Thrifty Mommy » health

10 Time Saving Tips for the Doctor’s Office

Karen Weideman — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:04:45 +0000

I remember when I was pregnant with my first child and it seemed like I was spending a lot of my free time in the doctor’s office. Now that I have kids, I’m spending more time than I’d care to waiting for appointments. Here are more tips for saving time while at a doctor’s office. Ironically, I wrote them while waiting.

7) Take something to do with you. This one isn’t going to get you seen any quicker, but it can help save you time especially if you have a recurring weekly appointment. I have cleaned out my purse, balanced my checkbook, clipped coupons, made phone calls, taken a short nap, and written articles while waiting. No sense in doing nothing.

8) Have your paperwork ready. If you’re a new patient, then try to have the necesary paperwork completed before the appointment. Stop by and pick up forms or call and ask to have them faxed or emailed to you. You can even try to drop them off before your appointment. This can save you 15-30 minutes on your first appointment.

9) Have your current insurance card. Researching insurance information and benefits can cause the office clerk to make phone calls which will keep you waiting.

10) Try not to schedule appointments during busy times. I’ve heard that Mondays and Fridays are the busiest days for appointments. On those busy days the doctor may get behind schedule. Instead of scheduling on a Monday or Friday you could leave work an hour early on a Tuesday.

Please also check out Part 1 and Part 2 of our time saving tips.

What ways do you save time at the doctor’s office?

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10 Time Saving Tips for the Doctor’s Office

Karen Weideman — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 06:46:15 +0000

Unfortunately, we can spend a lot of unnecessary time sitting around waiting at the doctor’s office. Your time is valuable so here are some time saving tips to help:

4) Find out the best way to communicate with the doctor. Some doctors are now conversing with patients by email. Some prefer to have you leave a message with the nurse who usually returns your calls within a few hours.

5) Be willing to see a nurse practitioner or other physician on staff. If my kids are sick and need to be seen right away then I know that I can probably get a same day appointment for being flexible and seeing any staff member.

6) Ask about refill procedures. Some controlled substances such as medicines for ADHD can only be given a month at a time. Ask your doctor if you can call or email to get a new prescription. Some doctors will let you come in every other month for these medicines rather than every month.

What ways do you save time at the doctor’s office?

Stay tuned this week for part 3 of time saving tips at the doctor’s office. Please check out part 1, 10 Time Saving Tips for the Doctor’s Office.

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10 Time Saving Tips for the Doctor’s Office

Karen Weideman — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 22:39:13 +0000

Here at Thrifty Mommy we sometimes provide tips on saving time as well as saving money. After all, your time is valuable to you just like your finances. Unfortunately, one of the places where you might spend and waste a lot of your time is in the doctor’s office waiting to be seen. Ironically, I am now sitting at a doctor’s while my son is being seen.

Here are some tips to save you time:

1) Be on time. This one may sound simple, but so many people are late for their doctor appointments. Being late can cost you time. Many offices have a policy that if you’re more than 15 minutes late you’ll lose your appointment and have to reschedule. And I’ve even heard of some office staff that penalize late clients by making them wait at least an hour or two to be seen even if they’re not busy. This is not just rumor. I have heard this from employees. So the first simple step is to be on time.

2) Call before your appointment. Sometimes I will call on the day of my appointment just to confirm that everything is scheduled properly. Unfortunately I have had circumstances where my appointment time was not written down by office staff. Also, calling ahead gives you the opportunity to ask if the doctor is on schedule for the day or running behind. The nurse may tell you to come 15 or 20 minutes later than scheduled. This is time that can keep you from sitting around and waiting.

3) Be specific when making your appointment. Tell the person what the appointment is for. If you tell them that you’re making the appointment for your hurting back and then you ask to have something else tested then they may not have the staff on duty at the time.

How do you save time at the doctor’s office?

Stay tuned later this week for part 2 of 10 Time Saving Tips for the Doctor’s Office.

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Free Asthma Storybook for Children

Karen Weideman — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:01:39 +0000

Did you know that nearly one out of every 10 children in the US has asthma? Asthma can be overwhelming and scary for a child. It is important for parents to talk to their children about asthma and how to properly manage the condition.

Schering-Plough has partnered with the Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics (AANMA) to develop Breathless Bethany Buttercup, a cute and colorful children’s storybook that uses a little girl’s story about her experience with asthma to provide information about asthma management. It’s designed to help parents talk with their kids about the importance of properly managing the condition.

You can order the book for FREE at asthmastorybook.com.

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101 Helpful Thrifty Mommy Articles

Karen Weideman — Fri, 23 May 2008 04:23:34 +0000

Happy Frugal Friday! I have hundreds of tips for you today!

Sometimes at Thrifty Mommy we give you tips on sales and other things that are only relevant to that week. But then there are times that we have lists of ways to save time and money that can be beneficial for years to come.

I decided to surf around the archives and pull together some of our helpful articles. Most of these articles are relevant to men and women, whether or not you’re married with children.

I hope you will enjoy these articles. Let us know which ones are your favorite or if there are some other Thrifty Mommy articles that should have been included.

Happy browsing!

Housekeeping

15 Summer Cooking Tips

25 Ways to Clean with Vinegar

60+ Frugal Ways to Use Baking Soda

10 Tips for Spring Cleaning Success

4 Thrifty Stain Removers

More Help with Common Stains

10 Tips for Saving Money While Doing Laundry

10 Ways to Clean with Baking Soda

Quick Cleaning Tips

10 Organizing and Decluttering Tips

A Frugal and Time Saving Dishwasher Detergent

25 Tips for Freezing Food

Cooking Tips

Top 10 Green Household Cleaners

Recipes

Easy Cubed Steak

Tomato Casserole Recipe

Cheesy Chicken Croissants

Oriental Ramen Noodle Salad

My Favorite Slow Cook Recipes

Easy Scalloped Potatoes

Thrifty Tex Mex Taco Recipe

Mexican Casserole Recipe

Low Fat Strawberry Crunch Recipe

Decadent Peanut Butter Pie

Easy Chocolate Dipped Pretzels

Easy Cream Cheese Icing

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Frito Pie

Crock Pot Macaroni & Cheese

Thrifty Cheese Potato Soup

Automotive

How to Never Have a Car Loan

Get Educated and Save on Car Repairs

10 Ways to Reduce Your Car Insurance Rates

10 Ways to Keep Your Car Clean

Is a Hybrid Worth the Money?

10 Ways to Stay Awake While Driving

5 Ways to Keep from Buying a Flooded Car

Shopping and Saving Money

50 Ways to Save Money on Your Grocery Bill

How to Play The Grocery Game

10 Tips for Using Coupons

Saving Time at the Grocery Store

Time is Money and Money is Time

50+ Ways to Keep Us from Wasting Food

Get Those Rainchecks!

Get Green Points with Reusable Bags

10 Ways to Save on Your Summer Electric Bill

Top 10 Best Frugal Tips

10 Ways to Save Money When Eating Out

How to Reduce Your Winter Heating Bill

75 Ways to Save Money

Use Your Dishwasher

Save Money by using Rechargeable Batteries

25 Ways to Reduce Your Water Bill

Utilizing Craft Store Coupons

Find a Local Discount Grocery Store

20 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding

Sources to Help with Wedding Planning

How to Save Money at Christmas

Cheapest Days to Go Shopping

10 Time Saving Shopping Tips

Hot Cocoa for the Thrifty

Finances and Debt

10 Things I’ve Learned About Giving

Top 10 Ways I Have Cut My Expenses

Are You a Member of a Credit Union?

Protect Your Money with Direct Deposit

Deciding Which Financial Records to Keep

10 Tips for Handling Credit Card Debt

How to Pay Cash for College

20 Ways to Pay Off Debt Faster

6 Baby Steps to Financial Freedom

30 Tips to Get Out of Debt

Beware of Loan Mark Ups

Identity Theft Prevention 101

Are You Content?

Sell Your Stuff

Children

10 Ways to Teach Your Children About Money

10 Ways to Keep the Kids Busy While You’re Working

25 Ways to Save Money with a Baby

How to Get Beechnut Baby Food Coupons

How to Buy Diapers on a Budget

Springtime Craft Idea

The Diaper Champ Wins My Vote

10 Ways to Get Chores Done While Hanging Out with Your Kids

Top 10 Potty Training Tips

10 Free Events for Your Kids

Health

Thrifty Remedy for Sinus Infections

Top 10 Thrifty Tips for Dealing with Eczema

10 Ways to Exercise for Free

10 Thrifty Sunburn Remedies

15 Thrifty Tips for Staying Cool

Other

Top 25 Thrifty Ways to Go Green

Top 15 Frugal Gardening Tips

10 Uses for Grocery Bags

10 Thrifty Ways to Honor Teachers

10 Thrifty Ways to Deal with Mosquitoes

Thrifty Entertainment in Western North Carolina

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Feeling Better Now

Karen Weideman — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 14:58:09 +0000

I let you know that I was no June Cleaver and was hoping things would get better quickly, but they didn’t. In fact, yesterday I felt horrible and was concerned that I was getting the flu. I was extremely nauseous. That’s certainly not what I needed, especially considering I’m headed to winter camp on Friday.

Monday after my somewhat depressing article of confession, I took a nap while the kids were napping. Hubby was still not home from his missions trip, so I took the easy way out and fed the kids a tv dinner. (Shhh, don’t tell anyone!) I finished up some laundry and headed to bed early. I didn’t sleep well though because I was awaiting hubby’s return.

Yesterday was the day I was feeling sick. I got a few errands done and then when it was naptime for the kids, I took a nap again! Yep. Can you believe it? Two naps in two days. My daughter woke up really early from her nap, so I let her sit next to me in bed. She played her Pixter and watched tv while I dosed in and out. Then last night I went to bed early again (well, early for me anyway) and slept about 7 1/2 hours. I slept straight through. I didn’t even wake up to use the bathroom, which is very unusual for me.

Today I am feeling better. I’m still feeling a little sluggish and tired and I also have a neckache from the bed, but it seems as though some rest has done the trick. I guess I didn’t realize how fatigued I really was.

It’s hard to do, but we need to take the time to care for ourselves. We need to rest and sometimes let the house go so that we can be a better mom to our kids.

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Hand Sanitizers and urban legends

kellys — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 19:15:27 +0000

My church sent out an email telling us that they are pulling all hand sanitizers off the shelves and out of the class rooms effective immediately! Reason?!?! A 4 year old licked the hand sanitizer off her hands instead of rubbing it o n her hands. Most emails are urban legends but this one has been proven true by not only snopes but urban legends as well.

Turns out most brands of hand sanitizer have up to 60% of alcohol in them. This shouldn’t surprise you. Anything you use that evaporated has to have some sort alcohol in it. The danger is when kids lick it. The little girl in the story had a blood alcohol level of .085 6 hours after the initial ER visit. Can you imagine what it would have been immediately upon ingestion? OMG!

There are several good hand sanitizing agents out there that have no alcohol. MM keeps some in her pocketbook that foams up. Granted, I personally think it stinks, no one else does. So make sure you check and make sure there is no alcohol in the hand sanitizers that you have around your home. My son chews on my fingers all the time and I have been using Purell. Not any more as it has alcohol in it.

The moral of the story is that there is just no substitute for good hand washing with soap and water. You need to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap before you rinse with warm water. Ironically, the CDC recommends using alcohol based waterless hand sanitizers. I’m sure that will change soon.

2 really good websites to check stories for validity are snopes and urban legends. This way you don’t waste time on Google. I always get sucked into searching for things I don’ tneed to search on and find that an hour has gone by.

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Yeah!

kellys — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 01:28:43 +0000

Although I am still in the hospital, they took the IV out of Little Man’s head tonight! We still don’t know what is going on, but they think it is viral. We have had no fever since Sunday night and we are going home tomorrow. He still feels terrible but I can deal with that after 105 degree temp’s. Just thought you would want to know. Post from: Thrifty Mommy

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Frugal Friday 18: 15 Thrifty Tips for Staying Cool

Karen Weideman — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 18:15:51 +0000

According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 318 Americans die each year of heat-related illnesses. People at highest risk include older adults, young children, people with chronic illness, and people with weight or alcohol problems.

The recent heat wave has me thinking of ways to keep us cool. Here are some thrifty tips to help stay cool and safe:

1. Avoid the hottest times of the day. If at all possible, work, exercise, or play outside in the early morning or evening.

2. Wear light-weight white or lighter colored clothing. Avoid darker colors that tend to absorb heat.

3. Move at a slower pace and don’t over exert yourself.

4. If you must go outside, take frequent breaks to cool off, stand or sit in the shade for a few minutes, and drink plenty of water.

5. Drink lots of water!!!! Avoid drinking sodas, alcohol, and other dehydrating drinks. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. By then, you’re already starting to get dehydrated.

6. Keep fans going. Fans don’t lower temperatures, but they do circulate the air and make it feel cooler.

7. Wear sunscreen. A sunburn will only make you feel even hotter.

8. If you must be outside, wear a wide-brimmed hat to keep the sun out of your face.

9. High humidity levels make it difficult for your body to sweat and feel cooler. Pay attention to humidity levels and if necessary, use a dehumidifier in your home.

10. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking medications. Some medications can make you feel very sick when you are exposed to the sun or heat.

11. Become slowly acclimated to the heat over a period of about 2 weeks.

12. Check ozone levels. Too much ozone can make people pretty sick.

13. Watch what you eat. Don’t eat too much because that will make you feel tired and sick. Eat some carbohydrates to give yourself energy. Eat fruits which are filled with water and electrolytes.

14. You might want to try some herbal remedies, such as St. John’s wart flower essence which will decrease your sensitivity to heat. (Please click on the link for more info.)

15. This isn’t the most thrifty tip, but stay in the air conditioning as much as possible. If you don’t have a/c or can’t afford it, then try hanging out at the mall, library, grocery store, etc.

Other tips:

NEVER leave anyone in a closed parked vehicle (including animals).
Open windows can be dangerous for young children. They may climb to the window to feel a breeze. Screens are not stable enough to hold a child.
Offer water to children frequently.
Supervise children and animals around pools and water.
How to Treat Heat Exhaustion
Avoid using your oven, which will heat up the house.

Pictures from K-911 and AC.

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Top 10 Reasons to Drink Water

Karen Weideman — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 04:03:18 +0000

There are many health benefits to drinking water. Drinking water can prevent fatigue and headaches, speed up your metabolism, keep your skin looking beautiful, and more. Check out the 10 reasons here at my new blog, Balance in Diet.

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