Many people know me as being a very cost-conscientious kind of guy. My wife just says that I’m cheap. I will live with it I guess, because we are able to save a lot of money each year by shopping for the best deals, buying things on sale, etc. I have spent a lot of time in the past few years trying to decide if certain professionals (investment people, realtors, specialty doctors, etc.) are really worth the money I pay for them. I now have a definitive answer, and here is what I have found to be true in the past few years.
For the past 10 months I have dealt with a pretty substantial pain in my right knee, but only when I cross my legs. I tell my wife that at least it is not a pain in my neck and I will deal with it. After that she made me go to the doctor. The long story is that I went to my local doctor twice, had a round of x-rays (all normal) a visit with an orthopedist, and then today wound up in physical therapy. Keep in mind that before today none of those people could tell me what the heck was wrong.
After an hour in physical therapy, my knee is feeling great! I cannot even explain how frustrating it is to visit the doctor and have them say that everything looks normal. I am usually afraid that they will say that, so I try not to go. These guys were great however, and I am now on the road to recovery.
Since I am so cheap I always find myself questioning where I spend money and what I get in turn for those dollars. I used be the first to tell you that investment professionals, real estate agents and insurance salesman are not worth what you pay them for. I found out that I simply used the wrong process to find my so-called professionals.
If you are selling your home, make sure you interview 3 or 4 real estate agents before you make a decision as to whom you will use to sell your highest priced asset. Did you do that the last time, or did you pick someone from the phone book? Ask them how many homes they have sold in the past 6 and 12 months. Where did the selling price land in relation to the asking price? You need to ask these questions.
How about your investment professional? How does he charge? How many clients does he work with? What programs will he recommend? Does he have your best interests in mind, or is he making a commission based on the securities that you buy?
The same goes for the insurance guy. Know what type of insurance you need before contacting him. Ask him to teach you about it. Can he even explain it to you? If you find he is truly a professional, be open to his suggestions. Most importantly, shop around. Get quote from different sources. Are they all telling you the same thing? That should be good, as long as you already know mainly what you need. Ask him for suggestions as well.
Ask your friends and family who they have used, and if they would use them again. If you use the right professional, their fee should more than pay for itself, and I believe you should come out ahead in the long-run by using one. They are worth more than their weight in gold if they help you solve your problems quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively. Bye-bye knee pain!
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Justin & Rachel Lukasavige are Personal and Health Coaches at Lukas Coaching. Visit
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