Eye doctors
I took my mother to the eye doctor last week. Her eyes seem to be failing pretty fast as she ages, and I like to make sure that she gets the eyeglasses that she needs so she can keep doing the things that she loves to do – her knitting and crocheting and other needlework. As she ages she finds herself sitting more than ever and she likes to keep her hands and mind busy. She used to always say to me “Busy hands are happy hands” and “Idle minds are the devil’s workshop.”
I’ve noticed over the past few months that Mom’s vision seems to be getting worse, she is wearing stained clothes that she didn’t pretreat because she didn’t see the stain, either before OR after washing it. So off we went to the eye doctor. The doctor said that Mom has a large cataract in her right eye, and a lot of small ones in her left eye. And her prescription has changed since last year, so the eye doctor wrote her a new prescription. He suggested that she go to frame selection part of his office and pick out a new pair of glasses. I asked him to please put on the prescription the pupillary distance between her eyes so that we could buy the glasses from Zenni Optical – a website that sells inexpensive glasses. I don’t begrudge this guy the right to earn a living, but Mom is on a tight budget and can’t afford to pay the high prices he charges for glasses!
Bank of America done me wrong
Guest post by Linda Bradshaw
When my hubby was injured in my car accident in 2007, I tried to get my mortage company for our house in New England that we were trying to sell to grant me a hardship forebearance. Since he wasn’t able to work due to my injuries, I was hopeful to get some empathy from the company. Boy, was I wrong!
Long story short, the mortgage company has dropped the ball and tossed me around from department to department, where I have been met with gross incompetence at every turn.
After over two years, even though we FINALLY did a deed-in-lieu with the company last November, and the deed to the house was transferred into their name in December the company is continuing to send me notices that I owe them the money and the company is still sending notices to the credit agencies that the mortgage is overdue. This is resulting in credit card companies closing my credit cards or lowering my credit limits.
Every time I call Bank of America I am shuttled around from department to department, and told the matter will be escalated and someone will call me back within the next week. That never happens. I have called them about once every two weeks, and nothing is resolved. I have sent them letters, and I get replies that someone will contact me within 20 days, and that never happens either! I got collection calls several times a day for years on end until I finally blocked their telephone number!
As of today, I have been on the phone with Bank of America for the past four hours, being shuttled around from department to department, trying to find some help. I’m on hold at the moment, waiting for a supervisor to talk to me. The lady I just spoke with said that my account was in the process of being assigned to someone in the home retention department!
I have contacted my state senator Mark Warner’s office, asking for help a couple of weeks ago. Haven’t heard back from them yet.
Anyone know a good lawyer that would like to sue this company on my behalf to get this resolved and maybe some punitive damages for emotional distress it is causing? I had hired a lawyer that I was told is an agressive lawyer that loves to sue people, but for some reason he just doesn’t seem to be in the mood to take this on! If you know of a class-action suit going on for people in situations like this, or know a good lawyer that could/would help me, please post comment to this blog and I’ll get the information!
Can you feel my pain?
Find repairs anywhere you need them
One of the things that I like the most about the Internet is how much easier it is to find businesses than it used to be. Last night Sandy called me from Los Angeles. She was there on a business trip and the head gasket on her Ford Explorer started to leak a lot of oil. She wasn’t sure if she was going to need to take it into a Los Angeles auto repair shop and have it fixed immediately or if she was going to be able to keep driving it for a couple of months.
I told her that I’d help her find a local repair shop and they could advise her as to her best course of action. I used the repairpal.com website to locate a place, and Sandy took her car there. They told her that the leak wasn’t serious and that she could easily drive it back home and get it fixed back here. That was a big relief! There’s nothing worse than having to deal with major car issues while out of town on a business trip!
Out in the sun
Spending so much time out in the sun, and/or driving a car, I sure do go through a lot of sunglasses. They can get pretty expensive – even the “over the counter” glasses! The other day I was in the store and saw that the pair of sunglasses that I liked the best were over $40! Geezum beezum – that’s a lot of money for a pair of non-corrective eyeglasses to wear only when you are outside!
My friend Josh told me about how he got several pairs of inexpensive prescription sunglasses online from Zenni Optical. I had forgotten about them, to be completely honest with you. I remember hearing about them before; how they provided really inexpensive prescription glasses and/or sunglasses for as low as $8.00 a pair! In this tough economy, that’s really a good deal that I shouldn’t be forgetting about!
The prices are so good that I think I’ll order several pairs – one to just leave in the truck, and one to keep by the back door of the house. It would be nice to have a couple pairs of good looking prescription sunglasses so I don’t have to bother with trying to find clip-ons to fit my glasses! I was just now looking at their website, and I have to say that their selection is amazing, and the prices can’t be beat! Reading other people’s blogs, I hear that the quality is pretty good, too. Maybe I’ll just order one pair and if I’m happy with it try to order another pair or two.
Incentives to buying first home
For many people, buying first home jitters can be a real problem. There are so many good reasons to simply rent a place. In today’s unstable employment market, many people are afraid that they might lose their jobs and have to move to a different area to find employment. This is a very valid concern. Big companies are laying off employees right and left!
On the other hand, the housing market is in such a slump that bargains are to be had in just about every town and city you can even think of. Many of the bargains are due to foreclosures, which is very sad indeed. There is a glut in the marketplace, so that is forcing prices down, and if you have the money saved up to buy a house, this is a perfect time to do it. If you have good credit, you can get a mortgage for a song (almost) and then can join the ranks of homeowners. If, for some reason you end up having to move someplace, chances are good that you can rent out your home for a competitive price (because your mortgage is so low.)
Add to that the home buyer tax credit, and you’ve possibly crossed the financial finish line to owning your first home. Check it out – home ownership just might be closer than you think!
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