I went to the dentist a year ago for a cleaning. I had not been in a while and thought it was time to get checked out. I went to Brookside Dental in Redlands, California. After taking X-rays it was brought to my attention that I needed a couple of crowns because some teeth were allegedly cracked. After the dentist made that determination, a girl with the price break down came in to tell me the cost of the work that needed to be done. Over $1000 dollars and that was after my insurance. Wow, I didn't have that kind of money so she conveniently suggested I use Care Credit. I hate the dentist to begin with. All I wanted to do was get my teeth cleaned and get out. She did her smooth talk and before I knew it, I had signed a contract with Care Credit aka GE Money to finance my dental work. I wonder if the dentists get kick backs from the amount of patients they can over price and reel in for companies like this.
I have been paying my monthly amount for the past year. This month, I paid them a week late, that's 7 days. Sometimes the due date doesn't fall on a pay day. I just got a new bill from them today and they not only charged me $35 dollars late fee, they charged me $417.77 interest on a $1900 dollar balance. Now, rather than having my payment applied and bringing the total down, I was charged $452 dollars. My new balance is $2345.41 and I paid them $75.00 to begin with. My interest rate is 26.99. How is this legal? I plan on doing some investigation because I believe what they are doing is fraudulent. I know a law was just passed to protect the consumer against credit card companies. I plan to find out.
When you go to the doctors they never try to up sell you on medical procedures, why is it that dental offices get away with this type of practice? Redland's Dental charged twice what most dentists charge for routine work. My Metlife insurance covers $1250 per year and not a penny more. What's the point of having insurance at all if you have to apply for credit just to see the dentist? This system is definitely broke and someone needs to step in a stop these companies from feeding off of innocent people just because they want to stay healthy. I ended up only getting one crown from that dentist and went to another one for the second one. To this day, the original crowned tooth gives me problems. The second one I had done for half the price was a piece of cake.
DO NOT USE GE MONEY OR CARE CREDIT FOR FINANCING. You will be sorry. I know I am.
Addendum:
This morning I called GE Money to find out about the bogus charges added to my account. I wanted to know where in the world they came up with a $417 dollar finance charge on a $1900 dollar balance. The answer, because I didnt pay off my loan in a year. It was the finance charge for the whole year. I guess my loan was on a deferred finance program???? Let me also state when I applied for the loan, the girl selling the product did not inform me of this. GE money told me the information regarding the deferred finance was posted on my monthly statement but because I paid my bill on line, I didnt read the fine print. My thoughts on the matter, if you are going to set someone up for a loan that must be paid off in a year, set up the payments so that the amount you are paying will actually pay off the loan IN A YEAR. Buyer beware...read the fine print and KNOW what you are signing.
I was pretty angry until I went into work and read my e-mail. GE money had read my article and wanted to help. I forwarded my personal information and was contacted via phone by Dawn from their Media/Finance department. I dont like bill collectors. I dont know how they can do their jobs and sleep at night. However, Dawn was very nice and professional. She removed the finance charge and changed the monthly due date so that I wont be late again. I am still not a fan of GE Money. If I had it to do over, I would have lived with the cracked tooth. Dont let dentists like the ones at Brookside Dental wheel you in to unnecessary procedures that are over priced and not fully covered by your insurance. You shouldnt have to take out a loan to fix a cracked tooth.
November 15, 2011
November 13, 2011
8 Reasons Being Stubborn Can Be Good for a Kid
Parents of a stubborn child can find it exasperating. They will obstinately refuse to do what they’re told and defy discipline with a steely determination. What most people fail to see is how stubbornness can be a positive attribute. There are many ways headstrong children can have an advantage over the more docile counterparts. Here are 8 reasons being stubborn can be good for a kid.
1. Perseverance – A stubborn child is going to be much better at accomplishing difficult tasks because they have perseverance. If at first they don’t succeed they will keep trying until they get the results they desire. From learning to tie their shoes to figuring out a complicated math problem, these kids will doggedly keep trying until they get it done. This is a great advantage over other children who tend to give up easily.
2. Can’t be bullied – Childhood bullies have gotten to be a big problem, so stubbornness can give a kid the toughness they need to stand up for themselves. No playground bully is going to push them around. The defiance they show to their parents easily translates to other situations, so the local bully doesn’t stand a chance.
3. Mental fortitude – This toughness will also help kids to develop the strong mental fortitude they need as they grow from childhood to adults. Mental toughness will help them to succeed in many aspects of their lives and make it easier for them to cope with stress or traumatic events. The demands of college, the military or a prestigious career are more easily met by the people who used to be stubborn kids.
4. Schoolwork – Children who give up easily are going to have a harder time learning difficult problems in their schoolwork than those who are more resolute. Whether this results in getting better grades depends on each child’s mental capabilities, but stubbornness can be an advantage to even learning disabled children. Teachers and parents should encourage stubborn kids to channel their determination into their homework.
5. Employment – Once kids get old enough to get a job, the stubborn ones will be more likely to find employment and keep it. It takes strong perseverance to find work in a bad economy, especially for teens. If their determination pays off, their employers will be pleased if they apply their stubbornness to their work ethic. Stubborn kids can be good workers.
6. Sports – Another way a headstrong kid can excel is in sports. What they may lack in physical ability can be made up for with sheer determination. Stubborn kids are very competitive and will not give up until they make the team or are the best in their field. They can channel their obstinacy into succeeding at whatever sport they choose.
7. Successful career – That successful doctor, lawyer or actor you admire probably used to be a stubborn child. The bullheaded kids are much better equipped to succeed at whatever careers they choose. Their ability to persevere will vault them to the top of the corporate ladder.
8. Survival – Another reason being stubborn can be good for a kid is pure survival. Whether it’s illness, injury or a natural disaster, those who aren’t willing to give up will overcome any obstacle to survive. Stubbornness is a key element in personal survival.
So the next time you encounter your child’s stubborn streak, turn the negatives into a positive. Parents would be wise to recognize the potential of their bullheaded kids and help them to use their stubbornness to their advantage. By channeling that willful determination, these children are much more likely to succeed in life. In this dog eat dog world, survival of the fittest reigns supreme. The stubborn kids are better equipped to deal with whatever comes their way.
A great resource for parents
1. Perseverance – A stubborn child is going to be much better at accomplishing difficult tasks because they have perseverance. If at first they don’t succeed they will keep trying until they get the results they desire. From learning to tie their shoes to figuring out a complicated math problem, these kids will doggedly keep trying until they get it done. This is a great advantage over other children who tend to give up easily.
2. Can’t be bullied – Childhood bullies have gotten to be a big problem, so stubbornness can give a kid the toughness they need to stand up for themselves. No playground bully is going to push them around. The defiance they show to their parents easily translates to other situations, so the local bully doesn’t stand a chance.
3. Mental fortitude – This toughness will also help kids to develop the strong mental fortitude they need as they grow from childhood to adults. Mental toughness will help them to succeed in many aspects of their lives and make it easier for them to cope with stress or traumatic events. The demands of college, the military or a prestigious career are more easily met by the people who used to be stubborn kids.
4. Schoolwork – Children who give up easily are going to have a harder time learning difficult problems in their schoolwork than those who are more resolute. Whether this results in getting better grades depends on each child’s mental capabilities, but stubbornness can be an advantage to even learning disabled children. Teachers and parents should encourage stubborn kids to channel their determination into their homework.
5. Employment – Once kids get old enough to get a job, the stubborn ones will be more likely to find employment and keep it. It takes strong perseverance to find work in a bad economy, especially for teens. If their determination pays off, their employers will be pleased if they apply their stubbornness to their work ethic. Stubborn kids can be good workers.
6. Sports – Another way a headstrong kid can excel is in sports. What they may lack in physical ability can be made up for with sheer determination. Stubborn kids are very competitive and will not give up until they make the team or are the best in their field. They can channel their obstinacy into succeeding at whatever sport they choose.
7. Successful career – That successful doctor, lawyer or actor you admire probably used to be a stubborn child. The bullheaded kids are much better equipped to succeed at whatever careers they choose. Their ability to persevere will vault them to the top of the corporate ladder.
8. Survival – Another reason being stubborn can be good for a kid is pure survival. Whether it’s illness, injury or a natural disaster, those who aren’t willing to give up will overcome any obstacle to survive. Stubbornness is a key element in personal survival.
So the next time you encounter your child’s stubborn streak, turn the negatives into a positive. Parents would be wise to recognize the potential of their bullheaded kids and help them to use their stubbornness to their advantage. By channeling that willful determination, these children are much more likely to succeed in life. In this dog eat dog world, survival of the fittest reigns supreme. The stubborn kids are better equipped to deal with whatever comes their way.
A great resource for parents
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