There’s a famous saying that goes like this, "Friends in need are friends indeed" and also one that most of people will have likely heard of in many occasions, "Blood is thicker in water". When things gone awry and the cost of having an in Vitro Fertilization procedure to realize the dream of counter-attacking the infertility and go all the lengthy necessary way to have a baby proven to be just too much, family and friends are the ones you can turn your back to, as the they will be likely to support your back and stay with you up until the end, as such is the essence of true family and friends.
Anyway, if you and your partner have tried a lot of necessary means and are still feel that you are short on cash, you can always ask both of your family and friends to join your cause and not only support you emotionally or mentally, but also financially, however, there are some thing that you and your partner need to take into account regarding borrowing money from relatives and acquaintances. You may follow some of these tips when the need to look for additional supporting money is kicking in and you are planning to turn to your friends or family for cash:
- Consider this question "Is your family friendly with things like borrowing money?"This is important both in the aspect of relationship and financial. As bonds with family, while it may be tight for some but not too much for some people too. And relationship is a tricky, delicate thing in the first place, anyway. There is undoubtedly worries and nagging questions as whether your relative is sincere and the kind that would gladly lend you the cash necessary without having to resort to perpetual reminders, digging out your guilty conscience, or unreasonable demands. You can see this sign if when you ask them for money they dictate what you should or shouldn't do and how your treatments should be, then it is an alarming sign that they are not 'friendly loaners'. Even if they are your family, and even if they are lending their cash and pushing their advice on you, you are still you, you are the one who will undergo all the complicated treatments, you are the one who are still in control of your body and you are the one who will lead your own family. Remember, money doesn't have rights to take your rights. Make sure to discuss this with your couple first, if both of you can come in terms with agreement then drop the plan of borrowing money from your family and look out for other means. The infertility treatment is already stressful for the couples. You don't need the unnecessary, additional stress.
- Can your family (or friends) afford you? If they are also struggling for their survival in daily basis then please, by all means, no matter how tempting it is, try to look for other options instead of burdening them.
- Make sure they understand that the treatment won't guarantee 100% success. Don't offer empty, hopeful promise of giving them grandchildren, niece, nephew, etc. if you already know how this thing called IVF works. Instead, you have to make sure that they understand there are still possibilities that the attempt will end up in vain, so they will not grief much or disappointed much if the treatment indeed fail.
- Split up the burden. If you can have more than one relatives or friends to ask, and then suggest the possibility of splitting up the burden, you should discuss about what’s the best course of action so that it will be affordable for all parties involved. And proceed cautiously. In vitro fertilization cost may be affordable this way, but consider other things too, like point one and two.
- Arranged a reasonable payback plan. Karma works, you have to pay for your debt sooner or later so it will be better if you carefully devise a reasonable plan to pay them back, either by saving up or sell things to cover it up. Borrow reasonably, pay reasonably.
- Track every expense and the borrowed money or the already paid ones. Make sure you have some sort of tracker or notes to keep up with how much you have borrowed, how much you have paid back and also how much you have spent. This will help you to remember all and prevent any missed out debt.
All in all, remember to be always responsible with what you do, what you spent, how much you have borrowed and everything. Make sure to always be respectful and responsible with your loan. We wish you tons of good luck in keeping up the In vitro fertilization cost and the process itself!