Fatty Financing

Healthcare is a luxury item in the United States. You only have it if you have a good job or if you’re lucky (Lucky can also mean dirt poor and miserable but at least you have health insurance.). Bariatric surgery is not necessarily covered by insurance companies; some consider it cosmetic while others consider it as important as heart surgery. Insurance will flat out approve or deny you but what the doctors who are encouraging you to get the surgery fail to tell you is how much extra costs incur before and after the surgery. So far, I have had to change my diet and eating healthy can be a bit more expensive than buying Chef Boyardee for $1 a can. Food costs are a given, however, in time the cost will decline due to less consumption unless food prices continue to skyrocket. All the stuff you will need that is not mentioned upfront is costly, for example, Benefiber or Metamucil. You will need to take fiber twice a day, the brand names can run from as low as $10 to as high as $30 depending on the size and at twice a day they go quickly. You will need multivitamins for the rest of your life and those can also be costly. The liquid diet can range in price, if you use premade shakes like Boost or Slim Fast three times a day that can cost you over $100 for two weeks of liquid. The Whey or Rice protein runs about $20 a pound depending on the retailer, if you mix it with water you are getting the best value, however; you may want to mix it with skim milk or Lactose free milk which is another expense. Probiotics are optional but highly recommended by the nutritionists at Bellevue for wound healing and easing your new stomach pouch into running things through smoothly. Probiotics are very expensive, I just ordered Go Greens for $24, I will let you know if they were worth the price. Transportation back and forth to the many bariatric appointments adds up quickly. Other optional miscellaneous items include measuring cups, portion control plates (if you really need that extra help), vitamins to prevent the thinning/falling out of your hair during your initial weight loss, hair weaves/pieces/extensions (if my hair goes I’m getting a piece  put in until it grows back) and various other little things you may need. Then the major expenses after the surgery include clothing and gym memberships. If you know how to sew and tailor clothes you are better off than I am. Gym memberships aren’t necessary but if you do not want to jiggle and flap running down the street or have a home gym this can be very costly.

My best recommendation: COUPONS!

I am pretty coupon savvy and this is still putting a dent in my deeply dwindling bank account. Some of the best coupons you can get come from CVS. CVS spits out coupons like they want to give stuff away for free and you can combine the store coupons and manufacturer’s coupons. Most recently I paid A little under $5 for $30 worth of stuff. If you do not have a CVS find out which store near you is coupon and sale friendly. Buy store brands, you don’t need Metamucil or Benefiber; it is just a catchy brand name. Shop online, sometimes things are cheaper and Google for discount codes or buy things with free shipping just remember free shipping does not always mean you are getting the best deal. Use your hunting and gathering instincts with coupons and if the coupon won’t scan in the self-check out area, call over a employee and ask for their help. There is no shame in coupons and if you can walk away with free stuff you should be proud of it.