Living on a budget – How to Save on Dental Expenses
Many people who are living on a budget do not have the luxury of dental insurance, even with their employer’s insurance plan. With that in mind, there are several ways that you can save on much needed dental procedures.
Try Getting All Your Dental Work in Bulk
When I went to the dentist for my normal check up, he provided me with a long list of everything that needed to be completed. Because I am living on a budget, the first thing I asked the dentist is which of these is non-essential right now. This means, which of these items are you adding on just for cosmetic reasons that really do not help or harm my dental health. This cut a large amount off the bill.
Get the Discount
After eliminating the items from the list that were not necessary for my health, I then asked the dentist what type of discount he could provide if I got everything done at once and paid in full with cash. Cash is key to this principle. So, be sure you have enough money saved up to have all of the items completed on the list. The dentist loves this type of client because they are able to bring in a lump sum of money at once without filing for insurance or paying a credit card transaction fee. You can sometimes receive an additional 10-20% off the services.
Go to a Student Clinic
Another option for people who are living on a budget is to find a near by dental college who may be offering dental work at a deeply discounted price. You will have to be willing to allow a student to do dental work on you but they will be under close supervision and guidance. You also may have to spend more time there waiting for the work to be done, but you will end up saving yourself huge amounts of cash. This can go a long way in helping you to meet your budgeting goals.
Other Options
If neither option works, and you are living on a budget, then you can also turn to a dental discount plan. These plans are not insurance, but have a network of dentist that are willing to provide a discounted rate for services if you are a member of the organization. You can check out dentalplans.com. This site offers a list of dental insurance providers as well as a list of dental discount plans. Most of the plans offer a 30-day money back guarantee. Therefore, if you join the dental discount plan, you can get your discount and then cancel the plan. This is an ideal way to get the discount without having to pay for it.
The last option is to use a PayPal Debit Card. I used my Paypal Debit Card a few years ago to pay for a crown. It cost well over $1000 to get this work done. However, I received 1.1% cash back with my debit card. This is not a huge discount, but it is still money back in my pocket.
By implementing these strategies, you can save some much-needed cash on dental expenses. Moreover, you will have a beautiful smile!
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Many people who are living on a budget do not have the luxury of dental insurance, even with their employer’s insurance plan.