Going into debt for a luxury

notshanarishona

Mon, Jan 08 2024, 1:41 am

amother Heather wrote:

I didn't read the whole thread.
But there's so much shades of grey in what is a luxury and not.

I was in a lot of pain and needed two root canals (that bh insurance covered partially).

But now, insurance is only willing to cover the build up and crown for one tooth.
Is a root canal crown a luxury? Or do I ask the dental clinic for a payment plan and pay $150 a month for the next year?

Or maybe I should just give up, and pull the tooth (and not deal with an implant). But it's a molar and I need the tooth to eat.

I mean I know I'll have half of Imamother telling me that the $1600 treatment is a luxury that I should save for and do it in 2 years.

And the other half of Imamother will tell me to go in debt.

As someone missing a tooth and not doing an implant because of $ (although I did try once and it failed), please do anything to not pull a tooth. A root canal you should go into debt for. Pulling a tooth is forever.

notshanarishona

Mon, Jan 08 2024, 1:49 am

amother OP wrote:

Thanks. This has been me and I so appreciate this perspective.
Do you consider reasonable clothes for kids important? What about for yourself?

Reasonable and fitting clothing are important. That being said, I have no issues wearing hand me downs and shopping at a gemach. Every person needs to make their own priorities.
There is no right or wrong answer.
If someone will give you tzedakah to pay for toiletries or dental treatments or new bras I don’t think anyone would think you are doing something wrong to accept tzedakah . If you don’t have anyone offering you then you don’t really have a choice. Going into cc debt and paying interest will just leave you in a worse situation. Borrowing and not repaying is of the worst things people do also known as stealing.
Borrowing from a gemach with no interest is great if you can afford a payment plan each month.

GLUE

Mon, Jan 08 2024, 6:55 am

If you have pealing lead paint look for grants, different states have them, to paint or remove the lead paint. This is important, get your kids tested for lead.

You can measure your self for bra's I started doing it when I got frustrated going to stores spending a lot of $$$ and feeling that I was ripped off and the lady did not fit me right.(I am a weird size so it is hard to get a good fit.

amother

Mon, Jan 08 2024, 7:00 am

GLUE wrote:

.

My city doesn't have grants. (The next city over does). It's really frustrating

amother

Mon, Jan 08 2024, 7:08 am

GLUE wrote:

I can get fit online from bravissimo for free.

I am well endowed so bras are expensive though

B'Syata D'Shmya

Mon, Jan 08 2024, 11:54 am

amother Heather wrote:

Totally depends.

I can approach my Gabai tzedaka and they'll give me giftcards to clothing stores.
But those giftcards won't help pay the $3000 for the two painful root canals.

And the gift cards themselves are of dubious usefulness. I mean if I'm buying new clothes for my family, then it's useful. But they're not giving giftcards to Tottini and Kidichic.
$200 to a frum clothing or shoe store does not get me very far in fully clothing my family.

So after humbling myself and begging from the Gabai tzedaka, I don't have cash to cover my root canals, and I still am left paying for half my kids clothes.

Some dental schools have root canals for cheaper, but you need to spend a lot of time for the students to do their thing.

amother

Mon, Jan 08 2024, 12:10 pm

B'Syata D'Shmya wrote:

Some dental schools have root canals for cheaper, but you need to spend a lot of time for the students to do their thing.

Yes I've been to the dental school quite a bit but it took way too much time. 25 minute drive each way then a long appointment then multiple appointments. It was not worth missing work for all that. In the end they wanted to pull the tooth.
Then I went to a diff doc and he said it doesn't need to be pulled. And since then I haven't gone back.

Queen6

Mon, Jan 08 2024, 12:12 pm

You can do whatever you want. Nobody cares. You will be the one to pay for it. When it's debt you will be paying interest or begging someone to help you crawl out of it. If you think it's worth it, go for it. It's your choice. There are many that think it's worth it and many that don't. That doesn't hep you as they aren't the one paying your bill.

amother

Mon, Jan 08 2024, 12:21 pm

Queen6 wrote:

Well that's not very nice.