Comments on: The financial strain of the holidays http://thecanvasgrey.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/the-financial-strain-of-the-holidays/ God Inspired Blog Sun, 25 Oct 2009 05:32:19 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: thecanvasgrey http://thecanvasgrey.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/the-financial-strain-of-the-holidays/#comment-2218 thecanvasgrey Thu, 20 Dec 2007 21:19:34 +0000 http://thecanvasgrey.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/the-financial-strain-of-the-holidays/#comment-2218 Angie, I agree. You hit the bullseye when you said the middle class is being choked to death. I think it was about 15 years ago when Clinton gave his wife the task of fixing healthcare. So the problem has been with us for long enough. HMOs were born with co-pays at $5 or $10. Now co-pays are $20 to $50 just to see the doctor and the premiums are sky high. Healthcare is broken and it will get much worse before we figure out what to do. Government run health care doesn't work either because the rich will always be able to pay for higher quality care. There is a monster sized collapse looming in the future if we don't figure out what to do. It IS a good thing to focus on the wonderful blessings, especially now! Angie, I agree. You hit the bullseye when you said the middle class is being choked to death. I think it was about 15 years ago when Clinton gave his wife the task of fixing healthcare. So the problem has been with us for long enough.

HMOs were born with co-pays at $5 or $10. Now co-pays are $20 to $50 just to see the doctor and the premiums are sky high.

Healthcare is broken and it will get much worse before we figure out what to do. Government run health care doesn’t work either because the rich will always be able to pay for higher quality care. There is a monster sized collapse looming in the future if we don’t figure out what to do.

It IS a good thing to focus on the wonderful blessings, especially now!

]]> By: Angie http://thecanvasgrey.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/the-financial-strain-of-the-holidays/#comment-2203 Angie Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:11:09 +0000 http://thecanvasgrey.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/the-financial-strain-of-the-holidays/#comment-2203 Your post really resonated with me. I feel many feel the same way that you have described. It is tough out here today. Most of us make less and prices continue to rise. I read a post about health insurance in Australia, where they were complaining about the cost and get this, theirs is government health care. I do not claim to know the answer, I am just very concerned about health care and a real living wage for all of us here in this country. It seems that there are going to be 2 classes here, rich and poor. The middle class is being choked to death. Maybe the one good thing that can come out of all this if it continues is that we will get to the real true meaning of Christmas and be happier and less stressed at the same time. Your post really resonated with me. I feel many feel the same way that you have described. It is tough out here today. Most of us make less and prices continue to rise.

I read a post about health insurance in Australia, where they were complaining about the cost and get this, theirs is government health care.

I do not claim to know the answer, I am just very concerned about health care and a real living wage for all of us here in this country. It seems that there are going to be 2 classes here, rich and poor. The middle class is being choked to death.

Maybe the one good thing that can come out of all this if it continues is that we will get to the real true meaning of Christmas and be happier and less stressed at the same time.

]]> By: thecanvasgrey http://thecanvasgrey.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/the-financial-strain-of-the-holidays/#comment-2166 thecanvasgrey Wed, 19 Dec 2007 00:02:34 +0000 http://thecanvasgrey.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/the-financial-strain-of-the-holidays/#comment-2166 Good for you Accountable for not succumbing to the pressures! The more I let go of the better I feel...less stress is a good thing! I was thinking today how great it feels to have a few things that they wanted and clothes that they need. Good for kids, good for parents, good for the wallet. My parents grew up like Loretta Lynn, one toy, a pair of shoes, one dress and a feast for dinner. They were TICKLED to get that. Good for you Accountable for not succumbing to the pressures! The more I let go of the better I feel…less stress is a good thing!

I was thinking today how great it feels to have a few things that they wanted and clothes that they need. Good for kids, good for parents, good for the wallet.

My parents grew up like Loretta Lynn, one toy, a pair of shoes, one dress and a feast for dinner. They were TICKLED to get that.

]]> By: Accountable http://thecanvasgrey.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/the-financial-strain-of-the-holidays/#comment-2165 Accountable Tue, 18 Dec 2007 22:37:07 +0000 http://thecanvasgrey.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/the-financial-strain-of-the-holidays/#comment-2165 Right now our kids are young enough that they really don't care about how much they are getting. We bought each of them a biggish present (about $30) and a smaller one, under $10. The kids don't <em>need</em> any toys and I know that the grandparents will get them clothes. I feel like a scrooge becasue we did not take the family picture this year and I am NOT sending out cards to everyone this year. But boy do I feel less stressed out by it. Right now our kids are young enough that they really don’t care about how much they are getting. We bought each of them a biggish present (about $30) and a smaller one, under $10. The kids don’t need any toys and I know that the grandparents will get them clothes.

I feel like a scrooge becasue we did not take the family picture this year and I am NOT sending out cards to everyone this year. But boy do I feel less stressed out by it.

]]> By: thecanvasgrey http://thecanvasgrey.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/the-financial-strain-of-the-holidays/#comment-1968 thecanvasgrey Sun, 09 Dec 2007 16:15:30 +0000 http://thecanvasgrey.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/the-financial-strain-of-the-holidays/#comment-1968 Ask and ye may receive...I did get a discount on a couple of bills and the hospitals will take payments, for which I'm thankful. Ask and ye may receive…I did get a discount on a couple of bills and the hospitals will take payments, for which I’m thankful.

]]> By: fightingwindmills http://thecanvasgrey.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/the-financial-strain-of-the-holidays/#comment-1944 fightingwindmills Sat, 08 Dec 2007 23:25:15 +0000 http://thecanvasgrey.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/the-financial-strain-of-the-holidays/#comment-1944 My family is always strained in December because our city collects car tax this month. The increase in prices at the supermarkets are probably directly related to gasoline since our supermarkets rely so heavily on tractor trailers to keep food in stock. If we bought locally and adjusted our diet according to season I don't think we would be as affected by the price of gasoline, you know? Our children are so blessed to have a pediatrician who sometimes sees them and doesn't charge us anything. When we didn't have insurance he used to just charge for the office visit ($35) and his office ate the rest of the cost so that we wouldn't have to. If they need follow-ups to check their ears to see if the infections have cleared up, the office doesn't charge for that follow-up visit. Isn't that humble and kind? He is a dear man. Thanks for posting this, CG. You are wise to think about this kind of topic, even though it is difficult to address. My family is always strained in December because our city collects car tax this month.

The increase in prices at the supermarkets are probably directly related to gasoline since our supermarkets rely so heavily on tractor trailers to keep food in stock. If we bought locally and adjusted our diet according to season I don’t think we would be as affected by the price of gasoline, you know?

Our children are so blessed to have a pediatrician who sometimes sees them and doesn’t charge us anything. When we didn’t have insurance he used to just charge for the office visit ($35) and his office ate the rest of the cost so that we wouldn’t have to. If they need follow-ups to check their ears to see if the infections have cleared up, the office doesn’t charge for that follow-up visit. Isn’t that humble and kind? He is a dear man.

Thanks for posting this, CG. You are wise to think about this kind of topic, even though it is difficult to address.

]]> By: thecanvasgrey http://thecanvasgrey.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/the-financial-strain-of-the-holidays/#comment-1943 thecanvasgrey Sat, 08 Dec 2007 23:20:30 +0000 http://thecanvasgrey.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/the-financial-strain-of-the-holidays/#comment-1943 Amen Maddy! It is what we make it and I choose to make it about love, family and thankfulness for having what I have when I have it. The truth is we are all just one foot from the grave so why not be happy whilst we live! Amen Maddy! It is what we make it and I choose to make it about love, family and thankfulness for having what I have when I have it. The truth is we are all just one foot from the grave so why not be happy whilst we live!

]]> By: Maddy http://thecanvasgrey.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/the-financial-strain-of-the-holidays/#comment-1942 Maddy Sat, 08 Dec 2007 18:37:47 +0000 http://thecanvasgrey.wordpress.com/2007/12/08/the-financial-strain-of-the-holidays/#comment-1942 Maybe a little off topic but A few years ago I read a book called 'unplug on the Christmas machine' [or something like that, rapidly going senile] but I'm sure it applies equally well to all faiths. [I'm not really plugging a book but bear with me] Anyway, the reason that I liked it was because it helped me to focus on what was important and what was just so much 'hype and pressure.' Also it pointed out that it tends to be the women / mums who call the shots [nice use of colloquial Americanism there!] and that the Dad/men's traditions tend to be trampled. [by me at least] Hence, when you whittle it down I learned to chuck out the unimportant stuff and focus on what really matters. I think it should work for everyone. BEst wishes Maybe a little off topic but A few years ago I read a book called ‘unplug on the Christmas machine’ [or something like that, rapidly going senile] but I’m sure it applies equally well to all faiths.

[I'm not really plugging a book but bear with me] Anyway, the reason that I liked it was because it helped me to focus on what was important and what was just so much ‘hype and pressure.’

Also it pointed out that it tends to be the women / mums who call the shots [nice use of colloquial Americanism there!] and that the Dad/men’s traditions tend to be trampled. [by me at least]

Hence, when you whittle it down I learned to chuck out the unimportant stuff and focus on what really matters. I think it should work for everyone.

BEst wishes

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