WIBU to quit my job & use my house deposit savings to travel the world for a year??

[JaneOnAJourney]

NCed for anonymity :-)

I am 25 and my DH is 28, we both work in averagely paid jobs (me as a teacher, him as a police officer) but have managed to save up a good amount that we were intending to use as a house deposit, this amount is also enough for 2 people to travel the world for 12-15 months.

We've been bitten by a travel bug and we've both got itchy feet, I really want to have an adventure and have amazing stories to tell my grandchildren and just explore the world.

After university we never really traveled beyond the odd skiing trip or city breaks as I had a 2nd job every other weekend and DH worked long shifts (and still does) so we haven't found the time for it.

I know that if we don't do this while we're in our 20s and childfree, the next chance we'll have to do it is in our 50s when our (future) children have left home, there is no guarantee that we'll even be alive or have our health then, and I would sorely regret not taking a chance and following our dreams.

Travel is DH and I's biggest dream and passion.

So, MN- in this position would you do the sensible thing and buy a home or would you take a leap into the unknown?

(MIL's opinion when I tentatively broached the subject with her was ''why waste all your hard work saving on a year long jolly?'' My mother is saying ''what's stopping you! Go!'' )

Op do it! You will live in regret if you don't

I married young to an abusive arse, had my daughter young had a good job, saved hard for my house etc and I have it all up three years ago brought a 48foot rigged for single handling took dd out of school for a year and we saw the world. We home educated for that year. Result my dd can now speak 4 languages to fluency, she learnt detailed maths from navigation, she understands engineering and machinics we had the most amazing year and are planning to do it again in 5 years.

A house is no garanteed investment these days.

Life is for living not for wishing if you can dream it do it.

Go see the world, you may decide you want to living in Hong Kong or Borneo, you never know what you might see or experience,

I always say that I want to go to the grave with regrets of things that maybe I shouldn't have done but never wishing I'd done something

Firstly it's always worth asking work if you can take a sabbatical they maybe agreeable, get good insurance educated yourselves in safe travel and think if in 5years will you look back wishing you had gone if the answer is yes then go and don't look back

If you want to ask anything pm I'm more than happy to help

Jane have a look at all the countries you could work in and see how to get a working visa. My friends did a 6 mth stint in New Zealand and loved it - others did Canada or Oz. My cousin worked in China for a few years - the world is your oyster!

I would not do it.
I would work my way around the world, having bought a house I could rent out for an income while I did it. My brother took that route and he made a blardy fortune and found his wife out there (obv you two are not quite in the same position!)

Absolutely do it! I went travelling at 26 for a year with a friend and had the time of my life. I worked in Australia for a few months to fund the next leg. My friend has gone travelling for a year and is currently working as a volunteer on some unheard of by me Carribean Island so look into volunteering options too. Go and see the world. The memories will last you a life time.

DO IT! don't worry about the what ifs, you only live once.
Dont compromise, seize the day!

Do it do it do it.

I did it. Chocked in my job and buggered off for 3 years. Absolutely NO regrets.

Plus you are both under 30 so that could mean 2 yrs working holiday visa in Australia and 2yrs working holiday visa for New Zealand. Just for starters....

Send us some photos!

Pm me if there's anything you want to ask.

I'm excited for you! We went on our travels 10 years ago now, we love to reminisce and have photos all over the house! We plan to spend the school summer holidays travelling when DS2 is old enough.
We came home skint but have never regretted it.
I enjoyed working in Australia, I used to get very stressed at work as I always felt the need to give 110% in Oz I did what I had to do and no more. I knew I wasn't hanging around so didn't care so much!

Carpe Diem, do it. I've travelled and had some amazing adventures and am just so glad I did. There's a lot of research too, that shows people adjust to income shifts relatively quickly and that money can't buy happiness, but pursuing goals with someone you love does leave lasting happiness. Go, go, go.

letsgetfreshbaby

That sounds fantastic, well done to your DD for being multilingual at such a young age!

Did you know how to sail beforehand?

If your DH is in the police can he take a career break so that he will have a job on your return? I know somebody who did this and went to work in Iraq for a couple of years.

I also know a teacher who is now working in Brunei. He has been to Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore and a couple of other places in the last 18 months.

I would love to travel but will probably have to wait to 3 year old DD3 to leave home.

I would not blow your savings. To me that seems reckless. I think it's much more sensible to buy the house, rent it out, go travel and work while you do so. I would not just take a year long "holiday".

If I was you I'd go and work abroad for a couple of years. Look at Dubai, the Cayman Islands, Hong Kong etc. Places where you can base yourself for work but then travel to exotic locations during holidays.

Maybe your DH could quit work in time for the start of the summer holidays so that you could spend 6-8 weeks travelling together before starting new jobs in a new country.

Like another poster suggested, if I was you, I'd invest in the UK property market before doing this. Mortgage lenders can be tough on people who are overseas or have been in the past few years.

Buy yourself a house, get renters into pay your mortgage, resign from your jobs, spend 8 weeks travelling, then start new jobs in a jurisdiction where you'll earn more and can go on exciting holidays.

Tricky one!

I am also a teacher and have spent every Summer from 1st year uni onwards travelling the world (with kids in tow with the exception of the 1st time!). I have amazing experiences, memories etc and probably wouldn't and won't change anything.

But I have zero savings. At all. I spend what I earn. We aren't poor but one run of bad luck could ruin us (and when I say us I'm only talking me and the children as I don't even have the security of a partner). I'm definitely living and loving it but I do worry that I'm not creating the best future for my children.

I have just had my 3rd child and am reluctantly beginning to save for a deposit and haven't made any more travel plans. But I doubt I'll ever get enough to buy a house now.

If you already have the full amount - eek, I don't know. How about just having the summer of a lifetime if your partner can get enough time off work and just spending a few thousand of it. You can go to a lot of places and do a lot of stuff in 6 weeks.

Do it. But don't blow all your money. Split what you have in half and put it somewhere you can't get at it. Take the rest and go. You'll have just as much fun - and probably be able to travel for the same amount of time - if you do a bit work along the way to eke things out, and then when you come back you'll have savings (which you may need if you can't find work) or at least part of a deposit.

In other words, don't put all of your eggs in one basket - and GO!

Do it.

Although, I backpacked round the world with my ds when he was aged 5-7, so travelling doesn't have to end with kids!

Do what you like. But don't complain if you're in rented for years or have an expensive mortgage because you've got little equity

Do it for 6 months travel only, or longer and with a bit of preparation, teach English as a Foreign Language on your way round to extend your travels, add spice to your life (and cv) whilst earning a bit to help as you go.

I don't know about this. I travelled early twenties, not for a year, but just a couple of months. That was enough and good fun.

But I also rented for years in share houses, and would have much preferred that I got my act together and bought something instead.

I did it, for nine months. Learnt Spanish in South America, which I forgot very quickly.

It cost less then what some friends of mine where paying for their wedding day.

DH and I are both teachers and we travel a lot in our holidays both pre-DC and with the DC. It is perfectly possible to travel far and wide with DC!

Do it - I had my kids young and thought I could do it when they left home, fast forward a few years and after bringing them up as a single parent I have no career just a job and I'm struggling to save enough for a cheap holiday this summer! Not enough left after paying the bills to save much!

Can you both get sabbaticals at work?

You should totally go. You have years ahead of you to settle down into a routine. I wouldn't think twice. I'd love to do the same but wouldn't on my own. Enjoy!

Do it, please do it.

You will never be properly 'in your 20s' young again. Doing it in your 50s just would not be the same.

You both have jobs you can go back to easily.

DH and I took a year out to go round the world, I was 25 and he was 27. We had both embarked upon our careers and had enough money that we didn't need to work whilst travelling.

We both slotted straight back into our chosen jobs when we got back

That year was the best experience either of us has ever had and I have never regretted a single second of it, in fact, we wish we'd made it 2 years!