I know that flexible spending accounts are HUGE! but 2010 will be the first year I've signed up for the benefit. I know, right? But frankly we've never had the kind of wiggle room in our budget to allow for more money to be taken out of our paychecks and then wait to get reimbursed after we spend money. Or however it works. I never paid attention because I knew I couldn't do it.

OK, I'm digressing a little. So in November my company held a mandatory benefits meeting for all employees so we could talk about changes for 2010. I typically don't change anything so I find myself tuning a lot of that information out. Until I heard someone talking about a "preloaded debit card for FSA."

Wait one stinkin' minute! My ears really perked up. Are you saying I can designate, say, $1,000 for my FSA and all that money will be preloaded on a debit card starting Jan. 1? And I don't have to wait to be reimbursed? The money's just right there from the start?!? Holy Hell! I can do that!

Fortunately I had been keeping track of how much we had spent this year on medical expenses for tax purposes, so I had a pretty good idea of how much to designate for my FSA. All I could think about was how easy it was going to be to order pump supplies and CGMS supplies and how I wouldn't have to order supplies early before the end of the year so I could push the payment off until later the next year.

This was so, so cool! I can't remember a time when I was more happy about money and medical stuff.

So lately I've been thinking that I wish I could do a few more things with Dexcom. I've really gotten attached to it lately and actually find that I test more often when I'm using it. I know, it's weird, but whatever. So I decided to upgrade to the Dexcom Seven Plus.

One call to the medical supply company and I found that I could spend $180 of *my* money now or I could wait until after the first of the year and easily meet my deductible by using my FSA card. No brainer!