So Gifting this year is different than before.  It’s the year that gifts are not being as frivolous as before.  This is the year where gifts are most valuable when they make a difference, hopefully to you, and the recipient, and beyond.

That said, here are our ideas for the five of the top gifts that make a difference:

1) Make a donation.  Almost every legitimate charity has a  program where they will notify a recipient that donation has been made in their name.  Some also have gifts and trinkets to sell that accomplish the same thing.  This one is easy — go online or on the phone to make a donation without leaving the sofa.  Some of our personal favorites are the Sabrina Cohen Foundation for Stem Cell Research, The Jessica June Children’s Cancer Foundation, and any organization that brings the Arts to children.

2) Shop at charity sites.  Bidding For Good collects high-end gifts that have been donated to a variety of charities across the country, and offers them for auction to their huge database.  Great place to shop for the person who has everything and wants more, and STILL make a difference.

3) Do you have a friend or family member who has skimped on their healthcare to save money?  This is a serious thing and if it’s affecting someone you know, a picture frame is just not going to do it.  Blue Cross/Blue Shield actually offers a gift card used for premiums.  But if anyone you care about has less than fabulous insurance, you can buy them a check-up, a mammogram or pap smear. There’s just no way to put a value on peace of mind.

4) Take someone shopping.  New clothes and decor are frequently passed over when money is tight, and a day of shopping and friendly advice is worth far more than the cash you spend on a gift card.  And you can be sure your giftee gets something they really want.  Save money on greeting cards by sending an online greeting with your gift message.  Start your free trial at  American Greetings and Blue Mountain to send eCards for every occasion.

5) How about a meal out?  Many of my friends are doing it less, so it could be a gift right on target.  You can buy a gift card with rebate at many restaurants, but even better, Click here for Restaurant.com, buy their $100 gift certificate for $12 (watch for the frequent 80% off promotions; try using shopping code SANTA) and take your friend to lunch or dinner.  If you’re feeling flush and generous, you can also give them a $25 certificate (for another $3) for them to use later on.

Wow, five done and we’ve just begun.  Tune in tomorrow for five more!

Meanwhile, check here for a few more ideas for gifts that give back — to you!

Okay, I’m off the soap box.  Today I go back to the re-employment office, where they have an area set up for information on social services available to those in need.  I have avoided asking for additional funds beyond my unemployment checks, but it has been pointed out to me that there may be more available that can help support me as I start and build my business.  Food Stamps?  Me?  Hey, why not?  It would make a difference, especially right now, so I’ll see if I am actually eligible.  And see what else I can apply for.  Will report back as soon as I have some good info.

Last week’s double fisted slam at women’s health may leave a lot of insured women in a lurch about mammograms and other preventative screenings, especially those in the 40-50 year age range.  So suddenly, last week’s suggestion of going to the local Health Department or Planned Parenthood is not as farfetched as I had originally thought.

Of course, affordable health insurance and affordable health care are top topics on many minds right now, both individuals and businesses.  Business Week’s cover story today (11/23/09), for instance, is “Why Wait for Health Reform — 10 Ways to Cut Costs Right Now”.  (Hmm, sounds like a story from I Love a Good Bargain . com!)  Let’s see what they have to say.

1. CRACK DOWN ON FRAUD AND ABUSE

2. DEVELOP A HEALTHY WORKFORCE

3. COORDINATE CARE THROUGH FAMILY DOCTORS

4. MAKE HEALTH A COMMUNITY EFFORT

5. STOP INFECTIONS IN HOSPITALS

6. GET PATIENTS TO TAKE THEIR MEDICINE

7. DISCUSS OPTIONS NEAR THE END OF LIFE

8. USE INSURANCE TO MANAGE CHRONIC DISEASE

9. LET WELL-INFORMED PATIENTS DECIDE

10. APOLOGIZE TO THE PATIENT

You can read the whole story here.  Or read more about how it affects YOU here.

More to come.  Happy Monday!

Affordable Health Care at Ellis Island

I’m not so sure that the word “affordable” applies here to the topic of Health Insurance.  And after yesterday’s news of the new recommendations for mammograms for breast cancer screenings, it’s a point that we all, especially women, need to take seriously, and soon.

The more research I do to find my next health insurance policy options, the more I realize that I don’t know.  There are endless options, and I’ve spoken with close to a dozen agents now, both individuals and those that answer 800 numbers, and overall, I am a) more confused than ever and b)mostly unimpressed by their so called expertise (except for a few.  Read on.) and lack of follow-up skills.

I’ve talked about HSAs, tax-favored savings accounts that are used in conjunction with a health insurance plan to reduce tax burden and help one save for retirement,(not for me), high and low deductibles, co-pays, lifetime caps, and out of pocket maximums.  I’ve almost been turned down, I’m about out of energy, but I have come to some conclusions:

1) The more I shop around, the more confident I am that I have found my best plan.  No surprise there, but it’s not a rule I have followed in the past

2) I’m going to have to pay somewhere in the $200 per month range for the services I need; not bad, as it’s about half of what I am paying now!

At the beginning of this series, I mentioned Cover Florida, the low-cost option for un-, self- or under-employed Florida residents.  It seemed a good option for me right now, lowest cost, guaranteed acceptance (especially important if you have any, and I mean ANY, pre-existing conditions; and who doesn’t?) and even the possibility of national coverage, so I can continue to see some of my long-term doctors in other states. Yet  almost every agent I spoke with brushed it off as something for people who are otherwise uninsurable.  Until Cesar, who I met accidentally at a social event the other night. It was not until we exchanged cards that I learned that he is a health insurance broker.

Cesar was the first and only of all the brokers who, based on my answers to his basic screening questions, offered a few new health care options:

1) Cover Florida, which he thinks might be the perfect option for me at this time (short-term cash-flow crunch).

2) A one-person group option!

3) A group plan though my company, a two-person LLC.

Hail, Cesar!  You may have cut through the nonsense and become my new broker.  Here’s a guy that made me feel that he’s putting me first, not worrying about the meager commission paid on the Cover FL plan, and coming up with an idea that NOT ONE of the others had mentioned.

I’ll let you know the bottom line when he gets back to me with actual numbers.  Also in my next post will be some ideas on how to cope when you have no or not-enough insurance.  Especially when you need to examine your boobies.

Meanwhile, click here to read more about how to take care of yourself at a discount.

Have you heard of Groupon? I first became aware of this organization about 5 months ago, when a reader from New York mentioned it.  As it was very focused on only a few cities, I passed on reporting it at the time.  But now, it’s expanded to over 30 cities, so it’s time to let all my readers in on it.

Groupon, and other organizations like it, put people together to harness the power of volume buying.  It’s a deal-a-day thing, city specific, where, if they get a certain number of people to sign up for it, everyone gets the deal.  (If not enough people buy, the deal is cancelled and you get a refund.  But this seems to be a rare occurrence.)  The deals are for spa treatments, bars and restaurants, amusements and the like. It’s a great way for businesses to build their customer bases, and for consumers to get awesome deals, sometimes up to 82 per cent off retail!  Plus, they’re brilliant at growing their own customer base, urging readers to sign up their friends so they can create a big enough demand for each offer, and offering referral bonuses in Groupon cash for each member registered.

Groupon now serves 35 metro areas, and they’re actively growing, so if you live in or near any major city, it’s worth a look. www.groupon.com.

For more ways to save on lots of great stuff, click here.

illustration:http://www.joefloridainsurance.com/

As I am looking into affordable health insurance, I am suddenly face to face with all kinds of insurance issues.

I paid a monthly premium for about a year to have an extended warrantee on my car.  It never covered one penny of any repairs my car needed.  This week, for the first time, it will actually pay in full, less my $50 deductible, for a replacement window motor.

I’m about to exhaust my unemployment insurance, I just received notice that my home insurer will not cover me after this year, my friends are talking about long-term insurance and I am waiting for receipt of the replacement hard drive for one that broke, one that I actually purchased a warrantee for.

My husband is very anti-insurance industry in general, while I, especially with my computer and iPhone, feel a great sense of comfort that I have that cushion.  Like with anything, though, you and I like to know that we get the best coverage at the best price, the best value for our money.

So let’s get back to affordable health insurance, where the product is not stuff, it us.   Today, after a few minutes with a telephone rep from Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Florida, I learned that I was eligible for a plan costing half the amount of my current premium, with no deductible!  This one sounds great.  Let’s see how it develops.

How do YOU feel about insurance?  Necessary evil? Security blanket? Totally ridiculous?  Please post your comments.  What info can we find for you?

P.S. While looking for an illustration for this article, I came upon a site about Florida insurance and the best prices.   I’ll definitely check it out and report back.

P.P.S. This Sunday is the best day of the year for buying costume basics for next Halloween.  Maybe you can try one of the great costumes you saw this year.  HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I know I’ve mentioned it here before, but I am very very lucky.

Meanwhile..I’ve already been contacted via email by the AARP insurance agent, who sent over a brochure and preliminary proposal for my needs.  Compared to those, the $400 a month I am now paying is smack in the middle of the range.   The deductibles, however, are quite higher — from $1250 to six thousand compared to the $250 on my current plan, which ends in January.

I put a note up on my Facebook page and got about a half-dozen replies, comprised of three personal referrals, a suggestion to visit the Freelancers Union, one to visit SBUA.org  (Small Business United), and one minor rant on the state of the U.S. Healthcare system.

Going through the old email, I find: nothing of any value.

Looking at old snail mail, I find something from AARP. It’s an offer for information on not only health insurance per se, but also dental, vision, prescription and fitness programs.  I will look into this as well. And there’s a Blue Cross/Blue Shield ad in the Sunday paper that says coverage from $5 a day ($150/month; very low).  I’ll call them tomorrow.

Meanwhile, a few special deals for today:

from Daily Candy: Both sweet treat for your smackers and hint of tint for your cheeks, Benefit Pocket Pal is our go-to product. Score one free (reg. $20) with any full-price purchase from Benefit Cosmetic’s online boutique.

Get 15% off orders at OneHanesPlace.com. Enter promo code 611691 at checkout. This offer is valid October 27th through October 30th.

Win free groceries for a year from It Pays To Eat Pasta.  Enter here.

TigerDirect Exclusive Deals, Limited Time Offers, Act Now And Save! Free Shipping on orders over $100.

Great Costumes, Low Prices, Costume SuperCenter — and they’ll guarantee shipment by Halloween if ordered before the 30th (Friday) at 3PM.  Click for great ideas and great prices.

As we approach the Great Pumpkin day, click here for costume ideas.  To read Friends with Money part 1, click here.    To read more about the Health Insurance search, click here.

The state of Florida, where I live, offers something called Cover Florida, although yesterday’s paper reported that the cost savings, while decent, are not as substantial as previously stated, and the level of care can suffer exponentially.  I tried to hang in until the “public option” becomes a real option, but something tells me it’s time to start looking.

Saving money on health care, including insurance, is a topic on almost every American’s mind these days, so it’s something we here at ILAGB are taking more seriously than many of our money-saving categories.  So we embark on a journey for the best, cheapest plan, with access to the best care.

Now, if you have a friend or relative who sells insurance, that’s always a great place to start.  Explain up front, however, nicely, that you’re going to go with the best plan you can find, and that you will keep shopping until you’re confident that you’ve found it.

If you have no personal contacts in the field, ask around for referrals.  I am putting the word out on Facebook as well as here on the blog.  I’m going to search on the internet, first a specific search for the Cover Florida program, and then a general search for “affordable health insurance Florida”.  I’m going to ask my friends.  I’m going to sort through the e- and regular mail for those offers that often show up, which I’ve been saving since I realized that this time would come. And then,  having reached the ripe age of 53, with a little “medical history”,  my first call  is AARP.

AARP Health was excellent.  I was given an overview of the available plans in my area, sent to a website where all the info was available in print, given a price range (rather wide, of course) and before I got off the phone, I received an email confirmation of my request, and a promise that I would be contacted by a local agent with the next few days.  Pretty efficient!

Searching Cover Florida was quick and easy.  #1 is a local agency who had the foresight to buy the domain name.  I’m sticking with the companies, to start.   #2 is the government site, which gave me four companies to call, and a four-page spreadsheet on all the available plans.  I’ll print that out and study it tonight, so I can begin calling in earnest tomorrow.

I just received an email tip that, although unverified, is too good not to share — how to save hundreds of dollars on whitening your teeth.

Cathy, from Santa Cruz, CA, wanted those glow-in-the-dark teeth that everyone seems to have these days, but wasn’t willing to spend the money to have it done professionally — so she did a little research, and reports having fantastic results. What she said:

“By looking around online, I found a few special offers and coupon codes to try products by only paying a few dollars for shipping. That allowed me to get two different products for free.   My plan was to use one first and then switch to the other, which is what I did. The results were good with the first product alone, but what I hadn’t expected was that when I followed it with the second, I noticed improvements in parts of my teeth that the other product hadn’t affected, or had only slightly improved. It appeared that each of the separate products focus on different parts of the problem, or maybe that the second one gave the whitening a boost that finished the job! By using them both in that order, I was able to get even better results, and because they both had trials AND coupon codes for them, I was able to do the whole thing by just paying a few dollars in shipping charges.”

The codes below were valid as of 6/6.  Let me know if they work — if not, we’ll find some others.

Product 1 –

DazzleWhite: Use Promo Code whiteteeth

Product 2 –

DenTech: Use Promo Code smile

Please, if you try this, report on your results. Also, buyers be warned — We have not tried this one ourselves, and we have had some feedback from readers that have done “free trials” in the past and say that they’re hard to cancel.  If you do this, be on top of it, and don’t ever let anyone steal your money — you work too hard to earn and save it.

For some more good info on home-made cures and beauty products, click here.

SO, where were we…oh, yes, simple, natural recipes for all that ails you.  Last post, we spoke about scrubs, bath stuff and the like.  Now, a quick look at natural cures, and then on to the more fun stuff, aromatherapy.  

There are so many categories where natural cures come in that I thought I’d just give you some sites that I like:  try 

www.natural-homeremedies.com

www.home-remedies-for-you.com

www.homemademedicine.com

These sites are full of recipes, great info and lots of interesting bits of trivia, i.e. Did you know that 6 cherries have the same effect of 1 aspirin? Plus cherries are filled with antioxidants!.  (That’s from site #3 above).

And now, breathe deeeeep, relaxxxxxx, and read on about aroma therapy.  Scientists have long known that smell is one of the most powerful, although I think maybe most underrated, of the senses.  Think about the scent of fresh bread as you pass a bakery, or the sizzling scent of pizza.  Even more, though, it’s really funny how a smell can take you back — for me, when I smell patchouli oil, I’m a teenager in the ’70s again!

So, will aromatherapy make you (or me) younger?  Doubtful. But there are a ton of aromatherapy treatments for just about everything else, particularly for moods — pick-me-ups, calm-you-downs,and physical stuff like sleep, sex, even weight loss!  And you don’t need to buy those expensive mixes in the pretty jars.  Make them at home to spend less and know what you’re getting.  Again, easy, cheap and good for you. 

These recipes come from www.gainvitalhealth.com. Although they are selling their own brands of these items, you can and should use what you have on hand, i.e. massage lotion and hair conditioner, before buying more. As for the oils, you may get lucky and find them in the dollar store (I have). Or your local drug store. Or flea market. Or head shop. (Oops, back in the ’70s again.)  Here’s a few recipes:

Healing Spray

• 10 drops of Tea Tree oil
• 10 drops of Lavender oil
• Fill a 1 oz. spray bottle with Mouthwash 
• Spray on sores, infected areas and fungus.

Energy Booster

• 3 drops Orange oil
• 2 drops Wild Rosemary oil
• 1 drop Peppermint oil
• Massage Lotion

Mix oils with Massage Lotion in a 1/2 ounce container. This is a great pick-me-up hand and body lotion. 

Shoo-Fly Insect Repellent Spray  (I can’t wait to try this one!)

• 5 drops Tea Tree oil
• 5 drops Lavender oil
• 5 drops Geranium oil
• 5 drops Cedarwood oil
• a drop of hair conditioner

Mix in a 1 oz. spray or lotion bottle and add distilled water to fill.  Shake well.

Here’s one for Bath Salts from www.essortment.com

In order to create your own aromatherapy bath salts, start with a base recipe, by mixing 3 parts epsom salts, 2 parts sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and 1 part rock crystal salt or sea salt. 

Simply measure out portions in a large bowl and mix with your hands or a large spoon. Then you are ready to add your own scents and colors. If you plan to make several different scented bath salts, you can create the base in bulk and divide the recipe, then add your other ingredients.

If you’d really like to pursue this, I recommend buying a book — “The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils” is often mentioned as a guidebook, with all the information you need in one place.  Look for them new or used here at Amazon.

Hey, these would be perfect for an at-home spa day!  Read about that and more I LOVE A GOOD BARGAIN spa ideas here. Now, breathe deep, ahhhhhhhh.

But this time, it‘s personal.     

eCindy Stein-Wall, a fabulous photographer and friend in New York (check out her site, http://www.ecindy.smugmug.com/) is looking for freebies and bargains on natural skin care.  She writes: “I need you to find me organic skin care bargains. The stuff‘s expensive, but I only use organic. Not preaching, but what I‘ve read and learned about what we‘re absorbing transdermally scares the crap out of me.”  (Great information at www.beauty-with-integrity.com) 

Don‘t be scared, Cindy.  Seems like these days everyone, including the big companies,  is going organic, or at least more natural.  But, bargain finder that I am, I went on the hunt.  And even I had very little luck finding organic anything free.  Did find one: free sample of fresh raw organic Bee Pollen.  Go to www.PollenPower.com.  Also, I did find bunches of free samples as long as you make a (usually expensive) purchase.  

But don‘t despair.  What I have found (with Cindy‘s help) are a lot of good, cheap, easy recipes for skin care and some other products you can make at home.  If you’re planning to make this a way of life, it may pay to buy some of your ingredients in bulk on the internet.  But a lot of the products use just what you have already in the house, and you may be able to transform some of the products that you have and don‘t use into something usable.  If there‘s just no way you‘ll do that, either give the products to friends who will use them, or empty out the jars and save them for the stuff you‘ll make. Clean out the cabinets and make room for more!

Before you start mixing, see what your feet say about your health with a free EWW! Patch at www.gainvitalhealth.com/. Then, relieve your achy legs and feet with a free Neru foot patch at www.nerubiotech.com

Then, the bath.  One thing that‘s easy to make at home is a soothing natural bath milk. Here‘s one, compliments of another great site,  http://www.makeyourcosmetics.com/

1. Put 1/2 cup whole dry oats into a food processor until powdered, add  a few drops your favorite essential oil(s) or a few drops of a perfume sample and mix well.

2. Using a funnel, pour oats into an old pantyhose, clean sock or muslin bag and secure with a tie or string.

3. To use, run a warm or hot bath, put the oat bag into it, and get in. You can also use the bag as a scrubbie (with or without soap) and rub it on your skin, leaving it soft and supple. Soak for as long as you like, then when your ready, towel off and follow with your favorite rich moisturizer. I especially like doing this before bed, then climbing into bed under my nice warm blankie.

We checked out a few recipes for soap, but it seems to be a lot of work, and we‘re not excited about a lot of work. But, face and body scrubs are cheap and easy.  Here‘s one from Cindy: 

“I made my own facial scrub, really easy: shea butter, almond oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, honey and sugar. Blend it together and place in a jar. It works really nicely. Most of the oils are easy to come by. The unrefined shea butter…I buy on line. You don‘t have to use shea. I just use alot of it throughout the day.

“You‘ll get more volume for the $ making it yourself. You don‘t have to use all the ingredients I use. You can make a great scrub just using honey, sugar and extra virgin olive oil. It‘s your personal preference. Whatever the scrub, you‘re going to have to wash before and after. Before, to be sure your skin is clean, and after because the emollients will leave a heavy residue. Leave it on while you shower for a moisturizing session and wash off just before you‘re done showering.”

Cindy also notes that there are tons of recipes and how-to videos on the web and YouTube. 

Now, some easy products.  I love these recipes from www.KitchenCosmetics.com :

Easy Radish Deodorant:

Extract the juice from about 2 dozen radishes, add 1/4 teaspoon of glycerin. Pour into a squirt bottle and keep refrigerated. Squirt under arms after a bath or pour some into the palm of your hand and rub under the arms.

Eye Care:  

We‘ve all heard of teabags and cucumbers to reduce eye fatigue and puffiness.  But potatoes? Who knew? Here’s a few more ideas:

1) The best overall eye tonic is the herb called eyebright (go figure). Make a tea of it, soak cotton balls or soft gauze in the tea and apply to eyes as a compress while lying down.

2) For puffy and swollen eyes, make a wet compress of 4 Tbsp. freshly grated raw potato. Place on the eyes for about 15 minutes, then rinse with cold water.

3) For dark cirles, cut a fresh fig in half, place a half over each eye.

4) Raw potato slices laid on sore eyes reduces heat and redness.

5) For tired or bloodshot eyes, soak sterile cotton balls or soft cloth in cold skim milk. Place over eyes for 10 minutes. Rinse entire face in warm,then cool, water.

6) To lighten dark circles under your eyes, wrap a grated raw potato in cheesecloth and apply to eyelids for 15-20 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

Now, for the mouth…

Basic Lip Stain Gloss:

                1/4 cup beeswax

                1/4 cup castor oil

                2 tbsp sesame oil

                Beet juice

                Melt beeswax in top of double boiler. Remove from heat and add oils. Add as much beet juice as desired for color, store in jar. Use a lip brush or fingers to apply, or reuse an old case.  Add essential oils for fragrance.

Apricot-Orange Lip Gloss

                1 tsp beeswax

                1 tsp apricot kernel oil

                1 tsp calendula oil

                3-4 drops of essential oil of orange

                Beet juice

Melt beeswax in top of double boiler. Add apricot kernel and calendula oils, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add beet juice if desired, for color. When partially cooled, add oil of orange. Store in jar. 

Breath Fresheners:

        1) Chew fresh parsley, peppermint or spearmint leaves to sweeten the breath.

        2) Chew fennel seeds or anise seeds to freshen the breath.

        3)  Add 1 drop of myrrh oil to 1 cup of cooled, boiled water. Use as gargle/mouthwash or tea.

Basic Toothpaste

        1 Tsp of the Old Fashioned Tooth Powder

        1/4 Tsp Hydrogen peroxide.  

  1 drop of peppermint or other oil for flavor

        Mix into a paste and brush as usual.

Old Fashioned Tooth Powder

        2 Tbsp dried lemon or orange rind

        1/4 cup baking soda

        2 Tsp salt

        Place rinds in food processor, grind until peel becomes a fine powder. Add baking soda and salt then process a few seconds more until you have a fine powder. Store in an airtight tin or jar. Dip moistened toothbrush into mixture, brush as usual.

Strawberry Tooth Cleanser

        1 Tsp of the above Old Fashioned Tooth Powder

        1 Tbsp crushed ripe strawberries

        Mix strawberries and powder into a paste and brush as usual.

Rosemary-Mint Mouthwash

        2 1/2 cups distilled or mineral water

        1 tsp fresh mint leaves

        1tsp rosemary leaves

        1 tsp anise seeds

        Boil the water, add herbs and seeds, infuse for 20 minutes. Cool, strain and use as a gargle/mouthwash. If you wish to make up a larger quantity, double or triple the recipe then add 1 tsp of tincture of myrrh as a natural preservative.

Finally, a great recipe for a natural facial mask, plus a bonus:

1.  
   • Slice an avocado in half.  Sprinkle a bit of lemon juice over the half you won’t use and put it in a plastic bag in the refrigerator so you can use it later (within a day). Mash the half for the mask and add mayonnaise. Stir the two ingredients together in a bowl until they make a smooth combination.
   • Add the lemon juice and stir. If your skin is normal or oily, add more lemon juice for added astringency.
   • Spread evenly on clean, damp face and leave for about 10-15 minutes. Rinse well with warm water. Tone and moisturize as usual. 
   • Combine the leftover solution with the other avocado half, add sliced cucumbers, onion and tomato, sprouts and cheese if you wish, spread on two slices of bread and enjoy your lunch!

My next post will talk about home remedies and aroma therapy.

Thank you again, Cindy, for all the great info here.  I promise to keep the search up for natural freebies and will post them whenever I do. 

For more about budget-wise spa days, click here.