So, I was thinking about the surgery and the cost. Since this is out of pocket, I was wondering what my "break even" point would be.

Obviously, there is a reduction in cost of food. Any ideas how much? Then the reduction of prescriptions required. But then you have to get new clothes....but are the smaller clothes less expensive than plus sized? Etc.

I know each journey is different, but was curious if anyone sat down and figured thiers out.

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great question! I am going to make a point to compare expenses of my life before and after surgery. I am self pay, I see this as an investment in myself. But I would like to be able to have concrete proof this was a good investment!

Fortunately, I didn't have to pay anything for my surgery. Yes, I will have to buy new clothes but that's a very good thing! I love wearing a smaller size even now and having to pick up a few things here-and-there. I save at least $15 a week by not drinking Diet Coke anymore, and I also don't eat any fast food so that's probably $10-15 a week in savings. I do have to buy Protein drinks that take up the Diet Coke savings. All the health benefits are going to be amazing and will make any penny I have to spend, worth it. This journey is so much more than the money I spend or don't spend; It's quality of life.

I sat down and figured it out trying to estimate low at my savings. I came up at $320 a month without factoring in clothes. The only thing that changed is that I can't drink plain water so I mix Powerade Zero 50/50 with water. The Powerade is $.80 each for a 32oz. Now I'm at about $300 a month savings between eating out, my old ice tea habit and the medications that I no longer need. $4400 for the sleeve, $472 for the flights means that in just over 16 months it has paid for itself as long as I choose to be naked.

Honestly, I find eating healthier is much more expensive. I spend more on groceries than before. Don't even get me started on the clothes shopping! No money saved there, that's for sure!

For me I do save on eating out because we don't hardly ever eat out anymore because I prefer to cook more of my own food now so I know exactly what's in it and what oil is used etc. As for clothes I have had to buy clothes several times over the last 14 months but the smaller clothes are much less expensive then the plus size. For example before I could only really find jeans at plus size stores for around $50-60 a pair. Now I can find jeans for $10-20 a pair depending on where I go. I will say I am not one to care about brand labels though. I guess if you prefer the brand names it may be different.

Here in Japan they tout the benefits of bariatric surgery as reduced living expenses (mostly food) at $350-600 a month and reduced taxi costs, because apparently obese people take taxis everywhere they go.

Interestingly, only about 150 procedures are done annually here, and there appears to be only 10 places where you can get it done (personally I only found 2).

Even if my insurance covered the procedure, I'd still be about $6000 out of pocket here, and that, combined with the lack of proper patient care in hospitals, the language barrier, and the fact that my place of employment would be informed of my exact medical procedures, is why I've decided to do it in Mexico instead. So, in addition to Protein powders and Vitamins that I have to ship here internationally, it means it will probably take a longer for the surgery to "pay off", but that's not really a concern for me at all. I'm doing this for my health, any other benefits are just icing on the cake. (or should I say protein in the shake?)

I was self pay too. For me, even the cost of the Protein shakes is far less than my iced coffee addiction! I made daily stops at Starbucks / Dunkin' Donuts, etc which really adds up. Coffee was my liquid crack - I could not function without it - if I could intravenously take it, I would have. Now, I don't eat out nearly as much as I use to and when I do, I'm not ordering an appetizer/meal/mixed drinks but a much smaller order.

I also agree with @reree6898... Plus size clothing can be very expensive so being able to shop the sales in the 'other' departments has been nice (although, I can see myself wanting to buy more as I lose more..).

I didn't realize all the little 'things' I treated myself to to overcompensate for the misery I felt being so overweight. It definitely adds up. It is an investment for sure, but if I can live a little longer, know I'm healthier and be a lot happier then, I'll ride this out and repay myself a little at a time.

I don't know that I would be able to quantify it easily. As Babbs says,healthy food ain't cheap. Of course, we are eating less of it, so that helps.

Mrs LittleBill and I used to go to Breakfast at the diner every Sunday before church. Our bill was pretty much the same every week. I figured that if we skipped that for a year, we would break even on what I had to pay out of pocket for my surgery.

We're spending less on toilet paper, but then I joined the gym - for the winter months, anyway.

I'm donating clothes I can't wear anymore that have lots of wear left in them. New clothes cost a bunch for me because I still have a very large frame.

So are we saving any money? I sort of doubt it. But I am healthier, so we might save money on less health problems down the road. The important thing is, life is better, whether we have more money or not.

I sat down and figured it out trying to estimate low at my savings. I came up at $320 a month without factoring in clothes. The only thing that changed is that I can't drink plain water so I mix Powerade Zero 50/50 with water. The Powerade is $.80 each for a 32oz. Now I'm at about $300 a month savings between eating out, my old ice tea habit and the medications that I no longer need. $4400 for the sleeve, $472 for the flights means that in just over 16 months it has paid for itself as long as I choose to be naked.

You had to write that last sentence, didn't you? Now I've got to go poke out my mind's eye. Thank you very much.

@@mbuczkowski

I don't think you really save or it is still about even. Yeah I don't spend a lot of money on fast food anymore, but the food I buy now is higher quality in general so it isn't cheap. I eat high quality Protein, grass fed, wild caught, organic.

I don't think most people can really grasp the concept of replacing your entire wardrobe in a small amount of time. It depends on how you dress and what you are willing to spend on clothes but I have had to replace everything. Some things you don't think about like, socks, hosiery, jewelry (all my bracelets and rings are toast), bra, underwear, SHOES (all my shoes are useless, and even some of the one I bought earlier this year are too big). It is a massive expense and there are some things you can't get used like bras, underwear and shapewear. Over the past 17 months I had to replace things every 3-6 weeks.

Eventually it will cheaper but right now it is the same if not more expensive.

I'm self-pay, and I'm staying in the US to have surgery, so it's going to cost me a good chunk of change. I'm struggling to be okay with that, but it helps to remember all the money I've spent on obesity-related medical problems over the past few years. I've spent $2500 for a hysterectomy, $1500 and another $1000 on foot doctors and orthotics, $2000 on an endoscopy, $200 on my GP, $100/month on various meds, and $100s on shoes I hoped would be comfortable but weren't. And I'm only in my early 40s. If I wasn't so heavy, I don't think I would have needed any of it, and who knows what I'll be paying for next if I don't do this.

VSG pre-op HW: 325 CW: 305

I should add that my savings is just on eating lunch out and my ice tea habit. My sweetie said that our grocery bill is about $125-150 cheaper. We've always bought quality food.

Reduction in food costs but increase in clothing, hair and makeup costs and possibly plastic surgery... celebration trip to Europe...I don't think I can make a case for ever breaking $ even.

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I'm saving quite a bit in restaurant bills. Now, when I go out, I split a plate with my husband or kids. I love the sushi train. For $6 I get 3 ounces of salmon sashimi. Also, my bills for craft beer plummeted (I live walking distance from a growler shop--I do miss that). I bought and cooked healthy food before (just too much of it), so my costs didn't go up.

I spend about $75 a month in thrift stores to keep myself clothed...some sizes I only wore for a couple of weeks.

I probably break even overall.

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