Getting Started: Feeling Totally Overwhelmed
So last Tuesday, my cousin calls me crying because she’s pregnant and can’t afford a termination. Panic mode activated. She makes minimum wage with no savings, and every clinic quote she got sounded like highway robbery. I grabbed my laptop and started searching. Typed in stuff like “cheap abortion help” and “abortion money problems” – but most sites just gave vague crap or dead ends.
Hitting Roadblocks & Changing Tactics
Called three clinics from Google Maps listings while pacing my kitchen. First place flat-out said “cash only upfront.” Second wanted credit card over the phone – like hell I’m giving that without knowing details. Third receptionist sighed when I asked about payments and mumbled, “We stopped offering that after COVID.” Felt like hitting brick walls.
Changed my approach: started searching “payment plan abortion clinic near [her zipcode]” instead of general stuff. That actually gave different results! Found some clinic sites mentioning “financial counseling” or “payment options.” Took notes: always click the ‘Financial Assistance’ tab if they have one. So many hide it in tiny footer links.
Making Actual Progress
Discovered a key trick: ask directly about “sliding scale fees” when calling. Fourth clinic I rang said “Oh yeah, hold on” and transferred me to their finance coordinator. Finally! Coordinator said they use income-based pricing and break costs into installments. Sent us a PDF with clear bullet points:
- Down payment required (way lower than full cost)
- Must show two recent pay stubs for income proof
- Monthly automatic payments after that
No interest either, surprisingly. They even had an emergency fund for people below poverty line.
Lessons Learned the Hard Way
After ten damn hours of research, here’s what actually works:
- Use local zip codes in every search – generic terms give garbage results
- Screw phone menus – always press “0” or say “financial counselor” to get a human fast
- Forget websites promising free abortions unless they’re big national groups (even those require jumping through hoops)
- Payment plans aren’t advertised – you MUST ask point-blank, multiple times
My cousin booked her appointment yesterday. We had to borrow $150 for her down payment from our aunt, but monthly payments are manageable. Still pissed at how hard clinics make it to find basic payment info. But persistence pays off – literally.
