Health Benefits

I posted before about using your company benefits to save yourself money on everyday things that you might not even know you have benefits for!

Well, today I learned the same goes for your health benefits!  We have good health coverage under Kevin's plan.  I have always known that, especially being in the health insurance business myself.  I know what our copays and our deductibles are and what is covered and when.  What I didn't know about was the other benefits that it carried.

A few weeks ago, a friend and I were chatting about breast pumps.  Awesome, I know... the things you talk about what you are getting ready to have a baby!  Poor Kevin...   Anyway, I was complaining that they are $450 in the store and that it is ridiculous!

I was contemplating applying for WIC since I won't have a job and by my initial contact, we are on the boarder of qualifying.  But I just can't bring myself to do it.  I am not about abusing the Welfare system and I know that we can make it through without it.  Nothing against those people who do use WIC, as I think it is a great program and helps many, many women.  I just don't think in our situation it is fair to  use when we are OK without it.  At least for now...  But for those of you who DO need it, one of the benefits they offer is a breast pump!

But anyway, she was telling me that her health insurance covered her breast pump! Umm.. what?! That is so crazy!  So low-and-behold, I called UPMC today and they cover it at 100% as long as my doctor writes a script for it!  YES PLEASE!

That is such a weight off our shoulders as this was a huge baby expense we were dreading! If my friend wouldn't have mentioned it, I would have never known that this was even available!

And this goes for much more than pregnancy-related things also.  I did know from work that many times insurance will cover oxygen and other health-related necessities in your home at 100% under your durable medical equipment benefits!

What I was unaware of is that our insurance also offers discounts on things like spas and gym memberships!  That in itself is so amazing!  Maybe after we pop this little one out, we will invest in the gym membership deal...  One thing is for sure.... we need it! :)

So go and check out all your health benefits and start saving money!!!

There's Nothing Better Than Free!!!

Sorry for the long delay in posting!  We finally moved and have been using all of our spare time trying to get settled in and trying to clean/paint our old place!  I will be so happy after this week once we are all done with the other place and can just concentrate on our own place!

In addition, we are starting to kick into gear with getting ready for baby!  One thing that I totally knew, but I think refused to admit, is that babies need a lot of stuff.... and that stuff is expensive!

Although I am hoping to get most of my goodies from my baby shower and my registry, there are still certain things we are going to have to buy.... like the furniture!  A crib at Babies R Us is about $300!  Yeah... so not going to happen!  I have a few ideas for that, but I will get to them in a later post!  What I was concentrating on was getting a changing table.

I am not one of those people who can just stick the changing mattress on top of the dresser and can call it a day.  I am a total knick knack person and I need the dresser space to display all of the unnecessary things I am going to get for Lily!  So, I need a changing table for the actual diaper stuff!

Well if you have never looked for one of these let me tell you... they are NOT cheap!  They are ridiculously expensive for what they are... averaging over $100.  Yeah, again, not going to happen!

Lately I have been all about garage sales and consignment shops so I thought I would start with looking online!  Well, I found a great one on Craigslist!  Although it was about a 40 minute drive from our house, it was only $30 and it looked like it was in great condition!

Since I really hadn't budgeted the extra $30 for said changing table, I was trying to get creative, and since we were in the process of moving, I figured it was time to get rid of our unwanted stuff!  So we took a box of books to Half Price Books and made $30!  I had to control myself to get out of the store without spending any of that money as books are my weakness, but we did it!  That means that the changing table was FREE!!!

I sent my husband to get the table since I am not all about going alone to a stranger's home, especially while pregnant and it is in perfect condition... not even a scratch!  They even had the directions in plastic.  When I searched the table, it came up $120 new and they still sell it!

The saying is true... one person's trash is another person's treasure!  I adore my second-hand changing table!!!