Deciding to get a cosmetic procedure is a life-changing decision, both physically and financially.
Breast augmentation is one of the most popular types of reconstructive surgery, with 193,073 Americans undergoing this procedure in 2020.
Whatever your reason for wanting breast augmentation, elective surgery comes at a price. Unless you have a spare $5,000-$10,000 in your account, it’s time to start saving.
But how?
We provide some top tips on how you can effectively save for your cosmetic surgery and the different payment options available.
Things to consider before getting a breast augmentation
Before getting into the detail of how to afford surgery, let’s take a look at what you need to think about first.
The cost – before starting to save for a breast augmentation, you need to know the cost. Ask qualified surgical practices for a fixed price quote. Check whether consultations and any follow-up care is included in the price or if it’s extra.
Payment method – how you will fund the surgery is likely to be one of the biggest questions that you may have. There are different ways you can pay for breast augmentation, which we will go through later in this article. Whichever method you choose, always ask your surgeon for a breakdown of your quote so you know exactly what you’re paying for.
Health insurance – breast augmentation is a cosmetic procedure, which means that it’s unlikely that your insurance will cover the costs. There are some exceptions where your policy may cover a surgical procedure but always check before relying on your insurance as a method of payment.
Longer term finances – when budgeting for a breast augmentation procedure it’s important to consider that you will need to take time off work to recover. Like other plastic surgery procedures, you will need plenty of rest to recover from a breast augmentation operation. Not working means that you won’t be able to rely on your regular income for a while. Make the most of family and friends who can help you with childcare while you’re recovering. This will save you money on paying for alternative childcare arrangements such as daycare or a babysitter.
Payment methods for cosmetic surgery
Payment plans – a monthly finance plan could be the right payment method for you if you don’t have the spare money and would rather pay in monthly installments. Most cosmetic surgery practices will offer a payment plan option to pay for procedures. Always check the terms and conditions and choose an interest-free plan or low-interest rate
Loans – banks and other lenders sometimes lend money to borrowers for cosmetic procedures such as breast augmentation or tummy tuck surgery. If you decide to go down this route, consider the APR and terms and conditions before deciding whether it’s an affordable option for you.
Cash in full – some cosmetic surgery practices may offer you a discount if you can pay in cash rather than use a credit card. This is because organizations can save money on credit card fees.
How to save up for breast augmentation
There are several ways to fit plastic surgery into your savings plan. In most situations, elective cosmetic surgery is not an emergency. This means that you can take your time to save up for the procedure rather than get yourself in unnecessary debt and pay more than you should do in the long term.
Eliminate unnecessary spending
Spending your money on things that you don’t really need will affect your savings potential and take you even longer to save for surgery. Here are a few of the most common areas where people can trim their spending on.
Eating out – dining in restaurants and grabbing a take out on your way home are convenient options, but they come at a price. If you’re not used to cooking your own meals, start by preparing at least two meals a week and gradually increase the number of times you eat at home a week. Prepping your meals for the week is a great way to avoid the temptation of ordering take-out or grabbing a burger after a long day. The money you save on food can be put into your breast augmentation savings pot.
Subscriptions – Subscriptions can add up to be a huge monthly expense. Cancel the subscriptions and use the money that you normally spend on them to contribute to your surgery savings. Magazines, food boxes, Netflix and gym memberships are popular subscriptions in America. However, there are free alternatives to use instead such as renting tv shows or listening to podcasts. You can often find free exercise classes online too.
Can’t remember what subscriptions you are signed up to? TrueBill will review your purchase history on your behalf and can prompt you to cancel them or negotiate a saving on your current plan.
Buy second hand – shopping second-hand is not only more sustainable, but it’s also good for your wallet. Used items are often a fraction of the price of buying brand new and it’s easy to buy second-hand items straight from your phone. Clothes, exercise equipment, technology, furniture and cars are popular items to buy used where you can save yourself a small fortune. Track your savings on used items compared to new ones and put the difference into your surgery savings.
Stop spending completely
When you’re trying to save money for a large purchase such as cosmetic surgery, a shopping ban is a great way to free up some of your finances. Start by deciding which items are banned such as clothes, shoes, technology and jewelry. Next, choose how long you want the shopping ban to last. Make the date achievable but remember that the longer you stop spending money on unnecessary purchases, the more money you will have to add to your breast augmentation fund.
Customize your spending ban on the areas that you excessively spend on the most. For example, if you have your card information saved on store sights to make purchasing quicker and easier, remove your details from the websites you shop at the most.
Pay off existing debt
You won’t be able to achieve your full savings potential while you’re paying off high-interest debt. Use any spare money that you have to get rid of debt first. Start by making a list of all your outstanding debt. Tackle the ones with the highest interest rate first and work your way down the list. Once you’re debt-free you will be surprised at how much free cash you now have.
Open a dedicated surgery savings account
Opening a bank account that has the sole purpose of holding your savings contribution for your breast augmentation is an effective way to achieve your financial goal.
Compare savings rates from different banks to find one that provides the highest interest rate. The extra you receive from interest will help you meet your target quicker.
Want to know your savings potential? Take away your expenses from your monthly income to find out how much you have left to save. This will also tell you how long it will take to meet your goal.
Set up an automatic transfer from your bank account to your savings account so that every time you get paid, you will have contributed to your savings pot without even thinking about it.
Sell stuff
Have you got lots of stuff cluttering up your home? In addition to buying used, why not sell your old stuff and re-invest the money you make to purchase used items that you need. Clothes, bicycles, technology, video games, toys, jewelry and books all sell well online. Facebook Marketplace, eBay and Craigslist are good places to list and sell your items online. Or if you prefer to sell in person, why not host a garage sale and advertise your items in your local community?
Make your car more cost-efficient
As the cost of fuel prices continue to rise worldwide, many people are looking at ways to cut their monthly spending on gas and other car running costs.
Implement these tips and contribute the savings you make to your cosmetic surgery fund.
1. Keep your tires correctly inflated – maintaining the correct tire pressure can allow drivers to improve their mileage by up to 3%. This means a saving of up to $0.10 per gallon of gas. Whilst this may not seem a significant difference, if you regularly use your car to commute or for social use, you could save a decent amount of cash.
2. Remove clutter from your car – if you’re guilty of keeping clothes, golf clubs and books in the trunk of your car, it’s time to take them out. Extra weight in your car uses more fuel, costing you more money to run it.
3. Turn off the aircon – unless you really need to use it, turn your aircon off to prevent it from stealing your fuel. The air conditioner unit takes power from the alternator which is powered by the car’s engine.
4. Take your foot off the gas – slowing down is the easiest way to slash your gas bill. The faster you go, the more money it’s costing you. Over-revving and heavy braking will also eat away at your gas.
Plastic surgery money saving tips
There are ways that you can slash the price of your final bill without compromising on your safety.
Use a military discount
Some plastic surgeons offer a discount for active military personnel and members of their families. If you fall into this category and want to save a bit of money on your procedure, search around for a reputable cosmetic surgeon that provides this discount. All you will need to provide is proof of a valid military ID.
Combine procedures
If you can’t decide between a tummy tuck and a breast augmentation, there are financial benefits to having both procedures done at the same time.
Request a free consultation
Choose a cosmetic surgeon that offers a free consultation. During this session you can ask any questions that you may have about the procedure and your payment options. Be wary of companies that charge you for this session.
Watch out for special promotions
It’s worth signing up to the cosmetic practice’s website or newsletter because they may have promotions on that they email to their members. Some special offers could save you hundreds of dollars so it’s worth checking out before booking anything.
Plan ahead
If you already have time off work booked, try and arrange for your procedure to happen during that time. This will prevent you from having to take more time off work than you need to. Before your procedure, batch cook and freeze meals that you can defrost and heat during your recovery period. This is a great way to resist the temptation and ease of spending money on takeouts while you don’t feel like cooking from scratch.
How to choose a good breast surgeon
When considering a surgeon for your boob job, make sure they meet the following minimum criteria.
· Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
· At least two years of breast surgery experience.
· Peer recognition by industry experts from the American Society of Plastic Surgery (ASPS).
· A proven track record of working with before and after pictures and customer reviews.
· Accredited surgical facilities where the procedure will be taking place.
Saving for breast augmentation
If cosmetic surgery is your goal, following the tips in this article can help you fund the procedure and eliminate debt.
Never compromise your safety just to save some money on a cosmetic procedure. Choosing an experienced, qualified surgeon that operates in a fully equipped surgery is crucial. Do your research. If plastic surgery deals on breast augmentation seem too good to be true, it probably is. Plastic surgery tourism is also dangerous and should be avoided. This is where people travel to other countries to undergo cosmetic surgery at a lower price. Other countries do not always have the same standards and regulations as America and could put your health at risk and leave you with unsatisfactory results.
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