Using Time Wisely

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Archives for 2012

Dental & Vision Insurance: Dental Documents

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If you are following my document organization series and keeping up, then you are over halfway done organizing your insurance documents. Congratulations!

Thus far in Box 2, we have our personal, life, major medical, tax-favored programs, and prescription insurance documents.

With a total of nine categories in this box, today begins category six – dental and vision insurance.

Dental & Vision Insurance

  • Dental insurance documents
  • Vision insurance documents

Dental Insurance Documents

Summary Page

The first item in this eighth file opening is my handy-dandy summary page. (The handy-dandy comment comes from watching Blue’s Clues with my toddler. :-)) My summary page includes the benefits administrator’s contact information along with our policy numbers and insurance provider contact information. For more details on my summary page, I dedicated this post with an explanation.

Dental Insurance Documents

The details of our dental insurance coverage are in our insurance benefits guide housed in our major medical category. However, I have a couple other items that I keep within this file opening.

1. Copies of the front and back of our dental insurance cards, and

2. Correspondence from dental provider about activation, claim processing, and contact information.

These pages are paper clipped together and placed behind the summary page.

In using time wisely, I gathered these documents and keep them in this eighth file opening. When I question a claim or need to contact the company, I come to this file opening and quickly gain that information which saves me energy and time. Keep up the great work as you continue organizing your important documents. Happy organizing!

Question: Is your dental care insurance joint with your major medical insurance?

How to Address Pricing Discrepancies – Part 1 of 2

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Photograph Credit: Flickr (James Brooks)

As you check your receipt from a purchase, does your face change when you find a discrepancy? Obviously mine does.

My son enjoys watching my face as I scan receipts after a transaction. He likes to forecast whether we will leave the store or head to customer service. 🙂

In part 1 of this short series, I will share how I address pricing discrepancies before leaving the store.

Next week, I will share how I handle these issues when I discover the discrepancy after leaving the store.

Using this five-step plan makes this process relaxed without aggravating or aggressively attacking the customer service representative.

STEP ONE: Identify the Problem

If you notice that you paid more than you calculated, then find where the error occurred before heading to customer service. Were all your coupons deducted? Did the item ring up incorrectly? Did you get the wrong item?

Going to customer service stating, “My total was incorrect; It should have been $50, not $70” does not help the customer service representative solve the issue.

On the other hand, going to the representative stating, “These frozen vegetables are in the weekly advertisement as buy one, get one free, but they rang up full price,” will point the employee to the problem to solve. Knowing where the error occurred helps the representative solve the issue.

STEP TWO: Greet the Customer Service Representative

This employee is at work. He or she has family and friends. This person probably had nothing to do with your problem. By beginning your conversation with a friendly, soft-spoken, non-confrontational greeting will set the atmosphere for solving the problem. Kindness goes a long way, and there is no need to get nasty or furious.

STEP THREE: Wait for a Solution

Present your problem and wait. Giving the representative time to think, check the weekly sales advertisement, or call a manager will aid in his or her response. Stepping back to let them work gives you both space to assess the issue.

STEP FOUR: Listen to the Solution

Allow the representative to give you the solution or the options before responding. If you need an option clarified, then repeat what you understand and ask any questions.

STEP FIVE: Choose a Solution

If you agree with a solution offered by the representative, then take it. If you disagree, then ask to speak to a manager. If you do not get the solution you want, then you still have these options:

1. Leave the store

2. Ask for the district manager’s contact information

3. Request the company’s corporate customer service number

When you notice and address a pricing discrepancy, identify the problem, kindly greet the customer service representative, wait for a solution, listen to the solution, and choose a solution. Throughout the process, be kind, direct, and professional.

You may or may not solve the problem at that time. If the problem gets solved, then thank the representative and leave. If not, then you have more options. You can leave and address your concerns with a district manager or the corporate office. Whatever the outcome, be polite and firm and continue stretching your dollars while using time wisely.

Question: Do you find customer service representatives helpful with your concerns?

Free Rainy Day Activities – Part 3 of 4

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As our garden gained a couple of inches of rain this week, I enjoyed watching my girls peeking out the windows to check on our tomatoes.

Just having a garden outside our window provides opportunity to watch the rain for a fun rainy day activity.

In this series on free rainy day activities, I have shared how we sometimes have an indoor picnic (part 1) and paint (part 2).

This week, I will share three more activities my children enjoy while the weather keeps them inside.

Bake Together

My children love to help in the kitchen, especially with desserts. When the weather is dreary and the temperatures cool our home, I am willing to turn on the oven, bake with them, and share in the end product.

My older daughter loves her Disney Princess Cool Bake Magic Oven. She enjoys making the little cakes and then sharing with her little sister. So sweet when they share!

Allowing my children to help with baking teaches skills in math (measurements), safety (hot, electricity, gas), and sequence (following directions). Though I can bake much quicker on my own, I choose to encourage my children to learn these skills while using time wisely baking together.

Make a Fort

Having a hideout or clubhouse is a special place to gather your toys and play. When he was younger, my son loved to hide behind our large recliner and called that place his clubhouse. My older daughter received a princess tent for a Christmas present, and she still loves to keep her special toys within those boundaries.

Besides these favorite hideouts, my children like to hide together. On these occasions, we pull out the sheets and blankets and create a space for all of them to share. Sometimes we build our fort in the living room or bonus room where they can hide and watch a movie or fall asleep.

Take a Nap

Speaking of falling asleep, my children beg to watch a movie in my bed where they usually fall asleep. Rainy days create the perfect nap environment for snuggling and getting some extra rest.

When the rain pours outside and you are looking for activities to keep little ones engaged, try to bake together, make a fort, and/or take a nap. With little ones, I find changing the routine or moving locations for meals, naps, etc. simulates their creativity. My children just need a little inspiration before they create new games for themselves.

On rainy days bring on the indoor fun. Once your children discover or remember these fun activities, you might find it difficult to get them back outside. 🙂 Happy playing!

Question: What activities do your children create on rainy days?

3 Quick Meals for Busy Weeks

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Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Fitting in meals around shopping trips, school obligations, and soccer games is a game in itself.

On these busy nights, I plan quick meals to feed my family. Sometimes finding 30 minutes to cook is tough, but with 10 minutes of preparation in the morning or afternoon, I can serve my family a healthy supper at the busy dinner hour.

To give you a peek into our household, here are three quick meals I make on busy weeks.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Afternoon Prep

Since frozen meatballs only need about 3-4 hours to simmer, I start preparing this meal after lunch.

Taking about 5 minutes, I place the frozen meatballs in the crock pot, add a jar of spaghetti sauce, and sprinkle in the spices – oregano, basil, and parsley. I then stir the ingredients, turn the crock pot setting to low, and leave it until dinner time.

Dinner Prep

Within 15 minutes, I can boil the water and make the spaghetti noodles. While the pasta is cooking, I fix a bowl of salad and make the garlic bread.

For the garlic bread, I butter the bread, sprinkle with garlic powder, and toast in the toaster oven. Buttering the bread before toasting keeps the bread soft, so my children will eat the entire slice. 🙂

Marinated Grilled Chicken

Morning or Afternoon Prep

During my morning or afternoon routine, I defrost 3-4 chicken breasts for about 10 minutes in the microwave. When complete, I slice the chicken breasts in half (horizontally) which makes 6-8 thin chicken breasts.

I add a bottle of teriyaki marinade to a gallon-size Ziploc bag and add the chicken. After closing the bag, I place it in a bowl (to catch any leaks) and put it in the refrigerator.

Dinner Prep

When the grill master (my husband, Paul) preheats the grill, I start the stuffing on the stove top and the vegetables in the microwave. While the food is grilling and cooking, we set the table. Within 20 minutes, dinner is ready, and we sit down to eat.

Smoked Sausage with Sides

Morning Prep

Transfer the smoked sausage link(s) from the freezer to the refrigerator.

Dinner Prep

Start the pasta (parmesan linguine, mac and cheese, or alfredo rotini) and the frozen vegetables cooking. Then I slice the defrosted sausages and cook in a skillet on the stove top over medium-heat. Within 15 minutes, dinner is complete and ready to be devoured.

By feeding my family using quick meals like spaghetti and meatballs, marinated grilled chicken, and smoked sausage with sides, I can serve my family dinner on busy nights while using time wisely.

A little preparation in the morning or afternoon eases the time constraints at the dinner hour. With a few quick meals, you, too, can survive busy nights while using time wisely. Happy cooking!

Question: What is a quick meal enjoyed by your family?