again: if i were to get something for $489/month, this is what my budget would look like:

rent: $489
food: $200
internet: $28
estrogen: $21
============
738

my income is $1215.

1215 - 738  = 477.

i do not have a driver's license, have never driven a car before and do not want to purchase an automobile. sorry.

i do not have any friends, do not speak to my family, do not have a job and do not want to purchase a cell phone plan. sorry.

i have not watched tv since the 90s, and have never paid for cable, not even when i had a full-time job in the 00s. i do not want to pay for cable, now. sorry.

i am exceedingly health-conscious, would prefer to make my own meals and simply don't like sitting in restaurants. that is, if we ignore the absurdity of telling me to rent a room so i can eat out more. sorry.

i quit smoking in january, 2016.

i have never drank much.

i never was and do not want to become a habitual marijuana user.

so, i have absolutely no idea what you want me to spend that money on.

honestly.

i'm at a complete loss.

i want to spend it on housing - because that is what is important to me.

if you forced me to, i'd probably spend it on hair removal. honestly. that's what i would do - i'd focus on transitioning.

now, let's say i actually did have a full time minimum wage job (and i wouldn't want to work in an intellectually stimulating environment, too stressful - i would want simple drone work, so i could go home and work on something i care about without being too drained). nowadays, that's a take-away of what? $1500/month, roughly?

and, let's say i got an apartment for $750 + hydro.

this is what my budget would look like:

rent: $750
hydro: $30 [i'd lose my subsidy, but i use almost no hydro.]
internet: $28
estrogen: $100 [i'd lose my subsidy]
food: $200
================
$1108

so, i'd have $392 leftover after rent - less than i would if i had a room for $479, on disability.

i still wouldn't want a car.

i might be forced to get a phone. i don't even know how much that would cost. i'd do it pay as you go, probably. so, let's say $20/month.

i still wouldn't want cable.

i'd still rather make my own meals.

i still wouldn't smoke....hopefully. it's probably the biggest single risk factor, for me.

i still wouldn't drink.

i still wouldn't do drugs.

so, i'd still have hundreds of dollars to waste, on what? well, probably hair removal, and then what?

now, this is what my budget would look like with a $750 + hydro lease, on disability:

rent: $750
hydro: $0
food: $200
internet: $28
estrogen: $21
================
$999.

so, i have $215 leftover.

if ford cancels the hydro subsidy, it'll cost me $30/month. trivial.

and, what i do with this?

the truth is: not much.

i can do my own accounting. i can do my own budgeting. and, when i say i can afford it, i'm not blustering.

i paid $650-680 for years, and pay $700 now, and have never had problems with rent.