One woman with disabilities, and her journey to F.I.R.E. Financial Independence/ Retire Early
I ended 2018 on such a high note. Six years after discovering Mr. Money Mustache, I finally met all the financial goals I set out to complete in a year. I had an emergency fund, got my mortgage under $50k, and paid off my credit cards. And then, 2019 came in - pardon me - like … Continue reading Sh*t hits the fan y’all.
Financially, 2018 was a huge success, but physically? It was a huge challenge. I have chronic illness and health conditions that are difficult to manage on a good day, but then a new one decided to join in: Iron Deficiency Anemia. During the first few months of the year I became more and more tired … Continue reading An Anemic Year
All last year I worked towards goals that I set the year before. For the first time - I actually did it. I succeeded. Honestly? It freaked me out. I know what failure looks like. I know what to do after failing. I know what comes next. Now? What the hell comes next you guys? … Continue reading Guys. It’s a new year and I am terrified.
Before I was Disabled Girl on Fire. I was Thriving Disabled. This was a blog/podcast that I tried to launch anonymously. Anonymity was a major problem. I was trying to be all cloak and dagger, and I couldn't be outright fully honest. I realized that by hiding and being stealthy I wasn't going to help … Continue reading I have a SECRET identity.
When I was 30 years old I had been on disability for six years. I worked 10-12 hrs a week at a job I had maintained for two years (my longest job history ever) and averaged $1,200 - $1,400 a month. I wanted independence and a better relationship with my parents and that wasn't going … Continue reading How I bought a house on SSDI with an income under $1,400 a month.
I was fortunate for some time. Since I was determined to be disabled under a certain age I was able to stay on my mom's health insurance plan for many years. My mom bore the burden of this cost for over a decade. The amount of which I only realized much, much later when it … Continue reading Social Security: Part 5 Medical/ Medicare
One cannot live on SSDI alone, so I had to come up with something I could do that would bring in some income and I could do even when I was having a very bad day and in pain. Years after SSDI was granted for other issues I developed an idiopathic autoimmune condition. I have … Continue reading Income: Pet sitting
For the last twenty plus years I have wrestled with guilt. I call it, “survivor’s guilt,” as a riff on the original meaning. I survive today because programs exist to support people with disabilities at a rate far greater than the past. Yet there is such a stigma attached to using them when your disability … Continue reading Social Security Part 4: Guilt and Shame
About two weeks ago I looked on Ikea.com and decided I wanted the Friheten couch. My friend and I had planned on an Ikea trip in two days, so I would have the opportunity to mess around with it in person and make sure that I liked it. I'm a fan of getting to Ikea … Continue reading I manifested a Friheten.
"You can work on disability?" This question is asked a lot, generally with disbelief or shock. The general public believes that if you are "permanently and totally disabled," and unable to do, "substantial gainful activity," you are unable to do anything. Period. Full stop. Let's discuss a few things here. One is the idea that … Continue reading Social Security: Part 3 – Working
