Managing the cost of transition

[BreezyB]

I'm hoping someone can help with this one.

I'm four months into transition, MtF. I have a job , I'm single and have four beautiful children. I've never been good at budgeting, but I've always been good at spending money. I'm doing all this in Western Australia.

My problem is the growing costs of transition. I'm only early into transition and already the costs of medical care are really stretching things financially. By medical care I'm meaning my psychiatrist, psychologist, Endocrynologist, GPs, speech therapy and also a haematologist. I know some of these I won't need to see for long, like the haematologist, that's just for a blood condition.

Then there's the other stuff like laser (facial hair), waxing (body hair).

So I was wondering if anyone has any ideas on managing these costs? I mean I have a budget, and get some back from insurance and medicare but the costs are still mounting. How does everyone else manage this, am I trying to do too much too soon? In Australia there seems to be no health cover for transgender health from insurance. I think I'll get something back from the speech but that's all.

We still have food on the table, a place to live and bills are paid. But things are really stretched and it's getting harder and harder to see how this is going to all balance throughout the year. I hope I'm not being a bad parent here, I love my kids but I just needed to be who I know I am so I chose not to wait until the children had left home, whole different thread that one.

Any thoughts or ideas? Thanks everyone.

Hugs,
Bree

[Ms Grace]

You should talk to your referring doctor, providing you get the right kind of referral the shrink and endo should fall partially under Medicare. Apart from that, yep it's steep alright. My approach was to take out a loan against my mortgage so I could cover the costs of my electro and clothes, etc. I realise that's not an option available to everyone but it really helped take the financial pressure off.

[2fish]

I have to agree with the fact that transition can cost a lot of money.
Now, I don't have children of my own and I am currently living at home (I'm 25). My family does not want me paying anything so I have decided to transition as much as I can. I know 1 parent wants me to move out but the other does not want me to leave. I do feel bad living here for free. I have offered to give money but they won't take it. I make enough to support my transition 100%. But, if I were to move out I would not be able to survive on my own. I do have money saved up in case of an emergency, but still, I know it won't be enough to live off of. It is difficult.
My advice is, if you have a little to spend on yourself and you need whatever it is to keep you sane, then you should go for it.

[immortal gypsy]

Some things I have done for transitioning:

◆All spare money is going into hair removal (face, chest and torso). Most important I'll save and by as much as I can at once to get the best discount I can. You don't know when the E train will hit you hard and fast, so the sooner it's gone the better
◆Psychiatrist and psychological appointments. I space according to my pay and what other bills are coming that week so those appointments could be on a monthly basis.
◆I claim everything from medicare straight as possible if a place won't bulk bill at least you can get some money back within the next two days
◆Medicare has a mental health plan I think trans* issues is covered speak to your G.P.
◆Clothing find your style, and purchase some basics to cover now, adding one or two pieces each season (the same shirt suddenly sees an increase in price when the move the buttons across)
◆Sales are your friend
◆If something breaks and you and your kids can live without, don't fix or replace it yet. (This sounds harsh but I hand wash all my clothes, and my TV can't get any channels but can play dvds why replace them now).
◆Pending on your circumstances personal loan (not for everyone and it's a loan we have to pay it back eventually and can sometimes lead us into a vicious circle)
◆If you or your kids are on a permanent medication, when you hit the PBS limit keep refilling them every three weeks. (Yes you are playing a risk I the medication is changed early next year, but at $6 apposed to $30 odd you have a supply for the first few months. I have used this all the time [epilepsy] and three weeks is the minimum you have otherwise you pay full price)

These are some of the things I have do and advice that has been suggested to me
Hope it helps

[BreezyB]

Thanks everyone, some great advice and I think we're all in agreement, transition is expensive. But can you put arise on happiness, I don't think you can. But seems I'm doing that in this post lol

You should talk to your referring doctor, providing you get the right kind of referral the shrink and endo should fall partially under Medicare.

Thanks Grace, my shrink and endo are both under Medicare, I did get a referral from my GP, I get about half back which is good. I chose to go more outside the public system purely out of impatience, there were waiting lists for others. Apparently there are shrinks and endos who are completely covered under Medicare  I just didn't want to change now though. I wish I had property though, I would mortgage against it but after separation, the house, well that's just another long story .....

I have to agree with the fact that transition can cost a lot of money.
Now, I don't have children of my own and I am currently living at home (I'm 25). My family does not want me paying anything so I have decided to transition as much as I can. I know 1 parent wants me to move out but the other does not want me to leave. I do feel bad living here for free. I have offered to give money but they won't take it. I make enough to support my transition 100%. But, if I were to move out I would not be able to survive on my own. I do have money saved up in case of an emergency, but still, I know it won't be enough to live off of. It is difficult.
My advice is, if you have a little to spend on yourself and you need whatever it is to keep you sane, then you should go for it.

Stay at home as long as you can 2fish. It's just another huge expense when you leave. And mums usually cook great food. I miss mums cooking But I definetly agree and this is where I feel bad sometimes, I mean I spend AU$275 a month on laser, yet don't have enough money to take the kids to the movies. We do other stuff though which is fun, library, painting, park etc.

Some things I have done for transitioning:

◆All spare money is going into hair removal (face, chest and torso). Most important I'll save and by as much as I can at once to get the best discount I can. You don't know when the E train will hit you hard and fast, so the sooner it's gone the better
◆Psychiatrist and psychological appointments. I space according to my pay and what other bills are coming that week so those appointments could be on a monthly basis.
◆I claim everything from medicare straight as possible if a place won't bulk bill at least you can get some money back within the next two days
◆Medicare has a mental health plan I think trans* issues is covered speak to your G.P.
◆Clothing find your style, and purchase some basics to cover now, adding one or two pieces each season (the same shirt suddenly sees an increase in price when the move the buttons across)
◆Sales are your friend
◆If something breaks and you and your kids can live without, don't fix or replace it yet. (This sounds harsh but I hand wash all my clothes, and my TV can't get any channels but can play dvds why replace them now).
◆Pending on your circumstances personal loan (not for everyone and it's a loan we have to pay it back eventually and can sometimes lead us into a vicious circle)
◆If you or your kids are on a permanent medication, when you hit the PBS limit keep refilling them every three weeks. (Yes you are playing a risk I the medication is changed early next year, but at $6 apposed to $30 odd you have a supply for the first few months. I have used this all the time [epilepsy] and three weeks is the minimum you have otherwise you pay full price)

These are some of the things I have do and advice that has been suggested to me
Hope it helps

Thanks immortal gypsy, good suggestions. I would like to buy laser in a package, but usually costs upto $1000 to get one session free. But maybe in a few months I'll be able to get a package, for now it's one session a month. I do the same with spacing appointments, I'm paid monthly. Psychologist is the only one I see twice monthly, just lots to cover quite quickly regarding the kids. All the places I've been I can claim directly from medicare on the day, so that helps. I just find it challenging to have the $400 upfront for a psych appt, even though I know I'll get $200 back. I was able to get a Mental Health Care plan which gives me a much better rebate for psychology than my private health insurance. I've also just hit the Medicare Threshhold so until the end of the year I'll get 80% back from Medicare for appointments. Personal loan is out the question, I already have debt with a car loan and just would struggle to handle another. I'm quite handy so I try to do as much myself, but agree if something breaks and as long as it's not keeping the food cold, it ain't getting fixed right now lol. I need to look into the PBS limit, as I've been on depression medication all year and now with hrt I'll hopefully hit that limit. Maybe next year I'll hit that but thanks, I'll definetly look into it. In terms of clothes, I've just had to lay off buying for now, I'm not full time and still present as male unfortunately. I want that to change in a few months but won't be going full time at work for quite sometime I think. I just have a lot to work through regarding the children before dad becomes, hmm, well I'm still working through what dad will become lol. Oh the joys of being transgender, but I'll get there.

Thanks everyone, really appreciate your feedback

Hugs
Bree

[kaye]

Financial managing a transition can be very tough. I've been lucky but it hasn't been easy. For one I'm 20k in debt, don't really care, but that's where I am. Over the last three years from realising I needed to transition to being a good way there I've probably been unemployed half that time.

Electrolysis was a tough expense early on, cost about 7k to 8k for my facial hair all up. All piled onto credit. Laser for body hair was about 1k.

Got a loan which paid for rhinoplasty and a poorly done brow bossing surgery. That got me some way to looking presentable and semi-passible.

Costs of therapy was several hundred early on but I couldn't afford to continue it. Thankfully I can now access free therapy for gender dysphoria. Costs of hormones are subsidised by the government if unemployed.

My parents gave me 11k plus I added a few grand of my own for a breast augmentation and (proper) brow surgery. Time will tell but this has frankly made the difference between probable suicide and living a much happier life with much higher self-esteem.

I know many are not as fortunate as I with their family in that regard.

Remaining concerns are SRS (half of which will be paid by accessing my superannuation and the other half saved). I need braces too, soon as I get a job I'm right there. And other procedures like hair line grafts will be a matter of saving the few grand I need.

All in all I'm on track and have been quite lucky.

[BreezyB]

Financial managing a transition can be very tough. I've been lucky but it hasn't been easy. For one I'm 20k in debt, don't really care, but that's where I am. Over the last three years from realising I needed to transition to being a good way there I've probably been unemployed half that time.

Electrolysis was a tough expense early on, cost about 7k to 8k for my facial hair all up. All piled onto credit. Laser for body hair was about 1k.

Got a loan which paid for rhinoplasty and a poorly done brow bossing surgery. That got me some way to looking presentable and semi-passible.

Costs of therapy was several hundred early on but I couldn't afford to continue it. Thankfully I can now access free therapy for gender dysphoria. Costs of hormones are subsidised by the government if unemployed.

My parents gave me 11k plus I added a few grand of my own for a breast augmentation and (proper) brow surgery. Time will tell but this has frankly made the difference between probable suicide and living a much happier life with much higher self-esteem.

I know many are not as fortunate as I with their family in that regard.

Remaining concerns are SRS (half of which will be paid by accessing my superannuation and the other half saved). I need braces too, soon as I get a job I'm right there. And other procedures like hair line grafts will be a matter of saving the few grand I need.

All in all I'm on track and have been quite lucky.

It's certainly not a cheap journey is it. You mention accessing your superannuation. I know here in Australia e have a provision for early access based on compassionate grounds due to medical reasons. I think I'll investigate this option as may be an option for FFS, or maybe not.

What country are you able to access superannuation early Kaye?

Anyone else had experience with this?

http://www.humanservices.gov.au/spw/customer/forms/resources/mo017-1405en.pdf

[immortal gypsy]

It's certainly not a cheap journey is it. You mention accessing your superannuation. I know here in Australia e have a provision for early access based on compassionate grounds due to medical reasons. I think I'll investigate this option as may be an option for FFS, or maybe not.

What country are you able to access superannuation early Kaye?

Anyone else had experience with this?

http://www.humanservices.gov.au/spw/customer/forms/resources/mo017-1405en.pdf

While in Australia we can take that option for surgery (Medicare Australia have more information, but I think from when a friend looked into it she also needed a letter from her G.P).
HOWEVER the money you take out of your super is counted towards your income for that current financial year. This may bump you up into the higher tax bracket. Where you may face a unpleasent surprise come tax time. (There is a lot of hoops to get that money here, but when you find out how much tax you will pay it will make you think)

Yes transition is expensive when surgeries are involved but sometimes taking out another loan or refinancing an old one are also avaliable and pending on your financial situation. Probably a better choice

[kaye]

It's certainly not a cheap journey is it. You mention accessing your superannuation. I know here in Australia e have a provision for early access based on compassionate grounds due to medical reasons. I think I'll investigate this option as may be an option for FFS, or maybe not.

What country are you able to access superannuation early Kaye?

Anyone else had experience with this?

http://www.humanservices.gov.au/spw/customer/forms/resources/mo017-1405en.pdf

I'm in Australia, like you. SRS is 10.5k with Dr Chettawut whom I plan to go to. Currently have 5.5k from the super so I'm half way there.

Never thought about accessing it for FFS so in that case you'd probably need to support a claim on those grounds by a psychologist. If the FFS it's tied to dysphoria/depression (which it obviously would be) I think those would be justifiable grounds.

Can't say for certain but definitely worth a shot

[BreezyB]

Thanks immortal gypsy, well I already seem to pay a squillion dollars in tax so I wouldn't notice a few more thousand, grrrr... But yes, I'll need to check that out, also if it's counted as taxable income I trust child support will go up also

I'm in Australia, like you. SRS is 10.5k with Dr Chettawut whom I plan to go to. Currently have 5.5k from the super so I'm half way there.

Never thought about accessing it for FFS so in that case you'd probably need to support a claim on those grounds by a psychologist. If the FFS it's tied to dysphoria/depression (which it obviously would be) I think those would be justifiable grounds.

Can't say for certain but definitely worth a shot

That sounds like something I ould look into Kaye so thanks for bringing it up. I'm sure my psychiatrist would support a letter or report to medicare. There's certainly a diagnosis of GD and yes it's linked to a life of depression, suicide attempts and well, I'm sure the list goes on. So yes, it may in fact be possible.