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Before work begins, ask your dentist if they give a discount for cash. (Most of them do) Paying cash upfront might sting a bit but it's cost-saving in the long run. You really will get the best deal by asking for a discount and paying cash than payments over time ... unless they are one of the few businesses left out there who will do a 90-days-same-as-cash deal.
This is what I plan to do. Since I have my emergency fund I could do this. I have been going to this dentist for so many years she has suggested some really great things for me to try for my other aches and pains. I feel she is almost like family. So if there is any way she can help, I know she will.
I have not yet read the posts in this fascinatingly titled thread. May I make a comment, however? What people get for social security (if that is their only income) and where (what state and area) they live in enormously affects how they can survive. I know someone (well educated) who lives in a rent controlled apartment in New York City, Manhattan, no less, NY, and his income is $700 from social security! He rents out one bedroom of his 2 bedroom apartment and makes about $300 extra income reviewing new books. He survives somehow and that is amazing in NYC, trust me on that one.
I have a friend, 74, who lives on her $1,600 social security in a mortgage free little ranch house near Boston, MA. She is very frugal and lives OK on that income and has a little in savings and she manages.
It does vary a lot what people live on and what state and city they live in. The above friend would need an income about 30% lower if she lives in most parts of Tennessee, I would think.
Where I live that is not legal but if it is where he is that sounds like a good idea.
This is what I plan to do. Since I have my emergency fund I could do this. I have been going to this dentist for so many years she has suggested some really great things for me to try for my other aches and pains. I feel she is almost like family. So if there is any way she can help, I know she will.
Sounds like a good plan. I'm glad you didn't choose the dental school path. That's an option I'd take only if you really don't have any other option. I'll let students cut my hair, because if I get a bad cut so what--it'll grow out. However, your teeth and gums are increasingly easy to damage as we get older, and if someone makes a mistake on your teeth the consequences are much more serious that getting a bad haircut.
Sounds like a good plan. I'm glad you didn't choose the dental school path. That's an option I'd take only if you really don't have any other option. I'll let students cut my hair, because if I get a bad cut so what--it'll grow out. However, your teeth and gums are increasingly easy to damage as we get older, and if someone makes a mistake on your teeth the consequences are much more serious that getting a bad haircut.
The only damage I ever got dentally was from a dentist in practice for at least a quarter century. And he has a very good reputation around here. I almost decided to sue him, and should have. I would not assume that dental schools and clinics are substandard. The one I went to (MIT) as an undergrad had their graduating dentists working on patients under the close supervision of professionals. I'm not saying I endorse this,but I also wouldn't make assumptions across the board. (Same with doctors - the Kaiser M.D. that failed to diagnose a deadly blood clot and sent me home was an idiot. The PA-physician's assistant is the one that caught it on my return visit and most likely saved my life. Whereas the "doctor" spent all of 5 min. with me, the PA gave me almost an hour and had the tests ordered. Diligence doesn't necessarily belong only to so called professionals)
The only damage I ever got dentally was from a dentist in practice for at least a quarter century. And he has a very good reputation around here. I almost decided to sue him, and should have. I would not assume that dental schools and clinics are substandard. The one I went to (MIT) as an undergrad had their graduating dentists working on patients under the close supervision of professionals. I'm not saying I endorse this,but I also wouldn't make assumptions across the board. (Same with doctors - the Kaiser M.D. that failed to diagnose a deadly blood clot and sent me home was an idiot. The PA-physician's assistant is the one that caught it on my return visit and most likely saved my life. Whereas the "doctor" spent all of 5 min. with me, the PA gave me almost an hour and had the tests ordered. Diligence doesn't necessarily belong only to so called professionals)
When I had my negative experience at Tufts Dental School I talked with people in the waiting room who related the great experiences they'd had. I don't know why mine went wrong. I can only guess that maybe the dental student I had needed practice at doing a root canal (which I didn't need) and maybe someone in charge at that time gave the go ahead.
A woman I worked for told me her regular dentist extracted the WRONG tooth! Her lawyer husband told her it wouldn't do any good to try to sue him.
It all depends. Depends upon what? Who knows. We use our best judgement but we still are taking chances.
Dental school? Wow--my stomach still turns at the memory of the time I tried that. Neg, I'm really glad you've been lucky going that route, but my experience was quite different. I tried it when I was a poor college student at UCLA, and it was a terrible experience. Seriously, the sort of thing I wouldn't recommend anyone do unless they were absolutely financially strapped. Glad it worked out for you, though--maybe I just had an extremely bad experience. All I did was allow them to do a cleaning, and believe me that's the last time I'll ever let dental students even do that much.
Although I'm a fan of frugality, I've learned the hard way that there are some things you shouldn't be cheap about. One of them is anything that involves medicine, chemicals, or cutting your body. Just my two cents, but I really really really think having a senior citizen get dental work done at a dental school is a bad idea.
Speaking about bad ideas, another frugal idea that I tried when I was a college kid and learned the hard way never to do again was to be a human guinea pig. I tried to make extra money by allowing college research program test lotions and other such things on my body. They had an ad in the student paper so I thought it had to be safe, right? Worked out great the first 2-3 times, then I was in a study where I ended up with permanent rashes and a severe case of rosacea that I still have to this day. I made $75 from being in that study--and spent much more than $75 going to dermatologists over the years trying to heal the damage done by that study.
As we get older, frugality becomes more and more important--but IMO, before you try getting dental work done by students, ask your friends for their experiences. People you know and trust in the real world, who can recommend a specific dental school they've been to. Maybe it works out better in some cities than in others.
Good post, Calidium and I agree that there are some things a person should never skimp on. Mine is tires. Always buy good quality tires for your car or truck. How many times have you seen the remnants of a tire in the road where it came apart? I'm not saying you need to buy the very top of the line but maybe just a notch under that. You'll rarely - if ever - have problems and you want to be safe on the road.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HereOnMars
... Mine is tires. ...
Thus it's so good we are all different.
I too am a tire NUT, but buy mine from junkyards for $5. I get matched sets and check the date codes and have my own tire machine and balancer, + served MANY years fixing tires, so I know how to shop and what brands NOT to buy. I have had VERY few tire problems in my 3mil mile+, accident free driving experience. But I certainly encourage others to buy QUALITY tires.
But teeth... they cost a fortune to keep and to fix, and are very PAINFUL and bothersome to neglect.
I have friends use dental schools with mixed luck.
I will stick with the name brand dentist (as long as I can afford) and Thailand / Philippines for expensive heath and dental care needs.
yes, thank goodness we still have a CHOICE (not likely in future USA)
On the dental thing, I believe I've mentioned it previously but if you need alot of work all at once, look into Hungarian Dental Tours. Apparently, the country of Hungary does good work at a very good price and there are travel agencies that specialize in tours combining your dental work with actual touring.
I bought a 1400 sqft mobile home for 12k, which is great BUT the park lot rent has crawled from $525 to $595 in two years. I'm looking for a living option where there is rent control, so I don't worry about inflation. My mind is going through so many options, now.
Buying a cheap mobile home has never been on the table for me, as you have no control over the lot rent, as I'm planning on retiring for a tad less than $1k!
There was an article in the paper, recently, about a man who bought a nice mobile home in a senior park, invested an additional $30k into his property, and some new greedy park owners took over, jacked up the rent to $750 a month and he's trapped! It went on to say a number of residents in that community bailed out, left their mobile homes behind for free to the owners, who plan to rent them out!
Senior mobile home rental parks, no way Ho-zay, unless I own the land underneath it!
I get very suspicious when I see mobiles for sale in the teens, and I've seen them as low as $5k. But, but, but!!! The lot rent is never mentioned!
Last edited by tijlover; 01-08-2013 at 02:39 PM..
Reason: Add line
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Worked out great the first 2-3 times, then I was in a study where I ended up with permanent rashes and a severe case of rosacea that I still have to this day. I made $75 from being in that study--and spent much more than $75 going to dermatologists over the years trying to heal the damage done by that study. 
