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Eff Your Administration Fee
For Crying Out Loud

Eff Your Administration Fee

from For Crying Out Loud

July 14, 2026 | 00:44:42 | Kids & Family, Comedy, Society & Culture | Explicit

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Stef brings an old school major bitch about taking a kid to the pediatrician and Lynette says "hold my beer" and tells us her interaction with CVS.
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Transcript

00:00:00 - 00:00:27 | Speaker 1:

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00:00:30 - 00:00:38 | Speaker 7:

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00:00:39 - 00:00:56 | Speaker 3:

So we're paying for two phone plans? I said it's free. We keep our phone and carrier. You download the T-Life app, and we just get to take advantage of their 5G network, some of their best benefits, perks, freebies, everything. And before you ask, they didn't ask for a credit card, credit check, don't worry.

00:00:56 - 00:00:58 | Speaker 7:

So you did mess with my phone.

00:00:58 - 00:01:02 | Speaker 3:

Yes. so you can help me make the decision to switch to America's best network.

00:01:02 - 00:01:14 | Speaker 6:

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00:01:15 - 00:01:29 | Speaker 2:

Limited time subject to change. Data available for 30 days. Qualifying non-T-Mobile network user incompatible unlock device required. One per user coverage not available in some areas. See 5G device coverage and trial details at T-Mobile.com. Best mobile network in the U.S. based on analysis by Euclid Speed Test Intelligence at a 2H 2025.

00:01:44 - 00:04:44 | Speaker 5:

Hey everybody, what's up? Well, thank you for joining us for Crying Out Loud. It's Tuesday. It's Tuesday. Yeah. I'm excited about this because as I was telling you before we hit record, I have some old school like bitching to do. I can't wait. I had a, I had a week of parenting of like old school parenting where stuff makes you really mad. Yes. Certain things that I haven't dealt with in a while. Right. I should just get right into it. Yeah. Let's hear it. I'm going to tell you this, this, what happened? What happened? And so, oh my God, I don't even know where to start with this. Okay. Xander needed, the kids need to have a pediatrician appointment. They needed to have a checkup. Now, I'm sure you're the same way with this. Do I keep up every single, anytime they've needed vaccines, we go to a pediatrician. my sometimes like a year and a half instead of a year, if there's nothing needed, because my kids all have different, have some other doctors too. Like for, for many years, Sadie was also covered by an endocrinologist. Sanders seen regularly by an endocrinologist. He gets blood work regularly. Sadie got blood work. It wasn't always just a rush unless there was a reason like vaccination. Right. Okay. Well, I had gotten a call. I want to say like four months ago saying, Hey, the kids are due for their year, their annual physical. Right. I didn't rush to call them because it was like, okay, I know that Xander has to get the meningitis shot because he's going to be going away to college. So, and that's really important. And I was determined to get him that shot. So you get the meningitis shot and then you follow up in six months. Yeah. I remember doing that. Yeah. But I'm pretty sure they can start school as long as they had the first part of it anyway. So it wasn't like in a huge rush, but I called, I made appointments for them. The woman I talked to on the phone is I've known her. She's literally been there since I've, so this pediatrician's office I got when Elby was born. Wow. I found them. Um, you know, somebody else, I farmed out the research to somebody else who is way more intense about doing all the background information. But I did all the, it's in, it's in sippy cups. I wrote about it. I went in there, I interviewed him and I'll never forget the doctor being like, I read a question that was like, do you keep up on the latest thing? And he was like, yeah. Right. Right. What do you think? Yeah. I think the joke I made in sippy cups was like, hey, if there's not a jar of leeches on the, on their desk, like I'm sure they keep up with the latest technology. Like, come on.

00:04:44 - 00:04:59 | Speaker 5:

You know, the kids are hearing chat, like they're up to date. Right. Anyway. God, now I got to get my kids up to date. Well, I'm pretty sure that's the last vaccination they need. Yeah. I don't.

00:05:00 - 00:07:58 | Speaker 1:

Elby's hasn't been back. Right. Elby hasn't had. No, I mean, like they need a checkup though. They should have like, you know, some blood work done and stuff. Yeah. It's not an emergency is the thing. Well, they act like it is though. Okay. Right. So I make the appointment for Xander because his doctor was able to see him much quicker. He's kind of close to retirement. So I was like, well, the sooner the better. And they're like, we have something tomorrow. Now for Sadie, she's with a different doctor in the practice. They didn't have anything for a few months, but they weren't like, oh, but it's been so long. You really need to get her in here. Yeah. Okay. I think they were seen at the end of 2024. So they didn't go in at all in 2025. And then. Right. It's we're like six months into 2026. Okay. Seven months. Okay. Doesn't matter. I go in, I go with Xander. He asked me to come with him. Yeah. Could he have, well, he couldn't drive. himself anyway. He doesn't have a license. So I brought him in, we go in, we sit down, I check him in. Um, they're like, so this is the woman. Yeah. Somebody I didn't know, not the person I talked to on the phone who I like this woman just goes, um, she's more like a girl. I'm going to say she was very early twenties. She was like, um, I'm going to need you to fill out like a new, um, registration for the office. And I said, why, why been with them 21 years. Yeah. LB is 21, you know, going on 22, met her, the doctor met her at the hospital when she was fresh out of my womb. Right. Okay. I'm like, I've been here. I said to her, I go, yeah, I go, I have three kids here at this practice. We've been coming here 20 years. None of my information's changed. She was like, yeah, we're going to need you to go ahead and like fill out the registration, all the forms though. And I said, this is why I don't go to doctors, but why? why not you have my information. And she goes, we don't have your information. Cause you haven't been in, in a really long time. That's how she said it to me. My God. So I said, well, that's not true. I said, because LB was here like maybe a year ago. I said, I, yeah, I don't think she's like the, um, Sadie and Xander haven't been in since 2024. I said, okay, I go, you got me on their vaccines. I go, we're here now. I go, but nothing's changed. And I said, and you do have all my information on file because you guys called me. Right. I said, I get all sorts of mail from you guys. You guys called me to remind me that we need an appointment. And I said, and you have my insurance information. You just read it to me. Cause she said blue shield starting at 909. Yeah. Right. Right. Okay. What else do you need? You've called me. And when I made the appointment

00:07:58 - 00:10:00 | Speaker 1:

for them, I had to give both of their phone numbers because they're over 18. Right. Right. She's like, she goes like this. Um, I don't want to argue about this, but you have to fill out the paperwork. Oh my God. So I said, so there's like six pages of it. And what do you think it said in the paperwork? Um, name who's the patient? Who's their doctor? It's like, you already know this stuff. I'm going to fill out six copies of this because I have multiple kids. Right. Okay. so I, I fill it out. I put it, I literally don't argue with her all six pages. I put in my insurance information. I have to put in my information, John's information, what his relationship is with the patient, um, mailing address is this mailing address, the same phone number, all the information that they a hundred percent have on file. And by the way, not on an iPad, like not somewhere where it's going to go into their computer system. No, I've got to write it on a fucking old school clipboard, write it on a piece of paper. So you mean to tell me that you're going to take this information and re-input it into your system that already has this information? Or why would you, and I, okay, you could say, well, no, they're going to just cross check it and make sure it's the same, but I just told you it's the fucking same. If I tell you that you just called me. So you have my phone number, you have my mailing address, you have my insurance information. You think they're letting me have an appointment without my insurance information? Hell no. No, no. Okay. Oh God. And she's just being a bitch about it. I'm just telling you that she was not, she was like having none of me questioning it, which, you know, like inflames me a little bit. I don't like it when people act like it's what you've always said. It's like, You give them a little juice. Yes. Well, I'm worried.

00:10:00 - 00:10:15 | Speaker 7:

in the front desk over here. Right. Yes. New sheriff in town. I got the authority. Deirdre, you know? Yes. And you're going to jump when I say how, yes. When I say jump, I, it's so funny. I got in a huge argument with a lady at CVS over the phone the other day. I'll tell you that though,

00:10:15 - 00:10:38 | Speaker 6:

but this is reminding me of that. Okay. Okay. So now I'm kind of mad, but I'm like, I can't, first of all, I don't want to be a bitch back because like Xander's with me. He doesn't need that grief. So I was just like, okay. So I come back up, I bring her the paperwork. I go, here you go. I filled it out. I go, but I didn't fill out. And you're going to remember this.

00:10:39 - 00:11:05 | Speaker 3:

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00:11:05 - 00:11:14 | Speaker 4:

did you mess with my phone why is my connection suddenly good we're trying t-mobile we switched

00:11:14 - 00:11:42 | Speaker 5:

to t-mobile no we're doing a 30-day free trial so we're paying for two phone plans i said it's free we keep our phone and carrier you download the t-life app and we just get to take advantage of their 5g network some of their best benefits perks freebies everything and before you ask they didn't ask for a credit card credit check don't worry so you did mess with my phone well yes so you can help me make the decision to switch to america's best network all right but no one

00:11:42 - 00:11:54 | Speaker 2:

messed with the thermostat test drive the best benefits in wireless and america's best network free for 30 days start your trial at t-mobile.com or on the t-life app limited time subject to

00:11:54 - 00:12:06 | Speaker 1:

change data available for 30 days qualifying on t-mobile network user incompatible unlock device required one per user coverage not available in some areas c5g device coverage and trial details at t-mobile.com best mobile network in the u.s based on analysis by uclo speed test

00:12:06 - 00:14:35 | Speaker 6:

intelligence data to each 2025 they wanted me to refill out the paying for the administration fee Wow. They wanted to charge me 400 fucking dollars for the privilege of being still in this practice. So I, I go, well, I didn't fill out this part because I'm not paying the administration fee. Right. And our loyal listeners will remember that that was a huge drama where I got fricking hauled into the back room. Remember? Because they were like, so you, so what's the deal? You don't want to pay this. Yeah. And my, my, I call it my doctor, the original doctor that I've been with for 21 years. Who's now only Xander's doctor because the other two went to a woman. But when I told him, he was like, Oh my God, don't even worry about it. Of course not. Right. I remember that. But the front, the front office had to fight with me and fight with me and fight with me. And I was like, I will happily go somewhere else. If that's like, if you're right, I'm not paying $400. We don't utilize any of your services. We don't ever cut. We barely cut. So I, okay. So she's like, um, but you have to fill that. You have to pay the administration fee. And I was like, well, I've been through this a few years ago. I go, as you can see, we're barely here as it is. I go, you were just telling me that we haven't been here in since 2024. I said, my kids come in for one wellness visit a year. And not even that. I said, we don't utilize your extra hours in the, your walk-in hours. I go, if my kids have a problem, they go to urgent care. Yeah. I said, and she's like, well, we require this fee. And I said, no, you don't. And I just felt my body getting, I was like, well, no, you don't. I go, and I'm not paying it. I go, so if we're going to, if I'm going to have to go through all of this again, if you want $400, I go, this visit is free for my kid. I go, and he just needs a vaccine. I go, I'm so happy to just take him to CVS and get the vaccine. It's the same thing. He doesn't even really need a physical. I go, so you find out if you don't want to treat him because we're not paying this fee, let me know. Good job. I was so mad. And then, um, the other woman who was back there with her, she's acting like, uh, then the other woman goes, it's fine. It's fine. Okay, great. So I sit down then.

00:14:35 - 00:14:59 | Speaker 7:

Okay. I feel sorry for these other families that are just going, okay. And forking it over like $400. Like that's insane. That's ridiculous. And if, if they let you go, then like, then the other poor schmo comes in and thinks that they have to pay it. And then they have to Like, it's not, it's what, like, how come you don't have to pay, but then other people, it just doesn't, what are they collecting?

00:15:00 - 00:17:54 | Speaker 1:

from your insurance. So it's like, right. So what are they doing? Insurance is kind of a scam and a ripoff, which I know it is. And I know that insurance doesn't pay them their rate. Right. I get it. But the way to fix that is not to violate your client's bank accounts who can't, who are already, I pay $2,000 a month for our health insurance premium, which covers a well visit. Right. Yeah. So like, I won't come in for a well visit. You're already mad that I'm not coming in. Right. Which is it? Exactly. You're so, and their whole thing is like, well, this covers emailing with the doctor camp forms. Well, guess what? I don't do any of that anymore. It's been years. Right. And I already wasn't using that by the time they were starting to ask for that fee. Yeah. By the way, I changed gynecologist because my gynecologist wanted to charge like $250 a year. And I was like, well, I only come in once a year for a pap, which is free. Right. So I changed visit. I changed to that TIA healthcare for that reason. I was like, well, I'm not paying $250. Yeah. That's, that's okay. Okay. So now, so now I'm sitting and I have to try to explain, try to picture this. There's like two sides to the, I'm sitting like around the corner from the nurse's station. Okay. So I'm sitting on a chair, the nurse, like you'd have to be all the way at the edge of the nurse's station to see that there's a, like a person sitting there. Right. So these nurses are talking now. There's a little kid who I see, I find out later is like probably like three years old, maybe just barely three. Yeah. And he had been screaming. He obviously got shots and he was terrified, but he was screaming like, like a horror movie screaming. Right. Right. I was like, I get it. Yeah. Like I was like that when I was a little, little kid, I would scream. I was so scared of needles. Right. In my mind, it's kind of a sign of like high intelligence. It's like, you kind of know what's coming and you don't want any part of that right you're not just like a sheep right like okay cool cool you're scared and you're like i'm not having this yeah my kids hated it yeah so this kid is screaming and this nurse goes something something this is after the kid stopped stopped this nurse this one of these women was talking to the other ones and she goes that kid's a real fucking asshole what Lynette oh my gosh I was like the heat I was like oh my god all these people I hate all of them I hate this practice the only person I still love is my doctor is right the doctor who start

00:17:54 - 00:20:54 | Speaker 1:

who founded this practice it's gone downhill these women are fucking bitches that's crazy and I so I I leaned forward so that this woman who just said that could see me. And I just looked at her like, Oh, busted. Like, wow. Wow. And then she kind of got a, you know, like looked away really fast and then like kind of changed the subject and like started pretending like she'd, you know, I think she thought she might have some plausible deniability, but I was like, Oh no, you busted her coming here again. they'll be lucky if I bring Sadie in. Yeah. Sadie goes in for her last visit. She doesn't need, she's just going to local. She's not going to be in a dorm. So she doesn't have to get the meningitis vaccine. Right. So like, I don't know. I'm so done with these people. That is insane. I can't believe she said that. What in front of like, there's people around, like you're at the nurse's area. So I think she thought she could see like everybody who's a patient is in a room and she said it kind of quietly, but I was like three feet from her. Wow. I wasn't in her direct eyeline. Right. Did you say anything to like the doctor or anything? No, because I was like, no. And in fact, Xander texted me and he goes, can you come back here? Right. Cause, um, our doctor, Dr. Pete. Yeah. He's like, Dr. Pete wants to say hi. Cause I've known him, you know, we're like friends. Yeah. He's like, gets really mad about politics. Like I do. Yeah. The problem is I don't go in anymore cause he'll direct most of the conversation to me. And I'm like, right. You're here. Right. To my kid, you know? Yeah. But so I went back and I talked to him and I was like, he's old and he doesn't need me to be like, dude, your staff sucks. Everything about this place has gone down. Right. Cause he's retiring. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, thank God you're all, you're done with that place. That's craziness. Yes. Oh my God. But I haven't felt that kind of like rage in a way. Right, right. It kind of felt good. he left there feeling alive yes yeah yeah i was like oh right yeah i got into this argument with this woman from cvs pharmacy i cannot wait to get rid of them we're moving so i'm not going to be going there anymore but they're it's like the dmv it really is and natalia's got this fucking prescription that kept getting sent to santa barbara's cvs and i have to like call them and they're like, well, we can't transfer it to your CVS because the doctor has to do it. So then I have to email the doctor. So they don't that for, for this prescription, I guess. So, so I had to email the doctor, the doctor sent it. Okay. Then I go down there to pick it up and they were like, yeah, the doctor hasn't approved it. I said, I got an email from the doctor that she sent it. Well, we don't have anything on our end. So now what am I supposed to do? Like go,

00:20:54 - 00:23:54 | Speaker 1:

hey move out of the way out the way jose i'm gonna get back behind that counter and i'm gonna go find this like what am i supposed to say to that like right well we don't have it on our end i i'm like okay well what do i do and she's like well you got to call the doctor make sure that she sent it to this location maybe she sent it to a different location so now i'm thinking okay well maybe now the doctor screwed me up so then i go home so then i email the doctor and she's like no, here's confirmation. She sent it in an email confirmation that it was sent to that, my pharmacy. So then I call before I go down there. Cause there's a huge, always a huge line for that. Always, always, especially because in my area, we were going to Rite Aid and Rite Aid was great and they closed. So now everybody in my area is going to CVS. So the fucking line is like all the way down to like the toothpaste department. So like, so I'm not going there yet. So I want to call and make sure it's there. So then I, and then you can't get anybody on the phone. Oh, I was just going to say, good luck. Good luck. We have a new system where you have to leave a message. You have to leave a message. Pray that somebody calls you back. Right. And then they don't listen to the message. No, they don't. They just call you and they go, hi, this is CVS. Yes. So then I, so you call though, here's what you do. You call and they go, welcome to CVS. And then they go first of all what's with this if this is emergency hang up now and call 9-1-1 no shit you think like if i'm fucking bleeding on the floor i'm gonna call cvs pharmacy sit on a phone tree stop let me press one for i'm bleeding out right even our doctor dr knock around when you call them it's like if this is an emergency call hang up now and call what what like obviously we're gonna call them i'm not calling you people right okay so you get through that part then they're like, uh, enter your birthday. So I enter six, seven, 2006. Welcome Santino. Okay. Oh my God. People that don't have twins do not understand. They don't get it. And I, and I, every time I get somebody on the phone, I tell them that and they're like, yeah, well, that sucks. Like, what are they going to say? Right. Like, well, we'll fix the system. So welcome Santino. So then you get to the thing. Finally, they're like, leave a message. And then they will call you back within an hour, which they do left the message. Okay. But they don't listen to it. They don't say, can you, this is why I'm calling. They're like, leave a detailed message about why you're calling. And you're like, because I need this prescription. It was over at this other pharmacy that they moved it over and I need to come in and I need to pick it up. Right. Hi, what can we do for you? Yeah. Thanks. Thanks for your message. What's going on? First of all, she puts me on a speaker so I could barely hear her. And I've talked to this woman now twice. And the first time was when I was like, where's the prescription? And then they were, she was like, you know, you got to have it set up. And then she was like, the first time I talked to her, she's like, let me finish. I was like, okay. And then I call and then do the thing. Then I go down there. Okay. Then I could, now I'm calling again. Now I get the same bitch. And she's like, now I got proof on my phone that they, there's confirmation.

00:23:55 - 00:24:59 | Speaker 1:

So she's like, I go, where's the prescription? She's like, oh, it's still showing it's in Santa Barbara. And I go, okay, well, I said it was transferred. she goes well you have to have the doctor I said I and then I cut her off and I go I have an email she goes can you let me finish again and I go how about you let me finish I said I said let me finish I have confirmation that she was said and then she starts hold please and she puts me on a long ass hold on purpose on purpose and then she comes back and she's like okay it'll be ready by three o'clock. I'm like, yeah, that's what I thought, bitch. Fuck. I'm so mad. What is going on? I don't know. These people work in a pharmacy, right? Pharmacists. Yeah. You have to go to pharmacy school. You should have a little bit of a brain. Right. I know. It's, it's just like that, that CVS pharmacy. I don't know if they're all like that, but that they're bad. And I guess Maybe they're, you know, overwhelmed because of Rite Aid being closed, but I don't know. Well, I got to tell you, the smaller pharmacies are not.

00:25:00 - 00:26:54 | Speaker 3:

it either. So I was getting a prescription for one of the kids from a different pharmacy because actually it was a der, it was the dermatologist. They have their own pharmacy that they just call it in. It's like attached. So we were using, we was using that pharmacy and the woman was telling me that it was, she was just like, yeah, it's not going through on your insurance. It's coming up as like a full pay. And I was like, well, that's not right. Because right. You know what? I think this was when Xander was on Accutane. So it was some drug that was, they wanted to charge me like a crazy amount of money. Right. But we needed it because he was out and we we'd gone for the appointment. She was like, yeah, I don't know what to tell you. And I'm like, well, what do you tell me something? She's like, I don't know. Take it up with your insurance company. Well, it did turn out that my premium was late, Mike, whatever. And, um, cause I was saving up cause I had to mortgage my house to pay my healthcare premium. No, but it was only late. I was late like 10 days or something. So they, but I was like, you can't tell that she was like, Nope. Or maybe it was coming up. Like I didn't have insurance. I can't remember what it was, but she wanted nothing to do with like helping me out. I feel like she could have been like, you know what? I wonder if you're late paying your bill. Yeah. Right. Maybe you're suspended or something. Nope. She was just like, I don't know. Maybe it's not approved. Oh, she was like, I, this is what I was made, made me so mad is her, her ideas were like, yeah, I don't know if this is an approved drug for your insurance. And I was like, but you see in your system that I've been picking it up for the last six months. Right. Hello. At a different price. Right. At $15. Right. Oh, can you check? Oh yeah. Yeah. I do see that. Well, maybe they don't cover it anymore. I was

00:26:54 - 00:27:58 | Speaker 4:

like, yeah, they still cover it. Don't cover it anymore. It's so stupid. Oh my God. It's so frustrating. It is. It is. So Sonny was supposed to get a car this weekend from Adam from Adam learner's got a car. He's been great. Yeah. He found him a car. Everything was all set up to be delivered. I told Sonny, I was like, guess what? Sonny had his dad's car for the weekend and then he had to bring it back on Saturday and then he was going to get his car delivered Saturday. It's his birthday gift. And then, then I get a call from like the guy that's doing my loan for the house and was like, Hey, we just got a flag that you were, you know, applied to get a loan for getting Sonny's car and he was like, can you just wait until escrow closes, which is July, the end of July. So I was like, okay, so I have to put it off and I had to tell Sonny and Sonny was like, it's all right. You know, Sonny's very easy, easy going. So. Need better internet?

00:28:00 - 00:28:24 | Speaker 2:

Cox internet has the fast, reliable speeds you're looking for. Perfect for seamless streaming, gaming and working from home. And now get Cox 300 Meg Internet with a two-year plan price lock guarantee plus equipment included. So get your household up to speed. Switch to Cox Internet today. Taxes and fees excluded from price guarantee.

00:28:26 - 00:28:35 | Speaker 7:

Did you mess with my phone? Why is my connection suddenly good? We're trying T-Mobile. We switched to T-Mobile? No, we're doing a 30-day free trial.

00:28:35 - 00:28:52 | Speaker 1:

So we're paying for two phone plans? I said it's free. We keep our phone and carrier. You download the T-Life app, and we just get to take advantage of their 5G network, some of their best benefits, perks, freebies, everything. And before you ask, they didn't ask for a credit card, credit check, don't worry.

00:28:52 - 00:28:54 | Speaker 7:

So you did mess with my phone.

00:28:55 - 00:28:59 | Speaker 1:

Well, yes. So you can help me make the decision to switch to America's best network.

00:28:59 - 00:29:10 | Speaker 6:

All right, but no one messed with the thermostat. Test drive the best benefits in wireless and America's best network. Free for 30 days. Start your trial at T-Mobile.com or on the T-Life app.

00:29:12 - 00:29:26 | Speaker 5:

Limited time subject to change. Data available for 30 days. Qualifying non-T-Mobile network user incompatible unlock device required. One per user coverage not available in some areas. See 5G device coverage and trial details at T-Mobile.com. Best mobile network in the U.S. Based on analysis by Uklos Speed Test Intelligence Data 2H 2025.

00:29:27 - 00:29:51 | Speaker 4:

He was like, but he has dad's cool car this weekend. And so he's like, I'm going on a drive. He drove it all the way to Hearst Castle, which is five hours away. This kid, he's crazy. He's crazy. His dad told him, he's like, you should drive it up there. You'd probably like it up there. Oh, he told him to? Yeah. And so he booked a tour there and he took a tour at Hearst Castle and loved it. Sent me pictures and then drove back.

00:29:52 - 00:29:53 | Speaker 3:

He didn't even stay overnight?

00:29:53 - 00:29:59 | Speaker 4:

No. He just got up early and just drove and did the whole thing. Came back late. By himself? Yeah. He loves it.

00:30:00 - 00:30:53 | Speaker 1:

I know. That's so interesting that he just does stuff by himself. Yeah. But he's also been with his friends. Like he went out to his friend's house. They barbecued together on Saturday night and like hung out and Sunday they hung out. So he's with his friends, but he also, he's like, cause I was telling him, you know, Wendy's coming to town soon to help me with the house and stuff. And Wendy and her sisters and all the nieces and nephews are going camping at the beginning of August. And then he was like, yeah, I'll do that. He's like, but I also like to like, you know, kind of do my own thing. Like just kind of go, I'm going to do camping one more time by myself. Then he had a job interview this morning, which is great. Oh, where? Yeah. It really looked close by at this gym that he applied for. They called him like last minute. Can you come in? So he went in. So we'll see, hopefully, but you know, he's going back to school in like two months. So I don't know how that's going to work.

00:30:53 - 00:33:52 | Speaker 2:

but yeah, because LB was going to try to get Xander a job being a host at the restaurant, but Xander leaves for, it has to go move into school on the 18th. Yeah. Oh my God. Okay. So I have a little, uh, I think this will be relatable to a lot of parents. Okay. So I get an email the other day from Chapman, um, basically, and I, I get a lot of emails from them. So I guess they emailed both of us about certain things. I get an email from them saying, Hey, so I wish I could remember exactly the email, but something to the effect of like tuitions due by July 20th. And I was like, wait, what? This is like a couple of days ago. So, you know, we're talking, it's like the 10th. I'm like what tuitions do in 10 days. Now in my, up until this point, all I've had to go on is the fact that Xander showed me a screenshot of his financial offer. Right. Which included, um, his, uh, like his scholarship for having good grades. Yeah. Right. Also we were, we got some like financial aid, like a, I don't know, a Cal grant. Right. And we got, and then, so the scholarship was really big. That's why I was like, oh, we can afford to go here. Plus the fact that we got the grant, the financial aid. And I think somebody, cause I talked about this before and somebody was like, be careful. Cause sometimes they suck you in by giving you that a good amount of money off for the first year, but then it doesn't. So I got all paranoid. I called them or I emailed them his, his person, his contact. And I was like, Hey, this is the offer he got, but is this good for all four years? And they were like, yes. Unless anything changes like with your FAFSA, you have to do a FAFSA every year. And I was like, okay, cool. So I'm basing, we're affording to go to this school. All the plans are made, but all of a sudden I'm like the tuitions do. I don't even know. Cause so there's the base of what he owes, but to make it for what I have to pay, they give you these options of loans. So it's like, let's say $9,000 in loans, which is what it was. Cause full disclosure, the school's like $89,000 a year, but out, we're supposed to pay 23,000 plus with loans, like it comes to like 32,000, let's just say. Okay. So pretty good. Yeah. Great. Yes. Perfect. Okay. So, but now I'm getting this thing saying that you have to pay the money and I'm like, well, I have no idea. I don't even know how to accept the loans. I'm also getting emails like every day from Sally May, like from these loan companies, this loan company. And I'm like,

00:33:52 - 00:34:59 | Speaker 2:

I think this is spam. Like, I don't think they're trying to tell me I have to take out a Sally May loan. I'm pretty sure that's bad, but I don't know. You think I would know from having had a kid already in college, but I don't remember it going down this way. I remember LB in her financial portal. I remember saying, yes, we'll accept this loan. And then here's how you get third party access. Okay. So I'm like, Xander, do you have any information? Have you gotten a tuition bill. And he's like, no, I'm making a face at Lynette. Like, you know, you all know where this is going. Right. Right. We're 10 days away from when I have to pay this bill. Cause right now we're a week, we're a week out. Yeah. So yeah. So this was like a few days ago. So I email the financial aid office. There's which it's pretty clear, like who you can talk to. I email them. I'm like, Hey, um, I'm writing to you about Xander Taylor. He's an incoming freshman. I got a thing saying tuition is due on the 20th. I'm very surprised because I've gotten zero communication.

00:35:00 - 00:38:00 | Speaker 1:

I do not know how to access the bill, how to, if we're, what the loan process is, I was told I need to take out some loans, but do I have to like go to the bank? I'm literally lost right now. So they write back and they said, he needs to log into his portal and then you're going to go, they give me like step-by-step instructions. I go, Hey Xander, can you log into your portal? Cause that's how we're going to, Oh, and then he has to give you third-party authorization because due to FERPA laws, like, first of all, and I know I talked about this before, how the fuck do they think that are, that an, an 18 year old is paying for their own college? Right. Of course they're not right. They are high. If they think that like these 18 year olds are coming up with, especially some of these more expensive schools where they, and they, and the law, they can't even take out loans. Right. Right. Right. So why don't you, we just all be realistic and say, here's your parents bill. Exactly. Send it to the parents. And you're expecting these 18 year olds. Okay. To be responsible enough. Xander's my more, most responsible kid. Right. He was like, Oh, okay. He's logs into his portal. He's like, Oh, I have a lot of emails. I'm like, yeah, I bet you do. Well, he goes, well, I I've only got an email in the past he got his financial offer on his regular email that he used when he signed up right but then the college accepted him and when he enrolled they gave him a chapman email okay which he proceeded to never never check not one time no okay this was a long time ago right oh my god there were a lot of emails i had to try so hard not to be mad right because i'm like I, I'm mad, but part of that is the anxiety of like, Oh my God, I've got to come up with this big chunk of cash, which means, I mean, I'm like anybody else. Like I don't have that liquid cash in my bank account. We've got to have our money person wire us in money from like, yeah, right. Investments and stuff. You know what I mean? It's, you don't just automatically go, Oh, okay. Here's Cause, cause my payment for, okay, long story short, when I start looking at the loan stuff, now I got to start making decisions like really fast because he gives me the third party access. He's like, oh, there's this whole thing. I have to accept the aid. Yes. Okay. So one of the things was like, do you want this parent plus loan? And I'm like, oh, heard bad things. So then I have to Google, what's a parent plus loan? Is it bad? Right. And Google's like, it's not great. You know, I mean, okay. Our, our buddy AI Al algorithm is like, uh, well, you know, you probably don't

00:38:00 - 00:40:24 | Speaker 1:

here's, you want to take this other, I'm like Google subsidized versus unsubsidized loan. They're like, well, subsidized loan is better. I don't remember this from two years ago when I went through it with LB. I was like, subsidize is better because they don't start charging you interest right away. You don't have to pay it back until six months after they graduate college. I'm like, okay. So that one's like a few thousand dollars a year. Then they're like the unsubsidized one. Like, no, you don't really want that because it's, you're going to start accruing interest right away. So if you can afford not to do that, don't do it. And then they're like, and then the parent plus loan, no, that's like a high interest rate. Basically Google's like, unless you really need it. Yeah. Like I wouldn't. Right. I'm like, Oh my God. Now you tell me like, I felt like I was just so under the gun. Oh my gosh. Then they offered Xander work study. So I'm like, yeah, you're doing work study. You're going to help pay for college. Oh, this bitch doesn't have a job right now. He doesn't really have any chores. I'm like, yeah, you know what? It'll be good for you. You can have a little job on campus if you can get one, you know, and then that money goes towards your tuition. So that's a good idea. And then I'll still give you, I'll give him money, but base anyway. So that's great. Then I have to run in and talk to John and I'm like, okay, we take the subsidized loan. I say we don't take the unsubsidized loan and we not, no parent plus loan. So we're going to owe a little bit more intuition, it's not, it's not that bad. Right. Right. Um, but so then I'm like, okay, so we owe $15,000 in 10 days. Oh my gosh. I'm just saying, I was like, Sander, could you like start checking your email regularly? But to be fair, like, did he know like that he was getting, I mean, he didn't know he was getting emails. He didn't know to check. Need a better internet? Cox Internet has the fast, reliable speeds you're looking for. Perfect for seamless streaming, gaming, and working from home. And now get Cox 300 Meg Internet with a two-year plan price lock guarantee, plus equipment included. So get your household up to speed. Switch to Cox Internet today. Taxes and fees excluded from price guarantee.

00:40:26 - 00:40:35 | Speaker 6:

Did you mess with my phone? Why is my connection suddenly good? We're trying T-Mobile. We switched to T-Mobile? No, we're doing a 30-day free trial.

00:40:36 - 00:40:53 | Speaker 2:

So we're paying for two phone plans? I said it's free. We keep our phone and carrier. You download the T-Life app, and we just get to take advantage of their 5G network, some of their best benefits, perks, freebies, everything. And before you ask, they didn't ask for a credit card, credit check, don't worry.

00:40:53 - 00:40:55 | Speaker 6:

So you did mess with my phone.

00:40:55 - 00:40:59 | Speaker 2:

Well, yes. So you can help me make the decision to switch to America's Best Network.

00:41:00 - 00:41:11 | Speaker 7:

All right, but no one messed with the thermostat. Test drive the best benefits in wireless and America's Best Network. Free for 30 days. Start your trial at T-Mobile.com or on the T-Life app.

00:41:12 - 00:41:26 | Speaker 5:

Limited time subject to change. Data available for 30 days. Qualifying non-T-Mobile network user incompatible unlock device required. One per user coverage not available in some areas. See 5G device coverage and trial details at T-Mobile.com. best mobile network in the U.S. based on analysis by UCLA speech test intelligence data to each 2025.

00:41:28 - 00:44:01 | Speaker 4:

No, but on the other hand, because then I also have a story about Sadie that I might save for the next, our next episode. Okay. But I just felt like I'm not the one going to college. Right. I didn't even go to college, so I've never had to be responsible for this stuff. I'm feeling the weight. It's a lot. Of the responsibility of making sure, because if I hadn't, if I hadn't been the one to dig into this, right. We would have missed the deadline and I'll tell you why. And that's why you just reminded me because Sonny and LB, I mean, she's done now, but they start school much later than everybody else. Yeah. So they didn't LB didn't start school until mid to late September. Same with Sonny, but Xander starts mid August. Right. Right. So he moves in on the 18th. So probably I should have been like, well, I think I did have a couple of moments of like, how come I haven't heard anything about like, when am I going to owe tuition? Also with UCLA, they didn't even want you to pay. They didn't even release the bill until like two weeks before it's due. But were you getting the bills from UCLA or were they going to her portal? But she, but she was different. She's a different kid. She just knew to log into her portal. She was like on top of stuff. Right, right. She did all the registering for her classes. She did everything on her own. I never heard anything about it. The only thing that happened was I said, I don't know how to access, how to connect my bank account. And I've heard from some of my friends that you have to get third party access. And I remember that she was like, oh, so we Googled it. It seemed like a bigger deal than it was. She just had to go in her portal, go into third party. Right. And then I had to get my own account. Right. Right. So Xander kind of had to do that too. So I just, but, but the email I got from Chapman told me, I just forwarded that email to Xander and I was like, do all these things. Yeah. Right. Get me in there. Right. And then he gave me, then I got a password and it was all taken care of. Oh, good. So, and then I connected my bank account. So I'm ready to go. Right. As soon as I have the money in my account, I can just Yeah. Okay. Well, that's God, but I was so, and then my story is really about like Sadie having to like, none of this would get done. I feel like nobody would be doing anything if I wasn't on top of it. Yeah. My own shit to be on top of. I know. See, we got lucky. Cause

00:44:01 - 00:44:20 | Speaker 3:

like I have Sonny and Natalia that are like LB, like they just do it all and they take care of it. And, you know, and then they just send me the bill. Like I paid this for books. I paid this for tuition. I paid this for classes. And that's pretty much it. But they're also in, you know, they're at the community college. So it's a little different.

00:44:20 - 00:44:23 | Speaker 4:

It's not that expensive. Yeah. Right. It's a, it is a little different.

00:44:23 - 00:44:23 | Speaker 3:

Yeah.

00:44:24 - 00:44:29 | Speaker 4:

But when you pay for like their apartments though, do you have it just set up that you just pay it?

00:44:30 - 00:44:35 | Speaker 3:

Yes. We, we pay it. Yeah. It comes out of their college tuition, their college fund.

00:44:37 - 00:44:59 | Speaker 4:

Okay. So like for Elby's rent, that was another thing. Elby would just be like, oh my God, I forgot. We have to pay rent. And then I'd be like, oh, it's the first. And then I'd have to zelle her friend. Luckily, one of her friends was the one paying it. So she would pay the whole rent. And then the other roommates would zelle the money. Right, right, right.

00:45:00 - 00:48:00 | Speaker 1:

Yeah. That's kind of like what Natalia had set up. Yeah. It's a lot. I know it's a lot of money. It's a lot of payments. And then, you know, like, but then you got like Sadie and Xander who like, are not like them. They need help, you know, registering and just being on more on top of it, but you know, they'll get into their groove. The problem is, and so is that Xander doesn't know he needs help. Right. So Xander thinks he's on top of stuff, but it's just a little bit last minute because there was another thing that happened that he goes, oh, I have to apply for this, the grant, the California grant. He goes by a certain deadline, which is tomorrow. And I was like, oh, well, you better go fucking do it right now then. And he was like, okay, I got you. Okay. Yeah. But everything is just very last minute. Yeah. Yeah. He, I don't know. It gives us anxiety when that happens with our kids. But he's living his best life right now. Like he's not working. Right. He goes to the gym every day. Yeah. He can get himself situated if it's something he wants to do. Like they were offering free memberships at Planet Fitness. Oh, really? Uh-huh. For if you're under like 19. Oh, that's cool. So he went and signed himself up and Lila Crocodile got free gym memberships. Right. And now he just goes to the gym every single day. Same with Sonny. Really? Yeah. Goes every day. Yeah. Did you, wait, you said he goes to the Y though with you. He was going to the Y, but now he told me he's going to this other gym that his other friends go to that's still in our area. And that's where he applied for the job. Oh. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, that's good. Cause then he'll get a free membership. Yeah. That would be cool. That'd be nice. Yeah. So we'll see. All right. Well, let's say hi to our fancy friends and then so I can save you my Sadie story. Plus we have some Karen Reed updates. A little bit of that. Yeah. I'm excited. And plus we watched a couple of. Yeah. We watched. Right. All right. Well, let's say hi. True crime. We got Katie is rolling on E. Krista gets strapped. Sandra. It's not easy. Green. Aaron's a dirty Sanchez. Leslie. Stop with the coughing. you'd think covid was back the way she's going on i mean come on i cough alicia escalante city el monte kelly brandt she's your aunt rebecca is so cute so hot missy and gabby those girls she's out they're out in valencia somewhere somewhere waiting for you to move in yeah uh katarina girl check that molar valerie bubba fenwick hits it out of the park holly we love your pancakes rita she's walking that brassinette with elizabeth williamson's multiple multiple sets of multiples nikki call your girl and dick is frolicking and then um i wanted to give a shout

00:48:00 - 00:50:00 | Speaker 1:

out to my friend uh colleen who um colleen saldana she's a listener of our show and she started a podcast called dear recovery and she's a licensed marriage and family therapist she was a guest on drunkish you might remember her but anyway this is a new podcast called dear recovery and um it's where listeners anonymously write in with questions about eating disorders addiction body image anxiety all sorts of stuff about um recovery so that's cool that's cool dear recovery anyway um also another podcast for if you want to laugh about getting older our friends jen and ari have three gray pubes. I love that title. Yes. So it's super funny title and it's just about, you know, funny stream of consciousness chat show. Love it. Our friend Natasha Stanford is Spoonful of Memories, turning your family recipes into a printed cookbook. Go to spoonfulofmemories.life. We've got our friend Kaylee Pettis. She's a marriage and family therapist. She's in Seattle. So anywhere in Washington, she can help you virtually and Seattle. She's in person. Go to emerald bloom therapy.com. Also, we already talked about Adam Learner's got a car. Yep. If you want a real estate agent and you're up North in a greater Sacramento area or East Bay area, try Leilani Armstrong, our ROG FCOLer. You can call her at 530-400-3334 and her DRE number is 022-54040. If you want to fly up there to the Northern California, why not use Christine Black Waves and Wonder Travel? It's not just like cruises, you know, she does a lot of stuff. Um, so waves and wonder trap.

00:50:00 - 00:50:33 | Speaker 2:

she's on our facebook page jacob crowley love you jacob he's not growly and he's wanting to tell you about the aclu also trevor project you guys that's right if you want to help out your lgbtq friends maren sugar skull that's her small bakery and gift shop on the island of kawaii you can check them out or check out their instagram sugar skull 808 and i'll do a couple more on friday's episode all right all right well we love you guys yeah you're a parent now don't eff it up

00:50:33 - 00:50:49 | Speaker 6:

did you mess with my phone why is my connection suddenly good we're trying t-mobile we switched

00:50:49 - 00:51:16 | Speaker 3:

to t-mobile no we're doing a 30-day free trial so we're paying for two phone plans i said it's free we keep our phone and carrier you download the t-life app and we just get to take advantage of their 5g network some of their best benefits perks freebies everything and before you ask they didn't ask for a credit card credit check don't worry so you did mess with my phone well yes so you can help me make the decision to switch to america's best network all right but

00:51:16 - 00:51:27 | Speaker 6:

no one messed with the thermostat test drive the best benefits in wireless and america's best network. Free for 30 days. Start your trial at T-Mobile.com or on the T-Life app.

00:51:28 - 00:51:45 | Speaker 1:

Limited time subject to change. Data available for 30 days. Qualifying non-T-Mobile network user incompatible unlock device required. One per user coverage not available in some areas. See 5G device coverage and trial details at T-Mobile.com. Best mobile network in the U.S. based on analysis by UCLA Speedtest Intelligence Data 2H 2025. This podcast is sponsored by Talkspace.

00:51:45 - 00:51:57 | Speaker 4:

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