Retirement Account Decision

I am finally done with training and am able to work the restaurant floor. Saturday night was my first night. It was very quiet due to an in-town food event but thanks to the pooling of tips system that they run, I came home with $80. If that's a slow night I can't wait for a busy one! I have also been hostessing 4 days a week. That averages about $10 an hour but when you only work 2.5 hours at a time, it doesn't add up to much. I'm hoping to move away from the hostessing shifts and into more serving shifts.

I made the decision, probably a bad one, to pull out my retirement in cash and take the 20% hit in taxes. There are things I need to use it for and rolling it over into an investment account will cost me in administrative fees and fees for when I take money from the account. This way I have it and allot it where I need to. I do plan to put $2000 into an IRA and use some to fully-fund an emergency fund. I plan to purchase health and dental insurance for the kids and I and pay that for a full year with one payment.

Now I just wonder how long it will take before I actually receive the check from my retirement fund?!