February 17, 2011

Unexpected Medical Expense

We received an unexpected medical expense in the mail recently.  It was for $285.00.  I looked it over and it would appear that this is from my visit to the doctor at the end of December and I immediately thought that insurance hadn't been applied.  Then I looked and our insurance had paid it's portion.  Yikes! 

So, my husband looked it over and said he would take care of it.  We have a flex plan at his job where pre-tax dollars are taken out of his paychecks for any medical expenses that may occur during the year.  But we have to decide on the amount to be taken out from his paycheck each Autumn for the coming year.  We pay the medical bill and then get reimbursed from the Flex Plan. 

We never expected that I would have the medical problems that I have been experiencing so we didn't set a lot of money aside in the Flex Plan this year.  At this rate we will use up the money in the Flex Plan in a couple of months. 

I have been keeping track of my spending and how much I have been saving.  I was going to go to the bank to take out the amount I had saved in cash to keep in a jar here at home.  This was part of my plan to take all the cash I had saved to give to my husband as a surprise in early April. 

Anytime I take out cash, I tell him since he keeps track of the bank reconciliation and the checkbook.  He said a slow "okay."  I could tell from the sound of his voice that it was not okay.  I asked him if he would prefer that I would not take out cash right now and he said yes.  He had been putting the extra money in savings but he told me he could transfer it back if I needed it.  Now he was planning on taking it to pay on the medical expense.  Hmm. 

I decided to tell my hubby about the No Spend Month and my goal.  After all he was doing what I was planning to do.  It was still a surprise. 

1 comment:

Maureen said...

Surprises are all well and good, but in your circumstances you had to come clean.