[MissCharlotte]

In a prior thread I realized I would prefer to do without Cable TV than cancel a T session. I want to continue seein T 2 times a week but need to establish the cash flow.

What would you (or have you) give up to afford therapy?

Hehe, I like this thread.

Interesting for me to think about since I have impulsive spending problems and didn't give up anything when I was going 2x per week, though I should have.

Now I have been forced to "give up" some things because I only work part time while I'm interning.

I would rather give up cable than give up T. But that's not saying a whole lot for me because I'm not a big TV watcher anyway.

I would give up buying clothes to afford therapy. (Ouch that hurt to say, haha).

I would stop drinking ginger ale if someone said to me, "It's either soda or your T."

(Not that soda has anything to do with me affording T-- you must be thinking-- exactly how much soda does she buy?-- I just found it to be a funny thought if someone made me choose between ginger ale or T, lol... I love ginger ale).

[ECHOES]

lol. I have given up the cable TV. And the newspaper, and the phone. I've trimmed my grocery budget in half, and I turn the a/c way back and turn it off whenever I can (c'mon October so I can turn it off and leave it off!)

This is so I can go once a week. I am looking to move when my lease is up in May to some tinier little dive so I can go twice a week, which is our goal.

I may yet end up adding a part-time job, but my full-time job seems like more than I can handle some days, so I don't know about that.

Let's see... cable TV.. yepper...reduced my telephone to bare necessity... no caller id even..soon my internet (cheaper connection - in contract for another month), driving as much(gas), food - go to Sav-a-Lot.. and a local discount store...hmmm chocalate..yard waste.. lol.. with the leaves coming.. perhaps garbage service.. going in with a neighbor..soo far that is what I am doing to keep therapy going..
never thought of the ginger ale... lol....
thought about giving up deodrant.. but then T wouldn't see me.. lol..

[frightened]

I am going without making car payments, forcing my 10 year old junker to just keep going. Terrified of what I will do when I MUST get another car. It will be soon, I think.

[bluebutterfly]

My Blackberry. (re: my post "He forgot my appointment").

[confused4ever]

good post....lol......I like the ginger ale thing....just exactly how much DO you drink??? lol

I have given up phone service, and have picked up an extra days work. At one point when I couldn't keep affording the co-payments he dropped them down to $5.00 a visit so I could continue seeing him.

[SecretGarden]

I think that I thought I was going out less socially but think that I should have gone in a different direction as the social is a good thing. :-)

I have been considering the cable as I do not feel like I watch it that much and I have it on 3 TV's..... including HBO. But I have not done it....

If you drink fancy coffee like starbucks that adds up quick (or something similar that you upgrade on) and downgrading might be a deductible or close to a visit cost or part of.... etc...

Let us know what you come up with.

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SecretGarden said:

If you drink fancy coffee like starbucks that adds up quick (or something similar that you upgrade on) and downgrading might be a deductible or close to a visit cost or part of.... etc...

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Ok, I could give up fancy coffee for a cheaper coffee.

But if someone said, "You need to choose. It's either coffee or your T. One of 'em is out." I think I'd have to say, "See ya T, it's been fun."

[MissCharlotte]

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I may yet end up adding a part-time job, but my full-time job seems like more than I can handle some days, so I don't know about that.

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Yeah, Echoes, I'm with you on that. I want to work extra, but I know that with working full time already I don't want to abandon my family for money. (You know, repeat the pattern?) So, I would rather give something up and started this thread to shop for ideas. LOL.

I really need to move to reduce my overhead--but have MAJOR issues surrounding moving. They might need to get a forklift to get me outta here--been here in my house for 20 years. So I''m stuck.

[SecretGarden]

LOL.... Might you consider your T caffeine? A morning visit every day or something? just a chuckle.

[Perna]

I've given up books for what I want and that's the "best" I can do. I use to read 3-5 books a week and my Amazon slogan is "single-handedly keeping Amazon in business" :-) I generally buy $100-$500 worth of books a month. But when I wasn't working I've "traded" my husband my book buying for several months for new computers or other things that were more expensive than usual and didn't fit in our general scheme of things :-) But I literally went out and got a full time job after 10+ years without in order to pay for my T out-of-pocket. Seven years later a couple months after terminating, I quit the job and "retired" LOL.

At least there's the library. Free books. Unless of course.... you've already read every book in there, lol.

[MissCharlotte]

Give up my latte?

I'm with Pink.

[Gracey]

HOLY COW ya'll. . .

Where on earth do you guys live that therapy is soooo expensive? WOW, ya'll blew me away.

I live in GA, and pay a $6 copay for therapy whether it's once a month, once a week, or once a day (THAT hasnt' happened yet!) I've got basic insurance, nothing spectacular.

I give up my lunch break plus and hour on Wedensdays, and I b/c I invest so much in books and stuff I give up eating out as much as I used to.

[MissCharlotte]

I live in NY about an hour outside of NYC. T has a city office and a suburb office. I see him in the burbs.

I pay $30 copay but have a max of 60 visits per year. After that it's out of pocket all the way till Jan.. That day is coming in a week or 2.

I just thought of something I'd sooner give up - Christmas presents and the whole Christmas debacle. Yeah, go ahead and call me the Grinch.

[Perna]

You may give up buying Christmas presents but that's charge card territory for me; your T take charge cards? :-)

I did therapy out-of-pocket the "second" time so got a job with enough "extra" to cover it.

[SecretGarden]

My benefits are similar to Sister's though I think I have 50 visits a year.

I have cut way back on Christmas anyhow due to cutting up my credit cards. Way different than it used to be.

And yes when I was drinking caffeine and hopefully I will again, I loved my Bora Bora coffee from the Mudhouse. Made going to work better.

I have a sliding fee scale. When I first "chose" my fee it was more than I could afford but I felt like a total idiot so I continued to pay it. Then as I got settled in Philly and had my job for awhile, it got better. Then I scaled back to part time work and it's bad again. And I was going 2x per week. Now it's back to once per week but an hour and half... so not quite as much as 2x per week, but still more than a regular session.

Cutting back? Let's see. Do I really need to go to Borders in a few minutes to buy the book he recommended? Can I buy it online instead so that it will be cheaper, but I won't be able to have it immediately?

No.

Okay. Well that took care of that. I'm on my way out.

[Perna]

Now who needs the library! LOL, I'm with you on Borders but since we moved we have two Barnes & Noble near us.

[Gracey]

BUY BORDERS!!!

(Gracey's hubby is a mgr at the local Borders, with stock options!)

Yay BORDERS!!

[I_WMD]

(((((((((((Gracey)))))))) (((((((((( I miss you)))))))) WMD

[ECHOES]

I pay $70/session and go weekly. No insurance coverage for analyais.

holy cow is right,, try 120.. an hour and that is cheap... on up to 140.0 an hour...

6 dollars.. yazaa...

[sunrise]

I have given up going out to lunch at the cafeteria at work. That saves about $20 a week.

If I do go out to dinner, I never order a beverage.

I gave up buying books and music. I get everything at the library.

Soon I will be separated/divorced and won't have my husband's income to help with family expenses, so I need to get more serious about cutting back if I want to continue therapy. (My insurance covers zero, and my daughter goes to therapy also. My therapy is $125/visit and my daughter's is $90/visit. T recently told me he raised his rates to $145 but he is keeping me at $125, thank goodness. Every little savings helps.)

I am thinking of eliminating all newspapers and magazines. I can get my news online.

Recently I went off my Buspar prescription for anxiety. It was only $2 a month. Instead, my doctor prescribed Lexapro for anxiety, which was $76 per month. That made me decide not to fill the prescription. That would be $912 a year! That would pay for over 7 therapy visits!!! So that is a good savings. Sometimes I wonder what % of T's gross annual income comes from me?