I got to leave my house last week to attend two concerts at my son’s college. (I have severe allergies and I have to stay in a highly protective environment 97% of the time.) I took the required dose of Prednisone and plotted where I would go the first day. I planned on going to the library, shoe store, etc. The day didn’t go exactly as planned.

My first stop was for the dentist to check my teeth; I had them cleaned the last time I went out, but he was unavailable. He found three cavities.

Knowing my health situation, he had cleared a large block of time…just in case. I was able to get them all taken care of and I still stopped at the library and shoe store, but with my face half asleep. I didn’t say much.

When I got home I checked my son’s eyes. He came home in the middle of the night because they were watery, irritated, red and swollen. I suspected pink eye and called the doctor…the only opening was with the pediatrician! We must have been a sight sitting in the babies examining room: me with my numb face and my 6’4” baby!

I was so relieved that it was not pink eye…until I got to the pharmacy. The allergy eye drops are no longer on our insurance companies preferred list, so we did not have the regular co-pay. We paid a lot more. This particular eye drop is so effective that I call it “Liquid Gold”.

I don’t have dental insurance, so how did I pay for all of these…

I wrote a check.

Mary Hunt, Debt Proof Living, teaches you to have a freedom account. You save for yearly expenses, like the dentist, in your freedom account.  It is easier to set aside a set amount each month than to try to come up with a lump sum on the spot.

If you are lucky enough to have a “Flex Plan” or “Health Savings Account” through work, you should fully fund it.

If not, open a savings account for medical expenses, like I did, and only use the money for medical expenses. As I had money set aside to replace my glasses, but I passed the eye exam, I used some of those funds to pay the dentist. There were enough funds in the doctor and prescription category to cover those bills.

Take it from me…ignoring your cavities will not make them go away! Make a plan to cover those expenses.