Hi Tandart
Time is running out if you want to get something done by the end of the year. I hope your insurance doesn't require the dentist to submit a treatment plan before going ahead with the work. If insurance approvals are involved you may be out of luck this year.
Insurance issues aside I'd like to suggest a plan for you. Full upper and lower dentures will cost around $5000 give or take. Split up the dental work between this year and next year. You could have some of the extractions done for the $1500 you have left for this year. For instance, get the rear molars out and leave the front teeth for appearance purposes. You might be able to get that much done and not even need a day off work especially if you have the extractions done over two or three visits to the dentist. Get the rest of the work done in January. You'll have a new insurance year to pay for even more of the dental work and be able to take some "discretionary" time off for the first days after gettin the dentures if needed.
If you have all of your teeth extracted all at once and immediates put in right away I would suggest at least a week off. A procedure like that rarely goes without some kind of complication like stubborn roots or broken teeth that need cutting out and needing your gums to be stitched up. Between a sore mouth and a mouthful of foreign plastic you won't be able think about much except what's going on with your mouth.
Good luck!
Yos