This is where it starts to get tricky. Time frame affects costs, and amount available affects time frame. You will have to balance these variables against the amount you have available each month.
Transition expenses must be planned for on a larger scale, since some are variable costs, or they have to happen in a certain order. For instance:
- Hair removal is much more expensive at the onset, and keeping your face cleared costs less and less as you get closer to completion.
- Usually you need to be in therapy for a few months before getting approved for hormones.
- A hair system would have a large up-front cost, followed by much smaller maintenance costs.
- Some items will remain constant, like hormones, unless you ramp up doses or add things gradually.
These are just a few examples. You will need to look at your schedule from Exercise 9 and notes in the transition cost examples to tailor this to your own plan.
My first year spending plan
Do not base your own plan on my example. Your costs and goals will be significantly different.
I incurred no transition costs in the other categories in 1995.
Research/support: I was averaging about this much in AOL hourly fees per month.
Therapy: An hour a month most months. I suspect you’ll spend more than I did.
Electrolysis: As you can see, I had a major spike in electrolysis costs as soon as I decided to get my whole face cleared in August. In fact, my September electrolysis costs outpaced the amount I had available for transition. It had gotten so bad in September, that I found a cheaper place to get electrolysis done the next month. Classic case of readjusting to stay within my plan.
Amount available: I spent the other money available for transition that year on my last vacation trip in three years. All “vacations” since then involved me staring at a hospital ceiling.
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Exercise 10: Plan your annual transition costs
Here we are. Last exercise. Create spreadsheet for figuring out a long-term plan in the program or app you’re using.
Notes on each category
Research/support: If you plan on attending a convention or paying an annual membership fee in a certain month, mark the full amount in that month.
Therapy: If your insurance covers costs after a deductible, indicate when coverage would begin. Do that each new year.
Hair Removal: Plan on $100 to $800 a month or more at the onset for electrolysis, or possibly a larger lump sum for a laser treatment contract. I generally recommend getting facial hair removal under control prior to taking on other costs. Most women eventually settle into a weekly amount of regular treatment. Backtime 12 months from planned SRS to begin budgeting genital electrolysis if needed.
Voice: Plan on one-time costs for materials and fixed costs for therapy if needed. If you plan to save for vocal cord surgery starting at a certain date, put the amount you plan to save in this category. If you plan to pay for vocal cord surgery with credit on a certain date, put your monthly repayment in this category starting then. Don’t forget any security deposits or consultation fees prior to the surgical date.
Hormones: If your insurance covers costs after a deductible, indicate when coverage would begin. Do that each new year. Do not forget blood work or possible sperm storage costs.
Hair loss: Make any drugs a fixed cost. If you plan to save for surgical correction starting at a certain date, put the amount you plan to save in this category. If you plan to pay for surgical correction with credit on a certain date, put your monthly repayment in this category starting then. Don’t forget any security deposits or consultation fees prior to the surgical date.
Wigs/hairpieces: This will require an up-front cost, followed by monthly maintenance. Plan accordingly.
Plastic surgery: If you plan to save for plastic starting at a certain date, put the amount you plan to save in this category. If you plan to pay for plastic surgery with credit on a certain date, put your monthly repayment in this category starting then. Don’t forget any security deposits or consultation fees prior to the surgical date.
SRS: If you plan to save for SRS starting at a certain date, put the amount you plan to save in this category. If you plan to pay for SRS with credit on a certain date, put your monthly repayment in this category starting then. Don’t forget any security deposits or consultation fees prior to the surgical date.
Labiaplasty: If you plan to save for labiaplasty starting at a certain date, put the amount you plan to save in this category. If you plan to pay for labiaplasty with credit on a certain date, put your monthly repayment in this category starting then. Don’t forget any security deposits or consultation fees prior to the surgical date.
Job/Legal/Financial: If you expect a divorce, plan on those costs and a potential reduction in amount available once you’ve reached settlement. If you plan to consult with a lawyer about work issues, mark that month. Plan on name and document change costs around your planned full-time date.
Miscellaneous: Plan on a one-time increase in work wardrobe costs prior to full-time, and a possible full-time monthly increase in hair care costs after that.
Amount available: Make sure to factor in items that will make your monthly amount fluctuate: Taxes, holiday gifts, quarterly insurance payments, seasonal changes in utility bills, holiday bonuses, annual fees…
Important note:
Be sure your spending plan has at least $50 to $100 in leeway for unexpected and incidental costs. It’s also a good idea to have some money set aside, especially just prior to going full-time in the event you feel forced to leave.
OK, that should keep you busy for a while! However, once you’re done, I hope you see that transition is possible. For me, once I realized that, it was just a question of staying focused on what I knew I wanted.–
Next: You can do it!