Confused

[RobinG78]

I know many of us are confused about gender, and everything associated with it. I understand the need to change, hey I'm all for it. The more research I do the more my suppressed memories are returning to the surface. I will stand up for what is right vs wrong don't get me wrong for posting this, BUT how can anyone afford the $20,000.00 or more to fully transition to female or even male.??


Based on my research the hormone pills are cheap at Walmart, but the associated operations are what costs so much, how can anyone pay for it. I'm on a fixed income I can barely support myself let along pay of operations. I'm I missing something someplace that will pay for all of this?? Then you have to buy different clothes, Goodwill is one place, but I'm not your average size. 6'0" a solid 300 lbs. Any pointers???


Thanks for any comments.....Robin

[Dena]

Most of us either have insurance or we work and save every cent we can for surgery. I had a budget, did my own cooking and spend very little on entertainment. It took about 8 years to pay for everything treatment related though I was spending money on therapy and electrolysis before surgery. Some people are able to use loans or a second mortgage to speed the process but the best way to start is to examine every cent you can for savings and if possible, look for part time work to fill in the gaps. By the way, I am 6'2" and don't bother with the "regular" stores. Everything I need is purchased new from locations that carry true tall sizes.

[EmilyMK03]

BUT how can anyone afford the $20,000.00 or more to fully transition to female or even male.??

Let me answer your question with another question.  How can anyone afford the $20,000 or more as a down payment on a house?  Or how can anyone afford to ever buy a car, or a boat?  Or how can anyone afford to go on vacations to the Caribbean?  Or a cruise?

The answer is, you make sacrifices and you save every penny you can.  I know that there are some people who can't even afford to own a car, or go on even the cheapest vacations, but many Americans can do those things.  So as a trans person, you cut your expenses to the bone.  You stop eating out at restaurants, period.  You stop drinking alcohol or soda of any kind (water is cheaper).  You stop going on vacations, and put that money toward savings instead.  You buy cheaper cars.  You make do with no cable TV.  You pack your own sandwich from home to bring to lunch instead of buying lunch at McDonald's.  You delay buying a new home.

Eventually all those things add up, and after many years, you save enough money to finally afford a major surgery.  That's super hard to do, I know.  Giving up all those things that make life easier is tough.  But nobody ever said transition is easy.

[LizK]

I know many of us are confused about gender, and everything associated with it. I understand the need to change, hey I'm all for it. The more research I do the more my suppressed memories are returning to the surface. I will stand up for what is right vs wrong don't get me wrong for posting this, BUT how can anyone afford the $20,000.00 or more to fully transition to female or even male.??


Based on my research the hormone pills are cheap at Walmart, but the associated operations are what costs so much, how can anyone pay for it. I'm on a fixed income I can barely support myself let along pay of operations. I'm I missing something someplace that will pay for all of this?? Then you have to buy different clothes, Goodwill is one place, but I'm not your average size. 6'0" a solid 300 lbs. Any pointers???


Thanks for any comments.....Robin

I got an insurance payout...most peoples first reaction would be...great you got all the money you need. Problem is I am only 52 and can't work anymore so this payout is supposed to last me the next 20 years. It won't and was never going to. I have allocated 20k for my Transition but I am going to have to go without for quite some time because I have used this money in this way. It probably won't be enough to pay for everything but I can't change that. I could easily spend my entire payout amount on this but I would suffer the consequences for years.

Unless you are fortunate enough to live somewhere where your entire transition is paid for by the state then you save and go without. 

I am one of the fortunate few to have it sitting there, it eases my mind knowing I have the funds for SRS. It is just such a lot of money to have sitting there...makes me smile each time I look at it though. I am trying to find a way to earn a few $$ to pay for my Electrolysis...at the moment quitting smoking is paying for it.

Good Luck

Liz

[RobinG78]

Thank you for the replies. i wrote a post about 10 min ago, but I didn't push the right button. I have paid cash for everything. If i can't afford it, we pass. Eating out is very limited maybe once a month. We have not been to a movie in over 10 years. Well I may soon look like a women but down south it will still be the same. LOL. Its broke any way.

[LizK]

...but I didn't push the right button.. .

For some reason when the browser page is refreshed in anyway you lose everything you have written...happens to me all the time, write a long detailed reply to someone and something triggers a refresh and you are sitting there with a blank page wondering where the last 30 minutes work has gone...so be aware if your browser refreshes or you use the back button you will lose what is in front of you...I use word pad or similar to compose long posts now

Cheers

Liz

[Dena]

For some reason when the browser page is refreshed in anyway you lose everything you have written...happens to me all the time, write a long detailed reply to someone and something triggers a refresh and you are sitting there with a blank page wondering where the last 30 minutes work has gone...so be aware if your browser refreshes or you use the back button you will lose what is in front of you...I use word pad or similar to compose long posts now

Cheers

Liz

I used text file when working on complex posts but if you hit the preview or Save as Draft button, you will have some freedom to move around depending on the button you hit.

[LizK]

I used text file when working on complex posts but if you hit the preview or Save as Draft button, you will have some freedom to move around depending on the button you hit.

I have post or preview but not save as? There is no obvious way in which to save the post

Liz

[Deborah]

I got an app for my phone called IA Writer specifically to use when I am composing long posts.  It has the added benefit of saving them if there are some ideas there you want to use again later.

[Dena]

I have post or preview but not save as? There is no obvious way in which to save the post

Liz

I have been a Moderator for so long and for the short time I wasn't, I didn't pay much attention to some of the buttons. Looks like Save as Draft is one of those things you get when you are a staff member and if it's part of the feature I think it is, you may have to be a Global Moderator to have it.

[LizK]

I have been a Moderator for so long and for the short time I wasn't, I didn't pay much attention to some of the buttons. Looks like Save as Draft is one of those things you get when you are a staff member and if it's part of the feature I think it is, you may have to be a Global Moderator to have it.

That may well be the case but for someone who has put a lot of effort and thought into their post is is very disheartening to lose the lot, especially when you do not know why. I don't know why this site does not hold your current data when it refreshes and why it has to refresh at all, but I don't have any other sites I visit that do. Maybe we all need the "save as" button. There are many times when I have nearly completed a long and involved reply to someone and have lost the lot due to a random refresh and have just quit out of the board and never made the comment. If I have done it I am sure there are many others who have experienced the same issue... but never said anything and never posted the valuable information they were going to share...just signed out in frustration like I did.

Hugs

Liz