Short post today, as things are hectic with work. I am looking forward to the long weekend!
Instead of my customary $1,000 payment at the end of the month, today I only put $700 towards the student loan. Why? Overspending in my budget. In particular, I’ve been spending a lot of money on health care. My health fund, which I funded at an unusually high $2.5k early this year, is already exhausted.
The bad news is that all of these tests and supplements are expensive. Thus, my health fund, a sinking fund, has sunk.
The good news is that because of the testing I’ve learned that I don’t have the markers for an illness that I was worried about due to some concerning symptoms. But I need one more diagnostic procedure to confirm it. I’ve been putting it off due to not wanting to spend the money (as well as the pain involved). I know I need to do it, even if it cuts into my loan payments.
I’ve also learned, thanks to the testing, that I had two severe mineral and vitamin deficiencies. With the supplements I’m now taking, I feel better and have a LOT more energy. Followup blood work verifies that I no longer have the deficiencies. The biggest hurdle is getting my hormones balanced and bringing my sky-high cholesterol down. This is proving more of a challenge, and thus it is involving more money.
I dislike having to choose between debt and health. I created my yearly health fund (a sinking fund) to avoid these kinds of decisions by having a separate bucket of money to cover any medical costs without having to slow down debt repayment. It has served me well. I have no plans to spend this much in future years, I just need to finish a few more tests for now.
All in all, I’m appreciating my health fund and will likely keep it even after I’m out of debt.
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“Debtor’s prison is real, and opportunity cost is a bitch.” (DDSW Archives)
Double Debt Single Woman 
Sorry to hear about your health fund, but I’m glad you’re getting the necessary procedures. Health trumps everything–even if it means delaying those extra debt payments.
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Thanks. I agree. Health is most important.
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I’m glad you were able to rule out a thing that was scaring you. Health costs in this country are no-joke. I’m waiting for the next $2K bill for my teeth. This will be followed up by monthly bills in the high hundreds until the invisalign is complete. Sigh.
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Ugh! Yeah, I have a couple of root canals in my future plus additional dental work once my current (several) fillings break down. They’ve been holding strong for over 10 years now and I hope they can hold out a couple of more years before I have to start having $$$ work done. I need to start saving for that, given that I know its coming up at some point, but other health issues feel more important right now. I feel your pain with that $2k bill.
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1. It sucks that your health fund is gone.
2. It sounds like the health fund is working well for you overall though, so yey!
3. Glad your health is improving, even though there’s still more work to do, and that you don’t have the markers for the illness you were concerned about (even though you still need that last test).
4. Your health is more important than paying down huge amounts on your debt, like you’ve been doing for a while. Of course, debt impacts your health too, so i can imagine the desicions can be tough to make sometimes. Ugh.
Keep up the good work, you’re getting there, both with your health and your debt!
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Thanks, Maria.
It’s like a loop. I’m in debt, which causes me stress. The job that I work to pay the debt also causes me stress. The stress negatively impacts my health. I have to pay for medical care to try to repair my health. I have to slow down my debt repayment to pay for the medical care. That means I’m in debt stress longer. Sigh. Debt is the worst.
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Amazing having that fund to use for the purpose it was intended. More people need to take measures like this. Smart!
Glad your energy is better too.
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Thanks. Now that I’m getting older, I’m realizing that yearly health care expenses are here to stay for me, so I might as well try to get ahead of it. 🙂
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