… because I don’t have health insurance.

Health insurance = $$$

Lack of health insurance = $$$ x 50
(when you are seriously ill)

Like many college students, I’m without health insurance. Ever since my mom decided that having me on her policy was costing her too much money, she cut me off (ouch).

“Don’t get sick.” She told me.

Nice.

Anyhow, unfortunately the current community college I’m enrolled in doesn’t have any health insurance plan for its student, since the student body isn’t of any significant size. I use to have a minimal coverage health insurance plan at my previous university, but that’s over with, since I’m no longer a student at the university.

So I’m hunting for health insurance plan, specifically ones discounted for full-time students. If anyone has any suggestions, I’m all ear.

In the meantime, I’m going to keep hoping I don’t get sick.

From Ian Ybarra, a StopBuyingCrap.com field report

I was in Chicago with my girlfriend a few weeks ago. We slipped into a Payless Shoe Source to (depending on whom you ask) “kill some time” or “shop for shoes” before a show.

I saw another woman pick up a small handbag and rush it over to her boyfriend to show him what she found.

“What do you think?” she said.

“It’s nice,” he replied.

“I think it’s kind of cute. But it’s not quite what I was looking for.”

“What were you looking for?”

“I don’t know. But this is only $9.99, so maybe I should get it.”

She took the bag to the checkout counter and bought it. It was only $9.99.

Payless is making a fortune by selling crappy shoes and handbags that look a little snazzier than the crappy shoes and handbags at Wal-Mart because people who don’t know what they want anyway don’t worry about buying stuff that’s only $9.99.

Yeah, it’s only ten bucks, but it’s more than ten bucks when you’re buying crap you don’t need (or want, for that matter). It’s stupid.

According to today’s WSJ’s Personal Finance section, Bank of America is lowering their online trading fees for customers who already have accounts with them.

The per trade comission fees are now at various levels, depending on your relationship with the bank. $5 per trade for some selective customers, $7 for customers with selective checking accounts, and $10 for any customers wtih their basic checking accounts.

The decrease in comission fees (including some maintenance fees) are quite a big drop, but their investment service still has too much miscellaneous fees attached to these accounts. The rates from other online discount brokers are still much much cheaper.

Still, for those that are already using Bank of America’s investment service, this is a nice cut in fees.

Here’s a list of fees and comissions from Bank of America’s site.