I've been wondering the same thing, honestly. Putting aside the monthly difference sounds smart in theory, but I know myself—would I actually stick to it? Life always seems to throw curveballs when you least expect them, and braces aren't exactly a small investment. I guess the real question is, has anyone here actually managed to consistently set aside that extra money each month, or does it just end up getting spent on random things? I'm curious if there's a practical way to make sure that savings stays untouched...
I totally get where you're coming from. When I was saving up for braces, I had the same doubts. At first, I tried setting aside money each month, but honestly, it just kept disappearing into random expenses—car repairs, birthdays, you name it. What finally worked for me was opening a separate savings account specifically for braces and setting up automatic transfers right after payday. Out of sight, out of mind really helped me keep my hands off that cash.
Have you thought about trying something like that? Or maybe even using one of those apps that round up your purchases and stash away the spare change? It sounds small, but you'd be surprised how quickly it adds up without you even noticing. Either way, don't beat yourself up too much if it's tough at first...it takes a bit to find what works best for you.
The separate savings account idea makes sense, but have you considered just going with monthly payments directly to the orthodontist instead? When I looked into it, the monthly payment option didn't cost much more overall, and it eliminated the temptation to dip into savings altogether. Plus, having a fixed monthly bill felt easier to budget around than trying to stash money away each month. Did you compare the total costs of monthly payments versus upfront savings? Curious if you found a big difference there...
"Plus, having a fixed monthly bill felt easier to budget around than trying to stash money away each month."
I get where you're coming from with the monthly payment thing—it definitely feels simpler. But honestly, when I did braces, setting up a separate savings account was surprisingly effective. Seeing that balance grow was motivating, and by paying upfront, I actually got a decent discount. Might depend on your orthodontist though... worth checking both options carefully before deciding.
I totally see your point about the savings account—it's motivating to watch that number climb. But honestly, for me, monthly payments were less stressful. I didn't have to worry about dipping into that savings for emergencies or unexpected expenses. Plus, my ortho didn't offer much of a discount upfront anyway, so it wasn't a huge incentive. Did anyone else's orthodontist offer a significant discount for paying upfront, or was mine just stingy...?
