The (slightly less) broke tgirl's guide to HRT
Other guides: Breast forms
(This is less of a "broke tgirl" guide because you can't really get hrt without money but i'm keeping the naming convention)
We'll be covering two things in this post: How to get started on injections, and an alternative if you can't do needles.
Injections are generally considered the first avenue to (DIY) HRT.
Depending on your situation, it can be easier or cheaper to go a more legal route. In that case, it will be highly dependant on country, so search country specific information.
Estrogen monotherapy is commonly undersood as using solely estrogen (no blockers, but potentially progesterone) for your hrt. The E then lowers your T levels on its own. It's easier, but only really works if you're on injections, or on transdermal (patches, gel, spray) hrt.
The cost of DIY injection
Monetarily, a vial of estrogen will cost you between 40-80$, and lasts somewhere between a year and a year and a half. Supplies for the injection (needles, syringes, swabs), should usually run you to about 50$ for 2 years. (These are US prices, and may vary in other regions, but should usually not change much)
The cost in time will be up to a day every year for ordering the vial and supplies (if you get used to it, much less), and the cost in time of doing an injection will be up to 30 minutes, usually about five minutes, usually once a week.
This is just an overview. For a more in depth guide, if you're doing anything more than considering diy, PLEASE, refer to diyhrt.info
The usual proposed method is to inject about 4mg of estradiol in intramuscular or subcutaneous. Subcutaneous can mean smaller needles, and be easier for some. The rough process is:
sanitize leg and vial again
It's far from impossible, and if needles are possible from you, it's a very good option. I usually recommend enanthate, as it has a somewhat easy to follow schedule (weekly), and is relatively easy to access.
The only known significant interaction of estrogen is with tobacco/nicotine wherein it may dilute some effects (but hrt is still possible then!)
Some girls can't do needles. DIY estrogel is an alternative for them.
Once again, if you're doing anything more than considering it, check the sources. This is just an overview.
Estrogen is applied on the skin, and left to dry, usually 2 to 3 times a day. My personal recommendation is applying it on the inner thigh (as it generally has a better absorption, and rubbing one thigh against the other to apply the gel, then leaving it to dry. Drying usually takes up to 15 minutes.
Estrogen gel can be bought (see the link in the injection section for a few options), but often at a high cost. Depending on source, it will cost you between 100 and 500$ a year.
Making estrogel is relatively easy, thankfully. All that you will need is some hand sanitizer (easy to source, and estradiol powder (quite cheap). Finding a source for that powder may be harder, but you can find it at Dragonordnance, a relatively trustworthy source, or, from recommendations, Purple panda lab. Gel generally doesn't last very long, so you'll have to make it relatively often.
You can find topical spray, sublingual oil, pills, or gel on some stores (diyhrt.market)
Go forth and feminize yourselves!
Footnote: Buying diy hrt means often needing to pay in cryptocurrency. You can learn how here.
Remember: adjust your dose based on how it feels, and the effects you feel, not on hitting or missing some target.
Footnote 2: You can find a more advanced guide to making your diy here.
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