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Should You Only Get Your Teens Braces If They Want Them?

April 18, 2022 By MelissaB 1 Comment

Only Get Your Kids Braces If They Want Them

Do your kids have braces? If so, they join the nearly 70% of teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 who have or have had braces (Kennell Orthodontics). Most orthodontic treatments cost between $3,000 and $7,000, representing a serious investment for parents. Unfortunately, many teens don’t appreciate this financial investment, which begs the question, should you only get your teens braces if they want them?

My Braces Story

When I was a teen, I didn’t need braces, but I did need a retainer. I found the retainer uncomfortable, and I had a lisp when I talked with it. I had to tell my teacher I was missing page 66 in a textbook, and with the retainer, what I sounded like was, “I’m mithin’ page thixty thix.” He couldn’t understand me and had to ask another student to translate.

I took the retainer out every day to eat lunch and wrapped it in a napkin. However, one day I accidentally threw it away. To this day, my mom thinks I did it on purpose, but I didn’t. She didn’t buy me a replacement retainer, and my brief stint in the orthodontics world was over.

My Children’s Braces Stories

I have three kids. The older two needed braces; the younger one did not.

Only Get Your Teen Braces If They Want Them

My son disliked his braces. When the treatment was over, he never wore his retainer. My husband and I spent over $3,500 for his orthodontic treatment. We feel that we wasted money because, without a retainer, his teeth continue to shift. I wouldn’t be surprised if someday they’re back where they were before we started treatment.

Our daughter doesn’t like braces, but she fastidiously maintains them. Even though she’s in treatment, I do not doubt that she will religiously wear her retainer and maintain her new smile.

Should You Only Get Your Teen Braces If They Want Them?

That’s a tough question because I feel that I wasted my money on one child but not the other. Ultimately, I would say the decision comes down to how much will the child be impacted in the future if he does not get braces?

If the child has overcrowding or an under or overbite that may cause damage to her teeth in adulthood, then you should get them braces. However, if the teeth are simply overlapping or have gaps in them, perhaps you could gauge whether or not you should get him braces based on his interest.

Final Thoughts

I’m not a doctor, so I am only giving my opinion as a parent with two kids who had braces and had vastly different behavior towards those braces. As a parent, I’m frustrated by paying thousands of dollars for a child who won’t maintain that dental work.  I’m sure my mom was just as frustrated by me.

Unfortunately, the optimal time for orthodontic work is during the teen years, when most kids aren’t particularly responsible. As for me, I sought orthodontic treatment in adulthood to fix my teeth, and I was much more responsible than I was as a teen, especially since I was the one paying for it.

Read More

The Best Spacing of Children for Your Finances

The Importance of Fixing Things Sooner Rather Than Later

Why You Should Get Braces for Your Child When Needed

MelissaB
MelissaB

Melissa is a writer and virtual assistant. She earned her Master’s from Southern Illinois University, and her Bachelor’s in English from the University of Michigan. When she’s not working, you can find her homeschooling her kids, reading a good book, or cooking. She resides in New York, where she loves the natural beauty of the area.

www.momsplans.com/

Filed Under: Children, Financial Mistakes, General Finance, Married Money Tagged With: braces, orthodontics, teenagers

Options When Consolidating Payday Loans

July 5, 2021 By MelissaB Leave a Comment

Payday Loans Consolidation Options

Payday loans can trap borrowers in a vicious cycle. Because you’re short on cash and/or have bad credit, you borrow money from a payday lender. That money is usually due back in a short amount of time (often just two weeks). Yet, because of high fees and interest rates on the loan, you must pay back much more than you originally borrowed. If you’re unable to repay the loan in time, you can always roll the amount over into a new loan. This is how the payday loan trap begins. However, you can avoid or escape the payday loan trip by utilizing payday loans consolidation options.

Options When Consolidating Payday Loans

You don’t have to stay stuck in the payday loan trap. Instead, utilize these options to consolidate your payday loans.

Get a 0% APR Credit Card

If you still have good credit, consider applying for a 0% APR credit card. These types of credit cards will allow you to transfer your payday loan balance onto the credit card. Most of these types of cards charge a transfer fee of three to five percent. Then, you have twelve to eighteen months of 0% APR, which means every payment you make goes on the balance, allowing you to pay it off more quickly. After the introductory APR expires, you will pay the stated interest rate on the rest of your balance.

Get a PALs Loan

Another option offered by certain federal credit unions around the country is Payday Alternative Loans. These loans are available for $200 to $1,000 and are to be paid back in full in one to six months.

To qualify for a PALs loan, you must be a member of the credit union for at least one month. The credit union is especially interested in your income rather than your credit score, making these loans easier to qualify for than a 0% APR credit card. In addition, these loans can help build and improve your credit score.

Borrow from Friends or Family

Payday Loans Consolidation Options
Photo by Rajiv Perera on Unsplash

If you don’t qualify for either option already stated, consider borrowing from friends or family. However, if you choose this option, recognize that borrowing money can often ruin relationships. To keep this from happening, write out a contract stating how much you’re borrowing and when you will pay it back. For good faith, state how much you will pay weekly or monthly. If you want, you could even offer to pay back the loan with a bit of interest.

Then, dedicate yourself to paying off this loan as quickly as possible. Nothing ruins a relationship faster than someone who doesn’t pay back a loan to a family member or friend.

Final Thoughts

Payday loans seem like an easy, quick way to borrow money, but they can trap you in an endless cycle of debt. To break that cycle, utilize one of these payday loans consolidation options so you can stop paying so much in interest and pay off what you owe.

Read More

Lending Club Is Now Offering Business Loans

Are Personal Loans Ever Right for You?

Debt Consolidation Loans: What, When Why?

MelissaB
MelissaB

Melissa is a writer and virtual assistant. She earned her Master’s from Southern Illinois University, and her Bachelor’s in English from the University of Michigan. When she’s not working, you can find her homeschooling her kids, reading a good book, or cooking. She resides in New York, where she loves the natural beauty of the area.

www.momsplans.com/

Filed Under: Debt Reduction, Financial Mistakes, loans Tagged With: debt consolidation, debt consolidation loan, payday loans

What to Know About Filing for Bankruptcy

April 30, 2021 By Justin Weinger Leave a Comment

Businesses work hard to avoid bankruptcy, but it’s a reality many business owners have to face. If you feel there’s no other route for you but bankruptcy, then pause for a moment. The following are a few things you should know before you file.

Look for Legal Help

The first thing you want to do is find a good lawyer. Many law firms use clever bankruptcy lawyer marketing techniques to generate business, so do your research before deciding who to hire. As they say, “The choice of a lawyer is an important one and should not be based solely on advertisement.” You want someone on your side who understands what your business is going through and understands bankruptcy. You can try to do all of this on your own, but the chances of making errors are high. This is not a time to make mistakes, so just keep that in mind.

Is it Necessary?

Once you’ve hired a lawyer, you can move on to the next step, which is finding out if the filing is even necessary. Your lawyer can look over your situation and see if it’s something you can avoid or something you have to face. A good bankruptcy lawyer might be able to reach out to your creditors and work out a deal on your behalf. The deal might not be great, but it might prevent bankruptcy.

Are You Closing the Business?

A big question you’ll have to answer before you file is if you want to save your business or not. There are a few bankruptcy options, and the way you answer this question determines the options your lawyer presents to you. Decide if there’s a way to dig yourself out of this hole, or are you done with this endeavor? Figure out if the business can still be profitable in the future. Answer these questions honestly before you move on.

Consider the Budget

Filing is expensive, and things get even more costly if you’re thinking of keeping your business going. It’s important to talk candidly with your lawyer about all of your expenses and any immediate financial issues, like if you’re facing foreclosure. The lawyer you hire needs to fit into your budget. If this doesn’t happen, you might deal with more financial stress than needed. The right lawyer should help you work out a plan that’ll benefit everyone.

Accepting Compliance

If you are thinking of keeping your business going, then accept that you won’t have control over your business as you usually would. When you file for bankruptcy, you’re letting the courts control your business. Many of the decisions you could make on your own will have to go through the courts. Some business owners have a hard time accepting this because they’re used to being their own boss, so this feels alien. Be sure you’re ready for a change like this one.

The Privacy Issue

As business owners, you’re entitled to your privacy. That’s no longer the case if you file. The courts, your creditors, and other people can see everything you do. The way you conduct your business, the mistakes you’ve made, and any additional detail in your business dealings will be reviewed by strangers. Sometimes, you’ll be questioned about decisions you made, and that’s going to feel strange. Be sure that you’re ready to go through this.

Now, you have some things to keep in mind as you consider filing for bankruptcy. If you feel confident about this step, then go ahead and take it.

Filed Under: Financial Mistakes

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