I used CareCredit to pay for his dental work. But even if you don't have dental insurance, there is a much better way than having to go into major debt.

Most people don't realize that dental insurance has a cap to how much they will pay. So even if we had dental insurance, their cap would have been lower than the amount my husband needed to fix his teeth. So that means he wouldn't have been able to get all the work done anyway. Dental insurance isn't a wonderful option if you need major restorative work done.

So, what do you do? My suggestion to everyone is to use a dental discount plan. You can use it as a standalone or even to supplement your current insurance. I love DentalPlans.com because there is no waiting, no health restrictions, and you can find a plan based on your dentist and the kind of work you need done. When I first went to their site, I was able to pull up our family dentist and see the plans she took. Then I was able to compare those plans to see where I would get the most savings (they even have a savings calculator to help with that). You can even download/view a full fee schedule for each plan in your member’s area so if you have an estimate from your dentist with all the codes on it, you can see where you will get the most savings. I would recommend you also call before going, just to confirm.

What’s Working for Us

Right now, we have the Careington Care 500 Series plan, which has the best savings for our family. How DentalPlans.com works is they partner with reputable networks (think Cigna, Humana, Aetna, and others) to sell dental discount plans. So, as long as you go to a dentist in their network, you can get discounted prices for dental work, saving on pretty much every visit, and anywhere from 10-60% on most dental procedures. Your plan’s fee schedule which will show all the discounted fees for procedures. Like for a normal cleaning on the Careington Care 500 Series plan, it may only cost $15. So, when you go to the dentist, you will identify yourself by your plan and what is shown on the fee schedule for your procedure code will be exactly what you pay. There aren't any hidden fees and you only pay once a year for your plan. I imagine, with larger procedures like crowns, root canals, and even braces, you would save even more. Regardless of the dental work you need, with just one or two dental visits, your savings could far outweigh the low cost of your plan. If you select a family plan, you can add everyone in your household regardless of age and the best part is, they have no cap or annual limit on how much your dental work will be. So, if your estimate is $5,000, you will probably be able to save quite a bit or on all of it!

Saving on Dental is Possible

If you don't have dental insurance, I highly implore you to check out DentalPlans.com. In my opinion, they are much better than having dental insurance and all the prices are clear cut. Unlike insurance, there aren't any surprises with them and their customer service is amazing too. They really want to make sure members are happy. Signing up was so easy and effortless and NO paperwork hassles.

Make sure to watch for my next post in August where I share about going to the dentist while using my DentalPlans.com plan so you can see the savings firsthand!

Life is not always easy and we are often stressed-out because we have too many things to do and not enough time to do them. Sometimes it's the little things in life that can put a smile on our faces and make life seem a little bit easier.

Be Good to Yourself 

If you want to be happier, start with being good to yourself and by treating yourself right. After all, if you don’t take care of yourself, how can you expect anyone else to? Some suggestions are:

• Stop blaming yourself for other people’s actions. 
• Forgive your weaknesses by accepting the fact that you are human and not perfect because no one is. Protect yourself by staying away from toxic people 
• Make the commitment to do one nice thing for yourself every day. For example: 

1. Take a long bath 
2. Eat a piece of delicious Gianduja chocolate 
3. Watch a funny movie 
4. Spend some time with a friend who makes you happy 
5. Listen to music that you love 

• Don’t try to control other peoples’ lives.

Change Your Perspective 

Most people think they are the victim of their thoughts and feelings. When we are children we adopt our parents’ way of thinking and accept their labels of us. These thoughts, judgments and accompanying feelings are so familiar to us that we think they are the truth. Realizing that as adults we have the freedom to change our perspective can be enlightening and bring happiness where there is none.

There are books which can help us navigate out of those familiar thoughts and feelings, such as Notes to Myself by Hugh Prather. If it is too difficult to break through toxic thinking on your own therapy, can help immensely. Make sure you get a therapist that specializes in cognitive thinking. A therapist that believes that going back to the past to get understanding will help you, will not be able to give you the cognitive skills to handle your present-day life. Choose your therapist carefully.

Self-Pity 

We can’t choose what happens to us but we can choose what we do with what happens to us. Self-pity is one of the most dangerous thought process and feelings there are. Itleads to mental illness because it keeps us so focused on ourselves that we are unable to look away from ourselves in any way. It keeps us focusing on the negative rather than making an effort to change the things we can change.

When you are invested in self-pity it keeps you comparing yourself to someone you think has it better than you. If you are jealous of a friend’s good marriage and somebody points out that they have gone through counseling together, rather than doing the same, you will find somebody else to compare yourself to. You will feel justified in being angry over the unfairness of life while ignoring the hard work others do to compensate for the unfairness of life. You get caught in a cycle of wanting what other people have but not making the effort to get it for yourself. You resent people for being luckier than you. Self-pity keeps you steeped in self-hatred, passivity, and depression, all leading to a life of misery.

Gratitude 

A five-minute daily gratitude journal can increase your long-term well-being by more than ten percent. Gratitude can help us see our situation in a way that can lessen fear and open up our thinking to new situations.

Gratitude is not something we do automatically. Like any other life skill, it requires practice. Dr. Robert Emmons, author of “Thanks! How practicing gratitude Can Make You Happier” shares the three benefits of practicing gratitude.

“Gratitude puts situations into perspective. When we can see the good as well as the bad, it becomes more difficult to complain and stay stuck.” 
“Gratitude helps us realize what we have. The awareness of what we’re grateful for can lessen our tendency to want more all the time.” 
“Gratitude makes us happier. Gratitude strengthens relationships, improves health, reduces stress and in general makes us happier.” 

Unfortunately, many people are so used to the misery that they feel more comfortable in that state. They are comfortable hating themselves and seeing the negative in everything and happiness feels so unfamiliar to them. If you are ready to choose happiness over misery, try practicing the steps above. You will be so glad you did!

Homeschooling is simply educating your child at home instead of having her or him attend school. With this type of schooling, you may choose to hire a home tutor or teach your child by yourself. An online tutor can also conduct homeschooling. One good thing about it is that your child can get a wide variety of content compared to what is taught in learning institutions. Different sites offer informative and straightforward content that is part of their curriculum offerings.

Visit rincondelvago.com for a wide range of content in all subjects that are important for your child’s homework. Homeschooling also gives your child a proper understanding of what she or he is taught. In a school, the teacher must attend to a number of kids in a particular class in a limited period of time.

Some kids may end up not getting the attention they need for their studies. With homeschooling, all the focus is on one person, which makes the child understand better everything she or he is taught. For successful homeschooling sessions, you should come up with the right schedule that will ensure necessary attention is given to your child.

Coming up with a homeschool schedule will also ensure your child is attended to properly. You or even the child's tutor may have a tight schedule that might cause your child to miss lessons more often. You should set up a study schedule to avoid this. At times, developing one might be difficult. However, here is how to make a good homeschool schedule.

Set Goals 

You should first set goals for you and your child to have a successful homeschool schedule. As for your child, set a target you want him or her to achieve after a test. Gauge your child's capabilities in each of the subjects and give your child a target for each depending on how the child performs. You should also set the topics you have to cover in a particular period. Once you have done so, come up with a timetable for the period in which you want to cover all the topics or units with your child. Doing so will enable you to come up with the right homeschooling schedule.

Get the Right Resources 

You should also look for the right study resources for your child. There are different books you can buy that have the right content for your child's homeschooling. You can also check the various online sites and bookmark those with the best content for your child's lessons. Having the right resources will aid you in developing a good homeschool schedule.

Stick to Your Schedule 

You should also stick to your schedule for successful homeschooling. Keeping track of your homeschool schedule is one way you can do that. Make sure you mark all the areas you have covered. Your child can help you in that. One can also test their children in each of the areas covered to gauge their progress or level of understanding. You should also make up for the lost time in your schedule.

Not all saws are created equal. If you’re in the business where you need to have a saw to help you create a product such as sign making, tables or dressers, cabinets and more, than you’ll need to have the best equipment out there. How can you get started or find one of the best businesses to help you meet those needs? If you live in Georgia, I already have the perfect company that fits a criteria of helpful individuals, knowledgeable workers and quality equipment.

The company, based in upstate Georgia is called Saw Trax. Saw Trax, Inc. was found in 1988 by a Naval Aviator named Michael Della Polla. He was not satisfied with the design of cutting guides that were used by circular saws at the time. The way he saw it, something needed to change and quickly to help his customers. He began to make what’s called, the panel saw kit, in 1992. In 1997, Saw Trax came out with their very first panel saw and the company began to improve their own design ever since. Now that machine isn’t just a saw but also a mat cutter, aluminum cutter, panel router and glass cutter!

All their equipment is manufactured and shipped from their location in a town called Kennesaw, Georgia. They take pride in their work and their products are always evolving with the needs of their customers. They understand the needs of those that come into their shop, discuss what could change and take everything into consideration. At Saw Trax, they offer several cutting solutions for their customers including specialized hand cutting tools, saw kits, vertical panel saws and table top cutting tools. It helps them be a one stop shop for many of their business partners. Some of their new sheet carts also include a Scoop Dolly, a Dolly Max or a Panel express! Unsure of what any of these might be? The friendly staff is always on hand to answer any question you may have and are always thinking outside the box with ideas not seen in any other marketing place.

At Saw Trax, they offer some of the best saws in their field, including a machine that can cut almost all sheet goods with just one proper cutting insert! In addition to some standard circular saws that their panel saws have, they also offer a unique carriage which allows the use of different cutting tools! Not many businesses offer something as unique as this!

If you are one that is in the Sign industry, they offer unique designs such as a coro-claw or biddi knife. The claw hand held cutter is designed to help you cut along the flutes of a plastic materials. There are also a step up of the Coro-Claw called the Coro-Claw Delux and that helps to cut 4 mil coro! There are of course, safety features including a safety vinyl and banner material cutter that they have branded as the Biddi-knife. It’s short for a Bi-Directional safety knife. They also offer a safety vinyl & banner material cutter that they have branded as the Biddi-Knife.

Have I shared about their superior customer service? As friendly, heart warming and informative as they are, they are also experience as to how their machines operate and perform when cutting so many various materials. With so many ways to use their machines to fit your business needs, they are able to help you pick the perfect one for your garage shop, sign shop, frames, industrial products as well as help you cut all of your products from aluminum, MDO, plywood, plastics and more!

They also are extremely aware that your time is money. Their job, goal and service is to make your cutting jobs as easy as possible and have ou be as productive as you can. Their sheet cutters are from their user’s perspective so they are always thinking “What would I want if I were purchasing this item for my shop?” That is why they are one of the fastest growing panel saw company within the United States! So, what are you waiting for? Are you looking for a place to help you with all your cutting needs? You’ll want to check out Saw Trax as soon as possible!

You know the days at work that drag on and feel like they are endless. These days are really hard to get enough work in (or proper work in) because you do not have the motivation to keep working. This is challenging in general, but especially when you have a lot on your plate, or have a due date coming up. You know that you need to work as much as possible, but it’s just impossible. I know the feeling - I experience it all too often, but it is possible to break through that ‘can’t’ attitude and pump out the work. Over the years, I have figured out a few ways to help break through and get work done. Here are my favorite five ways to improve your workflow:

Fuel Your Body 

Each morning, I make sure to fuel my body properly, in order to feel the best. If you are low on energy, try a green tea, or another healthy form of caffeine. It is much better for you compared to a coffee filled with cream and sugar. If you absolutely need your coffee, try adding substitutes such as non-dairy coffee creamer, or a ‘better for you’ form of sugar. According to Health.com, The next time you rush out the door in the morning without something to eat, consider this: Skipping breakfast can set you up for overeating later in the day. A healthy a.m. meal, on the other hand, can give you energy, satisfy your appetite, and set the stage for smart decisions all day long. "You want to aim for a breakfast that combines good carbs and fiber with some protein," says Erica Giovinazzo, MS, RD, a nutritionist at Clay Health Club and Spa, in New York City. Luckily, your options are plenty.” Some of the best options are oatmeal, greek yogurt, bananas, eggs, and almond butter.

Create A Distraction-free Environment 

Distractions really do make or break a work day. I have never understood the companies that allow their employees to bring their dogs or kids along with them, each day. I definitely get why it is a bonus, but how does anyone get work done? Personally, I need peace and quiet in order to fully concentrate. Creating a distraction-free environment is easier than you think, but you will need a few things to get it set up. If you work from home and occasionally have disruptions (such as screaming kids, or barking dogs), I would highly recommend getting some ear plugs. This will help block out all of the sounds that are not wanted. If you have to have some sounds, consider getting some noise-reduction headphones. This way, you can listen to music while working and avoiding other sounds. Make sure that your office, or work space is not in an area where you can easily turn on the television. This way, it will not tempt you.

Improve Your Comfort 

There are many ways to improve your comfort. For starters, you can get an essential oil diffuser, or candles, if you prefer. I believe that using essential oils can help with concentration, so I usually opt for the oils. Make sure to have a glass of water and a few snacks with you, so that you do not have to get up and stop working every single time you need a sip of water. Finally, make sure you have your thermostat set on a comfortable temperature. I know that in the summer months (especially in Southern states), it can be very hard to regulate the temperature inside your home, but there are a few ways to increase the comfort of your home while saving money.



A perfect example of this would be window films. Window Films, or Window Tinting can help residential and commercial properties with excessive heat, excessive cold, fading, high energy costs, glare, security and safety, redirection of light, and it can even add a decorative effect to your space. According to UHS Window Tinting and Blinds, “The Department of Energy considers window film a top-tier technology for energy conservation with one of the fastest paybacks — approximately three years. Upgrading your windows with 3M™ Window Film can help you achieve significant savings. You could save $1 to $2 per square foot of film installed, or as much as 19 kWh per square foot of glass. Building owners around the world are already taking advantage of these savings — isn’t it time you did too?” UHS Window Tinting and Blinds has been serving the greater Atlanta area since 2003. Providing much-needed window tinting, security film, decorative film, and select blind treatment services, as well as installation, they take pride in each job they do, no matter how big or small, and have amazing reviews and positive accolades to show for it. If you are feeling hot in your home this summer, I definitely recommend checking out UHS Window Tinting and Blinds to see what they can do to help!

Take A Break 

To be productive, you need to make sure your mind and body are in the right places and sometimes, that requires a break. If you are beginning to lose steam, take a short walk, have a snack break, or do a quick workout. I bet you will feel better once you settle back down to work again!