I'm not saying I'd trust Jiffy Lube, but your Civic is nothing special. Any decent local mechanic can work on it. Ask your friends and family if they know of a good one.

Good on you for changing the air filters yourself, in most cars, you could probably train a monkey to do it. Super easy.

That makes me feel better about saying no, thanks. Getting my oil changed and new brakes and they always offer a cabin air filter replacement after I just changed it. I hate the name brand garages, but idk if I can trust a local garage with the correct oil and care either.

It's a sales tactic to get you in there to buy a new car. If they're offering you extra money for your trade, they're charging you more for the new car.

Dealers don't do anything because it benefits the customer.

If you leave the money in the settlement fund, is is VMFXX.

You can also buy VMFXX if you want to set it aside for some bookkeeping reason.

If you're having that many big expenses that often, it sounds like in some sense they aren't really "unexpected". You're going to have to plan for expenses at that level in your budget, somehow.

This is typically what insurance is for. Perhaps it is time to improve whatever medical insurance you have to cover more (probably at higher premiums), and look into insurance for your pets (which is a thing that exists I hear, although I don't know much about it). Sufficient insurance would at least take the "surprise" out. Earning more to cover the increased insurance premiums isn't really something anyone here can help with -- it sounds like you need to somehow increase your income or reduce your expenses further or both.

True, fair enough. I see that the government's definition of "immediate family" is different than mine, as theirs includes parents and in-laws and siblings that are definitely not eligible to use your HSA funds.

Write them a goodwill letter (examples online) asking to remove the late reports from your credit. Cite whatever reasons you need, but the more sympathetic you are the better. As long as you have a previous good payment record, they should help.

Just as a heads up. This worked once and it was worth capital one. When she missed subsequent payments later, they refused.

> other people in your immediately family are able to use your HSA dollars for their healthcare expenses

Only if they are your spouse or dependents.

Who you can spend HSA on does not depend on your/their insurance at all.

Thank you that helps

> I’m unclear as to whether I can spend HSA money on the family prescriptions and office visits

Virtually any healthcare spending is a qualified expense for HSA purposes. It's any medical expense that could be counted towards the medical expense deduction on your tax return, for you, your spouse, or any dependents, regardless of whether they're enrolled in the HDHP. It's pretty easy to spend HSA money. Less so to contribute it if you're trying to mix-and-match coverage.

You can only have a personal HSA if your only coverage is HDHP. So, as other replies already state, you need to drop the other insurance if you want to get the HSA.

If you do this, though, other people in your immediately family are able to use your HSA dollars for their healthcare expenses, even if they are covered by regular plans. HSA eligibility with regard to your health care plan is about putting money in, not taking it out. See the second-from-last footnote on this handy chart.
https://www.chard-snyder.com/uploads/miscellaneous/FSA-HSA_Contribution_Rules_v8.21.pdf

I have funds set aside for a reason. So, I want to keep them separate from money that is flowing into or out of Vanguard for other purposes. No need to mix the two.

This is a personal preference.

Both plans have to be qualifying HDHPs in order for you to be eligible to contribute to the HSA.

One of the primary rules for HSA eligibility is that you must have only HDHP coverage and no other coverage

https://www.irs.gov/publications/p969#en_US_2022_publink1000204025

Took on some overtime hours at my main job and picked up a couple side jobs, and I started selling some stuff that I've had in storage

Not op, what’s the benefit of having the funds out of the way?

Whenever I check my account, I tend to cry, so I do it as little as possible

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>Prior to going in, I asked the people at the front desk if they accept insurance B. They said yes so I proceeded.

Can't help with the negotiation, but in the future, never rely on what the provider tells you. Always verify with your insurance company.

What actions have you taken to increase income? Sounds like you’ve cut costs enough

Increase income or cut costs. There isn’t more to it.

Many people will place a cap on medical expenses for animals. At some point their own quality of life is diminished by recurring medical treatment.

American northeast; so let's say NY, NJ, Connecticut, new Hampshire, Rhode island, Maryland and Delaware, and the farther north states (which I haven't looked for housing in so have no input). Delaware is probably the cheapest, and has cheap tax, but it sucks. NJ is crowded and expensive but has some really great towns that you def can't afford to live in for $150k. 500k at least. Rural NY has some great, cheap old farmhouses and older homes that you can get for 150k, so your 30k is already enough. The taxes are high, but water is cheap, clean, and plentiful and the land is good. In Pennsylvania the taxes are cheaper. Farms and land is expensive, but you can find cheaper houses in old slate mining towns and blue collar cities. Some of them are run down, but some like Bethlehem are thriving and would be a great place to live to be close to "stuff" but not in the city. For a true city, I'd look at Baltimore, Maryland, where you might be able to get a townhouse for 200k or less, for now. Who knows what the market will be in 3 years.

>Would it be the correct thing to do for me to declare bankruptcy

The correct thing is to get a second job and pay your debts.

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>Mortgage - 3800

Consider selling and living in a place you can afford.

It's not just an emotional state, it's my quality of life. I'm all alone out here and they're my only companionship. I have bad depression and PTSD (already in therapy) and I would get worse if I "failed" in my life and had to lose them. I lost them once and was blessed enough to get them back after a year.

I'm already cutting back where I can. I'm trying to see if anyone else has any ideas I haven't thought of. Ways to make my money go farther, etc. Ways to get support for medical bills or something. I'm looking to move somewhere cheaper, or somewhere that my profession pays more in relation to the cost of living, but I don't know what my other options are, if anything.

Start by looking up the policy on insurance B - you may be able to file your claim directly with the insurance as out of network. Probably with reduced coverage - but it would be an improved situation. I would also clarify that the issue is the hospital isn't in network, as opposed to the claim was rejected. If the claim was rejected you want to know why - because it could easily be a wrong diagnosis code, or just missing paperwork.

Your biggest issue is that you're near being sent to collections. The most effective lobbying on your behalf starts early on - since they know you aren't going away for months (however long they have to wait to send it to collections). Still - the general rule applies when seeking help - take lots of notes, be persistent, always be polite and ask to escalate.

You could look up what Insurance B would have covered if they were in network - but that's abstract to the hospital. Instead, I would look up what Insurance A actually paid and push to have it written off to that amount.

If someone says "we wouldn't do that" - agree. "I know, which is why I'm so confused that it happened". or ask for clarification "Right, so why would I have been told that? Did this change recently?"

In the end - know the date you'll go to collections. If it's getting really close - I would consider the payment plan option since it's usually interest free.