I am in middle of an entire house down to the studs reno. I spent a lot of time on http://www.google.com/prdhp?hl=en&tab=wf doing research on prices. I went with the best prices, sometimes could not find any feedback and sat anxious until things arrived. In the end, I furnished a 2.5 bath, 2 sink kitchen for less than half of the local plumbing supply 'discounted' prices and ended up with higher end items. Here are the best places I've found: dealyard.com - if you can find what you want, the prices are just plain unbelievable on high end products, in a few cases, I paid 10% of list for discontinued styles of high end European items. we ordered seven faucets, one shower set, one shower/bath set, one roman bath set from here all arrived in perfect condition. was in three separate boxes, fed ex, the company only had signature required on one of the three boxes, so two boxes were left outside our home one day, and the third box needed signature - all three should have needed signature - weird glitch. Would suggest calling the company after placing order to make sure they require signature - I didn't do this. faucetdirect.com - ordered jacuzzi air tub and kohler cast iron bath tub. prices were the best for these items. they were shipped separately. it was snowing the day the kohler arrived and the ups driver said that dropping the tub to the curb was not included in the delivery, so the contractor plus plumber actually lifted it themselves. customer service said it was not their fault, UPS said it was not their fault, either way, I did pay for curbside delivery and did not get it, I would suggest when ordering large items like this to talk to the company ahead of time, which I did not do. homeproductstogo.com - ordered three toto toilets. no problems. really nice local delivery company was used who insisted on helping us take the items into our home - I did not pay for white glove service, and got it anyway overstock.com - kitchen sinks. no problems. Hope this helps.

Although I love Miele products I find some aspects of Miele ownership more than just frustrating as in why do we have to pay for an authorized installer? Home Expo, of all places, needs to mandate that their delivery and installation crew take the Miele training courses and become a Miele authorized installer. I have to say that for $200 I would simply apply it to the five-year extended contract: MieleCare Rates. After you install them call Miele with your serial numbers written down and tell them the day it was installed versus the date you purchased them and have Miele enter your registration into their database. They will tell you that you can do it on the web, but the web form has no provision of when you took delivery. I am now returning to an issue (which I have had since I bought the double ovens 2 years ago) with the temp on the ovens so another repair guy is coming. Is a Miele Service Representative coming to service on your oven, or a third-party? I would contact Miele (800) 843-7231 and ask for Javier, here at the West Coast, Long Beach Miele service center. Tell Miele what you have learned, and see whether they will make a judgment call when they arrive (otherwise is will cost you $150 for the service visit). Miele can be very accommodating with its customers so it is worth a try.

Always count your pills as well. A few months ago I picked up a prescription for 100 pills - they were put in the smallest bottle (thankfully) - sometimes they will put 10 pills in a giant bottle. When I opened the bag at home I knew something was wrong because you couldn't fit 100 pills in said bottle. I was short 30. I called immediately and spoke with the on-duty pharmacist who went and did an audit. Fortunately she agreed with me, otherwise I was going to have to call my doctor as well as the Ontario government health organization responsible for pharmacists. Next up I went to pick up my husband's eye drops. I always get them and 3 different pharmacists have told me very clearly that said drops must be kept in the fridge at the pharmacy and home until first use - and I always show up with my cooler bag. So over I go - they were ready on a Wed. but I picked them up on Sun. The 16 year old cashier got them out of the drawer so I pointed out the obvious and she told me she was certain that I was wrong that the drops would be fine for my husband. I asked her when she received her pharmaceutical degree and demanded to speak with the pharmacist - and that I wasn't leaving the store with said drops. Over came the pharmacist and he agreed with me. I wanted to speak with the pharmacist owner but he was away. On his return I spoke with him - apparently I wasn't the only one having problems and things have tightened up. Problem of course is that prescriptions aren't being checked properly. Next up came a rare prescription for me that I have had before - and I can't use generic anything - allergic to the non-medicinal ingregients. I picked them up and was packing 5 to take with me on a trip for emergency purposes and noticed they were a bit bigger (not good) and a pale pink. So I looked at the presciption sheet that shows the last 20 transactions and sure enough they had given me a generic drug of 250 mg - with one repeat. The prescription was for the name brand drug of 500 mg - no repeats. I happen to know I can't take the generic of this pill, not to mention the lower mg. So I called. I should have known by the total price but I was picking up my Estrogel, my husband's eye drops and had a couple of other things. The owner was there and he was very apologetic and told me to bring them right back and he fixed it - $70 more of course. What is scary is that it was one of the store pharmacists who filled the prescription and my file clearly reads "no generics". Heck I only have 3 prescriptions and only 2 that I take regularly since I am allergic to most things. I am afraid that language is also an issue. You hate to open bottles and examine contents and counting pills on site, but what can you do? I see a lot of people doing that these days. I picked up prescriptions yesterday and did just that - I am so popular with the non-professional staff! - as are other customers. A woman I know took her elderly uncle to the hospital because he could hardly breathe or stand up. He had his pills with him - and because she had filled the previous prescription knew that the colour was wrong. Sure enough they had given him pills that caused his heart rate to slow down. Good thing she took him in. Ontario is really starting to push generics and people have to pay the differential between generics and name brand. The med ingredient might be the same but it is the non-medicinal ingredients that will get you. My husband had major dental surgery yesterday and has to get 2 prescriptions he never takes - only one he has is for his eye drops. I will be looking very carefully at the prescriptions when I pick them up. One is for penicillin - a drug that despite my many allergies I am not allergic to. Go figure. Each month I return his leftover eye drops to the pharmacy (the preservative is only good for 30 days so a new bottle is needed) and I also take in my empty Estrogel bottles every 2 months - but always to the pharmacy where I buy them. Cdn. pharmacies are not the same as in the U.S. If you have your prescription at one Shoppers Drug Mart you have to go to that drug store - can't go to another one and request your prescription if your store is out of stock. Shoppers Drug Marts here are franchises.

Well, Sue...as an individual...I will be paying a little shy of $3200 for my insurance coverage for 2012 and I very rarely use either plan. I see my cardiologist once a year to make sure my numbers stay good...and my internist twice a year to keep tabs on my glucose and other blood related test numbers. Beyond that...I take no prescriptive meds. The only regular meds coverage requirement I have is for my diabetic test strips and Medicare picks that up. So...all tolled...I think you've accomplished a miracle if you've succeeded in keeping each of you below my individual yearly premium expense...especially with your meds needs. And I know how expensive Advair is because my late husband was an asthmatic who started using it as soon as it came on the market. It replaced a couple of his outdated asthma meds and he had wonderful results with it. The day may come when I'll need it, too...but in the mean time I practice as much holistic medicine as I can and feed my body the foods that will produce the best results. So far...it's paying off in a big way and I pray it continues to do so. Anne