Traditional health insurance does not work for our family, so we looked at investing in a HSA (Health Savings Account). These accounts let you set back money each year to pay for any medical expenses. The money is yours and when you reach retirement age you have access to that money that you did not have to use for medical purposes.

It is like buying a house as opposed to leasing a house.

The only catch is that you have to purchase health insurance with a high deductible even if you choose the direction of the HSA. These insurance policies do not cover much of anything (if anything) until after you meet that high deductible. The theory is that you can use the money in your HSA to pay expenses until you reach that high deductible.

Most of the high deductible insurance policies that I have found for the family are not cheap. We would be paying about the same for one that we currently pay for full coverage through my husband’s employment. I understand that we would probably have to pay a little more for full coverage if we bought insurance privately, but not so much that it justifies the switch to investing in a HSA account.

Another catch is that when you make the switch you need to have enough money set aside to cover that high deductible. Most people are not able to set aside extra money to save when paying these high premiums for regular insurance. And to add insult to injury (pun intended), the government prevents you from opening a HSA account until you do have that high deductible policy even if you have full coverage through another policy.

I know there is a way out of this maze. Every corner I turn leaves me facing another wall. We want to be good stewards of our money. We want to prepare for the future. But the health insurance option, government regulations and basic craziness of it all do NOT make the journey an easy one.

The emotional trauma that I’m currently experiencing is SO MUCH MORE. I’m not dealing with my insurance company because the entire fault lies with the other party. I am dealing with a body shop and dealership that I have worked with in the past. And I made the ULTIMATE in consumer mistakes. I trusted those people and skipped protocol.

My journey began the day after the wreck. I started at a rental company (because I knew we would have to have a family sized vehicle to replace the wrecked mini-van). My goal was to stop at three body shops to get estimates. The first one is the one that I’m now dealing with because it was the only one that I got.

All of the mess that I’m going through now could have been avoided if I had done what I know to do.

Tips for Dealing with Insurance

1. Always get more than one estimate – not only for the purpose of proof but for your own comfort. Three companies have estimates that are similar and that include all the same components then you will feel more confident in the repairs no matter who made those repairs.

2. Never get partial estimates. In our case, the sliding door was too damaged to open. The estimate I first got was for the damage that could be seen before the door was open. That’s the one the insurance company used to base their estimate.

3. Write down EVERYTHING! Keep a record of everything that is said and every one that says it. Take pictures. Be present for every inspection or estimate. Keep it all in a file so that you can easily access the information.

4. Know your rights. Find out what your legal rights are and what the ordinary and customary rights are as well.

An accident is an accident and is not the time to get greedy, but that works both ways. The insurance company, the body shops and anyone else involved needs to be straight and honest. You can protect your rights and assets by knowing what you are due and how to go about collecting.

Oprah Winfrey got on the band wagon and promoted the giveaway to her viewers. This meant a LOT more traffic for KFC but it also meant more headaches than the company was expecting.

Customers overwhelmed the stores – some carrying as many as 12 coupons. In some locations the police were called to handle the traffic. The franchise decided to offer rain checks to some customers to help reduce the traffic jams.

It was a great idea to offer a free taste of a new meal to their customers, but KFC is learning that no good deed goes unpunished. There have been complaints that the “free meal” did not include drinks and that stores were giving out dark meat instead of white meat.

KFC does get a nod from me for handling the chaos with such grace. Many stores have honored any coupons that have come in (including those that have been photo copied despite restrictions against it). The company is also offering free drinks with the rain checks that are being offered to consumers.

This is a lesson for corporate America – the technology of today has changed the game. When you give something away, the word will spread and you will have a bigger response than you could ever imagine. Be prepared.

The great thing about him is that Dave Ramsey also teaches action. All the hope in the world is not any good if there is not some action backing it up. Planning, preparing and doing are all components of hope.

Yesterday there were a few of us discussing the state of society and how so many of us are dependent on the government. Think about it – could YOU last for a month with out electricity? You rely on the government to get that electricity to your home.

The conversation reminded me of a man that decided to stay in his home along the coast of Louisiana when Hurricane Katrina came ashore. When rescue workers FINALLY found him his house was surrounded by ten feet of debris. He and his dog were on the back deck. He told the workers to go on and find those that really needed help and that he was fine. This man had no electricity, no running water and no cell phone service but he felt he was fine.

Steps to Lead from Hope to Having

1. Create a back up plan. It is impossible to know what tomorrow holds but if you know what you will do no matter what tomorrow holds then circumstances will not be able to steal your hope.

2. Do it yourself. Learning to do things on your own is a great way to explore new hobbies, save a little money and build the ability to do things on you own IF you are ever in the position to have to do them yourself.

3. Reduce dependency. The fewer things you require from others then the easier it will be for you if those others remove their support. You will also reduce the amount of control that others have on your life.

Hope is not a mysterious feeling. It comes from knowing that no matter what the circumstances thrown at you or your family you will be able to survive and even thrive.

The focus is on the amount of debt the government is building up. One little girl was wearing a t-shirt that said “get your hand out of my piggy bank.” People are waking up to the realization that all this government spending will have to come out of the pockets of taxpayers.

It is not right for ordinary citizens that are paying their bills and fulfilling their debts should be required to also pay for the minority that isn’t spending responsibly. It is fortunate that the internet is allowing ordinary people to share information and to come together through these tea parties and other gatherings. Many of the tea parties around the country are scheduled to occur on April 15th to remind the government that it is the people that the politicians work for and not political groups, companies or organizations.

Understanding the government finances is important to your daily life. Higher taxes mean more challenges to living (or getting) a debt free life. More spending means more taxes. Make your voice known – have a little tea.