GoFundMe accounts?

[PayItForward 207]

I didn't think that I had a hernia. I was sure that I didn't but the doctor insisted that most people at least have a small one. When they scoped my stomach, they were able to find a small one.

[Babbs 14,680]

Remember back in the day, if you didn't have the money for something, you were just sh*t outta luck?

[4MRB4PHOTO 3,899]

I appreciate you feeling that way, but have cut everything that we can cut. I'm not saying that in the next five years we couldn't save the $21,000 that we would need to save, but there are people out there willing to help and donate. We don't live outside of our means at all. But not everyone that is looking for help is looking for a "handout"

Would you consider going to Mexico to have the surgery performed since it costs less there?

[Salinagetssleeved 58]

I appreciate you feeling that way, but have cut everything that we can cut. I'm not saying that in the next five years we couldn't save the $21,000 that we would need to save, but there are people out there willing to help and donate. We don't live outside of our means at all. But not everyone that is looking for help is looking for a "handout"

Would you consider going to Mexico to have the surgery performed since it costs less there?

I did actually! I loved the idea then as soon as my family found out they freaked and my husband totally shut it down

[jess9395 5,448]

I didn't think that I had a hernia. I was sure that I didn't but the doctor insisted that most people at least have a small one. When they scoped my stomach, they were able to find a small one.

I second this. Had no idea I had a hiatal hernia until they opened me up to do the sleeve. They say most overweight people have one.

[cbruce125 114]

Remember back in the day, if you didn't have the money for something, you were just sh*t outta luck?

Yes.

Reminds me of this article I just read

http://nyti.ms/1WCZ4kT

As someone with the keen observational skills of Mr. Magoo, it took me a long time to notice a problem social-media acquaintances had been talking about for months.

“I woke up to four new people today asking me for money on four different donation platforms,” one friend said. “One was my ex-babysitter announcing her wedding and where I could send cash. No invitation to the wedding. Just cash.”

“I’m a believer in giving to real charities: medical research, school drives, the Red Cross, et cetera,” said Heidi Knodle, owner of a picture framing store in San Francisco. “I’m tired of people asking for a vacation, funds for a wedding or their college tuition.”

The crime writer Mark Ebner, whose mailboxes have been increasingly filled with monetary requests, has a theory about it all. “I think online begging has become the new economy.”

I thought my friends were exaggerating. After all, a visit to GoFundMe or YouCaringyields site after site of worthy donation recipients. People whose homes were wiped out by natural disasters. People with diseases I’d never heard of, with no insurance and staggering medical expenses. Kids trying to pay for their parents’ funerals. Parents with seriously ill children wanting a trip to Disney World, and sick animals owned by people who couldn’t afford the vet bills.

One man had set up a fund for a friend who needed to take a couple of months off while his wife died of brain cancer.

But then, there were others. Many, many others. Education funds are great, but do I really want to pay for a friend to travel to Peru to become a shaman?

Should the woman who has lost a lot of weight (good for you!) ask her friends to pay for $2,500 worth of laser skin tightening? What about the girl seeking $600 for her “personal development journey”? (Not much to ask, but she was so beautiful, I didn’t understand why she didn’t develop herself into a model and make a whole lot more than that.)

......Here’s the question I can’t stop asking myself: Has social media made our craving for attention and validation overwhelm all other considerations? There is nothing new about asking your friends for help (remember rent parties?), but that help was confined to a small group of people you actually knew.

Now, no such boundaries exist. Your 4,000 Facebook friends should know if you can’t pay your rent — or your plastic surgery bill. And who knows? They may just pay up.

There was a time when there were needs, and there were wants, and we knew the difference. Now?

Now I’m not so sure."

People need to stop begging friends and family for money unless it is a life and death emergency.

[LiMurr 24]

CareCredit is a financing option. Obviously borrowing is never ideal but it's better than a traditional credit card. It is not a revolving card. One time interest and you choose your repayment terms. More like a car loan. Best of luck

Not necessarily. My credit card has a lower rate than Care Credit, and if I can pay it off sooner, I will pay even less interest.

[Babbs 14,680]

Remember back in the day, if you didn't have the money for something, you were just sh*t outta luck?

Yes.

Reminds me of this article I just readhttp://nyti.ms/1WCZ4kT

As someone with the keen observational skills of Mr. Magoo, it took me a long time to notice a problem social-media acquaintances had been talking about for months.

“I woke up to four new people today asking me for money on four different donation platforms,” one friend said. “One was my ex-babysitter announcing her wedding and where I could send cash. No invitation to the wedding. Just cash.”

“I’m a believer in giving to real charities: medical research, school drives, the Red Cross, et cetera,” said Heidi Knodle, owner of a picture framing store in San Francisco. “I’m tired of people asking for a vacation, funds for a wedding or their college tuition.”

The crime writer Mark Ebner, whose mailboxes have been increasingly filled with monetary requests, has a theory about it all. “I think online begging has become the new economy.”

I thought my friends were exaggerating. After all, a visit to GoFundMe or YouCaringyields site after site of worthy donation recipients. People whose homes were wiped out by natural disasters. People with diseases I’d never heard of, with no insurance and staggering medical expenses. Kids trying to pay for their parents’ funerals. Parents with seriously ill children wanting a trip to Disney World, and sick animals owned by people who couldn’t afford the vet bills.

One man had set up a fund for a friend who needed to take a couple of months off while his wife died of brain cancer.

But then, there were others. Many, many others. Education funds are great, but do I really want to pay for a friend to travel to Peru to become a shaman?

Should the woman who has lost a lot of weight (good for you!) ask her friends to pay for $2,500 worth of laser skin tightening? What about the girl seeking $600 for her “personal development journey”? (Not much to ask, but she was so beautiful, I didn’t understand why she didn’t develop herself into a model and make a whole lot more than that.)

......Here’s the question I can’t stop asking myself: Has social media made our craving for attention and validation overwhelm all other considerations? There is nothing new about asking your friends for help (remember rent parties?), but that help was confined to a small group of people you actually knew.

Now, no such boundaries exist. Your 4,000 Facebook friends should know if you can’t pay your rent — or your plastic surgery bill. And who knows? They may just pay up.

There was a time when there were needs, and there were wants, and we knew the difference. Now?

Now I’m not so sure."

People need to stop begging friends and family for money unless it is a life and death emergency.

Great post and great article. This has been bothering me for a while.

I mean, not to be cruel, but why does everyone else have to pay for your loved ones funeral? It used to be a family obligation. And if your house or business has brunt down, isn't that what insurance is for?

There are definitely a few legitimate reasons. A few. But it's gone WAY overboard.

[TinyTink 268]

Have you considered Mexico? I borrowed from my 403b to pay for my surgery. Obviously its instant approval and I pay myself back.

[psychprof 141]

Things are different now. Most people, regardless of how fiscally responsible they are, will never be able to afford these things.

No doubt about it-- social media is changing us. The way we relate, how we teach and learn, how we bank, even how we think. I don't view it as better or worse, just different. Maybe it's my stubborn refusal to become the cranky "when I was a kid!" lady. :-)

Nobody is forcing you to donate. If it's not a worthy cause to you, move along. :-)

[Babbs 14,680]

Things are different now. Most people, regardless of how fiscally responsible they are, will never be able to afford these things.

No doubt about it-- social media is changing us. The way we relate, how we teach and learn, how we bank, even how we think. I don't view it as better or worse, just different. Maybe it's my stubborn refusal to become the cranky "when I was a kid!" lady. :-)

Nobody is forcing you to donate. If it's not a worthy cause to you, move along. :-)

And if you can't afford it, maybe you shouldn't be buying it or begging for money to buy it and realize that sometimes we can't all get what we want?

But that's just crazy talk.

[McButterpants 2,846]

I've never been a fan of gofundme.

There are places in the US you can get cheaper than $21K - I paid $11K for a great doctor in Las Vegas (flights are cheap, hotels are cheap and he's a well respected doctor with lots of experience). I think he's actually cheaper now.

If you go to the self-pay forum on this site you may be able to find something more reasonable.

Best of luck to you.

[Salinagetssleeved 58]

Remember back in the day, if you didn't have the money for something, you were just sh*t outta luck?

Yes.

Reminds me of this article I just read

http://nyti.ms/1WCZ4kT

As someone with the keen observational skills of Mr. Magoo, it took me a long time to notice a problem social-media acquaintances had been talking about for months.

“I woke up to four new people today asking me for money on four different donation platforms,” one friend said. “One was my ex-babysitter announcing her wedding and where I could send cash. No invitation to the wedding. Just cash.”

“I’m a believer in giving to real charities: medical research, school drives, the Red Cross, et cetera,” said Heidi Knodle, owner of a picture framing store in San Francisco. “I’m tired of people asking for a vacation, funds for a wedding or their college tuition.”

The crime writer Mark Ebner, whose mailboxes have been increasingly filled with monetary requests, has a theory about it all. “I think online begging has become the new economy.”

I thought my friends were exaggerating. After all, a visit to GoFundMe or YouCaringyields site after site of worthy donation recipients. People whose homes were wiped out by natural disasters. People with diseases I’d never heard of, with no insurance and staggering medical expenses. Kids trying to pay for their parents’ funerals. Parents with seriously ill children wanting a trip to Disney World, and sick animals owned by people who couldn’t afford the vet bills.

One man had set up a fund for a friend who needed to take a couple of months off while his wife died of brain cancer.

But then, there were others. Many, many others. Education funds are great, but do I really want to pay for a friend to travel to Peru to become a shaman?

Should the woman who has lost a lot of weight (good for you!) ask her friends to pay for $2,500 worth of laser skin tightening? What about the girl seeking $600 for her “personal development journey”? (Not much to ask, but she was so beautiful, I didn’t understand why she didn’t develop herself into a model and make a whole lot more than that.)

......Here’s the question I can’t stop asking myself: Has social media made our craving for attention and validation overwhelm all other considerations? There is nothing new about asking your friends for help (remember rent parties?), but that help was confined to a small group of people you actually knew.

Now, no such boundaries exist. Your 4,000 Facebook friends should know if you can’t pay your rent — or your plastic surgery bill. And who knows? They may just pay up.

There was a time when there were needs, and there were wants, and we knew the difference. Now?

Now I’m not so sure."

People need to stop begging friends and family for money unless it is a life and death emergency.

you are definitely entitled to your own opinion

I've never been a fan of gofundme.

There are places in the US you can get cheaper than $21K - I paid $11K for a great doctor in Las Vegas (flights are cheap, hotels are cheap and he's a well respected doctor with lots of experience). I think he's actually cheaper now.

If you go to the self-pay forum on this site you may be able to find something more reasonable.

Best of luck to you.

thank you so much!

[Salinagetssleeved 58]

Things are different now. Most people, regardless of how fiscally responsible they are, will never be able to afford these things.

No doubt about it-- social media is changing us. The way we relate, how we teach and learn, how we bank, even how we think. I don't view it as better or worse, just different. Maybe it's my stubborn refusal to become the cranky "when I was a kid!" lady. :-)

Nobody is forcing you to donate. If it's not a worthy cause to you, move along. :-)

thanks doll

Things are different now. Most people, regardless of how fiscally responsible they are, will never be able to afford these things.

No doubt about it-- social media is changing us. The way we relate, how we teach and learn, how we bank, even how we think. I don't view it as better or worse, just different. Maybe it's my stubborn refusal to become the cranky "when I was a kid!" lady. :-)

Nobody is forcing you to donate. If it's not a worthy cause to you, move along. :-)

And if you can't afford it, maybe you shouldn't be buying it or begging for money to buy it and realize that sometimes we can't all get what we want?

But that's just crazy talk.

did you pay for yours on your own? I assume you have had it done

[Yaberhoo 358]

If you are serious about this then reopen discussion about Mexico. There are reputable businesses down there that do a great job. I had mine done in Tijuana in October and don't regret an instant of it. The surgery was $4600 and all inclusive except for the flights to San Deigo. I am hoping to convince my sister to have it done in the coming year.