Thanks for reading my story :::

If you don't like the fees at a vet, go find another one. I find that solo vet practices tend to have lower rates than multi-vet practices. Try looking for a general practitioner vet, rather than ones with specialties.

As for the yard, the tether is the best solution. You can get them long enough for her to explore a bit and do her business. Otherwise, consider fencing a portion of the yard off the back door so she has a confined space to run free in.