Weigh-Ins are on MONDAYS - Updated July 3, 2017

Surgery Date: October 20, 2009:

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

That's Spendy.


When I first moved to Oregon, I noticed that there were a few words that they use here that us Californians just don't use.

One of those words is 'spendy.'

It means expensive. 

Thank you, Captain Obvious.  You're welcome.

I say 'spendy' all the time now.  It's funny how certain words creep into my vocabulary.  Those Californians always seem to give me a funny look when I say 'spendy' now.

So, what is the most spendy thing that I've purchased in my 32 year life span?  My band.

As I've mentioned before, I was a self-pay patient.  It's kinda funny...I would NEVER spend that much money on a car, yet I paid A BUCKET-LOAD of $$ for something that I have never seen in real life.

I burned a ginormous hole in my Capital One credit card the day that I forked over that piece of plastic to the nice cashier lady at the hospital.  I had NEVER signed a credit card receipt for that much money before.  FIVE FIGURES.  Ouch.  That was about two weeks prior to my surgery.

It was scary.

There was no turning back.

But do you know what?  It was worth it.

If you're a penny-pinching, spreadsheet-making, and cost-conscious gal like me who is thinking of banding, you may be wondering:

What’ll Lap Band surgery cost me?

Perhaps a better question is “What’ll it cost you if you don’t?”

With today’s crazy economy and rising health care costs, it’s only natural to wonder if now is the time to consider banding.

Extra weight on a person often goes hand in hand with extra financial burden.

Obesity can have significant medical costs over time. Weight loss surgery can help reduce the cumulative cost of living with obesity: like weight loss programs, prescription medicine and hospital visits.

Knowing this, you may want to consider these questions:
  • What are your current out-of-pocket health care expenses? Are they due to go up?
  • What are your current prescription and over-the-counter medication costs? Are they due to go up?
  • How many times a year do you see a doctor or specialist? Has that gone up over time?
  • How many days have you missed work over the past few years? Has that gone up?
  • How much have you spent on non-surgical weight loss programs? (WeightWatchers®, Jenny Craig®, etc.) Did that work?
  • How much have your costs for groceries and dining out gone up?
  • How much have you spent on additional clothes due to your weight gain?
For those of you who are already sitting on the losers bench (whether banded, sleeved, RNY'd, or other weight loss methods), how are you saving money now that you've lost some weight?  I want to know.

11 comments:

  1. I'm saving on food...no more secret binging for me. Oh and saving on clothes too b/c now I can wear my friend's clothes when they are doing a give away...and I don't have to run out and buy a new bigger dress whenever I am invited to a party or event.

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  2. I'm sure that there is an overall savings on food b/c I almost never order an entree in a restaurant, I'm strictly an appetizer girl!
    However: i have become more of a drinker-- so that costs more in a restaurant (whenever we go out, I have a cocktail... whereas I used to not be quite as consistent in this manner.)
    As for other intangibles-- hmmm, I'd have to think about it, but I know what I've really saved: MY LIFE. WIthout the band, I am pretty sure I would have statistically died younger due to exposure to more obesity related diseases.
    YES, it was spendy, but worth the $14,000.

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  3. Definitely saving on food. When we do eat out, my husband and I share a meal. No more desserts either. Not cause I deprive myself, but because I'm to full off the portion of his. And he isn't being deprived either, that is just how big portion sizes have gotten.

    As for the medical bills, I never seen a doctor. I was fortunate enough that I didn't have a lot of medical problems, and the ones I did have (back pain, ect.) I knew they would tell me to lose weight, so I just didn't go.

    I am definitely saving on "diets". No more magic diet pills here. Man those things got costly!

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  4. I'm saving on food. G and I used to go to Panera, I'd get a you pick 2 with a beverage and most likely a cookie or other sweet too. G would get soup in a bread bowl, drink and sweet.

    Now we go and split a you pick 2. No sweets and only 1 beverage cause of course I cannot drink while eating. :) We went from spending around $20 every time to spending about $10 - $12. It's awesome!

    I can also shop at less "spendy" stores now like
    Old Navy rather than Lane Bryant for jeans. That's a difference of at least $10 if not $15-20 on a pair of jeans! I love it!

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  5. I definitely save on food as well, both in eating out and the grocery store. That part is awesome, but I also have learned to love to shop and I have to reign this in more this year. I want to hold off getting new stuff until I lose more weight.

    I am glad that I can buy clothes in smaller sizes because that in itself saves money though.

    I do not see the Dr much and I did not before I was banded either I am really healthy, thank god. But I am glad that I was able to get the band it only cost me $200 copayment I was very very lucky!

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  6. It has cost me little in comparison to what it has given me.
    I do save money on eating out. Do you know, most of last school year I ate McDonalds for breakfast? Yep... to my calorie counting mind (now) i'm grossed out.
    I save tons of money eating out, and on the grocery, and on snacks from the c-store. Seriously, I must have been eating my life away.
    I'm a penny pincher as well, and I'd fork the money over again in no time.

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  7. lol at the spendy word. when i first moved to texas everone would say "Do what?" in response to you if they didn't hear what you said or couldn't believe what you said! I was so confused at first. LOL Now GUESS what?! I soooo say it myself! LOL

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  8. Food, definately. I eat out way less, and when I do I either order something very small or share a meal with someone. My biggest word thing is I grew up calling it "Soda" and my husbands family all call it "Pop". They looked at me so weird the first time I asked for a soda....now it doesn't matter since I gave it all up!!

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  9. I had no idea "spendy" was an Oregon word. I don't think I say that, but I have heard it said.

    I eat less. No question my food budget has gone down. Probably spend less on gasoline too. I think cars use more gas hauling around the extra lbs.

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  10. I just thought-my band cost the same as the treadmill I bought 8 years ago, I don't think the treadmill has had nearly the same effect as this beautiful band has though!!!

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  11. Great post. Haha, that's funny I've never heard people use that word down here in Texas.

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