Discounted Vaccines and Other Health Services for Families

Lots of things change when one or more people in your home lose a job. One of the biggest changes in our home is health insurance. We don’t have any. That can be frightening when you have a child. It’s even more frightening when your child plays sports.

What I’m about to share with you is information I found while researching a different topic. If your family needs medical services and you either have no insurance or high deductible insurance, I hope you can benefit from these programs.

Vaccinations

They aren’t just for school aged kids anymore. The Texas Legislature now requires students entering college in Texas to have a Meningitis Vaccine. School age kids must be up to date on all of their vaccines to enter school in the fall.

Dallas County charges $10 for the first vaccine and $5 for each additional vaccine for anyone age 18 and under who either doesn’t have health insurance or has insurance that doesn’t cover vaccines. Families eligible for Medicaid and CHIP also qualify for this program. See more information here.

Tarrant County charges $14 for one immunization and $25 for two or more, for anyone age 19 and under. See more information here.

Ellis County offers an indigent health program. See details here.

Discounted Prescriptions, Labs and Imaging in Dallas County

Print a FREE prescription card from the Dallas County Health and Human Services website to get discounts up to 65% off prescriptions. Disclaimer: I did not receive even close to that much of a discount, but my prescription also has no generic, and that could make a difference. Information for discount labs and imaging is also available at the above link for the prescription card. For testing of major diseases that pose a public health concerns, click here. Dallas County also offers well child exams for children from birth to age five for just $5.

Screening for Breast and Cervical Cancer in Tarrant County

Tarrant County provides screening for Breast and Cervical Cancer at its main campus. Families must meet certain poverty guidelines to qualify. For example, a family of four must make a gross income of $46,100 or less. Screening is available for women age 18 and up. See more information here.

For more detailed information about what health services your county offers, Google the Health and Human Services Department of the country where you live (i.e. Dallas County Health and Human Services). These programs are designed to help take care of people who are having difficulty finding affordable healthcare. If you qualify, take advantage of these services.

If you have been denied insurance because of a pre-existing condition, or have not had access to health insurance for at least six months, click here for affordable options.

 

Five Dates for $5 or Less

When is the last time you and your spouse had a date? Yes, I said date. You know, that thing that happens when two married people spend time together with no kids?

It’s a foreign concept for me, too, especially since my husband lost his job. My family is living in safe mode right now. We buy absolutely nothing that we don’t need. When my husband and I sat down yesterday to discuss what we might do together when our son visit his grandparents, we had to get creative. Here are five things we came up with:

1. Spend the Day Outside

Go hiking, biking, swimming or do some other out door activity that doesn’t cost anything. If you live near a lake, go fishing off the bank. Play Frisbee in the park. Fly a kite. When you get hot, go for slushies or another cool beverage from a convenience store.

2. See a Movie

We can rent a movie from Redbox – two or three if I get an e-mail code for $.50 cents a movie over the weekend. Wal-Mart has individual size boxes of movie candy for under a dollar, and we have popcorn at home. We can also head to the dollar movie and take our own snacks.

3. Game Night

When we first met, we would play board games and listen to 70s music. That was the music that was popular when we were growing up. Listening to it brought back all kinds of memories about our upbringing that we could share to learn more about each other. Grab a game out of the closet, put on your favorite music, turn the phones off and enjoy each other’s company.

4. Have a Meal Out

Where can you share a meal for $5? Anywhere, when you cook it at home and bring it with you. Cook an inexpensive pasta dish or casserole and a dessert. Pack it in a basket or cooler with nice plates, linen napkins, real glasses, a table cloth and a favorite beverage. Take it to a nice quiet place away from home to have your meal out. Perhaps there is a quiet, shaded area in a nearby park. Maybe there is a large oak tree somewhere in your town or a gazebo where you can set up a card table and chairs. You might even consider using the patio or deck of friends who are on vacation.

5. Go for ice cream

It may be the last great American treat you can buy two people for under $5. Get it in downtown Dallas, then take a free ride on the McKinney Avenue Trolley or go window shopping.

Bonus Idea

If you have a telescope, set up a tent in your back yard, wait ‘til it gets dark and star gaze.

Dates don’t have to be expensive, as long as you are having fun and spending time together. What are some of your favorite dates that cost little or not money? Leave a comment and let’s continue the discussion.

 

What to do When You Can’t Pay the Bills

Have you ever thought about what would happen if you couldn’t pay your bills? You may already be in that position, or maybe you’ve been there before. I know I have. It’s beyond uncomfortable. In fact, it’s downright scary. The first thing you need to do is take a deep breath. There is help.

Believe it or not, most places are willing to work with you if you contact them to let them know you are having financial difficulties. These companies have bills to pay, too, and they would rather get their money from you over a longer period of time than never get it at all.

If you can’t pay some of your bills, first figure out how much money you have. Then, add up all your bills and see how much you will still owe after you pay what you can. The next step is deciding which ones to pay.

I would start with the electric bill, which is often the largest bill during the summer in Texas. Contact your electric company and let them know you can’t pay your entire electric bill. See if they have any assistance programs available or if they can put you on a payment plan. Don’t just settle for averaging billing, which makes your bill the same amount all year long. That doesn’t help if you can’t pay it in the first place.

If they won’t help, and you live in Dallas County, contact the county’s heat hotline at 214.819.6001 and ask for help. The county also offers a Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program to qualified residents. Contact your other utility companies – water, phone, etc. – to see if they can help you, as well. Your phone company may be able to put you on a cheaper plan.

Loans and credit cards bills are a little different. If you don’t pay them, your credit score will suffer and you could lose your home or car. A bad credit score could keep you from obtaining car insurance, renting an apartment or getting any other loans.

If you really can’t pay the bill, contact the lender and let them know. Tell them you want to be a responsible customer and repay the money, then ask them if there is a way they can help until you get back on your feet. Often, mortgage companies are willing to move one or two payments to the end of your loan term. Auto lenders may do that, as well. If not, they may extend your due date until your next pay check. Some lenders will offer a work out loan, which simply helps you work through your financial difficulties while still paying something toward your loan.

What you absolutely should NOT do is ignore your bills. When bill collectors can’t get in touch with you and you get behind on your payments, they assume you abandoned them. Contact them first, and more often than not, they will do what they can to help you pay them back.

Free and Cheap Indoor Activities for Kids This Summer

School has been out for a few days now. Are your kids bored yet? Filling summer days with inexpensive activities can be tough. Here are some ideas for keeping your kids occupied without killing your budget.

Free Weekly Entertainment and/or Movies

Most local libraries offer some type of weekly entertainment and/or free movies for children, which coincide with their summer reading programs. A quick Google search of libraries in Garland, Richardson, Carrollton, Dallas, Mesquite, Rockwall and Rowlett revealed some really fun activities for kids. In most cases, you do not need a library card to participate. Stop by your local library or Google your library’s website for details.

Play Areas at Fast Food Restaurants

McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, some Burgers Kings and other fast food restaurants in the DFW Metroplex have free play areas for children. They are there to get you to buy food, but you don’t actually have to purchase food to use them. If you feel guilty, buy a kid size ice cream cone for each child. The cost is less than a dollar per child and you get hours of indoor play for your kids. Many of those places also have free Wi-fi for parents.

Local Fire Station

Kids love fire stations and fire fighters love visitors. Call to schedule a visit for a group of friends. If it’s just you and your kids, you usually can just show up at your local fire station and ring the door bell. Try to bring a plate of cookies or maybe even a casserole to thank the firefighters for their time.

Cinemark Summer Movie Clubhouse

Cinemark theaters around the country are offering a different summer movie every week for 10 weeks. Most of them are at least six months old, but you can see them for as low as $.50 cents per person. All shows are rated G or PG. Find a theater near you for dates and times.

Dollar Movie Theaters

These movies usually are more recent than the ones shown by the Cinemark movie club. Many go directly to a dollar movie theater when they leave the major cinemas. A lot of dollar theaters have a specific day of the week when they offer movies for less than $1. Here are a few dollar cinemas in the Dallas area.

Cinemark Hollywood USA Movies 15 on Shiloh Road in Garland

Starplex Mesquite Cinemas 10 in just down the road from our branch on Belt Line Road

Cinemark Movies 10 on Coit Road in Plano

Starplex Irving Cinemas 10 on Pioneer Road

 

Kids Bowl Free

Kids get two free games of bowling every day at participating bowling centers. Shoe rental is extra. Register your children at kidsbowlfree.com. Your free coupons will be e-mailed to you every Sunday through August.

What do you do to fill the summer days for your kids without spending a lot of money. Leave a comment and let’s continue the conversation.