"Being disabled is super expensive!"

+ a list of my anticipated income for 2025

Hi and welcome to The Ladybird Purse, my weekly newsletter about women and money. I’m not a financial advisor and am in no way qualified to give financial advice.

As part of my new year financial review (seems like ages ago now! January lasted forever and February has been a blink), I made a list of all the money I’m expecting to come in throughout the year.

Did you know that authors in the UK receive a small payment every time their books are borrowed from libraries? Mine this year was £168.40, paid ten days ago.

I also receive quarterly royalties from one of my publishers and January’s was £290. I added April’s, July’s and October’s to the list with the expectation that they’ll all be around the same amount. I might get royalties from another publisher too - maybe around £100 - but equally I might not. I have added that payment, but in brackets to show it’s not certain.

In March, I’m expecting a payment from ALCS (Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society) for… I’m not exactly sure. But it’s usually around £100.

I have two books coming out this year, so will receive the publication portion of the advances for both. (One is three figures, the other four.)

In September, I’ll get the final third of the grant I was awarded in 2023. That’s actually the biggest single payment forecast this year (again, four figures).

At some point, I’ll get £50 from YouGov for taking surveys.

The point of making this list was the remind myself that money is coming.

If (when) my bank account starts to look at little fraught, I can open this list on the Notes app and feel reassured. And I have. And I do. (I did it this morning after paying a few bills).

I don’t know if it would work if you have a fixed regular income, but maybe it would? You might want to try it anyway. List every amount, no matter how small, that you expect to be paid for the rest of the year and see how it makes you feel.

This week’s interview…

…is with Rebecca, who I met via the One Direction fandom.

(You know the two books I have coming out this year? (see above) One of them is about Harry Styles.)

Rebecca recently started her own Substack.

Interview With My Support Worker

Talking of interviews, I did one last week for the wonderful Words and Pictures Substack:

Words and Pictures with Keris Fox

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An interview with Rebecca Turner

I am Rebecca Turner, I am a disabled writer from the Gold Coast Australia.

I enjoy sports, pop culture and advocating for social justice and human rights.

find me @turnerebecca on Twitter, IG and BlueSky and LinkTree: linktr.ee/turnerebecca (this includes all my published work prior to substack)

What is your relationship with money currently?

I feel I have a great relationship with money. I know when to spend and treat myself, but I have always known the importance of saving. My dad works in the debt relief industry, so I had open conversations about money, and this developed a strong understanding that even if I were to fall into a bad place financially, there’s no shame in asking for help.

What’s your earliest money memory?

I think receiving money in birthday cards. Australian notes are different colours; that was a fun way to learn. Then as I grew up, the dollar amount increased, but I still felt just as special when I received $5 as a child up to receiving $50 from my grandparents when I turned 18. It meant so much that it was money coming out of their pockets and that it was given to me.

What advice would you give your younger self about money?

1. There’s a difference between being generous and allowing yourself to get used. Sure, you can shout your friends lunch here or there, but don’t let it become a habit, and don’t be afraid to ask to be paid back. I did this a lot in high school, and I realised this wasn’t healthy.

2. You’ll never regret having a set amount transferred directly from your pay into your savings. That amount adds up and can have the beginning of a strong savings amount pretty quickly.

What’s the biggest money mistake you’ve made?

I sometimes use money to avoid confrontation. I had a friend come over recently to help me out for a weekend when my family was away. (I have cerebral palsy, and it was about 8-9 hours of their time). I hadn’t really thought of the amount I was going to pay them. So when they asked how much—instead of just offering $250 for being a great companion and helping me in a rough time—I got a bit stressed and instantly calculated the amount of money my qualified support workers would be given if they did the same shift. So that was hundreds of dollars more than I should have sent them, and the regret was real.

We eventually had a discussion, and I received some of the money back. It was a lesson to always take a moment and have a chat before transferring hundreds of dollars to someone.

Do you have additional expenses because of your disability?

Being disabled is super expensive! I can’t imagine how much it cost my parents when I was younger despite the support and programs were available to them. All the physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy. When I was first diagnosed - I used to live an hour away from the hospital and other services so there was lots of driving to and from multiple times a week. That’s a whole lot of petrol.

My cerebral palsy affects so many aspects of my life. A simple example I can give is shoes. Prior to getting in shoe orthotics I used to rip through my sneakers often. I would wear them till there were holes in the top. If I was wearing sandals skin would come off. So I always used to make sure I had money ready every few months available for new pairs of shoes.

Could you talk a little about any financial support you receive due to your disability

I have two main types of financial support I receive.

DSP - The Disability support pension is available from 16 years old up until you’re old enough to transfer for the age pension. I am eligible for the payment because my disability is lifelong and impacts my ability to work more than 15 hours a week.

I had to fill out so many forms and get my GP to start the assessment process. After that my balance was tested to prove I couldn’t work in hospitality and in retail as I fatigue quite easily.

I would say I’m unemployed with a few freelance jobs here and there. So I receive the full fortnightly pension. I have worked contracted job before and because it was only 8 hours a week. I was able to keep my DSP at a reduced rate alongside the salary I received.

I’m so grateful to have had this payment since I was 16. It increased to the maximum amount at 21. Through out all the ups and downs with my health, jobs and study - I have had stability with this payment coming through. I still live with my parents so I couldn’t live on the amount of money alone but I’m glad I can use it to contribute to my family.

NDIS - The National Disability Insurance Scheme is great when it’s on your side but it’s painful when it’s not. It takes a lot of physical, emotional and mental toll taken when applying for this scheme.

Put simply, this scheme allocates you a certain amount of money over the course of plan length (2 years and you get reassessed after that) to help you function in life. They can cut things they have previously approved at the next plan review so it’s always a nerve wracking process. It’s not a never ending amount of money. My first year I used all the money that covered my appointments before the plan was up so I had to use a mix of my own money and private health insurance to make the difference up until it was time for a plan review.

The plan includes an amount of money and hours allocated for physiotherapy, occupational therapy and some other medical services. Whether it is funds for a support worker, money for transportation so I can get to appointments, medical equipment (shower chair, kitchen stool, wheelchair and cushions. (You have to apply for the equipment.)

They also fund home modifications if needed - for me personally it took to 2 years to get an accessible bathroom built, a ramp at my front door and better stair rails.

There is also money there for short term accommodation - so if I wanted to go away for a night or two with my carer for respite. I can also use the funding for that.

I am so grateful for the NDIS but due to it being a government agency - it’s always more complicated than it needs to be but I’m glad for what I do and have previously received. It has changed my life for the better.

What’s the best thing you’ve ever spent money on?

This is a tough one. My dog, Billie, is the light of my life. I wouldn’t function without her. It is truly hard to go past all the overseas travel and concerts I’ve attended. They have all shaped me into the person I am today. At the moment, though, it’s the middle of summer. I recently paid for an air conditioning unit to be put in my bedroom, and that is glorious.

Do you have a retirement fund? If not, do you have a plan?

I do have some money in a superannuation fund. As a freelancer, I need to remember to put some more money in there. I do need to figure out a better plan. I need to use some of the money that goes automatically into my savings and place a portion of that in my superannuation.

What would you do with £10,000 (or local equivalent!)?

Putting my sensible hat on, that is about $5000 away from the smallest deposit amount for a unit in my area. I would more than likely put it away and keep saving. If I decided to be spontaneous, I would definitely book a trip overseas. I would probably use the UK as a base and start from there.

What little luxury could you get with a tenner?

A tenner is just under $20. I think I would buy a movie ticket and go have some me time and enjoy the escapism for a few hours. The last movie I saw in the cinema was Wicked, and it was a magical experience. I need more of that in my life.

If you were me, what would you want to ask women about money?

I would ask how they came up with their savings plan and if they knew who to reach out to if they found themselves in debt.

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THE LATEST POST ON MY AUTHOR SUBSTACK, HAPPY ENDINGS…

…in which I fall down a teen mag rabbit hole.

Oh boy!

Why’s your boy so scrummy? Hmm?