Adult Life Tips - Why Employee/Work Benefits Matters

After working full time and feeling like my job/title is a big deal, I've began to feel "adult" lately. I don't know how I really feel, but I guess I'm grateful out of it to be "adult-ing." Anyways, I wanted to share my insurance experience in this blog.

Employer insurance is like layaway or pay-in-advance 

VISION - My company qualified for VSP Vision insurance, so I decided to get it. In general, employer vision and dental insurance breaks even with what you put in. The only loser is you, when you don't use it. For example, I pay $5/paycheck for a whole year (which comes to $5 x 26 paychecks = $130), the insurance will pay for my eye exam and contacts or glasses; only one. So lets look at the cheapest vision exam, it's Wal-Mart for about $70. Then another $60 for glasses or contacts, but that depends on brands and other details. So should you get vision insurance? Even though it only breaks even, at least it doesn't feel like a big chunk when you make the visit. Without insurance, it would cost me $70 for exams and then $120 for contacts.



DENTAL - I worked for the high school for a year and paid for dental insurance I didn't even use! Again, the only loser in insurance is you! Don't add that in your hiring paperwork if you don't plan on using it. I didn't know this, but now I do, so I go to whatever is covered by my dental insurance. Take that Delta! In addition, Aflac has this dental program that is on top your of dental insurance. They will reimburse your costs, even if you already have a provider. For example, my bi-annual dental preventive visits is covered by Delta, but I can claim the costs of those through Aflac.

HEALTH - I just found out that my employer only pays 75% of my insurance and I pay 25%. I'm the biggest loser because I don't even go to the hospital at all!!! What does this cost me? $80/month = $960/year. That's money that can just go to my savings, but no, I would get faulted during tax time for not having health insurance. Before Obama, no one was required for faulted for not having insurance. Now do you see how political this could get? If your employer pays 100%, that's awesome! Take it and use it! Go get checked!

401K - I decided to hop on this since my employer is matching 4% of my contribution. I still don't have a clear idea/explanation of what 401k is, but I keep reading it's at least a path toward financial progress/income.

RENT - Rent will always suck. I hate rent. Make sure yours is on the first floor because carrying shit is a pain! It'll be nice to have heat, water, and internet included. For a good price, consider a garage, so you don't have to scrape ice off your car in the morning, in the midwest.

CAR - Get a reliable one because you will end up fixing that craigslist car! Try to keep it under $10k.

PHONE - If you're new to this blog, I've been blogging about Cricket as my phone service. $25 unlimited talk and text :D

CREDIT CARD - Start with store cards and see how you do then transition into real credit cards, like Chase and Visa.