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Old 10-09-2019, 09:59 PM   #661
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Originally Posted by NW-Bound View Post
If we had a true free market, the above price difference would not happen.

The above price ratio of 25x is a lot more than the average as reported in the following article, which says 16x between the US and India.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/a...ore-for-drugs/
The problem is that we don't have a free market. Even if you buy prescriptions through your insurance company designated PBM, you will often pay 2-3 times the price of someone using a coupon and bypassing the PBM. This is the case for many generic drugs. Fortunately for me, I don't need any prescription drugs but many woman that reach their late 40's or early 50's are prescribed drugs by the OBGyn to maintain their bone mass and to mitigate other woman's health issues. The pharma companies know this and are making a fortune by hiking prices. For those of us that are early retirees that are on high deductible insurance plans, this becomes a problem. So the free market is working for me and many others by bypassing the corrupt system here and buying drugs in Canada.
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Old 10-16-2019, 07:38 PM   #662
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Got 10 pounds of Alaska Halibut fillets in today, 1 pound going on the barbee soon -
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Old 10-16-2019, 09:18 PM   #663
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Got 10 pounds of Alaska Halibut fillets in today, 1 pound going on the barbee soon -
How do i thumbs up this ?
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Old 10-16-2019, 09:19 PM   #664
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The problem is that we don't have a free market. Even if you buy prescriptions through your insurance company designated PBM, you will often pay 2-3 times the price of someone using a coupon and bypassing the PBM. This is the case for many generic drugs. Fortunately for me, I don't need any prescription drugs but many woman that reach their late 40's or early 50's are prescribed drugs by the OBGyn to maintain their bone mass and to mitigate other woman's health issues. The pharma companies know this and are making a fortune by hiking prices. For those of us that are early retirees that are on high deductible insurance plans, this becomes a problem. So the free market is working for me and many others by bypassing the corrupt system here and buying drugs in Canada.
so flying to mexico or Canada for the drugs isnt a free market?
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Old 10-16-2019, 11:36 PM   #665
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so flying to mexico or Canada for the drugs isnt a free market?
No.

A free market would allow a business like Costco or Walgreen to buy the cheap drug from abroad and import them, and save the US consumers the hassle of making a trip abroad just to buy some medicine.

The fact that no business or entrepreneur has taken up this endeavor tells me that there are likely laws prohibiting it. I have not researched it, so perhaps I am all wrong. In that case, someone with the right info please correct me.
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Old 10-17-2019, 01:45 AM   #666
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I got a buddy who's into RC (radio control) cars. 4x4 crawlers to be exact. Even more exact, scale vehicles where everything is built to scale and looks as close to full sized vehicles as they can get.

So he got me hooked. I've spent at least $2,000 getting into the hobby and probably another $500 a month there after.

Here's an example of just the paint detail in a couple photos. This is a 1956 Ford F150 truck. It starts out as a clear Lexan shell and is painted up to look old and rusty.
Keep in mind; this body is about 12 1/2 inches long.

For a full story about this truck and a bunch of photos as the build progressed, here's the link;
https://www.rctalk.com/forum/threads...uckling.58327/






From the coat hanger antenna, bird poop on the windshield and rag in the gas tank filler, the detail is amazing.


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Old 10-17-2019, 01:55 AM   #667
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mirror before;


Mirror after;








,
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I cant believe I did this
Old 10-18-2019, 02:57 AM   #668
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I cant believe I did this

DW and I are in the Med this month for my retirement celebration. Today during our cruise we just spent $400 for a couples oil massage with hot stones.

First time massages; quite possibly the most decadent thing done in my life. (And yes, thoroughly enjoyed)

After a lifetime of frugality, blow that dough.
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Old 10-18-2019, 11:21 PM   #669
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No.

A free market would allow a business like Costco or Walgreen to buy the cheap drug from abroad and import them, and save the US consumers the hassle of making a trip abroad just to buy some medicine.

The fact that no business or entrepreneur has taken up this endeavor tells me that there are likely laws prohibiting it. I have not researched it, so perhaps I am all wrong. In that case, someone with the right info please correct me.
Here are the rules regarding the importation of prescription drugs from Canada:

https://www.pharmacycheckerblog.com/...ed-by-congress


They are basically looking the other way with respect to importation for personal use. They understand the predicament many seniors face with rising cost of prescription drugs so they are allowing patients to cross the border and buy prescription drugs in Canada. This has been going on for a long time.

"Customs and Border Patrol Cannot Use Funds to Stop Personal Imports Carried by Patients

For several years, a provision has usually been included in Homeland Security appropriations bills that prohibit funds from going toward preventing individuals from importing medicine for personal use from Canada that they physically carry themselves. In this case, Congress explicitly cuts funding to stop enforcement action to prevent personal drug importation.

See: Section 206 of H.R.244 – Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017

The imports must be FDA-approved drugs: those would include medications made in the U.S. and those made in foreign manufacturing plants registered with FDA, which are also sold in the U.S. However, many generic drugs and foreign versions of FDA-approved drugs would not technically be allowed under this policy.

This is yet another clear example of Congress siding with patients on illegal personal importation."
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Old 10-21-2019, 10:45 PM   #670
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We are back from our Las Vegas trip. We certainly "blew that dough" on sightseeing, shows, entertainment (like the canal ride at the Venetian) and taxis. Even a limo to/from the airport just to give DW that "rich" feeling . Interestingly going for the buffets at the "high class" hotels somehow kept our food bill down a lot lower than we thought. Our total was twice as much as we could have spent, but it was worth it. We are not gamblers so we did not choose to blow that dough in that manner.
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Old 10-22-2019, 05:42 AM   #671
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Even when I splurge, I have to save money. It's a curse

After five or so years of doing PC/Android we're going back to Apple. Because we can. Also because I'm trying to make sure that if I kick the bucket the wife can more easily continue on with her phone, etc. without having me as her personal I.T. tech support person. Or something like that.

Any way, Mac mini and MacBook Air (refurb). iPhone 8. Two Series 3 watches. All with 3% cash back on the new Apple Card. Will sell the older iPhone 5s, Lenovo laptop and zBox desktop back in Mexico. Keeping the iPad. Not only do we achieve Apple ecosystem unity but everything stays *very* portable. Perfect for travel!
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Old 10-26-2019, 04:11 PM   #672
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Not sure what else is significant about today beyond the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, but we celebrated it anyway with a Wagyu A5 steak (inspired by RobbieB).
IMG_2350.jpg

It was every bit as good as it looks. As close to a religious experience as you can have at the dinner table.
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Old 10-26-2019, 05:06 PM   #673
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$45 on a haunted hayride + 3 mazes last night. It was good, I'm a big Halloween fan.
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Old 10-26-2019, 05:19 PM   #674
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That is one magnificent rib-eye! Every bite must have dissolved in your mouth -
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Old 10-26-2019, 05:38 PM   #675
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I'm gearing myself up to buy a Tesla.
Me too. I will wait another year to see how the company is surviving, then may pull the trigger.
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Old 10-27-2019, 01:11 PM   #676
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A 36 mile stretch of the old Erie canal is 3 miles down the road.
It still holds water. Pretty amazing engineering feat. All hand dug. Opened the Midwest to the world.
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Not sure what else is significant about today beyond the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, but we celebrated it anyway with a Wagyu A5 steak (inspired by RobbieB).
Attachment 32897

It was every bit as good as it looks. As close to a religious experience as you can have at the dinner table.
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Old 10-28-2019, 01:18 AM   #677
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Replaced our 2010 Lexus RX Hybrid with the 2020 version. Love the updated safety features. We could have waited a few years, but the timing felt right, particularly in light of an inheritance and the unexpected passing of a younger colleague.
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Old 10-28-2019, 04:19 AM   #678
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So we have been collectors of modest art glass for some years, mostly paperweights that are from 2" to 3.5" in diameter. Most were no more than $150 each, frequently less. We have 3 pieces from a particular artist that does really nice work, and recently got a platter that is 12" in diameter for $280 from a gallery that features his work. Now we see on his website a 5" diameter round piece that is really gorgeous for $1000. We can totally afford it, but spending the $ totally goes against my sensibilities. We don't need it. Might there be something else that we could do with the $ that would be less, or we might like better? It's tough to pull this trigger.
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Old 10-28-2019, 11:51 AM   #679
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I love hand made glass pieces. I struggled for 3 days to purchase this piece in Santorini Greece. Today I pulled the trigger. Definitely in the blow that dough camp. But every time I looked at the artists work it brought a smile to my face. IMG_8100.jpg
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Old 10-29-2019, 03:47 PM   #680
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A few days late, but I should probably mention I bought a ticket on the secondary market to Game 3 of the World Series. Upper deck, about at 3rd base, and got it for $963 before the Astros clinched their series. Similar tickets were selling for $1250 a few hours before game time.

And yes, the Nats lost, but I went with three generations of family, none of whom had ever been to a World Series, so it was worth it.
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