"I've definitely had those 'wait, did I pay that?' moments at 2 am."
Haha, been there more times than I'd like to admit. Monthly payments saved my sanity too, especially since our car decided to break down right after we started braces for my daughter (because of course it did...). I found most orthodontists are pretty understanding if something unexpected happens. Ours let us pause payments for a couple months when my husband switched jobs unexpectedly. They didn't even make a big deal about it—just adjusted the schedule and moved on. I'd say it's worth asking upfront how flexible they are, just in case life decides to throw another curveball your way.
Monthly payments were a lifesaver for me too, but honestly, if you can swing the upfront payment, it's usually cheaper overall. I did the math after the fact (typical me...) and realized we could've saved a decent chunk by paying upfront. But yeah, life happens—our fridge decided to die literally the week after my braces went on. Orthodontists do seem pretty chill about adjusting payments though, so at least there's that safety net if things go sideways.
Yeah, monthly payments were tempting for me too, especially since I wasn't sure how tight things would get later on. But after hearing your fridge story, I'm kinda glad I did the upfront thing. Still, makes me wonder—do orthodontists usually charge interest or fees if you need to adjust payments midway through? Mine seemed flexible, but I never actually asked...maybe I should've clarified that before diving in headfirst, lol.
I get what you're saying about upfront payments feeling safer, but honestly, my ortho was pretty chill about adjusting payments midway. I had a mini panic attack when my car broke down halfway through treatment (talk about timing...), and had to shift some payments around. They didn't charge me extra or anything, just adjusted the schedule. Maybe it depends on the office? Probably best to double-check with yours though—I learned the hard way that assumptions aren't always your friend, lol.
"Maybe it depends on the office? Probably best to double-check with yours though—I learned the hard way that assumptions aren't always your friend, lol."
Yeah, definitely varies by office. Mine was pretty flexible too, thankfully. I went monthly payments because upfront just wasn't happening with my budget (hello, ramen diet 😂). But when my hours got cut at work for a bit, they let me skip a month without any drama or extra fees. Just shifted things around a little. I'd say just ask upfront how flexible they are—better safe than sorry, especially if your luck is anything like mine...
