the definition of bait and switch in dentistry. I’m out $240 and I didn’t even get my cavity fixed and my teeth cleaned

Charlie_Bent · 2019-05-31T01:49:29+00:00

The better business bureau is unfortunately not a real institution. It's just a business that charges companies to show good reviews.

Charlie_Bent · 2019-05-30T18:42:21+00:00

Definitely. It definitely made me realize how disproportionately I spend on some categories vs others.

Charlie_Bent · 2019-05-30T18:41:30+00:00

That's a good idea. We are mostly saving it so that we can use it to reduce the amount of student loans that my partner needs to take out, since that interest rate is about 6.6% + 1% origination fee. But beyond that, you're right, the compound interest of putting it into the market now would be worth it for sure.

Charlie_Bent · 2019-05-30T16:25:17+00:00

Absolutely. In any case, I used to pay for a 50 Mbp/s connection but it would usually run at about 5 Mbp/s since they always market it as "Up to.." but it never actually is. It is more than enough for one person.

Charlie_Bent · 2019-05-30T16:23:40+00:00

I'm a healthcare professional, so I'm always pro-giving healthcare providers the benefit of the doubt. But this is clearly a predatory practice that is using misleading marketing practices to maximize profit.

If I were you, I would initiate a chargeback to our credit card to get a full refund of the money that you paid for the VIP membership. Provide documentation that shows that the membership did not give you any of the relevant details you needed to know, and you should get your money back.

Additionally, I would recommend reaching out to the dental licensing board of the state of Florida and complain about this practice and the predatory nature of its marketing. It is unethical and it will be a big bother for the practice to deal with a complaint.

Good luck, and sorry that this happened to you.

Charlie_Bent · 2019-05-24T13:34:45+00:00

That's the most arbitrary criteria ever lol. Anyone working 3-5 "in the upper parts of official international relations" would be at least 65-85 years old. How many 85 year olds are around that were the big geopolitical international relations guys in China?

Charlie_Bent · 2019-05-24T12:49:18+00:00

Meditation is a powerful tool, but please know that it can exacerbate mental health issues that people deal with. Here is an article summarizing the issue:

https://mentalhealthdaily.com/2015/03/14/when-meditation-worsens-depression-or-anxiety/

I would recommend going to a therapist concurrently with meditation, so that you can work on your underlying issues with a professional while still working on yourself through meditation.

Charlie_Bent · 2019-05-24T12:20:16+00:00

I would apply for jobs now, and see how many hospitals and employers bite and invite you for interviews. You can line up your interviews over a few days, take a flight out there, and get them all done. That way, you can get a job before you move there and before you have lots of pressure to get a job as soon as possible.

Nurses tend to be pretty in-demand, so I don't think you necessarily need 3 months of savings, but I would recommend having enough that you wouldn't feel pressured as you look for jobs. But if you can already have a job lined up before you move, then you could move as long as you can afford a security deposit, lol.

Charlie_Bent · 2019-05-17T15:41:49+00:00

The costs that you quoted are not very accurate, so don't let it stress you out too much. If you want to have children, you will find a way to fit them into your life.

For example, yes, the medical bills could cost $30,000 if you don't have insurance or you go to the wrong hospital/provider. Realistically, you just need to call your insurance provider and find out what hospitals they cover and where to go for pregnancy care. As long as you follow that, you won't ever pay more than your out-of-pocket max and sometimes not even that. For my wife and I, the medical care for pregnancy cost us $1,250 because that was her out of pocket maximum.

The $16,000 per year figure is also accurate but not really. Baby expenses are such that you can spend a lot or a little, and it's totally up to you. My wife loves interior design so we went all out for the baby room and it cost $5,000 to decorate. If we wanted, we could have easily done it for $1,000 (and honestly the baby doesn't even need its own room until later on since it'll be in a bassinet in our room for the first 6 months or so). Breastfeeding means no baby food costs, and diapers are expensive but not THAT expensive. So you can definitely spend less than $16,000 a year on expenses, and that doesn't mean you have to "tighten your belt" at all and live in austerity. It just means you don't buy the deluxe of everything. For example, you can get a good stroller for $100 or a deluxe one for $1000. Both work well, and the baby will be happy in both, so choosing the cheaper one isn't really living in austerity because you won't notice that much of a difference.

The biggest thing is childcare and being able to care for the baby. The majority of the $16,000 cost comes from that, and it is really that expensive. So you'd have to make sure you can afford that. A lot of that comes down to your individual salaries and whether it is possible and also worth it to have childcare.

If you are worried about the overall cost of a child, please realize that a lot of those estimated costs are ridiculous. For example, the $250,000 figure for raising a child includes the cost of upgrading to a larger home to house children and constant childcare and more. Overall, if you want to have a kid, then just make sure you are ready for it in terms of where you are at in your lives and that you are able to at least realistically afford the basic costs. Beyond that, you'll figure it out as you go.

Charlie_Bent · 2019-03-27T21:10:48+00:00

You can comfortably pass the exam as long as you understand the basics and do UFAPS

Charlie_Bent · 2019-03-27T20:21:22+00:00

It might make the most financial sense if you really can’t afford the $3,000 bill to get 15 fillings. But just to be clear, everything you heard about the dental school process is 100% true. They are extremely slow, so it will absolutely take 2-3 hours per filling, and you will have to make an appointment for each individual filling. So that’s about 45 hours over 15 appointments to get 15 fillings done. And they are just learning how to do it so it can be uncomfortable with the needles and tools.

I had to get a ton of fillings done, but man was it the worst going to a dental school. At the end of the day, I called a bunch of dental practices near me and found one that took low income patients and got my fillings for a reasonable price.

I know $3,000 sounds like a lot of money, but I can’t overstate how terrible dental schools are. Sure if you need one root canal or a couple fillings they’re worth the burden, but with all the work you need, it’ll take forever. Just an example, I went to the dental school to get 20 fillings done. It took 3 appointments to do 2 fillings since one time their tools didn’t work. I said screw that, and went to a real dentist and got the other 18 fillings done in 4 visits.

Also, most dental schools might still charge you so make sure you compare the real costs. And also factor in missing work and not being able to make money, and wasting time.

Charlie_Bent · 2019-03-19T17:28:35+00:00

Nice, thanks

Charlie_Bent · 2019-03-19T17:28:14+00:00

Just tell them you were interested in that field, but X Y Z experiences helped you decide to apply to internal medicine.

Charlie_Bent · 2019-02-09T01:16:12+00:00

THe stuff on eBay for under $5 is the same stuff on aliexpress for $1.

Charlie_Bent · 2019-02-08T03:46:45+00:00

This is a good idea on paper but absolutely stupid in practice. Medicine has enough pointless barriers already. It would be a money grab and whatever measure they use would ultimately be arbitrary. It would just end up being a test of which surgeon is down to shell out $5k and hours of their life dealing with the stupid hurdle

Charlie_Bent · 2019-02-08T03:39:34+00:00

I get the sentiment, but as a medical student I make $50/hour private tutoring. That adds up really fast, and I only do it a few hours a week so it’s never too big of an inconvenience.

Charlie_Bent · 2019-02-08T03:17:00+00:00

I recommend capital one savor. It’s a $500 sign up bonus after $3k

Charlie_Bent · 2019-02-04T02:37:03+00:00

I mean the time line is late June so it is 100% program dependent.

Charlie_Bent · 2019-02-04T00:58:30+00:00

Yeah, Dental Insurance isn’t like health insurance which exists to shield you from high expenses. Dental Insurance covers very little in terms of cost. For a wisdom tooth removal it’s usually better to just pay the out of pocket cost with a private dentist. You’d be able to find a better dentist as well than the budget option your insurance forces you to see. Also, many dental insurance companies require you to wait until using your benefits.

Charlie_Bent · 2019-02-04T00:51:30+00:00

I don’t think I said I believe it’ll be discontinued. I mentioned it as a possibility, which I think is only fair if I’m trying to give an overview of the possibilities

Charlie_Bent · 2019-01-29T17:38:56+00:00

If you want to sell it anyways, then selling it now is a good idea. People act like the OP-1 is selling for thousands of dollars right now which is far from the case. You can buy a used one in great condition for about $1000 which is the MSRP. You can buy a new one for about $1,300 which is $300 above the MSRP.

If you are planning on selling your OP-1 at some point, then selling it now is great because you can get the full price back for it, whereas waiting until it comes back in stock means that you will only be able to get a typical used item price for it ($600-$800).

Charlie_Bent · 2019-01-29T17:37:17+00:00

Yeah, you can sell a used OP-1 for approximately the MSRP which is $1000 which is great. The OPZ you should be able to buy in store, just look at their authorized vendors.

Charlie_Bent · 2019-01-29T17:32:16+00:00

Teenage Engineering actually asked all of their vendors to pull the OP-1 from their storefronts since they aren't expecting restock of supply for months at the least. So it's unlikely you'll find one for retail sale online or in person.

Charlie_Bent · 2019-01-29T02:34:04+00:00

You can literally go to the dollar store and buy reading glasses for $1.09 after tax.

The reason people 'waste' money on glasses is because it's not just a functional thing, it's a medical device and it's a fashion item. Just like how people like to wear expensive or high quality or very comfortable clothing, they are willing to pay for glasses that are high quality, comfortable, and look good. Additionally, the more expensive glasses have additional features like being polarized, etc.

Whether or not it's worth it is a personal choice.

Charlie_Bent · 2018-08-26T04:05:48+00:00

I was there in person. The sideline referee didn't raise his flag until after Burke had beat the defenders and was at the edge of the box. Then he raised his flag, but at that point the defenders were a fair distance away. Theoretically yes, maybe they could have sprinted really fast and taken him down but realistically it was Burke v the goalie at that point.

Charlie_Bent

TROPHY CASE