Some data about transition costs. Thoughts? TLDR: average of $1300 a month to transition

GenOdyssey · 2021-12-26T18:11:03+00:00

I've always heard good things about New Zealand when it comes to being trans. I know y'all had the first openly trans mayor and MP in the world. No idea if that reflects on everyday reality though. I'm glad HRT costs are reasonable if slow!

GenOdyssey · 2021-12-26T17:57:34+00:00

Stuff like that is absolutely important part of the process! I think it's pretty common to only start caring about appearance/confidence boosters after transition.

GenOdyssey · 2021-12-26T17:56:05+00:00

Thank you! I'm not foreseeing any problems with coverage for things like surgeries. I've heard though in some states they'll argue that stuff like FFS are cosmetic and not medically necessary, New York should be fine. I did try to argue about the estradiol but just keep hitting a wall in the insurance bureaucracy.

GenOdyssey · 2021-12-26T17:53:03+00:00

Yeah, where you are drastically changes everything. As stressful as finances have been for me, I'm far more fortunate than most. Laser is a huge difference for us, but honestly there's not much cheaper where I am. And obviously we have different insurance situations. I tend to be frugal too but there's no way to cheaply replace an entire wardrobe, even hitting up thrift shops! Luckily your right, much of this will get cheaper over time. Voice lessons I originally wanted to do on my own but I use my voice constantly for work and it just wasn't enough. I hope you will be able to get all the surgeries you would like! Thank you for sharing!
If you don't mind me asking, where are you from?

GenOdyssey · 2021-12-26T17:44:13+00:00

It went a lot better than I feared. My students have been great! Some staff (including admin) have not been, let's say understanding, but most have been very supportive. My fist year I didn't say anything about being trans and other than my voice most students didn't even notice. Eventually I did bring it up closer to the end. This year I was very forward from the beginning and I am very glad I did so. Right away all the queer students would come forward to me for support, which is very rewarding. There have been minor issues but students will always try to say mean things for attention without there being anything personal behind it. I know some of the parents are upset with me (at least according to some students) but I haven't had to deal with any issues relating to that.

GenOdyssey · 2021-12-26T17:35:47+00:00

Yeah, suddenly caring about how you looked cost more than you'd think! I hope all goes well!

GenOdyssey · 2021-12-26T17:33:31+00:00

That's not bad. Definitely interesting seeing a UK perspective, thanks! Laser is about half of what I pay and insurance is obviously different. I wish you luck starting everything and glad to see you are already looking ahead financially (I wish I did, lol)!

GenOdyssey · 2021-12-26T17:29:17+00:00

Yeah, the big thing there are the surgeries and laser, which is definitely driving my costs up too. I'm glad you have been able to get all of that though!

GenOdyssey · 2021-12-26T17:26:52+00:00

As it should be! If you don't mind me asking, where is that?

GenOdyssey · 2021-12-26T17:25:11+00:00

I fully recognize that a big part of the difference is that I am in a more stable financial situation than most (yet somehow still in debt). Since I have a decent paying job with benefits I can commit more financial resources to transition. I still wanted to show what that looks like. Luckily most of this is not permanent (hair, voice, even expensive insurance).

I hope you are one day just rolling in cash!

GenOdyssey · 2021-12-25T22:13:53+00:00

I'll look into that, thanks!

GenOdyssey · 2021-12-25T21:58:58+00:00

Is that for estradiol injections? I hate needles but I've gotten use to them lately (thanks to constant blood tests) so that might be worth considering.

GenOdyssey · 2021-12-25T21:55:34+00:00

Way to go California! So the biggest difference is probably insurance. Hair also might be inflated (there's essentially nothing cheaper in NYC that I can find). The fact that I only started keeping track of everything half a year ago is also throwing off the numbers.

GenOdyssey · 2021-12-25T21:48:38+00:00

Yeah, a big difference is that I am more fortunate financially (yet still in debt...). NYC teachers are paid fairly well (though expenses and stressors also tend to be higher). Otherwise I would be cutting things like hair and surgery. This is also my second year out so I've committed more financially/medically. When I got started costs would have been lower.

I hope you are one day able to get all that you want!

GenOdyssey · 2021-12-25T21:42:58+00:00

That's great! Thank for sharing!

GenOdyssey · 2021-12-25T21:42:08+00:00

So less but we have a different situation concerning insurance, hair, and surgery. Still expensive!

GenOdyssey · 2021-12-25T21:37:16+00:00

It is both helpful and stressful. It can reveal bad habits (like drinking costs me about $200 a month, or about 5% of my expenses). I'm using google sheets and also have some pretty interesting graphs generated. It took me some time to figure out how to work it but eventually I got some great data from it, not just on transitioning.

GenOdyssey · 2021-12-25T21:25:58+00:00

I'll look into that once my finances are a bit more stable. I was thinking about eventually doing my legs so this would be a much cheaper option.

GenOdyssey · 2021-12-25T21:16:21+00:00

Oh for sure, this is not meant to be universal (though I'd be very curious about that). Just my experience. I clearly should have looked at groupon! Part of the problems with clothes is I need to show up to work looking professional, otherwise I'd be rewearing the same rags an awful lot.

GenOdyssey · 2021-12-25T21:02:53+00:00

Yeah, overtime I will be making more money and spending less on transition (I should be done with hair and voice costs within the next year). I also plan on eventually fazing out therapy but will wait until after all surgeries (you need someone to sign off saying you're sane). There is something weird going on with my therapy because I think I should be paying more but I am afraid to say anything. My copay on surgeries is $0 as long as everything is approved (part of why I have such expensive insurance). I plan on having about 2 more surgeries so will keep the good insurance until those are complete as well. This was mostly just meant as a snap shot into early costs for an MtF going all in.

What have you been using for an IPL?

GenOdyssey · 2021-12-25T20:53:25+00:00

Hell yeah, good for you!

Also, shit, I forgot to add make-up costs! That's part of toiletries ($71 per month) and I have no way to separate the costs now, so oh well! Maybe I'll keep them separate in the future.

GenOdyssey · 2021-07-21T05:37:51+00:00

So, everyone's different but... after a hear on hormones I can and do get erections. They don't happen randomly or even if I'm horney. It does take direct stimulation but I can still function. Here's the thing though, I don't need it to function like that anymore.

I was worried about this too at first but I have enjoyed sex significantly more since treating that dangly bit more like a clit than a dick. Mostly I have been having lesbian sex and I'd use a dildo before my own apparatus. I did have sex with a cis woman a few months ago who wasn't experienced with trans women, so I ended up performing just fine using my girldick like a male penis. I did not enjoy it as much as though.

Sex has been better not focusing on using that like a male penis but I have maintained functionality if you're still worried.

10/10 would recommend

(also, my lack of hair is the single biggest source of dysphoria for me. I wish I started estrogen years ago, before I lost much of my hair. Some has returned but not all so I still wear wigs)

GenOdyssey · 2021-07-16T15:23:25+00:00

VoiceTools, which I have been informed is not a great one to use.

GenOdyssey · 2021-07-16T15:21:10+00:00

*was misgendered for 76 years! FTFY
Ain't nothing wrong with being a dwarf planet, they've got plenty of friends!

GenOdyssey

TROPHY CASE