How did you manage to pay for the surgery?

[headheldhigh01]

for the ethically minded it'd be something else like a second job for half a year or so. 

[cecly]

Just worked for a bit, had enough left over to fund a trip to Japan also (mind you I also live out of home and support myself too as well as go to uni full-time).

Get a job, and put your earnings towards it, you will learn great skills as well as work for something you really really want.

[Paa_Paw]

My faith in the future for this generation has just been bolstered.

Most of the responses seem to echo the same general ideas:
Work hard,
Waste not,
Save etc.

What great concepts! Hopefully it will catch on.........................

[don_joe]

I don't want to boast, when I sit back and think about it, I am really proud of myself.

Quite rightfully so !

Way to go dude.

[don_joe]

               You have obviously never seen my sister........

[Jack17]

I'm 17.

I've had an eBay business I’ve done for a little over a year now. Made some money of that, and made sure to prioritize where I wanted to spend it. Instead of the cup of coffee and a donut at Dunkies every day before school, I'd take a granola bar from the pantry. Simple things like that I guess.

I’m wicked stingy too. I can’t believe I’m about to spend $5800 for an hour of some doctor’s time. Oh well. 

[FreeinVegas]

I've always been one to save.  I just kept putting my paychecks in the bank and waited till the 5k surgery wouldn't even cut my account in half.  Paid in full. 

I would recommend to anyone considering surgery that has good credit to get a credit card that offers nice cashback incentives for purchases.  If you already have the cash saved so that you can pay the card immediately, you'll cut some of the price on a 5k lump purchase.  Please don't take this as some sort of advice to get yourself in trouble with a credit card, but it can be a way to help ASSUMING YOU ALREADY HAVE THE MONEY SET ASIDE.