Is it better to travel and live a fulfilled life of adventure, or is better to sit and home and save money for retirement?

I still like this answer the best. every person is different and that's what makes society interesting.

I admire the young backpackers who go to a country and work...meeting other backpackers. I saw this in Australia...lots of gals and guys living in Cairns and all over the country. They had all kinds of jobs...from working on boats taking divers to the Great Barrier Reef, to picking fruit. Great experiences and memories for young people.

True
Much of what I saved has been lost for nothing of value to me.
I look back at it all now and wish I had bought what I really wanted or just a little splurge now and then to make life more enjoyable.
Instead I saved and did without only to lose a lot of it.
We all need a next egg to fall back on but thats all I would do now if I had to do it all over again.
We have no promise of tomorrow anyway.I think we need to get the most we can from the days we have.

I tend to agree with you on that.Boast and brag.

Yup. It is possible. A very few people get to have it all but for most people they have to give up one thing to get another. So decide what is more important. Travel or stuff. And if it is travel then start doing your homework on how to travel on a budget. Find the times that is is least expensive to go somewhere. Where to stay cheaply and how to eat good but cheaply as well. You can and still will have a lot of fun and great adventures. The internet is your friend on how to do this. You can also make friends with like minded individuals to even add to the fun.

That is why it pays to do your homework before you go somewhere. And like you figured out it always costs more for non-necessities like room service. If you do something like that know you will pay through the nose but just enjoy it as an occasional treat.

It sounds like he has a mental disorder. Just like people on the hoarder shows. He just hoards money. He would be better off paying for a good therapist.

This is one of the most important questions one can ask of themselves. My opinion isn't always right but here goes...

If you can afford it you should do all the things you have ever dreamed of doing. health can be such a fleeting thing and nobody knows what will happen tomorrow.

Taking care of your living quarters and paying your bills are the most important. If you can find a way to live below your means and save money for a trip or two every year that would be ideal. That's my plan anyway.

Last Edited by Founders Fan on 07/08/2012 02:57 PM

I am 40 years old and recently quit my well-paying stable job to travel the world for the next 2 years. I am starting in Peru for 4 months, and then back here to the States to live on the road in my camping van, eventually headed down to Mexico.

I had many of the same worries mentioned on this thread and even today sometimes am frightened that I've made a horrible mistake.

But, the bottom line is life is for living and not for accumulating money for some future that most likely will not come.

People working and saving need to realize that there is a VERY GOOD chance that all those investments will disappear when our monetary system comes crashing down, which it must do due to the massive debt in the system.

I don't want to be one of the dupes who trades the experience of their lives for some 401K that evaporates in front of my eyes.

Joseph Campbell always used to say, when telling his students to 'follow their bliss' that you should always pursue your dreams, because at least then you will have lived your dream, while if you instead work the job you hate to save money, well, you can easily lose the money and now you've lost everything.

'Saving the money' is the fear based-choice. We have to be able to say no to the fear.

Please don't poison this thread by trying to turn into a welfare debate.

Exactly. This thread is about how you want to live your life. Not about worrying about the future which has never done anyone any good.

@OP
Living an adventure and travel around the globe requires to go out of your comfort zone a bit (or a lot) and this is imho the key difference between adventure and homesweethome lifestyle apart the obvious financial issues (spending vs saving).
Depends on the character rather than your bank account.

Awesome thread.

I have one more year in college. I have been able to save a good amount of money. The question: will I use it to 'settle' down and get my own place? Or will I seize the day and do what I want to do, which is travel and be a part of this beautiful world!

I hope I make the right decision. Good stuff to read in this thread.

I've heard too many stories of people who saved every penny for their retirement and never took vacations or did anything their whole lives but the died the same week they retired or they didn't even make it to retirement. You only go around once.

Some people find traveling to be fulfilling, whereas other people find traveling to be extremely unfulfilling compared to what they could be doing instead.

It's a whole lot like the extrovert/introvert distinction. Extroverts just can't understand how someone would rather be alone than surrounded by a bunch of people yipping and yapping drivel at one another. These idiot extroverts often don't do much thinking of their own, so they just can't fathom how or why someone would want to be alone to think.

Similarly, traveling is often a passtime for people who can't think of anything productive or interesting to do. If you have a really vibrant imagination, physical travel is often a huge waste of time: it's FAR better to go on trips of the imagination while physically staying where you want to be.

I would completely turn the OP's question around and ask whether it's better to live a fulfilling life of thinking and producing than to waste one's time and money on travel. One of these days, OP, you're going to realize that what you're looking for in life isn't "out there" in the world, but inside your own mind. Once you figure that out, traveling loses a lot of its allure...and life starts to get a whole lot more fulfilling.

Yup. Or they get some health condition where they can't move about. Their quality of life deteriorates and they have nothing to do but sit around all day and ponder where it all went wrong.

The present moment is what counts. Don't let them fool you into trading it away.

travel, please join me...

only suckers save for "retirement"

[link to hitekhobo.com]

lol @ saving for retirement

especially when a greedy bitch ex wife can take it all
or some other SOB somehow manages to rob you of it
or you die
or the money you save is worth nothing.
or medical costs destroy your worth
or you are taxed to the max.

save if you can but learn skills and enjoy life
this is your true retirement

Excellent point you raise. I don't think one is necessarily better than the other. But most certainly, there are other options than traveling to take.

The point is to live your life as you see fit, not as you've been told to. For some that means traveling and experiencing other places and cultures, for others it means writing a book, or learning a foreign language or musical instrument.

There are many ways to follow your bliss.

Build up a store of good memories throughout your life. You will never regret it.

I am a Major introvert. I do not like to travel to tourist destinations and resorts. I like to travel to the mountains and to out of the way little towns and such. I also like hiking, biking, swimming, and so forth.

me also OP all the more reason to not worry to much about retirement

There's really no place I can think of that's better than the place I'm at.

Carpe Diem .

Seize the day, trusting as little as possible in the future. We only have the here and now for certain.

Better to just spend your kids' inheritance and make sure you have the Bumper Sticker.

If you are aged 18-30 many countries allow you to live and work.....info for Australians below.....but many countries have similar arrangements....


Working Holidays Overseas for Australians


On this page
•What the arrangements allow you to do
•Partner Countries
•Eligibility
•Work and Holidays in the USA
•Eligibility for Work and Holidays
•Letter of government support
•Further information


The Working Holiday Maker program encourages cultural exchange by allowing young adults (aged 18-30 years) from partner countries, to have an extended holiday in Australia, and young Australians to have holidays in partner countries. During these holidays they may engage in short term work or study.

Australia has Working Holiday Maker arrangements with a number of countries and regions. These reciprocal arrangements are negotiated bilaterally to provide Australian citizens the same opportunities overseas that are enjoyed by Working Holiday Makers visiting Australia. These visas may have different names in some countries.

Australia's Working Holiday Maker program is comprised of the Working Holiday arrangements and the Work and Holiday arrangements. Both allow 12 months stay. Work and Holiday applicants, including Australians wanting to travel overseas under the program to Work and Holiday partner countries, are required to meet additional eligibility criteria.

The Australian Government is currently negotiating Working Holiday Maker arrangements with a number of countries. Details of any new arrangements will not be disclosed until an agreement is reached. Information about new arrangements will be published on the department's website.
See: Working Holiday - What's New

What the arrangements allow you to do

Generally each country allows you to:
•stay in the arrangement country for 12 months
•work for a limited time to supplement your travel funds
•study or train for a short period of time.

Partner Countries

Below is a list of countries and regions that participate in the Working Holiday Maker program.

Countries with Working Holiday visa arrangements:



•Belgium
•Canada
•Cyprus, Republic of
•Denmark
•Estonia
•Finland
•France
•Germany
•Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China
•Ireland, Republic of

•Italy
•Japan
•Korea, Republic of
•Malta
•Netherlands
•Norway
•Sweden
•Taiwan
•United Kingdom


Countries with Work and Holiday visa arrangements:
•Argentina
•Bangladesh
•Chile
•Indonesia
•Malaysia
•Thailand
•Turkey
•United States of America

As each arrangement has been negotiated individually, visa criteria and the application process vary between countries. For specific information on Australia's Working Holiday Maker arrangements with other countries, you will need to contact that country's embassy or high commission.
See: Working Holiday Maker Program Partner Country Contact Information


After high school I mucked around - worked - got some quals - travelled a bit - got fed up and went to the UK intending to stay 6 weeks. Ended up being away 11 years! I worked in the travel industry which gave - and still does - heaps of oportunities. Ended up buying and selling property over there so had some money when I came back. Now living in a small country town on acres - still working - and cruising toward a fairly comfortable old age.

Would I have more - money/security/things - if I'd just stayed and saved? Probably. But would I have the amazing memories, experiences and friends I've had along the way?

Never!

Do it while you're still young enough to enjoy it.

Good Luck!

What good is a fancy house and car at 60 years old when you're old and worked your butt off your entire life?
To die with a lot of money in the bank?
There is soo much to see, do and experience in life.
Screw the money!


Last Edited by Bending Light on 07/08/2012 05:00 PM

In 1970, I took a Polaroid picture of a newly-minted 747 flying over the great gravel pit, known as Anchorage (Alaska), and I said to myself, "I'm soooooo getting out of here - and aviation my ticket".

By the age of 30, I traveled as a flight attendant all over Alaska, the Lower 48, Canada and Mexico. Unfortunately, I never got to Europe or anywhere else in the world. Two of the airlines I worked for went bankrupt and afterwards I did too. However, I started over again...so

.....25 years three children later, I'm in a much better place, can still travel through my hubby's job (airline employee), and yet have too many health problems now to use them.

HOWEVER, I will NEVER regret the places I went to when young, and meet the people I did. Am in a good place now to comfortably retire, so I got lucky and even that depends on the economy of course.

I recommended following your dreams, especially when young and BEFORE having a family. You will NEVER REGRET IT unless you have to ask other people for financing - you don't want that noose hanging around your neck.

The old saying, "If there's a will, there's a way" is true. With today's economy, it may be harder, but you experience youth only once. Middle age and old age can last a long time with too many regrets of "I wish I had......"

Its a gamble either way.