How much will This cost?

For the month of March, we’ve been focusing in on personal health and wellness. This week, we’re going to discuss one of the most underrated components of maintaining our personal health and wellness: asking questions. In today’s episode, we’ll be asking the question: How much will this cost?

This question gave me way more anxiety in my early twenties than it should have. I was always so angry at the doctor’s when I walked in and they didn’t have a restaurant-style menu up. General exam $125. Bloodwork $45. Peeing in a cup $15. I never knew how much anything was going to cost, so I just avoided going. But I clearly remember the first time I asked this question over the phone. I called the my doctor’s office to schedule an appointment and before they hung up the phone, I asked the exceptional woman on the other end of the line, “How much will this cost?” After a quick, “One moment, please,” she checked the prices for me against my insurance so I knew exactly what to expect to pay out of pocket. This appointment that I thought was going to break the bank cost less than a cocktail, and made a notable difference in the way I felt moving forward. 

On the flip side, I always ask about the cost of dental work before I agree to it. I’ve found that dentists vary widely in their prices, so I always ask, “How much is this going to cost” before I just let them at my teeth. I’ve delayed some non-essential dental work as a result, and my teeth haven’t fallen out yet. Asking these questions before you have an exam, procedure, pick up prescriptions, meet with a health coach, or upgrade to the spa pedicure will help you feel more confident in your financial decisions, and will actually cause people to respect you more over time. I’ve seen it firsthand in the way that medical professionals treat me and my family members.

You have an absolute right to ask the question, “How much will this cost.” Let’s practice. Repeat out loud after me. “How much will this cost?”

You’ve got it. Let me know what you learn from asking “How much will this cost?” on Instagram @nowthatimnotyourteacher or through email at nowthatimnotyourteacher@gmail.com. I’ll meet you back here tomorrow for our next question.

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