by Hope
Happy New Years Eve, BAD Community!
Going into 2025 with a lot of insecurity as far as work goes. On December 19th, my full time client once again changed his mind as far as the full time role goes. And frankly, the roller coaster of his commitment and backing off has worn me out. He’s offered me some part time work for January. But I’m just not sure I trust him to pay me at this point.
However, I did secure health and dental insurance for myself and my younger two children – Beauty Princess and Gymnast. Woot, woot! I appreciate everyone’s input, specifically the link to the Georgia Access site.
Monthly cost: $84 for now with my variable income being cut so drastically.
Coverage starts tomorrow. And I will be working on finding providers and setting up preventative care appointments.
I wrote last summer about habit stacking. With some down time going into the new year, I am planning to pick back up my self work – a new counselor, a new calendar to keep me on track, and the open-ness to accept whatever comes for me in the new year.
It’s taken me a long time to realize that I cannot plan for “work” – it comes and goes, both as a contractor and employee, but I can plan for the in-between, the improvement of myself, and how I handle the challenges.
My self worth should not, cannot, and will not be tied to my work. My identity can no longer be wrapped up in being a mom now that my kids are grown and on their own.
2025 is going to be the year of reinvention for me. Time to shed the old and embrace the new…whatever that might be.
Hope is a creative, solutions-focused business manager helping clients grow their business and work more efficiently by leveraging expertise in project management, digital marketing, & tech solutions. She’s recently become an empty nester as her 5 foster/adoptive kids have spread their wings. She lives with her 3 dogs in a small town in NE Georgia and prefers the mountains to the beaches any day. She struggles with the travel bug and is doing her best to help each of her kids as their finish schooling and become independent (but it’s hard!) She has run her own consulting company for almost twenty years! Hope began sharing her journey with the BAD community in the Spring of 2015 and feels like she has finally in a place to really focus on making wise financial decisions.
VERY happy to hear you got health insurance. Bummer about the job. Keep looking for new employment.
Wow, I can’t believe your coverage was that inexpensive! Just make sure you understand your upfront out of pocket costs if you have a deductible, etc. Then take full advantage and get yourself caught up with preventive screenings like a mammogram, colonoscopy, routine bloodwork, a specific diabetic eye exam… Great job!
Yes, preventative care is covered. None of us are real “doctor” people so I don’t imagine it will really get used outside of annual check ups and dental cleanings unless there is an emergency. But I guess that’s the point, it’s there in case of an emergency.
Unless you legally adopted Beauty, and you’ve never said that you have, you cannot put her on your insurance.
And what’s the deductible on than plan? Guessing very high. And why on earth didn’t you look and see if providers local to you even accept your plan? That’s step 1 of “find a provider”.
That was my mistake. The insurance is for my younger two/biological kids, Princess and Gymnast. Beauty does have insurance through her full time job. And Princess will have it in July through her full time job. So proud of my adulting kiddos!
Yes, it does have a very high deductible but preventative care visits are covered. There were very few options available. And at this point, it will be easier for me to drive to a provider.
This sounds really positive, Hope! Health insurance is a really smart move. I’m wondering how Beauty is covered when you aren’t related to her legally, but I hope it’s legit because that would be amazing for you both. Good luck with all of this, in any case. It sounds like you’re really giving this a shot. I’m rooting for you.
That was my mistake. The insurance is for my younger two/biological kids, Princess and Gymnast. Beauty does have insurance through her full time job. And Princess will have it in July through her full time job. So proud of my adulting kiddos!
This makes me so happy to see. You should be setting some money to the side to ensure you have the means to cover tests, deductibles and co pays.
I have 0 plans to spend money on doctors. This is just in case of an emergency. Having an emergency back up doesn’t change my perception on more holistic healthcare methods. But that’s a topic for another type of blog. This is a smart financial move versus a I’m going to go to the doctor now.
Excellent! So glad to hear you got insurance.