What are some ways to help prevent bladder problems in cats without paying for ridiculously expensive specialty cat food?

My female cat had to have surgery on two separate occasions for bladder stones. I bought special prescription cat food (Hill’s Prescription Diet 6238 c/d Multicare formula) 24 cans for about $40 from the vet. I just googled prices and that’s actually pretty cheap, even compared to Amazon.

I also checked prices of the hard food and it’s about $60 for 8 lbs. That’s totally nuts, considering regular hard cat food (even “the good stuff”) can be had for about $13–15 for 8 lbs. So it’s four times the price to get the specialty stuff. That’s a big difference. For that price, the cat could eat steak and I would have no problem giving her steak if it were equally effective at keeping the bladder stones at bay.

Yes, if the only way to prevent bladder issues is to buy the specialty stuff, of course I will do it. My cats all get taken to the vet and they live and eat well, so they’re not neglected in any way. I am just curious if there is a cheaper way.