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As I’ve said many times before on this blog: my initial plan on the road was in a time-frame of 6-months. It’s been almost two-years now and the thought of packing up and going back to a job or “settling down” gives me a headache, not to mention severe pangs of aversion.
I’ve been in Western Europe for a while now, and although not traveled as much as I would have liked to, I’m ready to try something new. In my books, that means move to South America, Asia or South Africa; maybe even Eastern Europe. Continue to teach English or start a new activity to allow me to be there for a while, and go with the flow.
Having some sort of work here in Europe — be it teaching English, blogging or the odd bar-tending job, has allowed me to pay bills and buy beer. Any travel comes from my savings but if I go on with this for longer, I’m going to be scraping the barrel pretty soon. Then what would I do? Should I even put myself in the position where I won’t be sure where my rent money comes from? 2-years is a good time to have lived abroad on your terms and traveled, do I now need to be realistic and go back to school, or get a “proper” job?
If it wasn’t for money issues, I could live the way I am for the rest of my life. Right now, I earn little money, but enough; and I enjoy immersing myself in different cultures. But what about when I’m older? The main worry is the “future”. What sort of life will I have when I’ve had enough of wandering? Will I regret not having a typical “career” when I am, say, 40?
I’ve been telling myself that if I earn enough money to live off freelancing (in something!) to avoid going severely into debt, technically I can continue living the way I am right now, forever! But it’s easier said than done.
I think all these thoughts put pressure on you when you are on the road for a long time. They force you to make something of your life while you choose to live unconventionally, so that you can continue to live life on your own terms indefinitely! In the process, you tend to miss out on the reasons you chose this life in the first place.
All this leaves me with a final thought: to enjoy the time you take out to travel long-term, you will probably make the most of it if you put a deadline on the plans, and have alternatives thought of for later. Question is, how long of a plan is a good plan? How do you decide?
March 15th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Ask 100 readers of this site, and I’m sure you’ll come up with the requisite 100 responses. Some, if not most, will tell you to never stop traveling. Still, I knew for myself that if I want to build wealth as a fail-safe for the inability to work and to have resources for when I grow old, I had to stop going from place to place and settle down for a bit. Depending on your age, I’d suggest getting off the road and spend some time building something (anything!) that will allow you to accumulate resources for the long term. This could be setting up your own turnkey business, developing a travel website you can run from anywhere, or even restoring a house to rent and build equity while you you’re out on the road. If done right, you could be back on the road without any money worries. All of these things take time, and that means slowing down for a bit. It doesn’t mean you have to “go home,” but it does mean staying in one place. To answer your question more formally, only you can really say how long your money will last and you’d be happy replenishing it. You may not regret having a typical career by 40, but you will wish you had money in the bank when you’re 60.
March 15th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
There’s more cash going out than coming in. You either need to earn more or spend less. How much of each you want to do isn’t something you can decide based on internet comments.
March 16th, 2008 at 2:16 am
i’m almost half way through a 6 month trip through southeast asia, for which i quit my job back home and took out the money i’d planned to use for downpayment on a house. i’m sure some people would think it’s foolish, but i have absolutely no regrets. if anything, it only makes me want to travel more, and i wouldn’t be surprised if i end up just like you - 2 years later and asking the same questions.
i think conventionally it might be easier to “settle down” to build wealth for the future, but it’s definitely not the only answer. i know you said its easier said than done as far as figuring out how to keep the money coming in while sustaining your lifestyle abroad, but the best part about it is that cost of living is so much less in many of these places! freelancing sounds like a great idea, although i can’t comment about how it can actually be done (if you figure it out, let me know!) =)
it’s cliche, but sooo true. money isn’t everything… =)
March 16th, 2008 at 9:53 am
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March 16th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
I think Brian brings up a good point. What are you going to do when you become 60? I know we’ve all seen the older backpacker in “A Map for Saturday” and we all know that travel will never get boring. However, what happens when you’re that age where travelling independently (or travelling at all) just can’t happen due to the infirmities that old age brings?
I like Brian’s idea of taking some time off to accumulate some equity that will last you into your twilight years.
March 16th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Hey Abha,
I’ve been grappling with this same issue recently, although on a shorter scale (2 months abroad).
First of all, I highly recommend the book “The 4-Hour Work Week“. Tim Ferriss talks about how to build businesses on the web that can provide enough income with minimal work requirements to permit this kind of travel… theoretically forever.
Also of interest might be this wikipedia page: Passive Income.
Myself, I’m freelancing with web design and trying to start my blog to get some ad revenue flowing… but these are slow processes.
Good luck!
Alex
March 16th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Thanks for all the comments! Brian and Scott I agree with you both. I need to work out a plan to accumulate resources, assets or fixed revenue.
Alex: I bought that book last week but I haven’t started reading it yet! I can’t wait to see what it has to say.
I’m currently reading Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell which talks about why somethings are successful and others are not;not quite on the same lines, but definitely pointers on success that you can apply to any facet if your life — that should ultimately help in the process of consolidating plans.
March 16th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Many here are saying that you need to get off the road to build equity for those years when you won’t be able to travel. The quandary is that you’ll be spending prime-of-life travel time not traveling!
I’m now in my mid-fifties, and I used to think that way too; but after years of staying put in an ambivalent city and an ambivalent job while still never quite reaching my financial goals, I shucked that line of thought and found a way to get paid to be on the road. I now have a freelance career that travels me all over the United States and sometimes overseas as well. I’m well paid and I am building equity much faster than I did as an office-worker. Since I work on a contract basis, I have plenty of personal time to travel to places I don’t go for work. In the last year, in addition to working in about twenty states, I visited London, Paris, Athens and Crete.
I can also extend work trips and join them together to get my travel fix. At the end of the month I’ll connect a Boston trip with one to New York City and get to be a tourist in the Northeast for a while, with someone else paying the airfare and much of the cost. My girlfriend also travels, working in a completely different industry. Her current client is in Manhattan and we’ll spend a romantic weekend in New York together.
Because I am actively saving for that not-too-far-off time when travel may not be so easy, I’m working hard right now and putting money in the bank, but one of the benefits of contract roadwork is that it can be very part time. Just one of my contracts, which takes up only three months, pays all my living expenses for the year (and allows plenty of time for, say, writing…!) I have a friend who works four months a year stateside and the rest of the time she lives on a sailboat in the Caribbean. She isn’t getting rich, but she gets by and it’s not a bad way to avoid hurricanes!
Many industries require travel. I work in remote television, my girlfriend implements medical software installations. Neither of us studied in college for our careers. You should also be able to find something that fits your skills if you get creative.
Finally, I never, ever regret choosing an alternative way to make my living. The times in my life that have been the most dissatisfying are those where I listened only to my logical head and did not take into account my traveling heart, the times where I followed traditional advice and stayed put. Right now, both my head and my heart are working together in concert, and life is very good.
March 17th, 2008 at 12:20 am
Elmore,
It seems you missed my point. I didn’t say anyone should stop traveling, just that some time should be dedicated to building a source of income just as you have. I’m sure you needed some time to learn your profession, as did your girlfriend. This required developing her contacts and customers. Also, I never stated Abha needed to get office job, just that time spent now saving and building a business or some source of passive income will pay off handsomely in the future.
March 17th, 2008 at 12:21 am
Elmore,
It seems you missed my point. I didn’t say anyone should stop traveling, just that some time should be dedicated to building a source of income just as you have. I’m sure you needed some time to learn your profession, as did your girlfriend. This required developing her contacts and customers. Also, I never stated Abha needed to get office job, just that time spent now saving and building a business or some source of passive income will pay off handsomely in the future.
March 17th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Brian:
I think we’re all on the same wavelength here. My point is only that we often set artificial limits for ourselves that really do nothing but get in the way. Myself included! I spent too much time working in an office, wishing I could be traveling but forcing myself to be there every day because it was the “responsible” thing to do, before I found out that it is often possible to have your cake and eat it too.
I’m hoping that my experience can help others realize that often non-traditional options are open to them, and often they are much, much better!
March 17th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
I agree with both Brian and Elmore. I agree that we don’t have to suspend our “travel” lives to ensure our future and I also agree that maybe a few months time does need to be set aside to start building a career path that will allow someone to live the vagabond life forever.
I have not been out on a trip as long as Abha has, but I will be heading out this fall for a year (and hopefully) more. Even though I will never lose the will to travel I will be interested to see how I feel when I come back. Will looking for a job actually be a refeshing experience, since I had so much time off? Maybe building a business, for example, will be a fun and refreshing break for Abha.
I currently work as a computer programmer. I enjoy the work, but the thing I look forward to is the abundance of contract work and the ability to telecommute. I can spend 3-6 months saving money for travel (and my future) while building my resume and keeping my skills fresh.
So, after this rambling, I guess my point to Abha is that no matter, how or where you do it, preparing for your future might be a perfect break from the vagabonding lifestyle
March 17th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Scott: Thanks for the input, you are right. I’m just not sure if it’s possible in a few months; and I also can’t seem to get out of my head that I’m on a deadline — for what, I don’t know, but I have that lurking in my subconscious.
Anyway, I haven’t spent serious time thinking about my future yet, I suppose that’s what I need to start with, keeping in mind the kind of life I want to lead — the rest hopefully will fall into place.
Thanks to all of you for this conversation!