Sorry to bump this thread... well, actually, it might be a fun trip down memory lane for some people.
Thought I'd post my comments here based on a slightly veering discussion over on the daycare cost thread:
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f30/daycare-costs-36378-2.html
I'm 30. I had a vasectomy when I was 25. My wife and I knew when we were first married (over 7 years ago) that we didn't want to have kids. We've both thought that, if biological need ever drove us to want kids, we could adopt. Still, we waited a bit before committing to the surgery.
Just as I'm sure it's important that both spouses are on board with having kids, I think it's equally important that they're on board with not having kids. Luckily, we both hate them... I know, I know, thank goodness our parents didn't feel the same way.
I was intent on going with a no-scalpel vasectomy. The first doctor we talked to had beer breath and a stain on his shirt (it was just after lunch, but still). He didn't seem that enthusiastic about performing the surgery since we were young and didn't have kids (no one questions your desire to tie things off if you've been married forever and already have several kids). That was ok, though, since I didn't want a sloppy drunk to cut into my balls either.
The second doctor came on a referral and didn't really care about our motivation for the procedure. After reviewing everything with him, I set up an appointment to get it done.
The prep work involved is pretty much just taking your razor in and tidying the boys up a bit. When I got there on the day, the assisting nurse was prepared to shave, but she said I did a remarkable job and she didn't need to do anything.
They put me on laughing gas to keep me calm and administered a local anesthetic. I don't recall everything about the procedure but I think it went down like this... with a no-scalpel, they isolate the vans under the skin then puncture the sac and fish 'em out. They snip and cauterize. They then cap one side so they can't grow back together and stuff them back in and stitch everything closed.
The advantage of a no-scalpel is that the recovery time is much faster.
Oh, I was told to break out the briefs for the day of and the week after the procedure. I had to keep the packed with gauze the first few days but I needed the support for about 6 days total. Recovery time meant not lifting heavy stuff or walking the dog (not a euphemism, I mean I couldn't take our dog Bandit out for his walks) and putting some frozen peas on as needed. I also walked like a cowboy for the first two days.
After recovery, you'll be tested after about a month and then two months. Brown bag a sample and bring it in to the lab and they'll get back to you.
Odds are pretty good after the 2 month mark that you're clear but you might want to pay for a retest after 6 months and a year. The odds are even better that you're clear after the 6 month mark. The issue is if the vans grow back together. That is some plumbing you don't want unclogged.
You really need to continue with your old method of birth control until the second all-clear. I know of one guy that got the surgery and then had some relations that night. She got pregnant. Oops.
Anyway, that's all I can think of of. I think more and more doctors are moving to no-scalpel so it should be easier to find. I've found that both family practice doctors and urologists will perform the procedure. I'm guessing that it's easier now if you're a single guy and want to have one, but you still may run into doctors that will try and talk you out of it or strongly caution against it.
I think I'll have to reconsider......... 
