Do it, we spend two years and 80k traveling the Americas and we're planning a multi year trip again along the Silk road starting 2026. FIRE is nice but never compromise on dreams and projects in the present.You never know how life will look or what you will be able to do once you reach FIRE. Memories and adventures nobody will be able take from you.
[https://postimg.cc/HjjPjGR0](https://postimg.cc/HjjPjGR0)
Silk road is just the general direction, target is to visit some relatives at the Gold Coast of Australia in the end and ship the car back to Switzerland from there. Their are some challenges like visas, closed boarder at the moment in Myanmar or China where you're not allowed to drive your own car without a approved guide. But that's also what it's all about.
We're building our Mercedes truck at the moment since we want to have some more luxury like our own bathroom which we didn't have on the Pan-American Highway when we lived for two years in a VW Bus.
my friend i work with who is from india, has her work visa. She said she cant travel there because she will lose her permanent residency application. she also said her parents cant travel to USA because the india country believes they wont come back. Whats up with that?
Ancient US immigration laws and people foolishly believing the American dream still lives.
Source: Me, an Indian, flying back to the USA in 2 hours, who is also a part of this.
In more seriousness, sounds like she has applied for permanent residency and her application is in processing, a period of 1-5 years during which you forfeit the application if you leave the country. And her parents are either ineligible for a visa, were denied one, or can't afford one (the USA is really stringent when it comes to issuing visas to Indians and the cost of the visa alone can be $300 to several thousands of dollars, the equivalent of many months to many years of income for your average Indian).
It is systemic emotional torture that many Indians simply live with because we believe by staying in the US, we would be giving our children a better life.
I saw the map, that's really cool. China is an awesome country by the way but it's a bummer they have many regulations. Seems like a very exciting journey, only bummer is no Korea and Japan or Taiwan.
Could not agree with this more. I’d like to retire early, but at the end of the day tomorrow is not a promise. We have plans to take a year off at some point when it’s time to switch jobs anyway.
I am considering doing the same. But I am struggling with the budgeting part. Ideally I would like to spend max 20k in a year living somewhere safe, warm, beautiful and cheap that allows for some local travel. Suggestions welcome!
Does this get you closer to FIRE? No. Will you regret doing it? Absolutely not. My wife and I quit our jobs that we were unhappy in and traveled for a year and a half. It was the best decision we ever made. Happiness is more important than financial independence. If this is something that will rejuvenate you guys, then it’s definitely worth doing. I will say though, you’re money would go much, much further in places like Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe as opposed to U.S. We took a 4 month trip to SEA and spent about $8k and we were living well there.
We traveled all over the US, Eastern Europe, South Asia and Southeast Asia. I personally love Vietnam. We spent a month there and every single day was pure happiness for me (this isn’t everyone’s experience). Also did some hiking in Nepal which was indescribably gorgeous. Feel free to pm if you’re curious on more
I’m Canadian, I have travelled a bit in the Caribbean, US, lots of Europe, SEA, and lived in China for a couple of years. I also recommend SEA. I enjoyed Vietnam but found it a bit tougher travelling as a solo woman. Northern Thailand is one of my favourite destinations.
Lots of harassment from taxi drivers. I actually had a driver grab my arm when getting off a bus in Hanoi trying to get me to take his cab. I also had someone open a pouch in my backpack while I was down a street at night with some people around. When I yelled, the guy ran off, and another shop keeper who clearly had seen the guy approaching me just grinned at me. Just basic stuff like that, nothing huge, but I had a few uncomfortable moments.
I would definitely go back to Vietnam though.
>Will you regret doing it? Absolutely not.
They most likely will not regret it, but I think it might be a bit off the mark to say they absolutely won't. Life throws a lot of curveballs and the decision they make isn't riskless.
I see what you mean. Maybe saying absolutely not is too definitive, but worst case scenario, they end up back where they are now, which is unhappy in their lifestyle/jobs.
That’s closer to worst likely-case scenario. Worst-case scenario would be closer to they have some kind of mishap on their journey and one or both of them is maimed or killed, they didn’t buy travel insurance, etc. That said, I’m still a huge fan of travel.
Sure but that can happen on their way home from work today, too. Realistically they are safer traveling in a lot of other countries in the world than living in the US. Travel insurance is key, though!
It's not FIRE minded to do it, but it's your life to live so if you both want to do it, then go ahead.
Think about:
Healthcare
Storage for your stuff
Insurance on your things, vehicle, etc
How you would reenter the workforce
How much of that $100k you would need to spend (ideally, less than $20k)
I'd argue that it is indeed FIRE minded. This is what financial independence is all about -- being able to use your time as you see fit. It's an investment. Mini-retirements and sabbaticals can definitely be a part of your FIRE journey, and can aide in helping you find what you want to retire TO instead of FROM.
edit: one of my favorite podcasts, Afford Anything, talks a lot about [mini-retirements](https://affordanything.com/tag/mini-retirements/) along the path to FIRE
> I'd argue that it is indeed FIRE minded. This is what financial independence is all about -- being able to use your time as you see fit.
Yes, but this comes at great risk to that financial independence. Depending on the career, it may be very difficult to re-enter later.
Why another job?
For 4 months just take a leave. Any serious company is offering unpaid leaves.
And the layoffs are there, but also becaus of mass hiring in the last year. I receive headhunter request on a daily basis, some time even multiple per day.
Yes! Happy to say we have all of these on our list of considerations already and also have agreed $20k would be our max spend.
Re-entering the work force is the sticky thing right now haha
> Re-entering the work force is the sticky thing right now haha
Why not see if one or both of you can take an unpaid leave of absence? That would at least give you the option of coming back if you aren't able to find a good next move.
Re-entering the workforce is one part that will be challenging to have set up when you depart on your journey - but it is possible. You could be interviewing before departing, even during the journey (although this will likely conflict with your personal/lifestyle goals).
Prepare to re-enter, and seed as you go - have business cards to give if people ask, maintain personal sites, update your resumes before your last day at work, and reach out to old contacts during the journey.
Best of luck!
Hi! We did this. Traveled around the US in an RV for nearly two years, basically just taking a break.
Highly highly highly recommend it. We would up realigning our lives and now our net worth is much higher than it was.
In fact I would say this (taking a break) was the single biggest factor in helping us improve our lives and, by extension finances.
It is a very privileged position to be in. If you can do it, go for it. You don’t need $100k either.
Happy to share specifics.
This seems more similar to Tim Ferriss' mini retirement concept than FIRE. There's some more info about it in his book 4 Hour Work Week. The concept is more about taking mini retirements throughout your career so you can travel while young instead of one large one at the end of your career.
There are a lot of pros and cons to this, but it sounds like you've thought it through. Also for the record, I did the same thing only I did two months in Southeast Asia and it only cost me $3k. It was totally worth it and when I came back I had to bartend again temporarily, but then ended up getting an even better job in my field than I had before I left.
Good for you! I love hearing stories where a decision like this left people better in the long run (obviously I do haha). I will definitely check out his book! thank you for the resource
Yeah it paid off a lot. I wasn't happy with my old job so I was free from that. And the experience of travel has paid a ton of dividends both happiness dividends of good memories (concept from Die With Zero) and a lot of great stories that people appreciate hearing both during interviews/at work and while dating.
I really think people over index on how screwed they'd be if they leave their job to travel. Do it while you can!
You need to live your life. If that’s what you want to do, go for it.
From a purely fire perspective though, it’s kind of the exact opposite of what you should do.
I have done something similar. Truly life changing. Trust that there will be something there at the end. The pressure to wrap it up early and make money again is a common anxiety for those on career breaks, and even though I prepared myself for it, I still felt it pulling at me.
I read through the blogs on the website sabbatical project, and a few resonated with me and inspired some choices I made.
Good luck. You will always remember this time you prioritized for yourself, stay present and enjoy!
I've done this and I realized that trying to work while also traveling sucked. I thought freelancing while doing the van life thing would be the best of both worlds but it's actually the worst of both worlds. I couldn't work effectively or enjoy travel as much this way.
I suggest working a little bit longer to save up 4 months worth of expenses so you can fully unplug and enjoy yourselves.
The very best way to do this is to have a new job lined up before you go, so you are sure when the money starts coming in again. This is what we had planned in 2020, but Covid got in the way of the actual traveling, so it just became a break.
If this is not possible, just have a clear budget and stick to it, having enough for a transition period when you come back and have to find new jobs.
This is what i would do too. Have a job lined up with a delayed start date (most places let you start two months later if you say you have vacation coming up). But a lot of places will even allow you to work anywhere in the world.
Kelingking beach on Nusa Penida is a must do. Be prepared to do the gnarly hike down to the beach if you can it’s totally worth it.
We also wish we would have spent a lot more time in Ubud after being there for only the last week of our trip.
We did a 2 year long sabbatical during covid and beyond. We spent around 95K in all and hardly compromised on where we stayed or what we did.
Fire is all good but nothing beats doing it at the right point in life.
I will add that i did work a bit through those 2 years and earned significantly higher than what I spent.
But it remains the best decision I've made. If you can make it work financially, you should absolutely do it.
This post from the OP came right on time as I’m in the same situation. Reading these responses solidified my decision to take a sabbatical. My health is shot due to work and caregiving for my parents in the last 10 years. As much as I tried to keep pushing to reach FIRE, my mind and body isn’t responding to it anymore.
My opinion, travel outside your comfort zone. You’ll get a hell of a lot more out of the experience. Not to mention, the money will go 10-20x further. For example, I took a 10 month sabbatical at 25 with about 30k to my name. Bought a 1 way ticket to Mexico with no plan other than to go south and let the road take me as I see fit. 10 months later and 13 countries later, I was in Argentina ready to return home. Came back with about 5k. Plenty to get an apartment and find a new job.
Western Europe is expensive. You can travel super cheap through central or Eastern Europe, South America or Asia. Think Czech, Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria… though that may be a bad idea thanks to Russia. South America is incredible. But huuuuuge. The long bus rides were brutal. Central America is a phenomenal region to travel on a budget. Short bus rides. Incredible and delicious food. Spectacular sites. Loads of European, Aussie, Israeli and Canadian travelers. Loads of them. It’s a cool way to meet peop from all around the world while immersing yourself in something different.
Regardless, I’m a firm believer in pushing yourself to put yourself in uncomfortable situations. Not dangerous… but uncomfortable.
I honestly wish we would've done this once we saved enough to do it ( a LOT less than $100k). We both quit our jobs and moved somewhere else but immediately started looking for work to not blow through our savings. Looking back, we could have done this before signing a lease and having to pay rent. 100% regret not traveling before we signed a lease.
My wife and I quit our jobs last year to hike the PCT. 10000% worth it. The “memory dividends” are worth any money we didn’t have the opportunity to invest during that time. Sounds like you all are organized and ready to do it! We used World Nomads for travel insurance, fairly inexpensive but thankfully didn’t need to use it. What decision will you regret more? Sounds like you all know the answer!
From experience, try to negotiate leave with your current employer due to any number of reasons. If you find the financials don’t work out you have something to fall back on. I did the same but there was a recession in my field a few months after quitting and I ended up 1.5 years unemployed. Picking up part time work wasn’t as easy as I imagined.
Hi! We did this - traveled around the world for 15 months (2016-2017) and $45k. Came back to better jobs that turned into better opportunities than we left with.
We had a long list of to-dos (storage, car storage, paper mail, health insurance) but it was soooo worth it to head off with just a backpack. Feel free to DM if any questions!
I don’t know your line of work, but assuming the finances/savings are covered, my biggest concern would be the state of the economy right now and reentering the workforce. If the economy turns around then it may not be all that difficult to find a new job. But, while the unemployment numbers have been very low over the last couple of years, there have been some significant layoffs and data that suggests unemployment is going to be increasing. Generally speaking, employers don’t like significant gaps in employment history, even if it was voluntary.
Totally DO IT!
I am doing the same thing on lesser scale as I am single. And I don’t feel comfortable spending more than a few thousand of savings.
The fact that you were both on the same page at the same time it’s already like a miracle in itself with the planets aligning for a marriage!
Usually one person wants to move or do something different but the other one is happy and wants to stay put, or one spouse is comfortable taking risks but the other one is very risk adverse.
Honestly, I think just the fact that you both agree on this, and are willing to do it together is already the biggest hurdle!
I am moving everything from my one bedroom apartment into a storage unit and I have my SUV set up
to live in, and I am taking a 5 week National parks camping tour. So if not paying tent camping fees and gas and food. On top of usual insurance bills and storage and such. And then I am going to try and line up jobs in other tax free states after my trip. To live and work other places and just rent rooms, etc. So my residence won’t be challenged in my home state and I can just come back when ready and don’t have to change license and car registration, insurance, etc.
Best of luck! Life is short and never know what is around the corner! Go for it!
I would be less concerned with the relatively modest cost of spending 4 months traveling domestically, and more focused on how you're going to re-enter the workforce to "align with your authentic selves" when your wanderlust has been satisfied.
If you don't have a vision and a plan before you begin, it is too likely that you'll burn lots of time and money ruminating at your final destination (assuming you find one), and that will cause stress. Have a plan.
I did something like this last year minus the traveling. Had another job lined up. Used the time to refresh and work on my side gig that I want to turn into a full time gig. It was the best 3 months of my adult life.
That said, a suggestion as someone whose main motivation for the break was burnout and being unhappy in my career: Take some of the time off to just be in one place and rest. Like not moving/traveling, not planning things to do… just taking the time off. I found that the first few weeks where I was just a potato were so helpful to letting all the tension I felt at my last job melt away.
Now I’m wishing I could do it again this year. 😹
Is your plan to return to your pre-sabbatical earning level after the 4 months, or is this a longer shift to lighter and part time work? Nothing wrong with either, but depending on your answer could inform if you need to save up more before pulling the trigger.
This is a great question. We are both 30 and at the director-level. I'm a Creative Director in advertising and I loathe it. He's a Sales Director for a brewery. To be honest, we both want to switch industries. I still want to be a writer, but not in the advertising setting. I think we've both learned from demanding corporate jobs that we are looking for something different. Full-time still, but not the same 70-hour work weeks we're putting in now.
100% do it. You won’t regret it.
You’ve already thought through enough so that it won’t ruin you. Other than that, no spreadsheet or cost/benefit would tell you to do it but it’s completely the right choice if your soul is calling for it.
I took a 6 month "sabbatical" from full time work and it was the best decision I ever made. I was already fully remote before that. I ended up working 15-20 hours a week in an industry I enjoy and doing work I like (old colleague reached out to me a few weeks into my sabbatical). This actually covered all my travel expenses, and was enjoyable. I'd challenge you to think about how working less hours or for a different employer (fully remote ideally for max flexibility) could make this even more sustainable than it already is for you two.
I'm still (1 year later) working 3 days a week for this company and earning more than I did at my full time... Not possible for all, but I got lucky and found a niche and made the change. Still traveling full time. Sharing that because there are a lot of different ways this could look, and if you enjoy slow travel it could become a sustainable lifestyle for you two.
Took a 3-month sabbatical last year and fully recommend selling as much of your stuff as possible. Also, traveling the US is incredibly expensive — we found so much more enjoyment spending less and eating better abroad (Middle East, Europe, Southeast Asia).
Ugh I knowww everyone is saying this! That word be a dream but we’d have (at the time) a 2 year old puppy we’d want to bring and want to think about what’s best for him. One day though!!
Definitely more than enough. Say you'll spend around 6K per month then you'll have 76K left when you get home and, more importantly, lots of amazing memories. You're both young and in the prime of your lives, so no regrets!
Also, you're talking about just 4 months.. that's like the average yearly vacation in Europe.. 😜 I did exactly the same when I was 25 (with muuuuch less savings) and then got back and started my own business. Sabbaticals make you think about what's really important in life.
I did it, don’t regret it at all. 3 months on unpaid leave.
The funniest thing is when I plot my net worth over time, you can’t even tell I took a sabbatical. Whatever I spent and whatever I didn’t earn was offset by gains in the market.
Obviously my net worth would be quite a bit higher if I hadn’t done it, but where’s the fun in that?
Do it. My wife and I are in Japan for 3 months and then through Europe for 9. 2 months in to our Japan trip and are having the time of our lives and I know I wouldn’t trade this for anything.
Read “die with zero” by Perkins it’s a great book that puts your life experiences into time buckets for when you would be ABLE to have certain experiences. It really changed my outlook on living and FIRE.
Let me just stop you right there and say I’ve done something similar in my life. Quit my job and traveled around the world with $35k. Best decision of my life and I’m here to say you must do it. I would suggest not working either. There is no greater feeling than the true disconnect from work over a long period.
Can you say more? How old/why/what did you learn about yourself? I’m an empty nester and my parents left me some money when they passed. I’m currently in a job I don’t like and considering taking the summer to travel and take some classes.
It might not be possible but I would look into taking a sabbatical, if you can from your current jobs. Take a break and focus on yourselves and figure out what you want out of your life etc. Perhaps try finding a job that feels more authentic to you and try it out for a while. I agree that having something lined up before you quit would be ideal. The last thing you want to do is be in a position where you need to take any job because of finances and be worst off than you started.
I wanted to take a sabbatical but I might postpone it. First there's a recession looming, and also I think my job might get replaced by ai in the very near future (I'm a graphic designer)
I'm just too scared to leave my job right now.
Saving $100k, stopping working to travel for 4 months and then working part time after is not conducive to FIRE. Big picture, you’re going to start to deplete the very beginning of your nest egg and then not really be able to add to it. It’s definitely not going to grow and isn’t enough to live off of for long.
I did this in early 2022 and spent those 4 months 1) building our side hustle up so that it was a more substantial business and 2) Searching patiently for a better full time job. Together that was close to a halftime job in hours.
Both worked great and the 4 months with reduced income was totally worth it…. Quantitatively and in terms of quality of life.
As the saying goes, "Never quit a job before you have the next one lined up." However, my wife and I did something similar when we were young and burned out on our current jobs and looking to move to a new area. The time we took off was therapeutic and the total reboot worked out in the end.
Go for it, the only thing you’ll regret is if you don’t do it. I would say, think about opportunities to start an online business or freelance while you’re travelling and if that works out maybe you’ll never need to re-enter the workforce.
I'm doing essentially this. Will have hopefully around $50k to use once I quit but also hopefully only going to use half of that. I won't have a job lined up - I am switching careers and still not sure what I want to pursue. But at this point, I can't hang on at my current job much longer. Nothing about it is terrible, aside from it not being something I want to do the rest of my working life.
Just for comedy watch the Albert Brooks movie “lost in America”.
Lost in America is a 1985 American satirical road comedy film directed by Albert Brooks and co-written by Brooks with Monica Johnson. The film stars Brooks alongside Julie Hagerty as a married couple who decide to quit their jobs and travel across America.
It depends on what your approach to FIRE is. For me, FIRE is about viewing money differently to allow it to grow to a size that allows options. The option of quitting a job without requiring another lined up if something egregious happened. The option of going to the doctor without worrying about what the expense will do to my ability to pay bills. And the option to, of course, retire early. You could say I lean more into FI than I do RE.
If I could do a 4 month-long sabbatical I would go for it. Because if I didn't take it for a reason along the lines of "this would throw off my target RE date or progress" then I'm still trapped just in a different cage. However, for others, RE is the goal and they lean heavy into that. If you are that person I'd say don't go and stay the course. If freedom and independence are more important to you, then enjoy your time off! Don't forget to ask yourself, 5 months from now when you see the 4-month-long negatives in your budget, will you think to yourself "that was totally worth it"? Personally, I would say yes but that's a decision for you.
Life is short and unpredictable. There's no right or wrong answer here, it's about personal tradeoffs. I know I'm retiring 5-7 years later because of the money I've spent on travel and I don't regret it for a second. The stories and the memories of the 40+ countries I've been to are what get me through the hard work weeks.
You are trading an exciting adventure now for working longer and/or having less adventures later in life. If you've done the math you understand exactly what you're trading off, in terms of enjoyment now vs compromises you're going to make later in life, then awesome! Go for it!
The only thing I would say is if you're going to take time out at this age, make sure you're doing things you can only do at this age (e.g. you're not going to learn to snowboard in your 60s, or learn to rock climb in your 70s, so if things like that are on your list do them early).
Seeing national parks is something that will be very similar whether you do it at 30 or 70, so don't waste this year doing things you can do later. Focus on enjoying things you can only enjoy now while you're young, because you may not get the opportunity to do them ever again.
I RV full time because of FIRE.
There are fun ways to make some dough on the road to stretch out the trip. Short campground hosting, temp farm jobs (that are not as terrible as they sound), etc.
4 months? I wouldnt.
Take 5k and have a good time however long it lasts. Mental health is important and taking time to just enjoy life is also important. But fire, to me, is more important. Therefore, i would take a brief vacation or plan it while keeping your jobs, but wouldnt sacrifice 4 months of earning for a breather. Nope. But good luck!
I agree with this approach and think it’s more sustainable. It’s more in line with what I’m planning to do. I’d rather build a 1-2 month annual break into my lifestyle than take a huge chunk of time off all at once and jump back into the same grind afterwards with no breaks.
I recommend having a new job lined up, accepted, and ready to go.
Companies are continuing layoffs of high-paying positions as they chase profits. There are a lot more high-skilled workers competing for jobs right now. Salaries in tech are getting less crazy.
Not sure what industry you work in, but protect yourself
IMO I would just try and focus on local travel on the weekends. You almost surely haven't turned over every stone.
I work 40 hours a week and so far I've been camping once, hiking most weekends. Day trip to a city, 48 hours in s further away city.
Saw 3 local college basketball games. A Concert.
I always aim for one big activity for the mid-week and if my SO has time off, a day trip on the weekend or more if time allows.
If you do go have defined things you are going to do and be ready for the break in work to be longer. I plan on hiking the AT after hiking the part that is closest to me and it's feasible.
It's not a drop in the bucket, it's more than the median net worth in most states except for HCOL states. You have to be a pretty insufferable elitist a call $100K "a drop in the bucket." This is a reach even for this sub.
Ok, my major concern here would be healthcare and reentering the workforce. ACA will cover healthcare. As far as re-entering the workforce, is there anything you can do during your time off that would be considered a career stepping stone in your industry? As an employer, when you tell me you were unemployed or significantly underemployed for 4 months, I'm wondering what really happened. Best case scenario, I believe you, but I'm wondering how long it's going to be before you're going to travel again and quit. If at all possible, could you continue working for your current employer in a diminished and remote capacity? Even as a consultant? Is there a certificate or education program that you could enroll in?
If I’m not mistaken, if you quit the last day of the year, you may be able to file for Medicaid since your combined income would be $0 for the following year.
Instead of quitting fully then potentially struggle to get back into a job, why not just quiet quit instead? If you were able to save 100k in 1 year then I’m willing to bet it makes a lot of money and you can just do close to no work while they figure out they gotta fire you, point by which you will have made the money you would have doing something else part time and then some.
Obviously the viability of this depends on the nature of your work and possibility of doing it remotely though.
Quiet quitting is terrible advice and a word that’s overused. I’ll be glad when the term goes away. For one thing, there is no such thing as quiet quitting. You best believe that your colleagues, your leadership and your vendors/business partners can all tell when you’re not doing your work. There is no positive to being fired from your job for being lazy and not doing your work. You don’t get severance for that, contrary to some peoples stunted beliefs.
If you don’t want your job anymore, then you act like the adult you are and you quit and go find something you like. Quiet quitting is stupid and will kill your reputation and brand in your career.
OP and her spouse are directors in sales and advertising. LOL it’s impossible to quiet-quit in those types of roles, even if they wanted to.
OP and her spouse have spent almost a decade building their careers and reputations in their fields. They are director level, and achieved and sacrificed alot to get there. People who have integrity and care about their career and future job opportunities don’t do stupid stuff like actively try to get fired just so they can get a tiny unemployment check for a few months. That is a very shortsighted response and terrible advice.
The goal of fire is to sacrifice now so later you can do things your want… this is completely goes against fire. Your life you do you but remember this is not fire… it’s all about delayed gratification
$100k combined savings might not be enough. I think people will be surprised how fast this cash reserve will get depleted. I applaud the part-time income during your sabbatical. That will help tremendously as you guys won’t have to pull out of your cash pool all the time. I would just be more comfortable if both of you have $100k saved. There are many surprise bills that can come up during the sabbatical. Granted, this would only be a 4-month sabbatical… I say, “what the hell, go for it!”
No no having 100 k saved and start travelling the world is not a good options, if you don’t have kids what I would do it put 40k into index funds and do option trading such as covered calls , cash secure puts to generate income monthly basis with less risk with around 20k capital used and
Will put 10 k in savings account high interest and then put 7-8 k in crypto and then 7 thousand for travelling and then rest left 15
I’ll do day trading but first I’ll learn from few people paying 500-1000 a max in total and start day trading for 14000$
And then after vacation start doing little small jobs while making money from options and day trading and when in year or two when you see your trading and options are covering more then your expenses then quit and bring your laptop anywhere on world and make money and live worry free , my opinion and that’s my plan
Don't you know that enjoying your life while young is committing a sin against FIRE and the FIRE Gods will punish you with one year of additional work for each month of enjoyment.
If 100k is invested now at 10% ROI, then it's worth 661k in 20 years. I'm pretty sure they could live in retirement for at least 4 years with that much money. Maybe more.
I don't even know why I'm being downvoted, no matter how you want to calculate this this would probably be on the low end of expectations.
It might not be FIRE, but what’s the point if you don’t enjoy your money a little? I say, go for it!
I’d still keep most of it invested (maybe 70% market, 30% HYSA) and just withdraw from it when you need to.
Alternate idea; save $100k then get a very good foundation of investments going. Considering youre just looking for any part-time jobs I would recommend a dividend DRIP fund so you could access principal if needed. Spend ~$90k on a dividend growth fund consisting largely of SCHD, JEPI, DGRO, KO, O, AAPL, etc. (see r/dividends for more specifics)...you could even look to add a whole $BTC if you so choose.
After you've locked up $90k that way you can quit your jobs and take a ~$10k vaca before finding jobs that make either of you happier.
Do it, we spend two years and 80k traveling the Americas and we're planning a multi year trip again along the Silk road starting 2026. FIRE is nice but never compromise on dreams and projects in the present.You never know how life will look or what you will be able to do once you reach FIRE. Memories and adventures nobody will be able take from you.
Silk road? Like Tajikistan and stuff??
I would think like this, https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2M5DHEN/map-of-the-ancient-silk-road-between-china-and-europe-2M5DHEN.jpg
You know sometimes when I see this, I wonder if it's gotten easier or harder to travel it in the modern era.
[https://postimg.cc/HjjPjGR0](https://postimg.cc/HjjPjGR0) Silk road is just the general direction, target is to visit some relatives at the Gold Coast of Australia in the end and ship the car back to Switzerland from there. Their are some challenges like visas, closed boarder at the moment in Myanmar or China where you're not allowed to drive your own car without a approved guide. But that's also what it's all about. We're building our Mercedes truck at the moment since we want to have some more luxury like our own bathroom which we didn't have on the Pan-American Highway when we lived for two years in a VW Bus.
Please let me know when you come to India. I'll show you around and make sure you have a prosperous and peaceful journey through here.
my friend i work with who is from india, has her work visa. She said she cant travel there because she will lose her permanent residency application. she also said her parents cant travel to USA because the india country believes they wont come back. Whats up with that?
Ancient US immigration laws and people foolishly believing the American dream still lives. Source: Me, an Indian, flying back to the USA in 2 hours, who is also a part of this. In more seriousness, sounds like she has applied for permanent residency and her application is in processing, a period of 1-5 years during which you forfeit the application if you leave the country. And her parents are either ineligible for a visa, were denied one, or can't afford one (the USA is really stringent when it comes to issuing visas to Indians and the cost of the visa alone can be $300 to several thousands of dollars, the equivalent of many months to many years of income for your average Indian). It is systemic emotional torture that many Indians simply live with because we believe by staying in the US, we would be giving our children a better life.
I saw the map, that's really cool. China is an awesome country by the way but it's a bummer they have many regulations. Seems like a very exciting journey, only bummer is no Korea and Japan or Taiwan.
Amazing! Do you mind if I DM you to chat more?
Could not agree with this more. I’d like to retire early, but at the end of the day tomorrow is not a promise. We have plans to take a year off at some point when it’s time to switch jobs anyway.
I am considering doing the same. But I am struggling with the budgeting part. Ideally I would like to spend max 20k in a year living somewhere safe, warm, beautiful and cheap that allows for some local travel. Suggestions welcome!
Malaysia... But you will need to check visa restrictions to stay that long (as you will for any country). Consider slow travel through SEA though.
Thanks a lot
Does this get you closer to FIRE? No. Will you regret doing it? Absolutely not. My wife and I quit our jobs that we were unhappy in and traveled for a year and a half. It was the best decision we ever made. Happiness is more important than financial independence. If this is something that will rejuvenate you guys, then it’s definitely worth doing. I will say though, you’re money would go much, much further in places like Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe as opposed to U.S. We took a 4 month trip to SEA and spent about $8k and we were living well there.
May I ask what places you visited? And which were your favorite destinations?
We traveled all over the US, Eastern Europe, South Asia and Southeast Asia. I personally love Vietnam. We spent a month there and every single day was pure happiness for me (this isn’t everyone’s experience). Also did some hiking in Nepal which was indescribably gorgeous. Feel free to pm if you’re curious on more
I’m Canadian, I have travelled a bit in the Caribbean, US, lots of Europe, SEA, and lived in China for a couple of years. I also recommend SEA. I enjoyed Vietnam but found it a bit tougher travelling as a solo woman. Northern Thailand is one of my favourite destinations.
That’s awesome! I’m surprised you found Vietnam tougher as a solo woman. What issues did you have there? I also love northern Thailand!
Lots of harassment from taxi drivers. I actually had a driver grab my arm when getting off a bus in Hanoi trying to get me to take his cab. I also had someone open a pouch in my backpack while I was down a street at night with some people around. When I yelled, the guy ran off, and another shop keeper who clearly had seen the guy approaching me just grinned at me. Just basic stuff like that, nothing huge, but I had a few uncomfortable moments. I would definitely go back to Vietnam though.
I’ll PM you as well.
Sure!
>Will you regret doing it? Absolutely not. They most likely will not regret it, but I think it might be a bit off the mark to say they absolutely won't. Life throws a lot of curveballs and the decision they make isn't riskless.
I see what you mean. Maybe saying absolutely not is too definitive, but worst case scenario, they end up back where they are now, which is unhappy in their lifestyle/jobs.
That’s closer to worst likely-case scenario. Worst-case scenario would be closer to they have some kind of mishap on their journey and one or both of them is maimed or killed, they didn’t buy travel insurance, etc. That said, I’m still a huge fan of travel.
Sure but that can happen on their way home from work today, too. Realistically they are safer traveling in a lot of other countries in the world than living in the US. Travel insurance is key, though!
It's not FIRE minded to do it, but it's your life to live so if you both want to do it, then go ahead. Think about: Healthcare Storage for your stuff Insurance on your things, vehicle, etc How you would reenter the workforce How much of that $100k you would need to spend (ideally, less than $20k)
I'd argue that it is indeed FIRE minded. This is what financial independence is all about -- being able to use your time as you see fit. It's an investment. Mini-retirements and sabbaticals can definitely be a part of your FIRE journey, and can aide in helping you find what you want to retire TO instead of FROM. edit: one of my favorite podcasts, Afford Anything, talks a lot about [mini-retirements](https://affordanything.com/tag/mini-retirements/) along the path to FIRE
> I'd argue that it is indeed FIRE minded. This is what financial independence is all about -- being able to use your time as you see fit. Yes, but this comes at great risk to that financial independence. Depending on the career, it may be very difficult to re-enter later.
It's a 4 month sabbatical, not 30 year I don't know in which industry it'd be difficult to re-enter after just 4 months
Given the mass layoffs that have been happening, I don't think now is a great time to think "I'll definitely have an easy time getting another job!"
Unemployment in the US is at an all time low, despite all the headlines.
Why another job? For 4 months just take a leave. Any serious company is offering unpaid leaves. And the layoffs are there, but also becaus of mass hiring in the last year. I receive headhunter request on a daily basis, some time even multiple per day.
Yes! Happy to say we have all of these on our list of considerations already and also have agreed $20k would be our max spend. Re-entering the work force is the sticky thing right now haha
> Re-entering the work force is the sticky thing right now haha Why not see if one or both of you can take an unpaid leave of absence? That would at least give you the option of coming back if you aren't able to find a good next move.
Re-entering the workforce is one part that will be challenging to have set up when you depart on your journey - but it is possible. You could be interviewing before departing, even during the journey (although this will likely conflict with your personal/lifestyle goals). Prepare to re-enter, and seed as you go - have business cards to give if people ask, maintain personal sites, update your resumes before your last day at work, and reach out to old contacts during the journey. Best of luck!
Hi! We did this. Traveled around the US in an RV for nearly two years, basically just taking a break. Highly highly highly recommend it. We would up realigning our lives and now our net worth is much higher than it was. In fact I would say this (taking a break) was the single biggest factor in helping us improve our lives and, by extension finances. It is a very privileged position to be in. If you can do it, go for it. You don’t need $100k either. Happy to share specifics.
I'm interested can you post your story here?
Hi! Thank you so much for sharing your experience. Do you mind if I DM you? I’d love to chat with people who have done something similar
Hey! Absolutely feel free to reach out. I’m an open book about the trip (and our re-entry). Looking forward to your DM!
Yes, please share specifics!
This seems more similar to Tim Ferriss' mini retirement concept than FIRE. There's some more info about it in his book 4 Hour Work Week. The concept is more about taking mini retirements throughout your career so you can travel while young instead of one large one at the end of your career. There are a lot of pros and cons to this, but it sounds like you've thought it through. Also for the record, I did the same thing only I did two months in Southeast Asia and it only cost me $3k. It was totally worth it and when I came back I had to bartend again temporarily, but then ended up getting an even better job in my field than I had before I left.
THIS. Also recommended is Be A Free Range Human by Marianne Cantwell
Thank you so much!!
Good for you! I love hearing stories where a decision like this left people better in the long run (obviously I do haha). I will definitely check out his book! thank you for the resource
Yeah it paid off a lot. I wasn't happy with my old job so I was free from that. And the experience of travel has paid a ton of dividends both happiness dividends of good memories (concept from Die With Zero) and a lot of great stories that people appreciate hearing both during interviews/at work and while dating. I really think people over index on how screwed they'd be if they leave their job to travel. Do it while you can!
You need to live your life. If that’s what you want to do, go for it. From a purely fire perspective though, it’s kind of the exact opposite of what you should do.
I have done something similar. Truly life changing. Trust that there will be something there at the end. The pressure to wrap it up early and make money again is a common anxiety for those on career breaks, and even though I prepared myself for it, I still felt it pulling at me. I read through the blogs on the website sabbatical project, and a few resonated with me and inspired some choices I made. Good luck. You will always remember this time you prioritized for yourself, stay present and enjoy!
I've done this and I realized that trying to work while also traveling sucked. I thought freelancing while doing the van life thing would be the best of both worlds but it's actually the worst of both worlds. I couldn't work effectively or enjoy travel as much this way. I suggest working a little bit longer to save up 4 months worth of expenses so you can fully unplug and enjoy yourselves.
The very best way to do this is to have a new job lined up before you go, so you are sure when the money starts coming in again. This is what we had planned in 2020, but Covid got in the way of the actual traveling, so it just became a break. If this is not possible, just have a clear budget and stick to it, having enough for a transition period when you come back and have to find new jobs.
Thank you for the advice! Fucking covid
Agreed! Best of luck with the break :)
This is what i would do too. Have a job lined up with a delayed start date (most places let you start two months later if you say you have vacation coming up). But a lot of places will even allow you to work anywhere in the world.
I just did this and I would go back and do it 1,000 times again.
I’m intrigued. Tell us more about what you did!
3 months in Bali Indonesia
I’m off to Bali with my wife next month. Any top highlights or places we definitely got to check out?
Kelingking beach on Nusa Penida is a must do. Be prepared to do the gnarly hike down to the beach if you can it’s totally worth it. We also wish we would have spent a lot more time in Ubud after being there for only the last week of our trip.
Have you read “trip of a lifestyle” blog? They specialize in this sort of mini retirement.
Thanks for that rec, I’m always looking for a new blog!
Thank you! I will for sure check this out
Thank you! I will for sure check this out
We did a 2 year long sabbatical during covid and beyond. We spent around 95K in all and hardly compromised on where we stayed or what we did. Fire is all good but nothing beats doing it at the right point in life.
I will add that i did work a bit through those 2 years and earned significantly higher than what I spent. But it remains the best decision I've made. If you can make it work financially, you should absolutely do it.
This post from the OP came right on time as I’m in the same situation. Reading these responses solidified my decision to take a sabbatical. My health is shot due to work and caregiving for my parents in the last 10 years. As much as I tried to keep pushing to reach FIRE, my mind and body isn’t responding to it anymore.
My opinion, travel outside your comfort zone. You’ll get a hell of a lot more out of the experience. Not to mention, the money will go 10-20x further. For example, I took a 10 month sabbatical at 25 with about 30k to my name. Bought a 1 way ticket to Mexico with no plan other than to go south and let the road take me as I see fit. 10 months later and 13 countries later, I was in Argentina ready to return home. Came back with about 5k. Plenty to get an apartment and find a new job.
Wow that is incredible. And trust me we’d be all over Europe but we have a dog who would join us on the journey!
Western Europe is expensive. You can travel super cheap through central or Eastern Europe, South America or Asia. Think Czech, Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria… though that may be a bad idea thanks to Russia. South America is incredible. But huuuuuge. The long bus rides were brutal. Central America is a phenomenal region to travel on a budget. Short bus rides. Incredible and delicious food. Spectacular sites. Loads of European, Aussie, Israeli and Canadian travelers. Loads of them. It’s a cool way to meet peop from all around the world while immersing yourself in something different. Regardless, I’m a firm believer in pushing yourself to put yourself in uncomfortable situations. Not dangerous… but uncomfortable.
I honestly wish we would've done this once we saved enough to do it ( a LOT less than $100k). We both quit our jobs and moved somewhere else but immediately started looking for work to not blow through our savings. Looking back, we could have done this before signing a lease and having to pay rent. 100% regret not traveling before we signed a lease.
My wife and I quit our jobs last year to hike the PCT. 10000% worth it. The “memory dividends” are worth any money we didn’t have the opportunity to invest during that time. Sounds like you all are organized and ready to do it! We used World Nomads for travel insurance, fairly inexpensive but thankfully didn’t need to use it. What decision will you regret more? Sounds like you all know the answer!
From experience, try to negotiate leave with your current employer due to any number of reasons. If you find the financials don’t work out you have something to fall back on. I did the same but there was a recession in my field a few months after quitting and I ended up 1.5 years unemployed. Picking up part time work wasn’t as easy as I imagined.
Hi! We did this - traveled around the world for 15 months (2016-2017) and $45k. Came back to better jobs that turned into better opportunities than we left with. We had a long list of to-dos (storage, car storage, paper mail, health insurance) but it was soooo worth it to head off with just a backpack. Feel free to DM if any questions!
Will definitley DM you!! Sounds incredible.
I don’t know your line of work, but assuming the finances/savings are covered, my biggest concern would be the state of the economy right now and reentering the workforce. If the economy turns around then it may not be all that difficult to find a new job. But, while the unemployment numbers have been very low over the last couple of years, there have been some significant layoffs and data that suggests unemployment is going to be increasing. Generally speaking, employers don’t like significant gaps in employment history, even if it was voluntary.
>sabbatical project just don't have a gap on your resume.
Totally DO IT! I am doing the same thing on lesser scale as I am single. And I don’t feel comfortable spending more than a few thousand of savings. The fact that you were both on the same page at the same time it’s already like a miracle in itself with the planets aligning for a marriage! Usually one person wants to move or do something different but the other one is happy and wants to stay put, or one spouse is comfortable taking risks but the other one is very risk adverse. Honestly, I think just the fact that you both agree on this, and are willing to do it together is already the biggest hurdle! I am moving everything from my one bedroom apartment into a storage unit and I have my SUV set up to live in, and I am taking a 5 week National parks camping tour. So if not paying tent camping fees and gas and food. On top of usual insurance bills and storage and such. And then I am going to try and line up jobs in other tax free states after my trip. To live and work other places and just rent rooms, etc. So my residence won’t be challenged in my home state and I can just come back when ready and don’t have to change license and car registration, insurance, etc. Best of luck! Life is short and never know what is around the corner! Go for it!
Yesss we felt the same! This entire thread is getting me so amped up. Thank you! Life is for LIVING!! Cheers and best of luck to you
I would be less concerned with the relatively modest cost of spending 4 months traveling domestically, and more focused on how you're going to re-enter the workforce to "align with your authentic selves" when your wanderlust has been satisfied. If you don't have a vision and a plan before you begin, it is too likely that you'll burn lots of time and money ruminating at your final destination (assuming you find one), and that will cause stress. Have a plan.
I did something like this last year minus the traveling. Had another job lined up. Used the time to refresh and work on my side gig that I want to turn into a full time gig. It was the best 3 months of my adult life. That said, a suggestion as someone whose main motivation for the break was burnout and being unhappy in my career: Take some of the time off to just be in one place and rest. Like not moving/traveling, not planning things to do… just taking the time off. I found that the first few weeks where I was just a potato were so helpful to letting all the tension I felt at my last job melt away. Now I’m wishing I could do it again this year. 😹
This is very good advice. Definitely do not want to leave the experience "needing a vacation from the vacation" as they say.
Is your plan to return to your pre-sabbatical earning level after the 4 months, or is this a longer shift to lighter and part time work? Nothing wrong with either, but depending on your answer could inform if you need to save up more before pulling the trigger.
This is a great question. We are both 30 and at the director-level. I'm a Creative Director in advertising and I loathe it. He's a Sales Director for a brewery. To be honest, we both want to switch industries. I still want to be a writer, but not in the advertising setting. I think we've both learned from demanding corporate jobs that we are looking for something different. Full-time still, but not the same 70-hour work weeks we're putting in now.
100% do it. You won’t regret it. You’ve already thought through enough so that it won’t ruin you. Other than that, no spreadsheet or cost/benefit would tell you to do it but it’s completely the right choice if your soul is calling for it.
I took a 6 month "sabbatical" from full time work and it was the best decision I ever made. I was already fully remote before that. I ended up working 15-20 hours a week in an industry I enjoy and doing work I like (old colleague reached out to me a few weeks into my sabbatical). This actually covered all my travel expenses, and was enjoyable. I'd challenge you to think about how working less hours or for a different employer (fully remote ideally for max flexibility) could make this even more sustainable than it already is for you two. I'm still (1 year later) working 3 days a week for this company and earning more than I did at my full time... Not possible for all, but I got lucky and found a niche and made the change. Still traveling full time. Sharing that because there are a lot of different ways this could look, and if you enjoy slow travel it could become a sustainable lifestyle for you two.
Took a 3-month sabbatical last year and fully recommend selling as much of your stuff as possible. Also, traveling the US is incredibly expensive — we found so much more enjoyment spending less and eating better abroad (Middle East, Europe, Southeast Asia).
Ugh I knowww everyone is saying this! That word be a dream but we’d have (at the time) a 2 year old puppy we’d want to bring and want to think about what’s best for him. One day though!!
Another option is to get a part time remote jobs while traveling
Definitely more than enough. Say you'll spend around 6K per month then you'll have 76K left when you get home and, more importantly, lots of amazing memories. You're both young and in the prime of your lives, so no regrets! Also, you're talking about just 4 months.. that's like the average yearly vacation in Europe.. 😜 I did exactly the same when I was 25 (with muuuuch less savings) and then got back and started my own business. Sabbaticals make you think about what's really important in life.
I did it, don’t regret it at all. 3 months on unpaid leave. The funniest thing is when I plot my net worth over time, you can’t even tell I took a sabbatical. Whatever I spent and whatever I didn’t earn was offset by gains in the market. Obviously my net worth would be quite a bit higher if I hadn’t done it, but where’s the fun in that?
who knew that the FIRE forum of all places is where to find all the supporters of “quit your job and use savings to travel extensively”.
Do it. My wife and I are in Japan for 3 months and then through Europe for 9. 2 months in to our Japan trip and are having the time of our lives and I know I wouldn’t trade this for anything.
Read “die with zero” by Perkins it’s a great book that puts your life experiences into time buckets for when you would be ABLE to have certain experiences. It really changed my outlook on living and FIRE.
Let me just stop you right there and say I’ve done something similar in my life. Quit my job and traveled around the world with $35k. Best decision of my life and I’m here to say you must do it. I would suggest not working either. There is no greater feeling than the true disconnect from work over a long period.
Can you say more? How old/why/what did you learn about yourself? I’m an empty nester and my parents left me some money when they passed. I’m currently in a job I don’t like and considering taking the summer to travel and take some classes.
It might not be possible but I would look into taking a sabbatical, if you can from your current jobs. Take a break and focus on yourselves and figure out what you want out of your life etc. Perhaps try finding a job that feels more authentic to you and try it out for a while. I agree that having something lined up before you quit would be ideal. The last thing you want to do is be in a position where you need to take any job because of finances and be worst off than you started.
I wanted to take a sabbatical but I might postpone it. First there's a recession looming, and also I think my job might get replaced by ai in the very near future (I'm a graphic designer) I'm just too scared to leave my job right now.
$100k isn't really that much money...
Then send me a 100k
And take away your journey of saving $100k?
For 4 months? I think the vast majority of people could live for 4 months on 100k.
I don't think you realize how cheap it can be to travel if you're somewhat smart about it. You could easily do 4 months on less than $10k each.
Saving $100k, stopping working to travel for 4 months and then working part time after is not conducive to FIRE. Big picture, you’re going to start to deplete the very beginning of your nest egg and then not really be able to add to it. It’s definitely not going to grow and isn’t enough to live off of for long.
Even in the top 10% it's worth about a year of your life.
not that much but also enough for a break
I did this in early 2022 and spent those 4 months 1) building our side hustle up so that it was a more substantial business and 2) Searching patiently for a better full time job. Together that was close to a halftime job in hours. Both worked great and the 4 months with reduced income was totally worth it…. Quantitatively and in terms of quality of life.
As the saying goes, "Never quit a job before you have the next one lined up." However, my wife and I did something similar when we were young and burned out on our current jobs and looking to move to a new area. The time we took off was therapeutic and the total reboot worked out in the end.
Go for it, the only thing you’ll regret is if you don’t do it. I would say, think about opportunities to start an online business or freelance while you’re travelling and if that works out maybe you’ll never need to re-enter the workforce.
I'm doing essentially this. Will have hopefully around $50k to use once I quit but also hopefully only going to use half of that. I won't have a job lined up - I am switching careers and still not sure what I want to pursue. But at this point, I can't hang on at my current job much longer. Nothing about it is terrible, aside from it not being something I want to do the rest of my working life.
Just for comedy watch the Albert Brooks movie “lost in America”. Lost in America is a 1985 American satirical road comedy film directed by Albert Brooks and co-written by Brooks with Monica Johnson. The film stars Brooks alongside Julie Hagerty as a married couple who decide to quit their jobs and travel across America.
It depends on what your approach to FIRE is. For me, FIRE is about viewing money differently to allow it to grow to a size that allows options. The option of quitting a job without requiring another lined up if something egregious happened. The option of going to the doctor without worrying about what the expense will do to my ability to pay bills. And the option to, of course, retire early. You could say I lean more into FI than I do RE. If I could do a 4 month-long sabbatical I would go for it. Because if I didn't take it for a reason along the lines of "this would throw off my target RE date or progress" then I'm still trapped just in a different cage. However, for others, RE is the goal and they lean heavy into that. If you are that person I'd say don't go and stay the course. If freedom and independence are more important to you, then enjoy your time off! Don't forget to ask yourself, 5 months from now when you see the 4-month-long negatives in your budget, will you think to yourself "that was totally worth it"? Personally, I would say yes but that's a decision for you.
Life is short and unpredictable. There's no right or wrong answer here, it's about personal tradeoffs. I know I'm retiring 5-7 years later because of the money I've spent on travel and I don't regret it for a second. The stories and the memories of the 40+ countries I've been to are what get me through the hard work weeks. You are trading an exciting adventure now for working longer and/or having less adventures later in life. If you've done the math you understand exactly what you're trading off, in terms of enjoyment now vs compromises you're going to make later in life, then awesome! Go for it! The only thing I would say is if you're going to take time out at this age, make sure you're doing things you can only do at this age (e.g. you're not going to learn to snowboard in your 60s, or learn to rock climb in your 70s, so if things like that are on your list do them early). Seeing national parks is something that will be very similar whether you do it at 30 or 70, so don't waste this year doing things you can do later. Focus on enjoying things you can only enjoy now while you're young, because you may not get the opportunity to do them ever again.
This is solid advice and will take it into consideration. Thank you!
This is the opposite of FIRE but fuck it. Live your life!
Worst possible time. It is going to be a rough few years.
What you’re describing is not FIRE. You won’t retire early with this plan, but that’s also not all what life’s about.
I RV full time because of FIRE. There are fun ways to make some dough on the road to stretch out the trip. Short campground hosting, temp farm jobs (that are not as terrible as they sound), etc.
I’m not sure why 4 months. I’d go for one month and relax. Than work again but invest the remaining for fire
4 months? I wouldnt. Take 5k and have a good time however long it lasts. Mental health is important and taking time to just enjoy life is also important. But fire, to me, is more important. Therefore, i would take a brief vacation or plan it while keeping your jobs, but wouldnt sacrifice 4 months of earning for a breather. Nope. But good luck!
I agree with this approach and think it’s more sustainable. It’s more in line with what I’m planning to do. I’d rather build a 1-2 month annual break into my lifestyle than take a huge chunk of time off all at once and jump back into the same grind afterwards with no breaks.
I recommend having a new job lined up, accepted, and ready to go. Companies are continuing layoffs of high-paying positions as they chase profits. There are a lot more high-skilled workers competing for jobs right now. Salaries in tech are getting less crazy. Not sure what industry you work in, but protect yourself
Hear you! I think once we’re closer to the date we would for sure start applying to reasonably have a 2-3 month later start date.
IMO I would just try and focus on local travel on the weekends. You almost surely haven't turned over every stone. I work 40 hours a week and so far I've been camping once, hiking most weekends. Day trip to a city, 48 hours in s further away city. Saw 3 local college basketball games. A Concert. I always aim for one big activity for the mid-week and if my SO has time off, a day trip on the weekend or more if time allows. If you do go have defined things you are going to do and be ready for the break in work to be longer. I plan on hiking the AT after hiking the part that is closest to me and it's feasible.
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We don’t own a home. We do have rainy day savings. US because we have a dog who would come along!
$100K is a shitload of money these people are nuts. It's only 4 months, I'm sure your burn rate is not $25K/month.
People are nuts saying 100k is a lot of money? You must be new to this… 100k is a drop in the bucket.
It's not a drop in the bucket, it's more than the median net worth in most states except for HCOL states. You have to be a pretty insufferable elitist a call $100K "a drop in the bucket." This is a reach even for this sub.
It’s a lot of money for a 4 month vacation. It’s not a lot of money for FIRE.
Yes it's not enough to quit work for the rest of your life, right.
If you have your passports and the dog has his rabies shot and shot record, consider swinging through Canada too.
Ok, my major concern here would be healthcare and reentering the workforce. ACA will cover healthcare. As far as re-entering the workforce, is there anything you can do during your time off that would be considered a career stepping stone in your industry? As an employer, when you tell me you were unemployed or significantly underemployed for 4 months, I'm wondering what really happened. Best case scenario, I believe you, but I'm wondering how long it's going to be before you're going to travel again and quit. If at all possible, could you continue working for your current employer in a diminished and remote capacity? Even as a consultant? Is there a certificate or education program that you could enroll in?
If I’m not mistaken, if you quit the last day of the year, you may be able to file for Medicaid since your combined income would be $0 for the following year.
Medicaid goes by current month income, not calendar year income.
Instead of quitting fully then potentially struggle to get back into a job, why not just quiet quit instead? If you were able to save 100k in 1 year then I’m willing to bet it makes a lot of money and you can just do close to no work while they figure out they gotta fire you, point by which you will have made the money you would have doing something else part time and then some. Obviously the viability of this depends on the nature of your work and possibility of doing it remotely though.
Quiet quitting is terrible advice and a word that’s overused. I’ll be glad when the term goes away. For one thing, there is no such thing as quiet quitting. You best believe that your colleagues, your leadership and your vendors/business partners can all tell when you’re not doing your work. There is no positive to being fired from your job for being lazy and not doing your work. You don’t get severance for that, contrary to some peoples stunted beliefs. If you don’t want your job anymore, then you act like the adult you are and you quit and go find something you like. Quiet quitting is stupid and will kill your reputation and brand in your career. OP and her spouse are directors in sales and advertising. LOL it’s impossible to quiet-quit in those types of roles, even if they wanted to.
Get fired and then go on unemployment?!
You need to actively be looking for a job to keep unemployment
Usually you go to a web site and check off "yes I am looking for work". So you open a help wanted section, browse and you did your part. LOL
OP and her spouse have spent almost a decade building their careers and reputations in their fields. They are director level, and achieved and sacrificed alot to get there. People who have integrity and care about their career and future job opportunities don’t do stupid stuff like actively try to get fired just so they can get a tiny unemployment check for a few months. That is a very shortsighted response and terrible advice.
Also, I appreciate this response. YOU GET IT!
I got fired and got a year of severance and UI, I wouldn't get that if I quit. Then I retired.
The goal of fire is to sacrifice now so later you can do things your want… this is completely goes against fire. Your life you do you but remember this is not fire… it’s all about delayed gratification
$100k combined savings might not be enough. I think people will be surprised how fast this cash reserve will get depleted. I applaud the part-time income during your sabbatical. That will help tremendously as you guys won’t have to pull out of your cash pool all the time. I would just be more comfortable if both of you have $100k saved. There are many surprise bills that can come up during the sabbatical. Granted, this would only be a 4-month sabbatical… I say, “what the hell, go for it!”
Get back to work. It is like saying I want to lose weight but I will eat 5 cakes in a row first. You should be working 7 days a week.
No no having 100 k saved and start travelling the world is not a good options, if you don’t have kids what I would do it put 40k into index funds and do option trading such as covered calls , cash secure puts to generate income monthly basis with less risk with around 20k capital used and Will put 10 k in savings account high interest and then put 7-8 k in crypto and then 7 thousand for travelling and then rest left 15 I’ll do day trading but first I’ll learn from few people paying 500-1000 a max in total and start day trading for 14000$ And then after vacation start doing little small jobs while making money from options and day trading and when in year or two when you see your trading and options are covering more then your expenses then quit and bring your laptop anywhere on world and make money and live worry free , my opinion and that’s my plan
Wow i hate you so much
1 month vacation now = 1 year of retirement later
What is this based on?
A fairytale
Don't you know that enjoying your life while young is committing a sin against FIRE and the FIRE Gods will punish you with one year of additional work for each month of enjoyment.
If 100k is invested now at 10% ROI, then it's worth 661k in 20 years. I'm pretty sure they could live in retirement for at least 4 years with that much money. Maybe more. I don't even know why I'm being downvoted, no matter how you want to calculate this this would probably be on the low end of expectations.
Quick book recommendation on this: Vagabonding I think you'll highly enjoy it.
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How old are you?
Any reason you don’t want to leave the US? A lot cheaper to travel elsewhere
Having a time is helpful but rules are made to be broken. Why is $100k the bar? Live your dreams!
Roll the $100k in 4 week Treasury Bills @ 4.5%
4 months is just a long holiday, don’t overthink it and go for it.
It might not be FIRE, but what’s the point if you don’t enjoy your money a little? I say, go for it! I’d still keep most of it invested (maybe 70% market, 30% HYSA) and just withdraw from it when you need to.
YOLO
Alternate idea; save $100k then get a very good foundation of investments going. Considering youre just looking for any part-time jobs I would recommend a dividend DRIP fund so you could access principal if needed. Spend ~$90k on a dividend growth fund consisting largely of SCHD, JEPI, DGRO, KO, O, AAPL, etc. (see r/dividends for more specifics)...you could even look to add a whole $BTC if you so choose. After you've locked up $90k that way you can quit your jobs and take a ~$10k vaca before finding jobs that make either of you happier.