Pack in the job, rent out the house, get in the camper van, fuck off

Selling up will bring its own issues.

In order to give notice at work and be able to take off straight after (to make the best of your year out of work) you would probably need to sell early and be prepared to live out of the van for a while before leaving work.

The timescale of selling property can be so drawn out, unpredictable and fraught with last minute buyer-pulls-out.

How do your pensions currently stand? Both got enough for state pension? Enough in your DH’s teacher pension? Enough to cover you if you don’t want to work until state pension kicks in?

I fully understand the impetus to get out there and travel… but unless you are in a job you love and have full health working until you are 67 / 68 is a big sacrifice to have to commit to.

Travelling once you reach your planned retirement age would be in a year you didn’t plan earning in anyway.

I think why not! But I would just have a plan for what happens when you come back. As some have suggested, see if a sabbatical is possible ? Maybe even if you could do a month or 2 it would give you the opportunity to test the water on if you like extended time there. What about seeing if you can do a month in summer holidays when your OH is on leave?
After the last few years I’ve had I few that life is for living and we spend so much on taxes and working and then are we even able to get to that “retirement” period where we can travel etc.
If your job is niche, can you go contracting?
I certainly hope to do similar in about 10 years when kids have flown the nest and mortgage is paid. Id probably downsize then after so I could release some equity as we won’t need a house this size one day.

As a teacher, your husband should be able to negotiate a sabbatical. By doing that even if he’s in a job he doesn’t particularly enjoy, you’d have security of one of you having a job to go back to.

I had friends who did just this, however it was far more expensive than they thought it would be! You say you have savings at the lower end of 5 figures which I know was a similar amount to my friends and they did eat through a significant amount of it. They said when I saw them at Christmas if they were to do it again, they sell up, add a proportion to their savings and invest the rest and buy a smaller property on their return.

Have you done the sums?

You need to work out your monthly income if you rent , based on rental, agents' fees, taxation, extra insurance, paying for repairs to the house when you're way etc etc.

Rental income will presumably cover the mortgage after those deductions.

If you don't rent your home what then?
How will you fund your outgoings in the UK and pay for the road trip?

Absolutely go for it.

A year of van life can be a long time in the best sense. It might give you completely new ideas about what you want to do with the next 10/20/30 years - including things that have never even occurred to you.

Life’s too short to whittle it away one day at a time in a ‘stable but boring’ job. As for risks, you’re hardly going to make yourself destitute by the sound of it.

Could you negotiate a year's unpaid leave from your jobs. That would be the best option. I'm not sure if I would risk burning all my boats.

I'd not rent the house out. We bought a house that was an ex rental, got it really cheap as it was half destroyed inside by the last tennants neglect. We know it wasn't bad landlord issues cause they had a few houses in the area and they had a reputation for really looking after their houses. Just this one tennant never reported issues or allowed inspections. Then they did a flit

@GotTheBug as you live by the sea an hour from London, I think you might live where we used to. ;)

I did a lot of research as we were thinking of renting out our house, and give your location, absolutely go for a specialist and LOCAL Airbnb lettings agent. A) the returns are far higher than residential and B) Airbnb guests don’t suddenly decide not to leave - they come for a week or a few days.

Go, for gods sake go! But definitely heed advice from seasoned vanlifers on here and rent a campervan for a holiday first to help you decide what you want/need in terms of motorhome. draw up a proper budget too, and have a look at the workaway website - you can park up for free with people all over the world in exchange for bits and bobs they want doing. All have reviews and pics - similar to Airbnb.

i am excited for you!

Also, caring for parents can take years out of your life. We spent four years intensively caring for my husband's mum, and lighter duties for 15 years before that. It literally was a touchpoint our entire marriage, doing DIY for her, garden duties, taking to appointments, having her over for meals, then fielding carer's phone calls, deaing with her loss of memory and frailty, etc, etc.

Our financial advisor had something interesting to say to us...he said...you know, I could tell you to put more of your cash into a pension or other investment vehicles because the returns are better, and I'd get a better commission. But then your money is bound up. Past a point, you need to spend your money otherwise it will just go for care costs or to the charity in your will.

Shrouds don't have pockets.

If your house is in a rural area, Rural Retreats is a decent agent and sorts the bookings for short term lets, gives advice on cleaners and sets it up so you don't have hassles. (no I am not affiliated...my friends used them and thought they were good).

Hell yeah! Do it.

IF you like the
idea of the transient living. It would be my worst nightmare in my 50s..it depends who you are

when you return you could always continue to rent your house and live somewhere much cheaper

if your house is in reasonable condition it should tick over but definitely use an agency to manage it and get insurance if your dependent on the rent

my friend has just done this - 2 burnt out people in their 50s - she’s now in Asia and is supporting herself with work online..what’s not to love! If you love that! I would hate it, but she’s found her home. Although they did sell their house and invest the money and are living off that investment

im having a similar life here, prioritizing things I love. I like blighty!

Do it. I resigned on Monday after working with a toxic team and felt like I’d been sprung from prison. Life is for the living !

If you’re free this weekend, the Adventure Travel Show is on at the Business Design Centre in Islington on Sat/Sun: https://www.adventureshow.com Might be useful for inspiration!

If you’re on FB, the Globetrotters Club has some free or discounted tickets.

Go for it! I’m early 50’s too and thinking the same! Lost my brother to suicide a couple of years ago, my other brother to an accident 2 years before that and my best friend is slowly dying from pancreatic cancer. It has totally changed my outlook on life.

How much longer would you have to wait if you waited for early retirement? Would you be happy to downsize first? Do you need the rental income to allow the plan? I would go for it either way- you can do it pretty cheaply but I would also look at what retirement would look like and whether it could be an earlier prospect too.

do it for 3 months. It will seem like ages! You can rent to someone at the uni or someone who is getting their house renovated. Always someone who wants short term rent. Then you can see how you go.

no brainer

Go for it. You don't know what's round the corner. Do it now. Have an agent to rent out the house, btw.

Oh yes and we rent our house out at Airbnb (to get more £££ compared to long term tenants) and the bloody hassle of it! We have to always be online and I'd say every 2-3 days something goes wrong and needs sorting.

Absolutely. Just do it. What’s the worst that could happen? Life is for living and as parents get older and more dependent on you, you won’t be able to do it. You will still have your house when you come back.

How old is the camper van and do you have enough spare cash for ongoing repairs? The miles quickly rack up and bits do start to fail so you need to make sure you’re not going to end up skint in Kathmandu with no carburettor

Isn't it better? We've done this with a very young child, we're bouncing from place to place because he's not at school yet.

OP, I'd be a bit worried. You don't have a lot of savings and travel does cost a lot. Have you looked into house much health insurance will cost?

Another concern is you'll come back and be broke as you said, and you won't have a job. It'll be very hard to find another job at that age, from what I read. I think be prepared this could be your last job for a long while, if for ever.

I do like travelling but it does get lonely sometimes. Have you considered 3-6 months instead?

Do your due dilgence and risk assessment first then GO FOR IT

My father and my best friend didn't live long enough to retire.

My DH's health means that it's not an option for us anymore.

Just do it OP, do it while you can.

I’d sell not rent out, you wouldn’t have the same freedom being a landlord and it could be hard to get the tenant out once you’re done travelling if they don’t have anywhere to go. How are your pensions? If they’re good then you might not have to retire a year later like someone else said. I don’t agree with people saying ‘just wait 5 years’, nothing is guaranteed. It’s not about age, it’s about both of you keeping the same health and nothing happening with your adult kids either (I no a couple who’s adult child was in an accident and now needs care help from them). Plan it properly and sensibly but make the trip

Sorry but I disagree! I’d sell up, work out how much I’d need for living expenses and travel over the year! Invested the remainder which will probably be a significant amount still. They’d be cash buyers which puts them in a good position when buying, house prices are dropping and will probably continue to! When renting out, they will have agents fees, landlord insurance, responsibility for every repair as not all will be covered by insurance! Income from the rental will be taxable, and they only have a small amount of savings!