By Sherry Hopkins

Community Columnist

It is difficult to write a column each week for years when at times (most) lately, there is little to write about. I heard from several readers this week. One wanting to know where she could get fresh beans, and another commiserating with me over returning to the workforce after a lengthy absence.

As always I love to hear from you even if you are giving me grammar lessons. I need all the help I can get and I’ll take it in any form I can get it. So thank you to all who take the time to reach out.

Because we are now six months into 2019 I took a day last week to go over our finances to see where we could continue to cut back or make a difference.

I was able to lower my Medicare Part B Supplement over $50 per month, by simply changing plans from F to G. The G plan requires an out of pocket of $185 or so, but with premiums lowered by $50 you can still come out several hundred dollars on the plus side each year.

I have only been to the doctor once in three years, and I have had the normal routine screenings and no prescriptions. So I chose to go with a plan with a lesser payment each month. There are many plans to choose from so ask your agent to help you find one that suits your needs.

I was also able to get a $10 a month preferred customer discount on our internet for 12 months. That’s $120. for a year. I only had to call to get this applied.

And while I was at it I contacted our credit card company. Dear Don and I both have accounts with the same provider and we had accumulated several thousand points on each card. Points are related to purchases. We rarely use these cards, keeping the balances at zero in case of emergencies.

But we have held these same cards for over 20 years and never redeemed the points. I just assumed 40,000 points would maybe get use a nail clipper kit or other such nonsense that I could not, or would not, use.

Butt lo and behold we were able to combine these points on the two cards and the amount was enough to pay off the existing balance of one, or if using it for travel purposes double the amount of money you would have to use. We chose to use the lesser amount and paid off the balance leaving both cards with a zero balance.

All of these savings gave us hope and inspiration and we had a great week as a result. You never know what’s available out there until you ask. Don’t be afraid to ask. Also don’t be afraid to be bold in your requests.

Some companies willing to offer discounts would prefer that you settle on the first offer. Keep pushing for more. All they can do is say no.

I read a wonderful article in Smithsonian magazine last week about a Hobo convention in Brill, Iowa. I have added it to my ever changing Bucket List.

I have had a lifelong fascination with Hobos and the transient life they live. As a young girl each Halloween I dressed up as a Hobo. Riding the rails from town to town and state to state sounded like the perfect life to me. The article pointed out the fact that although sounding romantic, it is a tough life. I wouldn’t last as long there as I did at the dry cleaners!

But I would still like to visit Iowa and the convention. It is only north and west of here I keep telling Dear Don. He just looks at me as he does often when I mention something that I would like to do that seems impossible.

We will see.

Stay tuned.

You can contact Sherry at 662.563.2525 or swhcsc@wildblue.net