Hi all! Feeling a bit defeated about Top Surgery lately.
I'm currently 27 and have been wanting surgery since my teens. So, a few years ago I finally pushed past the anxiety/imposter syndrome and decided to take the leap in starting to plan for the surgery.
Due to a variety of reasons I have to go private (I'm in England). I have no sparkly health insurance from my employer or anything, I just need to scrape together £11k on my own. A well known surgeon operates about a mile from my house which is super convenient. I'd want to choose him even if he didn't work nearby because his double incision results are wild!
I started a side-business last year to try and begin making the money. I collect bones and roadkill to create art, jewellery and taxidermy. It's been going well for the most part! But things have really slowed down all of a sudden and I'm super burned out so I'm struggling to make more stock and market more (I also work a full time job). All money I manage to save from my regular job ends up going into the house due lots of unforeseen repairs since we bought it last year.
I'm feeling so held back by my 9-5 job. I enjoy it and I need it in order to pay the bills and stay alive, but I constantly think how free I'd be without it. I have so many creative ideas for fundraising that I could fully commit to if I had the time. I'd hike the length of the damn country to raise the money if I could. But I just feel so restricted with my time.
So I suppose I'm just curious to hear if anyone else came up with any effective/quick strategies for saving or acquiring their Top Surgery money?
I'm getting really bummed out because it feels like top surgery is still so so far in my future at this point. I've only managed to get £2k of my goal through the side business and I put so much energy and time even into that. I'd just like to actually be able to be at peace in my own body at some point in my twenties but I don't think that's realistic anymore.