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You’re pregnant—congratulations! But how will you ever afford it? With your budget stretched by buying clothing and purchasing food you can actually keep down, how will you be able to afford the medical expenses?

Good news. Getting control of you medical expenses is possible if you focus on them month to month.

Pay your doctor as you go. If you have insurance, you’ll just be paying the deductible for visits every month, but what if you don’t have insurance? Paying a portion of the total bill each month will allow you to pay it off before you deliver. In the same vein, consider what you’re out-of-pocket costs will be for delivery and pay as much as you can upfront.

Put a percentage of money aside monthly for surprise costs like complications during or after the baby’s birth. Now, you don’t want to dwell on complications, but just be prepared. If none arise, you have some extra money to do whatever you want with.

Consider payday loans to get you back on schedule if you run short of funds one month. Keep your clothing and baby purchases to a minimum and you will have that much more to spend on your monthly medical expenses. Clothing for you can be purchased at thrift stores and garage sales. Clothing for your baby can be donated from friends and family members, obtained via a baby shower or two, or purchased when on sale.

Keep the vitamins coming! Take your prenatal vitamins daily and eat healthy—this is the surest way to avoid extra medical costs during pregnancy.