Hey Megan, thanks for taking the time to read and respond.

First off, I'm sorry to hear that you're struggling with chronic illness that puts you in a situation in this country where you have to have a specific job to have access to affordable healthcare.

As far as the perspective of this story, this is not my one-size-fits-all advice to others, this is very specifically my story of how and why I'm doing what I'm doing. It was a very tailored plan that took years to get to. I also have ongoing medical issues that I had to take into account, and that are covered under my partner's healthcare. Had they not been, the plan would have just been to save more before I took the year off to pay for the extra cost of healthcare.

I hope that by critically looking at your own situation, you can find a solution that works for you (especially with the sentiment that you mentioned about feeling like a slave to your current job). This one, works for me for all of the reasons that I outlined.

Best,

Breana