Penny wise, pound foolish.

If the surgeon you saw does not think that your hip is ready for surgery, there are many who will do it privately for the money. It should be at the stage of grade 4 on the xray, bone on bone with no synovial fluid to lubricate.

Sorry, Daddima, I have gone way off thread.

Wobbly - you need to shop around a bit. The cost of a private op often reflects the charges the hospital makes for hire (by the surgeon) of its theatre and its rooms, as well as nursing services, food and meds, so it is not necessarily a reflection of the surgeon's skills. You can usually find CVs of the surgeons on the internet which can be reassuring.

I had my hip replaced privately and I'm so glad I did. I wasn't bothered about a private room, in fact I actually prefer a public ward, but it was worth it to get it done quicker (within a week of my first appointment, so no time to worry overmuch!) as I was in so much pain. We don't have insurance so paid out of our savings but as someone above says, our inheritors would spend the money quickly enough. If I remember rightly it cost between £7000 and £8000.

Good luck then wb that pain is awful. For my knee I was quoted £10,700/£11,500 but didn't get a breakdown or extras. My friends friend who had hers done through insurance was not happy with the pnysio at our local private hospital. She also had a "heart episode" and was in for 11 days. I don't know what happens in that cases if you are self funding.

Annsixty -- I am seriously considering getting my hip replaced privately, I am in constant pain, even with meds, and cannot live as wish to. The joint is not worn enough for the NHS to do it, I'm not sure I can live like this until it gets worse. Looking at payment options.

Linsco my Nan always used to tell me to keep my hand on my ha'penny, I knew what she meant

I was told by many people not to have my knee done privately, even by the surgeon who did it. He told me not to waste my money unless a private room was essential to me.

We are spending it now if we have it. As someone said on another thread "there are no pockets in shrouds"

However, if we hadn't just bought a new car, we would have had enough to get my hip replaced privately.

We don't do holidays any more so see nothing wrong in a treat now and then. The family will spend it fast enough when the time comes.

If you have the money to spend ( and bills are paid) then treat yourself.I think most of our generation try not to chuck things out and use things up, just how we were brought up.I feel twinges when we spend a lot on house improvements, but appreciate it needs doing, but never feel happy about spending ( a lot) on a holiday because it's so fleeting.

I have ordered my own C.......s presents to myself. A new smart phone and a new laptop. If I didn't I would not get one. Would appreciate being a friend of the OP and having £60 spent on me. My friends and I just exchange cards.

My OTT purchases are early Christmas presents to myself and it could be mid July!

One of my grandmother's favourite sayings was "take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves". Another of her sayings (and said to me when I was a teenager and heading out for the evening) was "keep your hand on your ha'penny". Years later I discovered it had nothing to do with managing my savings!

Daddima you're not alone as I also justify OTT purchases by convincing myself that I've saved in lots of other ways.