Here's the dilemma: you want to get a boob job, but you can't afford the price tag.
You also would love to have an extended beach vacation in some sunny clime - with or without a padded bikini - but you can't really stump up the cash for that either.
What to do? You're having surgery abroad because it's cheaper: that doesn't mean choosing the cheapest, nastiest place you find to save a few more bucks.
Well, here's what a lot of people are doing: they are combining exotic foreign holidays with having plastic surgery abroad.
Even as cosmetic surgeons are offering financing options for cosmetic surgery wannabes in the midst of the current financial crisis, for some people expensive surgery just isn't possible, even on an installment plan.
And why not stay in a five-star resort in Brazil or Barbados as you recover, rather than in a shared room in your dingy local hospital? The advantage: not only do you save money and get both surgery and holiday for the price of one, but you can heal in relative anonymity, without the intrusive stares at your scars from friends and family.
The disadvantage: the surgery may be slipshod, and could result in disfigurement or even death.
If you're planning to become a cosmetic surgery tourist, the advice is to play it safe.
Here are a list of dos and don'ts to keep in mind before you book that procedure - and that flight...
DOs Everything you should do beforehand to ensure your experience is as safe, productive and even enjoyable as possible, and that you are happy with the outcome...
DO rely on friends and family who have been there before.
Word-of-mouth is often the best advice you can get in this situation.
If someone has been to your chosen clinic or hospital with positive results, chances are you'll have a similar experience.
At home you would meet the surgeon face-to-face, so try to meet someone who has done this already before you make a final decision.
DO try and do as much research into your chosen location as possible, and talk to people on the phone beforehand, especially if nobody you know has been there before.
You don't want to get there and find that nobody speaks English - and end up with a face lift instead of a butt lift (or vice versa).
DO check out your insurance beforehand, and make sure you are fully covered in case anything happens to you while you're away.
You should also make sure your insurance will cover you for any medical complications abroad.
If needed, get extra insurance well in advance of your departure.
Find out also what recourse you will have if you find your surgeon has been negligent.
DO ensure that you leave full contact details with friends back home.
Even if you want your surgery to be a secret - which is why some people choose to have it done abroad, as per above - you still need to let someone know where you are.
DO look into the implications that travel will have on your health.
If you are planning to have liposuction, for example, it will not be safe to fly for a while because of the risk of developing deep-vein thrombosis.
Taking a long-haul flight the day after a major nose job is probably not a good idea either.
And if you have butt-lift surgery or vaginal reconstruction, think twice before reserving a (hard) seat on a 12-hour flight the following afternoon.
Find out everything you need to know before you go.
DON'Ts Mistakes you shouldn't make, and pitfalls you should avoid before leaving the safe shores of home for unknown cosmetic climes...
DON'T go somewhere too remote, in case anything happened to you.
You don't want to be far away from home with no emergency health access, lying in a hospital in the middle of an inaccessible - and inhospitable - desert or jungle.
And remember that a clinic that specializes in plastic surgery may not be able to carry out the procedures necessary to save your life if something goes wrong.
DON'T book the surgery without checking first for any "hidden" extras.
It may look cheaper, but once you book in the cost of hotel bills, travel expenses etc, it might make more sense - and cents - to stay at home.
Also, it might cost a lot more to fix a botched job over there than over here.
DON'T go without investigating the credentials of your chosen surgeon.
He or she may have impeccable ones, having studied at Harvard medical school before spending 25 years in private practice with a 100 percent-satisfied client list and spotless safety record.
On the other hand, some countries have less strict regulations and licensing procedures than we do in the US, and you may not get the person you hoped for.
DON'T choose the cheapest option.
When it comes to your looks, your health and even your life, money should not be the decisive factor.
You're having surgery abroad because it's cheaper: that doesn't mean choosing the cheapest, nastiest place you find to save a few more bucks.
DON'T go without discussing the operation in detail with a plastic surgeon at home, as well as with your own physician.
Most surgeons offer free consultations; take advantage of this and try to find out all you can about your chosen op before you go, including the possible risks and complications as well as the right after-care procedures.
And take notes! Taking advantage of cheaper cosmetic surgery costs abroad can be a great way to see the world and get bigger boobs while you're at it.
But don't just jump at the first bargain package on offer.
You get what you pay for, and you want to pay for safe, correct surgery that will leave you looking healthy and looking even more beautiful, not a botched nightmare of an operation.
Getting the right information well in advance is vital, and will give you the confidence you require to travel without fear.
Do your homework carefully and be prepared, don't just close your eyes, cross your fingers and hope for the best.