*One tip I forgot is for those who don't have dental insurance or a plan that doesn't pay well for some procedures. If you live near a dental school(DDS/DMDprogram) or advanced dental program-
http://www.ada.org/267.aspx then, give that school a call and ask them about getting dental care done there and their costs (most of the time at a reduced rate). You will be seeing a dental student or resident but heavily supervised by dentists or dental specialists like endodontist/periodontist/prosthodontist- it is a hands on teaching program. * As far as the Affordable Health Care Act , we will see a lot of increased costs and cuts to services. It is just supply and demand- more demand with less supply of physicians. We will see a lot more PAs and nurse practitioners instead of doctors. If you are still working, check out your W-2 in box 12- it is not part of your taxable income. It tells you how much your employer pays for your health insurance coverage. The amount we see this year is $5,000 more than last year- huge increase for 2 covered persons with the exact same insurance coverage. * Last tip - eat eggs- they are cheap protein, we enjoy egg white omelets (I throw in leftover spinach, diced meats with a little cheese-feta, cheddar, or that cheese that got a little hard because DH didn't seal it just right) for breakfast and dinners. So keep the tips coming as we need to find ways to cut costs across our household budgets.