Blogging Away Debt Our Journeys to a Debt-Free Life

by Tricia

Gosh I hope this works – I am so frustrated right now with Blogger since I can’t seem to get into my blog when I want to and now I’m having a hard time posting. I think Blogging Away Debt needs a new home.

I didn’t participate in the Carnival of Debt Reduction this week. Last week I have been saving my energy to work my jobs this week and everything else (including this blog) has been put on the back burner.

But I am feeling better this week and I read all of the articles and I enjoyed the one at Free Money Finance about Paying Debt Versus Establishing an Emergency Fund. Free Money Finance shares my opinion and backs it better than I could 🙂

I mentioned a while back that I wasn’t going to save up an emergency fund before paying down my debt. I didn’t see the point of taking months to save it up when I am paying interest on my credit cards during that time. If an emergency arises, then I still have the cards to use if I need to.

Credit cards are not horrible, even though I have called them “evil” more than a few times in my life. They do serve a purpose and can be helpful if you use them responsibly. I hear awesome stories of people making money and earning free trips from their credit cards. They use it for everyday purchases and then pay the balance in full every month. Would I like to be one of those people someday? Yes, I would.

Key word is being responsible.

by Tricia

Free Money Finance had a great post on how to save money on Prescription Drugs. But here’s another tip that I learned first hand a few years ago that will help those of you who may make too much money for federal or state help – but don’t make enough money to have your own plan.

Ask your doctor, hospital, etc…about any plans that the DRUG companies have that could help you. Yes, I said the DRUG companies.

I have asthma…well, I’ve been told I have asthma and I didn’t necessarily believe it. The doctor wanted me on a name brand inhaler and I wasn’t about to pay over $100/month just for that drug. He told me to go to a woman within the hospital and talk to her about a program.

So I did. I ended up getting my prescription in the mail for free. The program was directly through the drug company that makes the inhaler. From the sounds of it there may be other programs out there that can help with providing free or reduced cost medicines (name brands).

But the thing is…you have to ask for help to find the paperwork to complete. It was hard looking at my doctor and telling him, “I can’t afford that medicine.” But he couldn’t have offered his help unless I let him know I needed it.

I couldn’t say what the income guidelines are, since the paperwork I filled out didn’t really say. But it may be worth a telephone call to just to ask about it.