Before most people can have kids, they think long and hard about all aspects of childcare, including expenses. This includes tuition fees, clothes, shelter, food, etc. However, brace treatment is another expense that most parents have to account for. More than 3.5 million teens and children get braces every year. That means there is a good chance your child will wear them too. Unfortunately, dental care is not cheap. Kids’ braces can cost from $3,000 to $7,000. This can be very costly, especially for a low-income family. If your child needs braces, but you are having trouble raising the amount, you can explore several financing options, as highlighted below.

Medicaid Dental Benefits and EPSDT

By law, any children from low-income households qualify for full medical coverage. If your family is eligible, you will not have to pay for any orthodontic treatment costs. Keep in mind that dental and brace treatments for cosmetic purposes are not covered. But if the treatment is to correct a medical issue, then the case will be approved. In most states, orthodontic treatments are covered by Medicaid through a program called Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT). Check with the local department of Children and Family Services and confirm whether the program can cover brace treatment for your child.

Check Whether Your Orthodontist Has a Payment Plan in Place

Because these treatments can be costly, most orthodontists have payment plans in place to help patients. Talk to your orthodontist and find out what is offered. You may also want to research other orthodontists in your area. Payment options tend to differ, and you might find a payment plan that meets your needs. The earlier you start your child on treatment, the better the outcome. Between the ages of 6 and 12 is when you might start noticing your child has an abnormal bite. However, orthodontic treatment usually starts between the age of 8 and 14. At this age, the child has lost most baby teeth, and permanent teeth have started developing. This gives you plenty of time to research which orthodontists have good rates.

Personal Loan

You can finance your child’s treatment by applying for a personal loan from a bank, online lender, or credit union. Look for lenders that provide medical loans. You will get the best rates if you have a good credit score. And the good thing about loans is that you do not have to repay all the money at once. You can spread the payments over a specific period to lessen the burden.

Low-Income Programs and Financing

If you do not qualify for the Medicaid orthodontic programs, check the ‘Smiles Change Lives’ program. If your household income is less than 100% of the federal poverty level (FPL), you may qualify for treatment. The child needs to be between ages 7 and 21. If you qualify, your child will get full orthodontic treatment for only a small fee of $650. This can be a huge relief for parents as they can start their kid’s treatment as early as possible. Ideally, the best time to start orthodontic treatment is from age 7. This ensures that any chewing problems and overcrowded teeth are fixed early.

Orthodontic Insurance

Another way to cover your child’s orthodontic treatment is through insurance. Invest in a dental plan that includes brace treatment. This may increase your premiums, but you will be reducing the financial strain of covering the whole treatment cost on your own. When crooked teeth are not addressed in time, they can lead to other dental issues such as bad breath. According to the American Dental Association, people ought to brush twice a day to remove oral bacteria and prevent bad breath. But when you have crooked teeth, even if you brush twice a day, it can still be challenging to reach all corners of your mouth. Rectifying the issue early on prevents other oral issues and saves you money in the long run.

Financing your children’s braces ensures that you raise confident and happy kids. Do not let the situation escalate due to money issues. Explore which financing option works best for your family and use it to cover your child’s brace treatment.

Moving comes with a lot of expenses and unforeseen costs, so it’s a welcome thought that you can save money during this process. Here’s how you can save money and enjoy moving to a home that you know your family will love.

Prepare Well in Advance

Proper preparation is important because it enables you to know what you need to do and how you will do it. From packing and keeping things in storage when necessary to negotiating with moving companies so they can give you a fairer price, there are many benefits to planning. Collect all the necessary things such as bubble wrap for sensitive items and markers or labels to ensure you know what is packed where. Don’t forget about the details of the house you’re planning to move into, because, with 40 million housing units belonging to HOA communities, you may need to make certain adjustments to fit well into your new place if it’s part of one.

Pack Essentials Nearby

Moving can leave you exhausted and wanting to simply settle down first before you start the process of unpacking and organizing your new home. For this reason, you need to ensure that you have some essentials nearby, from a few kitchen and living room items to beddings. This will allow you to get a short break and re-energize yourself before you need to start digging through boxes. If you can use your own items and avoid having to buy others for a quick fix, this will be money you’ve saved.

Take Advantage of Free Moving Boxes

Check in local stores and other places if there are any offers for free or cheap moving boxes. Some moving companies may even offer free boxes and cheap packaging solutions, and you can make use of these to save some money during your move. Whether you’re among the 85% of Americans that move to the same state or the 15% who move to a different state, you will be happy to make some savings by getting free or affordable packing, so take time to look for some.

Move in the Low Season

If you can help it, move during the low season, which is between October and April. Doing this will see you spending less money as moving companies usually charge a lower price as demand for their services is lower. Most people move during early fall, summer, and late spring, so these will be high moving seasons and truck rentals will cost a bit more. There’s money to be saved when you move in early spring, late fall, or winter if the weather is friendly enough to move in.

Leave Items You Don’t Need

There’s no point in paying to move or store items that you haven’t used in a while and that you’re not likely to use in the future. While packing, take time to sort through your items and either sell or donate those that you haven’t used in months and aren’t likely to use in a while. A fully loaded semi-truck can weigh up to 18,000 pounds, and this is a substantial weight that shouldn’t comprise items that won’t have any use in your new home. You will find it easier as well to organize your new home when you don’t have to make allowances for things that you have no use for.

Follow these tips to make savings while you move and enjoy settling into your new home with your family. You can use the money you saved in other ways, such as having a night out to celebrate your new place!

As the summer months are quickly approaching, you and your family are likely looking for activities that you can do together while soaking up the sunshine. Playing sports as a family is a great way for parents and kids to bond while staying active and enjoying the outdoors, all at once. If you are a parent who finds that you aren’t in as good of shape as you used to be, playing some light sports with the kids is a great way to sneak a workout into your busy summer schedule. To replenish nutrients and improve your sports performance, check out IV nutrition therapy from https://inhstl.com/. Here are 4 outdoor sports that your whole family can try. [Read more…]

Orthodontic treatment, while necessary for many people for a number of reasons, can also be extremely expensive. Have a look at these simple tricks that can help you save money on orthodontics and get a healthy, beautiful smile for you and your family.

Come up With a Payment Plan

Many people who need orthodontic treatment don’t pay for it out of pocket or in a lumpsum. Instead, they first put down a downpayment and then spread the rest of the payment over a certain period as agreed upon between the patient and the orthodontist. This eases the pressure of having to find a large sum of money and can enable you to get the right treatment from a professional of your choice if they will agree with your payment plans. You will be glad to have undergone professional treatment given the fact that 47% of teens who use Invisalign said in a survey that they experienced a self-esteem boost during the treatment process when compared to 22% of teens who used metal braces.

Ask For a Discount From Your Orthodontist

Never miss the opportunity to find out from your orthodontist if they can give you a discount for the treatment you need. They’re also human, and so they understand that people can face different situations that leave them unable to pay for basic needs such as health care. You may be surprised when they agree to offer you the treatment with a discount, making it a bit more affordable for you.

Start Your Treatment Early

Rather than be one of the 44% of Americans who admitted that they wish they took better care of their teeth, take action right away. When you find out that you need to undergo orthodontic treatment, it’s best to start your treatment early. This will not only help you get the treatment you need faster and improve your life, but can also make it more affordable. That’s because you may need less work done if you start early enough, which, needless to say, will be more affordable and less involving.

Visit a Dental School

If you live near a dental school, you could pay them a visit or give them a call and find out if they offer orthodontic treatment. Since their services are usually discounted, they may be in high demand, so you also need to find out if they have a free spot to see you. The reason why they can afford to discount their treatments is because they’re done by dentists practicing to become orthodontics. This makes them affordable while at the same time being professional. You don’t need to have any apprehension as the treatment will take place under the watchful eye of a professional orthodontic trainer.

Shop Around and Compare

Finally, get quotes from different orthodontists so that you can get the best price that you will be able to work with. This is because there are many professional orthodontists in the market, and each of them charges a different price based on a number of variables. While shopping for an affordable one, however, don’t compromise on quality as you may end up having to pay twice to correct something that’s done wrong by an inexperienced or even unqualified orthodontist. Check their certifications and licences to make sure you’re in good, capable hands. Stay safe, as the Journal of the American Medical Association or JAMA shares a report that says around 225,000 people die every single year from medical complications.

Use these tips to be able to get the best and most affordable orthodontic treatment both for yourself and your family.

With approximately two to three out of every 1,000 children in America born with a detectable degree of hearing loss in either one or both ears, it’s important to know the details of how to prepare your child for a visit to the audiologist if they have hearing problems. Here are some ways to do this and have a safe and fruitful visit.

Do Some Practice Wearing Headphones

One of the things you can do is to have your child practice wearing headphones and earphones or even earbuds. If you want, you can play some music on them, but make sure that it’s not too loud. Since they will need to wear headphones and listen to sounds at some point when they’re at the audiologist’s office, it’s good to make sure that they’re comfortable doing so. Inform them that this is one of the activities that will take place at the audiologist’s so that they don’t have a reason to get scared and feel like everything that will happen is unfamiliar and foreign to them.

Let Them Know What’s in Store

As mentioned, it’s good to give them an idea of what to expect. Don’t just stop at practicing with earphones, however, but take it a step further. Look online to see the different tests that will be conducted, or, if possible, call the audiologist you plan to visit and ask them for a rundown of what to expect during the visit. Share this information with your child in a way that’s easy for them to understand and that won’t leave them feeling apprehensive.

Doing this will take the unfamiliarity out of the process for your child, at least to some extent, and have them go smoothly through the process. With almost 16% of adults in the United States reporting that they have trouble hearing, you could ask around in your circles to find out if there’s anyone with first-hand experience with an audiologist. If possible, invite them over to give your child a first-hand account of the events to expect.

Try to Desensitize Their Ears

If your child’s ears are sensitive and not used to being touched when they visit the audiologist, they’re likely to have a hard time. When you know that you need to take them to the audiologist, therefore, try to gently desensitize their ears as early as possible. Get them used to having their ears touched and it will be easier for everyone when it’s finally time for the examination. Play pretend ear doctor with them and take turns examining each other’s ears, involving anyone else in the family who wants to get involved. This will help take the edge off the experience for your child when it’s finally time for the actual visit.

Stay Calm and Reassure Them

Finally, your child will be looking to you for comfort and reassurance, so put aside any anxiety you may have and be strong for them. Showing courage at this time will help them stay calm throughout the process and the visit will likely be a successful one. To make sure you don’t have issues weighing down on you, prepare for the process yourself well in advance. Make sure that matters like payment and insurance are dealt with and won’t lead to undue stress at the last moment. With Medicaid meant to serve individuals with low incomes, it does have fairly strict eligibility requirements. Ensure that you meet them all if this will be your preferred method to pay and you will have fewer worries on the material day of the exam.

With these tips, you can prepare your child for their visit to the audiologist and have it go through without a hitch.

There are many reasons you may want a new home; your family is growing big, you want to move closer to your work, or you just need a change of scenery. Whatever the reason is, buying a new home can be an exciting process but, at the same time, a very costly one. If you are not financially ready, buying a home can put a huge dent in your savings account. However, with a few money-saving tips, you can still get the home of your dreams without breaking the bank. Here are some tips for you; [Read more…]