I really need to stop going to the market down the street because the prices there have become crazy and their selection isn't always the best, but the problem is that I often barely have enough spoons for the nearby market.

I am paranoid and avoid things like that, Zen. Our insurance has "Vitality Points" that you can earn by doing specific healthy things (though I admit I don't know how it's verified that you did them), and you can use those points to "buy" stuff (probably health-related stuff, which I am not mocking, because it would be cool to get a bike just for buying cauliflower).

My paranoia is that it will lead to a point where, instead of being rewarded for making healthier choices, those "choices" will be compulsory and you'll have your rates raised for NOT buying cauliflower.

(I know I sound like a crazy old man here.)

At my company, I just have to attend quarterly "Listen to these very obvious things about diet! Pop has sugar in it! Gasp!" meetings to get my health insurance discount.

The old saying is that two can live as cheaply as one, but one certainly lives cheaper than two. Hubby liked to go shopping, and we ate out all the time. I generally don't go out once I get home from work, and lots of monthly costs have gone down. I don't recommend this as a budget maneuver.

Go PMM!

I should probably just put a one year ban on book and music purchases unless I've been given a gift card. Should probably do the same for new clothing for myself.

Other than spending a large amount of money on plane tickets recently, I'm looking at putting the breaks on unnecessary spending while I'm trying to figure out if I'll be able to find a new job before I quit the one I have.

Yay Plei!

I, too, share the paranoia. Also, we are self insured AND a medical center, so I find it hard to believe that the data is not shared. Of course, my doctor ALSO works for the same place, so I guess anyone could find out. But I don't want to give them any information because I am fat, and I don't want them to bug me about it (they call them "interventions") and put me on a program AND I really don't want them to force me to do it, which I think is what we may be leaning toward.

Ironically, I designed some of the marketing materials for the program.

So good to read good things happening to folks.

Yeah, wellness programs may sounds like they mean well, but they are mostly about transferring more cost onto the employee and away from the company.

[link]

I do mine, because I'm riding my bike anyway, so I might as well get the $125 for it. (although: Zen gets $400?! I'm getting ripped off. boo.)

edit: yay new jobs and adulting!

I suppose the meetings would be useful for the 30-ish mostly healthy types who think doctors are for lesser beings. The ones who can take basket-shooting breaks in the afternoon probably think they're healthy as horses.

Zen, Is any of the stuff you could craigslist or eBay?

Yay Plei and Jess!

When H and I were discussing the possibility of going from two incomes to one, I sat down and figured out all the money I spent on trying to make myself feel better for staying with the soul-killing job. While I was doing that, I also factored in the "play money" he spent, purely on stuff for himself--lunches, toys, supplies for projects he started and abandoned, etc. Counting gas, wardrobe, and dry cleaning, I was actually losing money by working.

By staying home to write, and take care of my mom, I was able to do a lot of household and family business tasks that had defaulted to him, which gave him more free time when he wasn't at work, which helped cut the amount of money he spent trying to make himself feel better.

The only real downside to the decision was that we gave up my health insurance--he was covered through his employer. I just became proactive about my health, and paid out of pocket for doctor appointments. It worked out. But I was shocked and appalled at the money I spent on weekly and monthly basies for essentially nothing, just to cheer a moment in my bleak workday, or keep me from buying an ouzi, instead.