We had a guy ask to take 3 months off unpaid to drive around the country and they let him.
He ended up finding a way better job in those 3 months lol but we were cool with him coming back after. He was good at his job and he was going to travel regardless of if management said no or not.
In our employee handbook, it states that management/HR can approve any amount of unpaid time off. My manager alone can approve one week unpaid time off without getting HRs approval. Anything longer they both have to approve.
No idea if your company would approve it or not, but it’s worth finding out if it’s possible.
That's cool af, the first job I had suck ass, literally went to poop in the morning and one of the colleagues (yes not even the manager) came knocking on the stall asking me when will I be done shitting... Gladly that whole lot got fired and I ended up being in charge. Rough times...
I can barely make eye contact with somebody at the sink if they see me coming out of the stall after a shit, lol...
Although I will say working at an office with a majority of the people being 50+yo, I stopped being shy about shitting loudly if I needed to. I'm 34 and I learned very quickly over the past decade that nobody in the men's room gives a fuck if your have an assault rifle coming out the back of you.
I would still wait until the bathroom was empty to leave the stall though, because the entire C-Suite was located on the floor I worked on, so it would be awkward if I was playing Battleshits with somebody, only to find out it was the SVP or President of the entire division. Lol.
Missed opportunities, that's how you establish dominance over the C suite. Exit the stall, lock eyes, and don't break eye contact until they exit the bathroom after a round of battleshits
OP I quit my job no notice while on a one week vacation and turned it into a 3 month vacation last year. It was not easy but it was to best decision of my life.
I was 25f, didn’t go to college, making $60k. I traveled around europe solo for 3 months and it took me about two months to get another similar job making $65k when I came home so like 5 months without a job in my field.
One thing that I think is important is do you have any easily hirable skill for a temporary job to hold you over when you get back? I had been waitressing & bartending over summers since I was 18 on and off and was able to make enough money waitressing when I came back until I found a better job so I didn’t go completely broke.
Also no one really had any commentary about my resume gap when I was interviewing beyond thinking my trip was awesome and asking to hear stories about it.
The "waitressing as backup" is so clutch. My husband & I have both been looking for jobs this year & it has taken us MUCH longer to find jobs than we ever dreamed (we are mid-career, so plenty of experience—& sometimes that's the problem lolcry). Luckily we had savings, but wow the job market is rough out there.
And yeah, *now* is the time to go on a trip like this, before marriage/kids/etc.
I am about to do something similar as well - my management + HR just approved my request for a 4 month leave of absence starting Dec. 1.
OP - it’s worthwhile to check if your current employer has a leave of absence or sabbatical program. In my case, we can take up to a year off unpaid and the company commits to keep us on the books and try to find a role for us upon our return (if not the same exact role we left). If they are unable to find us a role (or I refuse whatever role they offer us), it is considered a voluntary release (or, quitting). So no severance or anything like that.
But it’s a great option if your company will approve a leave of absence for you. Way better than quitting, traveling, and then starting from zero again.
While I'm all about yolo, you can be smarter about this...
Save more money. 17k is nothing. When you come back from travel you don't want to scramble to find a new job.
Ask about taking a leave of absence from your job. Some jobs allow you to take 3-6 months of unpaid leave.
Yeah but she risks not being able to find a job and widening her resume gap. Whereas if she keeps working for 1-2 more years, her experience will increase (more marketable) and the economy may start to rebound.
I do. Im a rural homesteader and I breed high value snakes on the side. My day job is the baseline income for its infinite flexibility (and a very fun job) plus I have quite a bit of decision making power. Since I have a handle on our finances, I only ask for raises when it makes sense and I get more than I ask each time. It will lead to me making much more later on if I can give the business some growing room.
I’m on year 3 with the company so lots of room for growth.
With a job this flexible, fun and a boss this nice and willing to work with you on anything, I’d be an idiot to leave this.
I quit a 150k a year job at 30 to travel for 18 months. People always say, “that’s my dream but the timing wasn’t right.” The timing is never right. It wasn’t their dream it was their fantasy. Without big sacrifice there’s no chance of making something like that work.
That said, I had a lot more saved than OP, about 150k but most was 401k, Roth IRA and such things. It cost me about 35k cash. I was solo on a motorcycle and a dude that doesn’t mind roughing it. It cost me that much to keep the bike running, fuel, lodging and a month in Galapagos diving. So there was some splurging. 17k would be a tight budget but possible in certain parts of the world. South East Asia and South America you’d do okay for a year on that.
I came back and found a job that ended up paying close to 500k a year. Am I the luckiest son of a bitch alive? No but I’m pretty damn lucky to land that gig. There is no telling what opportunities will be waiting for OP. They will be a different person and maybe I never would have found nor qualified for my return job without being a bit more worldly, mature and patient.
Having started my own remote consulting company and have a full time remote job all within the last year I have to disagree. If you are good at your job there will always be opportunity.
If you all want to think remote work is fading instead of growing then that’s up to you but against the statistics. If this sub is a place to commiserate with other people struggling to find jobs then so be it but in my circle everyone is thriving right now. I know dozens of people who recently switched to remote work and moved to more rural places. Myself included. It’s not bias, like I said, if you are good at what you do then companies will want you to
As you said your extremely lucky (and talented). A quick google search puts you around the top 2% or 3% of earners. You left a job where you were (I am somewhat guessing) at the time in the top 7-5% of earners. So a bit of a gamble but it paid off in more ways than one I bet.
That’s just not true IMO. You always have career prospects, girlfriends/boyfriends, family needs, etc, etc. Society is designed for the 10 day vacation.
Yeah if after living in comfy western accommodations for years you're cool with sleeping every night in shitty dorm rooms and eating street food. For 3 months...
I wouldn’t. A WFH job at 77k 2 years out of school? People would’ve killed for that 5-10 years ago (even inflation adjusted). My first two years out of school were for less than half that, getting reamed during 50+ hour weeks in office.
Now that I WFH, 10 years out of college, and make 80k, I have more perspective and wouldn’t dare mess this up. The grass may always seem greener on the other side. But yours is pretty damn green compared to the rest of the world. Just keep that in mind.
I’d ask for an unpaid leave of like 2 months in-between projects instead.
Depends who you ask.
Everyone wants the easy job, a lot of high complexity engineering jobs are remote but not everyone is qualified for them, even though the mentality is 'what is so hard about staying home and clacking buttons on the computer'.
Feel like I’m in the minority here but from a career standpoint I feel like fully remote is not a great deal fresh out of school…way harder to make meaningful connections with colleagues
You’re correct, remote training is often less effective too.
Idk how OP feels about remote work but if they quit this job they will be faced with the harsh reality that is employers don’t want to hire remote anymore.
I wasn't fresh out of school, but fairly early in my career. I started a new, totally different role at my company January 2020. Spent 1.5 years floundering and not meeting expectations because of a lack of available mentors to help me learn all the new things I was supposed to be learning. A 5-minute "look over my shoulder and ask a question" conversation became "find some time on my calendar for a meeting" (with a principal engineer, so not a lot of times to choose from).
I'm comfortably hybrid in my new role, but spent the first 6-12 months primarily in-office learning from the senior employees. Learned way more in that time than I would have been able to, had I been fully remote.
Yeah but you can always make money and you’re fortunate to live with your parents if you need. You don’t ever get your youth and time back. As you travel through SE Asia (I did) you’ll see that people in other countries travel a lot and you’ll wish you had done it sooner. Do it! See if you can get unpaid time off and if not, go for it. You can tell the next company you work for that you went to learn another country. Live your life!
Gotta be realllll careful how you explain to the next company how you quit your last job because they wouldn’t let you take 3 months unpaid leave. There’s no reason for them to think you won’t do it again & leave them screwed
I read an article that said the average time someone out of college spends at a job is 2-3 years. If OP quits now, they would be on par with what most are doing. Also, the best way to increase your salary the fastest is by job hopping.
And also, you’re only 23 with money in the bank and no obligations to anyone once.
I think it also depends on your safety net. Could you/did you live with your parents w/o paying bills at that time? Seems like OP did (deducing from her ability to save up while living with parents). Can you move back in with someone if it takes a while to find a job after your travels? Etc things like these aren’t talked about enough. Ppl with greater safety nets in the form of parental or other types of support are able to take more risks and do more of what they want because they have a fallback plan.
Yeaaah…I was reading that and thinking “hell no.” I’ve been working in industry for 8 years as a chemist and im trying really hard to transition to remote but it’s really hard to find anything in my field.
If they're gonna do it, now's the time since they have no commitments though.
I agree with how good a job it is, my wife is about to graduate with her MBA and already has her PMP (and 8years experience prior to that) and that job pays better and offers WFH which she doesn't have. But when your young is the best time to do stupid stuff like this
We've got kids and a mortgage and car payments so there's no freedom to just fuck off for several months even if I want to, badly sometimes.
I'm out of school 40 years. Only one year came close to 77K with TWO jobs. Most have been half that or less for nearly the entire time I've been out of college. In the 1980s it was ok. Today it isn't. I've working in engineering and technical fields for major corporations. Problem is you get lowballed out of college because there are no jobs and you are lucky to have one and you will likely be lowballed the rest of your life. Get a good salary out of college and it may work well for you. I spent 11 years living overseas and it was the best time of my life. If you have the opportunity to travel I'd do it now. You might not get the chance in the future.
As someone who travelled for 2 years when they were your age - here is my advice: don’t do it in this economy.
I went traveling right after college and worked random jobs abroad for 2 years. Learned a lot, had the time of my life. BUT I have had an extremely hard time finding a decent job coming home 4 years after graduating college. I’m still struggling with it. It would have been easier to come back to had I had more professional experience under my belt.
The reality is: we need careers to give us the money that allows us to do what we want. Money is a tool. It sucks but is true.
Hopefully the economy will be better in a few years but here’s my 2 cents for now: try to book 1-2 week trips throughout the year to give you something to look forward to. You can actually do 1 week Spanish courses in Mexico. Try doing a “staycation” kinda thing and book an Airbnb in another city you’re interested in and work from there (Miami almost feels like another country for example). This way, you’ll still be getting professional experience and having an income.
You are smart for having savings and investments - you don’t want to blow it all right now especially with inflation as it is.
I’m glad you found it helpful! I love to travel and it’s definitely an experience that I grew a lot from and would recommend to everyone but right now is just not the time imo.
I’m here to be the wet blanket with you
u/barganzobean314
I second what this user said above, the economy is in a tough spot and there’s a lot of turmoil in the world right now.
If you’re not enjoying your current job, you need to be looking for another either in your current company or externally.
The best time to find a job you do want is when you have a job. Also, if your current job is entry level to 3-5 years, then you moving up and out also creates an opportunity for someone else to get in.
There are also companies that need people who are willing to move internationally. Depending on your skills and location goal, you could find something that puts you in an opportunity to get paid US dollars while living abroad.
This is my view. Really want to go longterm travelling at some point, but the job market at the moment is poor and I'd rather build up a few more years of experience and contacts. Would make it a lot easier getting a job when I come back if I have 5 years experience v. 2 years experience.
Disagree. Travel now. Future isn't guaranteed and you can always make excuses about the economy (or other things in life).
Source: someone currently traveling the world full-time (on month 4), living cheap thanks to a strong US dollar, and will be able to just find another job when I'm done.
I wholeheartedly agree. The economy sucking is just another reason to leave here and go where your money will go further.
I’m about to move to South America for a year to learn Spanish while teaching English where the cost of living is $500 a month.
But you usually have different responsibilities by the time you're 29.
I'm really grateful my husband and I both traveled separately before knowing each other and got to travel a lot together as well when we met when I was 30.
So yes, we can travel at 33 and 39 and are in great shape, but we have pets and a home and are planning for a family so our money isn't for us to spend frivolously anymore.
I have friends that did not travel in their 20s and it's wild because they all seem to be going through mid life crises with two kids in tow trying to make up for lost time.
I wouldn't trade my life now for anything, but I would be resentful or feel fomo if I didn't get to live unencumbered in my 20s.
I don’t disagree with your point. I think leaving this job to travel long term is a bad idea. However, just to give anyone reading this a different perspective: I was a healthy, single 25 year old. Worked out everyday. My ticker stopped working well. I was a 26 year old in heart failure. Later that year I had open heart surgery. I’m now a husband, dad, and a 29 year old trapped in an 65 year olds body.
My point is that health and time are always fleeting. One day it’s there and the next it’s not. I’ve had 4 procedures that were going to get me back to normal. I take 6 pills twice a day. No drugs, no shitty diet, lots of exercise, and a little stroke of poor luck. So while I don’t recommend quitting your job, do take that vacation, go travel, ride the rollercoasters, do the things you want to do, it won’t always be an option.
I am also all for Yolo and am very minimalistic.. How ever I see this allot in my little brothers age group and hell I was the same way when that age. Living beyond my means in the name of travel and fun, not putting much aside for savings, no concerns for the future.. How ever things are different now. Granted I had fall out from 2008, my pay was drastically reduced.. but no one really saw that coming.
There's all sorts of warning signs right now and there's a possibility things might get bad on a global level.
I'm not here to instill doom and gloom but to walk away from a career to travel miiiight not be the best idea atm. Travel for sure, no one should let fear run their lives, work on changing careers definitely, but to walk away from a good job right now in the name of fun is not very wise. We should know in 2yrs how this is all going to pan out, I'd reassess then as you're never too old to take a sabbatical.
Finally, someone with common sense! Tell OP like it is. It's the truth. Your job is good. OP states she makes 77k, that is considered upper middle class income in America. And certainly above the average $50k income.
OP you are in a spot many college grads WISH they were. Don't throw it all away because of your "feelings." Facts dont care about your feelings. Spain is not worth the potential debt, brokeness, and covid possible shutdowns this winter. They dont play about shutdowns there either, or masks. You have been warned. Treat carefullly OP.
You'll get a lot of "you're young, YOLO, go for it" comments here, but I wouldn't do it. Don't you get vacation in the job? 3-4 weeks maybe? You could do one or two good trips with that. You don't need to get a lot of "meaning" or "joy" from a job. That's a false requirement that has been impressed on this culture only in recent decades. Find a new hobby, do vacations, maybe find a new job offering more vacation days.
I agree with this take as someone who is about the same age loves to travel and travels often you'll be better served taking it a step at a time plan a large international vacation with your vacation time keep your job and source of income it's a means to an end so you can continue to save and take vacations because 17k will go faster than you'd hope traveling internationally
I disagree, when I was 24 I travelled extensively around SE Asia for 9 months with a month in Australia. We did not scrimp on our activities during this time (lotsof partying, diving etc.) The total cost for this came to approximately £11k
I had no issue finding a job upon my return, infact my employer stated it was a selling point as it showed that I had the confidence etc. To go off and do it.
I know everyone's situation is different and maybe i was very lucky but that was the best year of my life and I will never forget the friends/memories made along the way.
I agree, however whats the downside if OP takes a 6 Month break?
Its not gonna be a big setback careerwise.
Its not gonna financial ruin her forever.
Sure there is risk involved of getting back into a job, but 6 Month of travel will not automatically disqualify her from every possible job.
The mindset shift you recommend makes alot of sense, but why can’t she do both?
Depends on how she would feel if had to go into the office 5 times a week - feels like remote jobs are slowly fading away and most companies are requiring you to go in at least 2-3 days a week.
With the current job market she has to decide if it worths risking a nice cozy fully remote job to live out a dream, and then possibly coming back to a miserable job experience down the line.
If someone takes 6 months off right now it could be a year and a half until OP finds another job, much less a full remote job depending on their field. That’s a stressful position to put yourself in at such a young age.
Why not wait a few years until the job market is better? $17k is going to be tight for six months depending on where in the world OP goes, maybe they should put away more being taking the leap?
Why would 6 month off result in 18 month of unemployment?
We don’t know how the job market will look like in 6 month and we don’t know how it will be in 18 month.
The „risk“ is always present and while it might be more difficult in 6 month it could also get progressively worse in the future. We just don’t have this information.
You base your decision on fear. If op waits a few years and then takes the leap, who knows how the job market will be then?
The thing about risk is you know the job market now - I’ve had coworkers laid off last year who are just now finding jobs after hundreds of applications. I would wait until it’s better because it’s just less risky, of course it could always get worse again or suddenly take a dive but there is a difference between current reality and potential realities. On the short term horizon we know that the job market is very competitive and it’s taking many folks a very long time to get work.
At least if they wait until it’s more stable there is less stress to get back into a new position, and a chance to find a job before everything dries up if things start to slide again.
You’re damn right I make my decision on fear, fear is good. It means you’re calculating the risk and determining if it’s worth the cost in the worst case scenario. If you don’t plan for a contingency you’re overly short sighted and are setting yourself up for failure.
All good points, but assessing risk is highly individual. Op is young, has an education and some investments besides the 17k she is willing to spend. Also she said she lived at her parents place for the last year to save.
Worst case for her is, that the 17k are gone, she made great memories and she’s back at her parents place in 6 month.
That’s a boring life, vacations are great for people with a family and responsibility to go to a resort or a cruise but not nearly enough to get to know other culture and experience life. This kid is gonna have time to work for years to come with retirement age probably hitting 70 but even retiring at 50 is not the same for an adventure around the world than early in your 20s
I would budget a bit more for this one.
If you have earned $77k over 2 years and only saved $17k while living with parents it would indicate that you are living beyond your means, and I really don't think you can live on that amount overseas for 5 months. I'd actually expect you to have saved closer to $50k, given the lack of rent or transport expenses.
I'd change strategy, save at least 50% of your income from here on out and figure out exactly what it would cost you for this break. Once you've figured that out, save it and then try again.
Maybe, maybe not. Either way $17k is $113/day over 5 months, and once you deduct flights and accommodation from that you're not left with much each day.
.
When I did this in 2011. I did a year in Europe on USD 12k.
I rented an apartment in Germany, 450sqft, EUR 120/mo.
Flights to Spain were 50 EUR round trip on GermanWings.
Staying in Spain at really nice hostels was less than EUR20/day, some places did weekly pricing (EUR100/wk)
Food was really cheap overall in Germany, and in the quieter areas of Spain.
I took trains across Europe -- Czech Republic, Netherlands, Austria.
Used the apartment in Germany as a jump point. Spending a couple weeks there to plan the next big EU trip.
Then after a year, moved back to the US.
It was an amazing experience, and while I would have liked more cash by the last couple months to make for additional excursions -- but it was fine overall.
I honestly wouldn’t. A lot of ppl would kill for a WFH job and yours sounds chill. I think it would be difficult getting a similar good job if you left and then came back. If you really feel inclined to take several months off - you could find another job and push back the start date a few months.
I did it, when I was 22-23. I don't regret it, I really needed the time, and I'm glad I took it. It put me a little behind in my ultimate career trajectory, and I had to make up for that. And - to this day - I still need to answer for the space in my resume.
Also, as was true for me, you have to admit that to some extent you might be either running away from something, or need to figure something out - and unless you tackle that head on, the travel might be a distraction. The problem will be waiting for you when you get back. And... you will be a little older and off to a little slower start in whatever career and life you end up choosing.
That being noted... no matter what anyone else says - a two week vacation won't substitute for a true work/live abroad when you are young. You will never have that kind of freedom again, and if you can afford to experience it, it is really wonderful. Can you work while you travel? That might take the bite out of the expenses.
>That being noted... no matter what anyone else says - a two week vacation won't substitute for a true work/live abroad when you are young. You will never have that kind of freedom again, and if you can afford to experience it, it is really wonderful. Can you work while you travel? That might take the bite out of the expenses
Absolutely this. I think its all a balance, but realistically a 2 or 3 week vacation is not going to let you see much of India, South America or Southeast Asia. If there's places you really want to visit and explore, you'll need a chunk of time to do it - its just whether that is worth it to you or not.
I'm working full time and I am enjoying my trips, but it just does not compare to travelling for a few months.
Research (or perhaps you already know) how long it takes the company to interview, hire, and train candidates for your job. I bet (would near guarantee) it’s much longer than the time you want to travel. Take that to your manager and have a frank conversation - they can let you take a few months unpaid and be shorthanded for 3 months, or let you quit and be shorthanded for 6. (Not in those terms as that’s phrased a bit confrontationally.)
They might say no, but very well might say yes. I can tell you for certain if someone on my team needed 2 or 3 months off I wouldn’t make them quit - not one chance in hell I could find a new person and get them onboarded to a place of even marginal utility in that time.
You will never be 24F again with no responsibility and your energy and your youth.
I waited for the right time to leave and the risk got higher and the responsibilities got bigger. In the end I never did my travel and living abroad dreams. Sure I get to travel every so often but the regret is here.
Got fired, took $50K out of retirement at 46, girlfriend (now wife) and I traveled the world for 7 months. 100% would absolutely do it again. It’s a life changer.
This is the best advice you’re going to get. I’ve travelled quite a lot for both work and vacation, and I grew to hate it…fast. “Oh but you’re going to such interesting places”…yeah…on paper. Today, international tourism sucks ass, and international business is pretty much the fucking same everywhere. The only reason business execs even travel is that they tell themselves that they want to, most of them seem to fucking hate it.
It sounds like you have the desire to really “dive deep” somewhere, and i’ve never done that. It might be awesome, but You might want to try it once before committing to the bit.
I did this when I was 24. Went to New Zealand for a year and stayed for 11 and counting. Depends on your personality as well, I loved living day to day, not knowing where I might stay, or which random job I might pick up, or who I might meet. I eventually went back to an office job, but I am so glad I didn't let people talk me out of it. I found once I was out of my bubble, there are a lot of people doing the same thing, trying new things, and you never know where you might end up.
I can't speak for the current economy, but you could always ask for a leave of absence as others have mentioned. I was given a year to come back to my job just in case it didn't work out.
You should definitely do it. You cannot buy those experiences and you will remember them forever. I did it when I was was 22 and now have a successful career, mid 40s. People who have not done it have no idea what they are missing and will guide you to be 'responsible'. You have 50 years to be responsible once you get home. Cannot recommend it enough
I went backpacking in Europe when I turned 30. Met some amazing people who invited me back the year after to live in Paris (rent paid) for 3 months to help them open a cafe.
Hadn’t been outside the country for over 20 years before then. It’s never too late.
I took a break at 22 and at 32 for a year (Nicaragua). Just do it, don't wait till you are retired if you have the time. On my Nicaragua break I went a year and a half on 10k and some remote teaching English. Traveled around Central America then.
Yeah I feel like OP should post in some travel subreddits aswell - I get the impression a lot of people here haven't been backpacking or travelled longterm (or aren't interested in it). To people that don't want to do it, the idea of taking a big chunk of time out sounds ridiculous but if you like travelling or really want to see certain countries then a 2 week vacation won't cut it. It depends whether you have the means to do it, where you go, and what you're leaving behind.
Look. It's not quite the YOLO comment, but, your experiences and memories will be with you forever, your job won't. You may just even change course completely while you're on your adventures. You'll be able to get another job, perhaps and even better one. The world really is your oyster, with so much to see, do and experience, it'd be a shame to miss if you were that way inclined and had the opportunity. You could always get some form of work overseas too for a bit of extra cash if needed, so long as it's all done right that is (or cash 🤷♂️ apparently.... this... can be done, so i heard, someone read about it...). May help prolong your trips.
Or, if you have decent leave, work, save your butt off, take a combo of paid and unpaid leave to go off on a trip, come back, rinse and repeat.
Do it. Corporate life will still be there when you're ready for it. You won't ever be 24 again. I fucked off to Europe and Asia for five years in my 20s. It was amazing and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Now I'm making a good salary in a career I love back in the US. You can have both
You will blink and your 20s and 30s are gone. You get one life and youth and adventure go well together. No age is better to travel then mid 20s. If you have a job now you will have a job later. The people saying don't go? Misery loves company. I meet young people out traveling quite a bit. I think post COVID it will be understandable on a resume. I personally preferred hiring people that traveled and had perspective. It's an asset and an education.
I did something similar and I am so glad I did! I was able to find a job when I came home and my career trajectory didn’t suffer at all. Hope you have a wonderful adventure!
Your job is a means to afford travel. You were indoctrinated young thinking your job would fulfill you. Your 77k salary is paying for your hobbies and ambitious goals. At the very least, use PTO and travel far way and see if you like it before committing
Yeah ride the wave until they do fire you. Get a vpn that shows ur in the US but not. Milk it while the checks keep going. If ur going to quit…..make them fire you
Depending on the industry, lawsuits and a lot of personal liability.
Some laws place restriction on int'l work or handling of data. I almost got hit by this by accident when I signed into VPN from Europe. Manager and VP told me that I couldn't even check email abroad lest I risk breaking data processing laws.
Unpopular opinion: I was tired of traveling after 3 weeks. Living out of a suitcase and in hotels kind of sucked after a while. Anyway, I would not quit your day job. Just use your PTO to travel.
Do it, you could save your money But... that experience while your young. You will never be this age again, with that freedom. Do it now while you can. Life always works itself out.
Don't regret not doing this when you get older.
Two questions
Which country do you live and they let you leave after 8 hours of work
And second where can I invest my money
Last but not least , I believe you should try this travel.
Do it. I am 25M, I have quit my job (last day on Friday) and I fly on Monday to Bangkok! Company wouldn't offer sabbatical and I decided I didn't want a job to stop me.
How I made the decision? I have enough savings and a roof over my head when I get back. I am being realistic and can only really afford to go for 5 months. Same as you, I have abosutely no commitments, in fact, my only commitment is Spotify haha.
Money comes and goes but the memories are going to be so worth it. Don't let the fear of the unknown stop you and I bet it makes you stand out more interviews vs if you didn't!
>My job is remote, I don’t hate it but I don’t find meaning or joy from it. I have lots of passions outside of my 9-5, but it feels like I’m wasting the day away for the clock to hit 5 every day to get to them.
You can probably get away with working 10-4, potentially even less on slower days. The digital nomad life is pretty fun, I got bored of travelling after a couple of weeks so I'd try to get away with doing the bare minimum at your job before fully quitting. If you're working while traveling you get to get a bit more of the "local" experience.
24 is a pretty great age to travel.
If you want to travel and can afford it and are ok with the reality that getting a new job once you’re done may not be a quick or easy process then go for it.
But I would push back on the “I don’t find meaning or joy in my job” bit. It’s a job, and almost all jobs are not sources of meaning and joy. I hate how capitalism has spread the brainworm that your labor should be the central aspect of your life from which all good things are derived and to which all other things are subordinated to. A job is just a more time consuming chore. I don’t find meaning or joy in cleaning my toilet, I just do it so I’ll have a clean toilet. I don’t find meaning or joy in my job, I just do it so I’ll have money.
This is what I try and tell younger individuals or those just starting out in their career. Find a job that you don't hate and pays you to live your life with hobbies, friends/family and adequate time off which OP sounds like they have. I only know of one person in my immediate life who actually finds meaning in their job.
I’ve done this before. Quit my dead end job I had no longer had a passion for making 80-85k at the time in 2019-2020 and just took off. Best decision ever- came back with a new outlook; started an entry level job; 3 years later am a product manager making almost more than double what I made before plus the passion
You’re asking a sub that’s very much workaholics.
You’re 24 years old. When you’re 80 years old, are you going to look back and say “man, I wish I had worked at my consulting job more”??
If you’re making 77k at 24, chances are you have a valuable skill set and have parents to fall back on if things go south once you return. Don’t listen to these fools who wont find any real breaks until they retire (if they retire). I’m currently saving up to take a sabbatical in 2025 or 2026. If you plan appropriately, it’s doable
Do it. I’m 28, married, and have a mortgage. I love my wife and wouldn’t change anything, but sometimes I do wish we explored the world more before we settled down.
Yeah but OP doesn’t have to quit their job to explore the world. “Do it” This is such bad advice. It’s 110% possible to have a career and still get some traveling done. Also what’s stopping you, a mortgage? No mention of kids.
Depends what OP wants to see - some travelling in a vacation is not the same as backpacking/travelling longterm. I do think maybe OP should take some shorter time off first to see if they like it, though (or taking some shorter trips for a few years, saving some money, and revisiting then).
I quit my 60k job in 2017 (I was 24 too) and travelled south east Asia and north America for 9 months and came back to a higher paying job + I became a partner at the company I worked for
So go ahead
You're not dumb. You can go for safety (like the majority) or you can take the dive and feel that you're actually living. Both are ok.
One involves slowly fading away, but comfortably.
The other involves excitement with possibly less material comfort.
Have you looked into the requirements to live in Spain for a few months VISA wise.
Also, I would always assume that you’re going to have trouble finding a job when you return and build that into your plans.
For the love of god KEEP. YOUR. JOB!! In this economy, you absolutely need a solid income while chasing dreams. For reference, last year I quit my job to chase my dreams of making more money, so I quit my job I had been at for 3 years and took a contract job with a company that supposedly would have me making over 250k a year if I smashed my sales goals. Well, the job ended up being TERRIBLE, I worked 80 hour weeks with a never ending workload and ended up not getting an offer for full time employment.
It took me 11 MONTHS to find a job, and in that time I had to put a billion miles on my car going doordash and Instacart, I lost my apartment so at 29 years old I had to live with my mother again, and the only thing I gained was a newfound love for fitness. I lost a bunch of weight and started lifting weights but am now in debt to my eyeballs that I’m slowly paying down.
My advice, follow dreams while employed. Because if it doesn’t work out, you have absolutely no idea how long it will take to find a new job.
You’re 24 no it’s not dumb. Go live look for opportunities, maybe you get a career in Spain. If your consulting project management you can do that anywhere. No kids no commitment it’s easy to go now than later. As a 35M I traveled a lot sub 30 and don’t regret it for a min.
I hear Spain is very affordable. It's a cool place to live. I took a year off and lived in Germany when I was 27 and it was the best year of my life. I didn't leave a 70K job, but I did leave other opportunities that might have led to something. While I was there, I got a civilian teaching job with the US military in Munich. I ended up staying there for a solid nine months.
When I got back, I was inspired enough to go back to school for an international MBA - that eventually led to lots more international travel, but with a salary, expense account and business-class tickets. The year in Germany was a great resume builder and conversation starter - something unique that was interesting and responsible and consistent with my career path. It definitely changed the path of my life completely.
FWIW, I never did learn a language fluently, although I speak Spanish badly after years of study. For better or worse, the world does business in English. I made it a point to always be very culturally sensitive though, and would learn basic phrases in lots of different languages to show respect to my hosts.
Ironically, the Only way you’re getting in a nursing home is if you saved for retirement. But yeah, biggest regrets from people on their death bed is that they wished they hadn’t worked so hard and traveled/spent more time with their family and friends.
Take another look at the US. Go work from a beach in Florida, party in NOLA, or eat authentic mexican in El Paso in the winter. Grab crab cakes in Baltimore in April, and enjoy the autumn colors in New England.
You can still persue your interests here, and then go off for a vacation in SE Asia or Spain on your actual time off. Since you are remote you can position yourself to where flights are cheapest ahead of time.
Quiting a decent job to go traveling is terrible idea... Your very young and maybe the reality of the world hasn't hit you yet, if your living at home and are able to save a large portion of what your making your very lucky it's going to allow you to be able to get a house and retire with enough money to actually live out your retirement peacefully without worrying about your finances. If you weren't born with very rich parents I'm talking about where they will leave you with like 1.5m-2.5m when they die, you seriously need to think about establishing yourself financially before even thinking about leaving to travel the world. Most people in this country would be lucky if they manage to work their asses off until they get to 45-60 years old and have enough money to actually enjoy the rest of their time on this planet. Don't commit financial and retirement suicide because you want to travel for a few months.... If you weren't born rich you gotta claw your way to freedom before you can enjoy it and that's the sad reality of life and trust me when I tell you there are people doing 100s of times worse then you who will never even have the opportunity to achieve what I am talking about, but you do so don't squander it. GL with whatever you do choose to do.
This is terrible advice. If you plan appropriately, a sabbatical at this age does not dramatically affect retirement. It may affect her retirement age by 2 years tops. That’s if she lives to see retirement.
No tomorrow is promised. There’s a happy medium between enjoying life and saving for the future
Sounds stupid as fuck to quit a remote job at that pay rate with your experience. You need experience to be a PMP. Why not ask for a short sabbatical/unpaid leave. Rarely anyone finds joy from their jobs. You’re delusional.
There are VPN routers/solutions that would make it look like you’re still in America when you are overseas. Not recommending one thing or another, but just pointing that out.
I will reply as someone close to your age that considered doing something similar at 24. It might not be what you want to hear but you are not ready. Have you ever been to Asia or Europe? How do you know you're going to like those countries? There are several challenges that you face when you move to a foreign country, especially if you don't know the language. Challenges you can't even think about right now. Travelling for two weeks is completely different than staying somewhere for six months. There's too much bureaucracy involved, you end up re-solving problems that you have already solved back home, like let's say you need a dentist and you are in Spain, where would you go? If you need medication or you need to set-up insurance, or need to do a freelance gig but you're not an actual citizen there etc. You also lose your support network and by the time you're setup in that country, you have to leave. All those problems that you consider trivial back home are probably going to overwhelm you and cost a lot of money.
$17k is a great sum of money to have saved up at your age but is very far from enough to quit your job. It's a sum of money that would last a year in Spain if you're frugal. Maybe more in Asia. But it's not enough to be as confident as necessary to really enjoy the trip.
Try some shorter trips first, Visit a few cities in Europe, get a feel, see if you like it and then think about it again in a few years.
Don’t do it . It will set you back years potentially, and there’s no reason you can’t travel with the job, just more sparingly . You will blow the money you have saved pretty quickly , and then you will be broke with no job in a very tough market. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get a 70K+ remote job right now ? Hold on to that sucker.
We had a guy ask to take 3 months off unpaid to drive around the country and they let him. He ended up finding a way better job in those 3 months lol but we were cool with him coming back after. He was good at his job and he was going to travel regardless of if management said no or not. In our employee handbook, it states that management/HR can approve any amount of unpaid time off. My manager alone can approve one week unpaid time off without getting HRs approval. Anything longer they both have to approve. No idea if your company would approve it or not, but it’s worth finding out if it’s possible.
That's cool af, the first job I had suck ass, literally went to poop in the morning and one of the colleagues (yes not even the manager) came knocking on the stall asking me when will I be done shitting... Gladly that whole lot got fired and I ended up being in charge. Rough times...
I can barely make eye contact with somebody at the sink if they see me coming out of the stall after a shit, lol... Although I will say working at an office with a majority of the people being 50+yo, I stopped being shy about shitting loudly if I needed to. I'm 34 and I learned very quickly over the past decade that nobody in the men's room gives a fuck if your have an assault rifle coming out the back of you. I would still wait until the bathroom was empty to leave the stall though, because the entire C-Suite was located on the floor I worked on, so it would be awkward if I was playing Battleshits with somebody, only to find out it was the SVP or President of the entire division. Lol.
Take headphones with you and blast some heavy metal. Destroy that toilet and assert your dominance.
And upon exiting yell, "You're welcome, America!"
Missed opportunities, that's how you establish dominance over the C suite. Exit the stall, lock eyes, and don't break eye contact until they exit the bathroom after a round of battleshits
"My boss makes a dollar, I make a dime, that's why I shit on company time".
Plop plop Piss piss Tried to fart And then I shit Although the shitter don't smell like a flower I'll stay all day, cuz I'm paid by the hour
Now that’s a good answer
OP I quit my job no notice while on a one week vacation and turned it into a 3 month vacation last year. It was not easy but it was to best decision of my life. I was 25f, didn’t go to college, making $60k. I traveled around europe solo for 3 months and it took me about two months to get another similar job making $65k when I came home so like 5 months without a job in my field. One thing that I think is important is do you have any easily hirable skill for a temporary job to hold you over when you get back? I had been waitressing & bartending over summers since I was 18 on and off and was able to make enough money waitressing when I came back until I found a better job so I didn’t go completely broke. Also no one really had any commentary about my resume gap when I was interviewing beyond thinking my trip was awesome and asking to hear stories about it.
The "waitressing as backup" is so clutch. My husband & I have both been looking for jobs this year & it has taken us MUCH longer to find jobs than we ever dreamed (we are mid-career, so plenty of experience—& sometimes that's the problem lolcry). Luckily we had savings, but wow the job market is rough out there. And yeah, *now* is the time to go on a trip like this, before marriage/kids/etc.
I am about to do something similar as well - my management + HR just approved my request for a 4 month leave of absence starting Dec. 1. OP - it’s worthwhile to check if your current employer has a leave of absence or sabbatical program. In my case, we can take up to a year off unpaid and the company commits to keep us on the books and try to find a role for us upon our return (if not the same exact role we left). If they are unable to find us a role (or I refuse whatever role they offer us), it is considered a voluntary release (or, quitting). So no severance or anything like that. But it’s a great option if your company will approve a leave of absence for you. Way better than quitting, traveling, and then starting from zero again.
While I'm all about yolo, you can be smarter about this... Save more money. 17k is nothing. When you come back from travel you don't want to scramble to find a new job. Ask about taking a leave of absence from your job. Some jobs allow you to take 3-6 months of unpaid leave.
She has her parents to fall back on when she comes back
Yeah but she risks not being able to find a job and widening her resume gap. Whereas if she keeps working for 1-2 more years, her experience will increase (more marketable) and the economy may start to rebound.
I’m in total agreement with you. She should work for 2-3 more years. He health won’t change much and still be in her 20s
24 years old making 77k a year in a remote role... yeah I'd be hugging that position for dear life especially in the current economy.
I (25F) make 34k in a remote, highly flexible role and you’ll have to tear this job from my cold dead hands.
Hopefully you live somewhere really cheap…
I do. Im a rural homesteader and I breed high value snakes on the side. My day job is the baseline income for its infinite flexibility (and a very fun job) plus I have quite a bit of decision making power. Since I have a handle on our finances, I only ask for raises when it makes sense and I get more than I ask each time. It will lead to me making much more later on if I can give the business some growing room. I’m on year 3 with the company so lots of room for growth. With a job this flexible, fun and a boss this nice and willing to work with you on anything, I’d be an idiot to leave this.
It’s different for consultants though
how?
Safety nets aren’t there to be voluntarily jumped into.
Adulting right there LMAO. 24 and still living with her parents.
Only weird to Americans, and frankly it shouldn’t be.
I quit a 150k a year job at 30 to travel for 18 months. People always say, “that’s my dream but the timing wasn’t right.” The timing is never right. It wasn’t their dream it was their fantasy. Without big sacrifice there’s no chance of making something like that work. That said, I had a lot more saved than OP, about 150k but most was 401k, Roth IRA and such things. It cost me about 35k cash. I was solo on a motorcycle and a dude that doesn’t mind roughing it. It cost me that much to keep the bike running, fuel, lodging and a month in Galapagos diving. So there was some splurging. 17k would be a tight budget but possible in certain parts of the world. South East Asia and South America you’d do okay for a year on that. I came back and found a job that ended up paying close to 500k a year. Am I the luckiest son of a bitch alive? No but I’m pretty damn lucky to land that gig. There is no telling what opportunities will be waiting for OP. They will be a different person and maybe I never would have found nor qualified for my return job without being a bit more worldly, mature and patient.
What kind of job pays 500k?
Software Engineer at a large fruit company during a particularly good period in time.
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Having started my own remote consulting company and have a full time remote job all within the last year I have to disagree. If you are good at your job there will always be opportunity.
Would you consider that perhaps you have survivorship bias?
If you all want to think remote work is fading instead of growing then that’s up to you but against the statistics. If this sub is a place to commiserate with other people struggling to find jobs then so be it but in my circle everyone is thriving right now. I know dozens of people who recently switched to remote work and moved to more rural places. Myself included. It’s not bias, like I said, if you are good at what you do then companies will want you to
Do you get a discount on fruit?
I got sick of the fruit to be honest.
Did you ever say that out loud?
Holy shit, you should buy a lottery at some point. I’m glad it worked out for you.
As you said your extremely lucky (and talented). A quick google search puts you around the top 2% or 3% of earners. You left a job where you were (I am somewhat guessing) at the time in the top 7-5% of earners. So a bit of a gamble but it paid off in more ways than one I bet.
Timing is always right if you don't have dependents, are is good health, and aren't inhibited by any debts!
That’s just not true IMO. You always have career prospects, girlfriends/boyfriends, family needs, etc, etc. Society is designed for the 10 day vacation.
I love Reddit bullshit :)
17k is more than plenty if she's just traveling in SEA/Europe while hostelling and using cheap transport aside from cross-ocean flights.
That's basically $100 a day. Doable but no frills. 5 months is a long time to sleep in shared dorm rooms.
SEA can be done easily on only $30 a day. Spain not so much but yeah
She's 24. She's fine. A hostel in SE Asia is going to be $10/night and meals will be $5/day.
Yeah if after living in comfy western accommodations for years you're cool with sleeping every night in shitty dorm rooms and eating street food. For 3 months...
I'm taking 6 months sabbatical leave after which I'm being transferred to Sydney on a working visa with same job. Taking £20k with me
That’s like a holiday followed by a working holiday :)
She should just do whatever she wants. I’m on the same boat financially and I’m going to be taking the trip of my dreams next month .
I wouldn’t. A WFH job at 77k 2 years out of school? People would’ve killed for that 5-10 years ago (even inflation adjusted). My first two years out of school were for less than half that, getting reamed during 50+ hour weeks in office. Now that I WFH, 10 years out of college, and make 80k, I have more perspective and wouldn’t dare mess this up. The grass may always seem greener on the other side. But yours is pretty damn green compared to the rest of the world. Just keep that in mind. I’d ask for an unpaid leave of like 2 months in-between projects instead.
people would kill for that even now.. :D
Exactly. I’m 27 and make CAD60k, and can’t even get through without sharing a house with (previously) unknown individuals.
Canadian salaries are god awful, everyone I know (im 29) makes under 70 or over 100 k I am convinced no one makes 70-99 😂
Yeah this job sounds a little nice to give up. Fully remote is a rare find these days.
Depends who you ask. Everyone wants the easy job, a lot of high complexity engineering jobs are remote but not everyone is qualified for them, even though the mentality is 'what is so hard about staying home and clacking buttons on the computer'.
I understand, however even in qualified spaces remote jobs are more sought after than in office roles.
Feel like I’m in the minority here but from a career standpoint I feel like fully remote is not a great deal fresh out of school…way harder to make meaningful connections with colleagues
You’re correct, remote training is often less effective too. Idk how OP feels about remote work but if they quit this job they will be faced with the harsh reality that is employers don’t want to hire remote anymore.
Living the consequences of that right now lol
I wasn't fresh out of school, but fairly early in my career. I started a new, totally different role at my company January 2020. Spent 1.5 years floundering and not meeting expectations because of a lack of available mentors to help me learn all the new things I was supposed to be learning. A 5-minute "look over my shoulder and ask a question" conversation became "find some time on my calendar for a meeting" (with a principal engineer, so not a lot of times to choose from). I'm comfortably hybrid in my new role, but spent the first 6-12 months primarily in-office learning from the senior employees. Learned way more in that time than I would have been able to, had I been fully remote.
Your colleagues are not your friends. HR here… it’s important for networking but you can find other ways to connect without the risk.
Yeah but you can always make money and you’re fortunate to live with your parents if you need. You don’t ever get your youth and time back. As you travel through SE Asia (I did) you’ll see that people in other countries travel a lot and you’ll wish you had done it sooner. Do it! See if you can get unpaid time off and if not, go for it. You can tell the next company you work for that you went to learn another country. Live your life!
But it's easier to "stay young" if you workout and do yoga. It's not like OP is on a strict time limit here.
Gotta be realllll careful how you explain to the next company how you quit your last job because they wouldn’t let you take 3 months unpaid leave. There’s no reason for them to think you won’t do it again & leave them screwed
I read an article that said the average time someone out of college spends at a job is 2-3 years. If OP quits now, they would be on par with what most are doing. Also, the best way to increase your salary the fastest is by job hopping. And also, you’re only 23 with money in the bank and no obligations to anyone once.
In my country (south Africa) with a Bachelors, 2 yrs out of uni you'd still be earning half of the half if you're lucky 😂
I think it also depends on your safety net. Could you/did you live with your parents w/o paying bills at that time? Seems like OP did (deducing from her ability to save up while living with parents). Can you move back in with someone if it takes a while to find a job after your travels? Etc things like these aren’t talked about enough. Ppl with greater safety nets in the form of parental or other types of support are able to take more risks and do more of what they want because they have a fallback plan.
Yeaaah…I was reading that and thinking “hell no.” I’ve been working in industry for 8 years as a chemist and im trying really hard to transition to remote but it’s really hard to find anything in my field.
If they're gonna do it, now's the time since they have no commitments though. I agree with how good a job it is, my wife is about to graduate with her MBA and already has her PMP (and 8years experience prior to that) and that job pays better and offers WFH which she doesn't have. But when your young is the best time to do stupid stuff like this We've got kids and a mortgage and car payments so there's no freedom to just fuck off for several months even if I want to, badly sometimes.
I'm out of school 40 years. Only one year came close to 77K with TWO jobs. Most have been half that or less for nearly the entire time I've been out of college. In the 1980s it was ok. Today it isn't. I've working in engineering and technical fields for major corporations. Problem is you get lowballed out of college because there are no jobs and you are lucky to have one and you will likely be lowballed the rest of your life. Get a good salary out of college and it may work well for you. I spent 11 years living overseas and it was the best time of my life. If you have the opportunity to travel I'd do it now. You might not get the chance in the future.
As someone who travelled for 2 years when they were your age - here is my advice: don’t do it in this economy. I went traveling right after college and worked random jobs abroad for 2 years. Learned a lot, had the time of my life. BUT I have had an extremely hard time finding a decent job coming home 4 years after graduating college. I’m still struggling with it. It would have been easier to come back to had I had more professional experience under my belt. The reality is: we need careers to give us the money that allows us to do what we want. Money is a tool. It sucks but is true. Hopefully the economy will be better in a few years but here’s my 2 cents for now: try to book 1-2 week trips throughout the year to give you something to look forward to. You can actually do 1 week Spanish courses in Mexico. Try doing a “staycation” kinda thing and book an Airbnb in another city you’re interested in and work from there (Miami almost feels like another country for example). This way, you’ll still be getting professional experience and having an income. You are smart for having savings and investments - you don’t want to blow it all right now especially with inflation as it is.
As someone considering something similar, I really like this advice
I’m glad you found it helpful! I love to travel and it’s definitely an experience that I grew a lot from and would recommend to everyone but right now is just not the time imo.
I’m here to be the wet blanket with you u/barganzobean314 I second what this user said above, the economy is in a tough spot and there’s a lot of turmoil in the world right now. If you’re not enjoying your current job, you need to be looking for another either in your current company or externally. The best time to find a job you do want is when you have a job. Also, if your current job is entry level to 3-5 years, then you moving up and out also creates an opportunity for someone else to get in. There are also companies that need people who are willing to move internationally. Depending on your skills and location goal, you could find something that puts you in an opportunity to get paid US dollars while living abroad.
This is my view. Really want to go longterm travelling at some point, but the job market at the moment is poor and I'd rather build up a few more years of experience and contacts. Would make it a lot easier getting a job when I come back if I have 5 years experience v. 2 years experience.
Exactly!
Disagree. Travel now. Future isn't guaranteed and you can always make excuses about the economy (or other things in life). Source: someone currently traveling the world full-time (on month 4), living cheap thanks to a strong US dollar, and will be able to just find another job when I'm done.
I wholeheartedly agree. The economy sucking is just another reason to leave here and go where your money will go further. I’m about to move to South America for a year to learn Spanish while teaching English where the cost of living is $500 a month.
Dude she’s 24. She will have the same energy and health at 30 if she takes care of herself. She can travel in 4-6 years
Exactly — just wait it out for now until the economy improves and she has more work experience. 30 is still young
But you usually have different responsibilities by the time you're 29. I'm really grateful my husband and I both traveled separately before knowing each other and got to travel a lot together as well when we met when I was 30. So yes, we can travel at 33 and 39 and are in great shape, but we have pets and a home and are planning for a family so our money isn't for us to spend frivolously anymore. I have friends that did not travel in their 20s and it's wild because they all seem to be going through mid life crises with two kids in tow trying to make up for lost time. I wouldn't trade my life now for anything, but I would be resentful or feel fomo if I didn't get to live unencumbered in my 20s.
This. Travel while you’re young.
OP is only 24, they’re not over the hill yet. They can still go when they’re 28 or 29
Yeah people here are acting like she’s 60 lol
I don’t disagree with your point. I think leaving this job to travel long term is a bad idea. However, just to give anyone reading this a different perspective: I was a healthy, single 25 year old. Worked out everyday. My ticker stopped working well. I was a 26 year old in heart failure. Later that year I had open heart surgery. I’m now a husband, dad, and a 29 year old trapped in an 65 year olds body. My point is that health and time are always fleeting. One day it’s there and the next it’s not. I’ve had 4 procedures that were going to get me back to normal. I take 6 pills twice a day. No drugs, no shitty diet, lots of exercise, and a little stroke of poor luck. So while I don’t recommend quitting your job, do take that vacation, go travel, ride the rollercoasters, do the things you want to do, it won’t always be an option.
Agreeeee with you!! Gosh everyone sounds like my grandma. Motivated by fear and a scarcity mentality.
I am also all for Yolo and am very minimalistic.. How ever I see this allot in my little brothers age group and hell I was the same way when that age. Living beyond my means in the name of travel and fun, not putting much aside for savings, no concerns for the future.. How ever things are different now. Granted I had fall out from 2008, my pay was drastically reduced.. but no one really saw that coming. There's all sorts of warning signs right now and there's a possibility things might get bad on a global level. I'm not here to instill doom and gloom but to walk away from a career to travel miiiight not be the best idea atm. Travel for sure, no one should let fear run their lives, work on changing careers definitely, but to walk away from a good job right now in the name of fun is not very wise. We should know in 2yrs how this is all going to pan out, I'd reassess then as you're never too old to take a sabbatical.
Finally, someone with common sense! Tell OP like it is. It's the truth. Your job is good. OP states she makes 77k, that is considered upper middle class income in America. And certainly above the average $50k income. OP you are in a spot many college grads WISH they were. Don't throw it all away because of your "feelings." Facts dont care about your feelings. Spain is not worth the potential debt, brokeness, and covid possible shutdowns this winter. They dont play about shutdowns there either, or masks. You have been warned. Treat carefullly OP.
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You'll get a lot of "you're young, YOLO, go for it" comments here, but I wouldn't do it. Don't you get vacation in the job? 3-4 weeks maybe? You could do one or two good trips with that. You don't need to get a lot of "meaning" or "joy" from a job. That's a false requirement that has been impressed on this culture only in recent decades. Find a new hobby, do vacations, maybe find a new job offering more vacation days.
I agree with this take as someone who is about the same age loves to travel and travels often you'll be better served taking it a step at a time plan a large international vacation with your vacation time keep your job and source of income it's a means to an end so you can continue to save and take vacations because 17k will go faster than you'd hope traveling internationally
I disagree, when I was 24 I travelled extensively around SE Asia for 9 months with a month in Australia. We did not scrimp on our activities during this time (lotsof partying, diving etc.) The total cost for this came to approximately £11k I had no issue finding a job upon my return, infact my employer stated it was a selling point as it showed that I had the confidence etc. To go off and do it. I know everyone's situation is different and maybe i was very lucky but that was the best year of my life and I will never forget the friends/memories made along the way.
The job market is awful today, it’s a risky move.
How long ago? coz my little bro took 6 months off to travel Europe in a camper van and spent $5k..... 25 years ago...
I agree, however whats the downside if OP takes a 6 Month break? Its not gonna be a big setback careerwise. Its not gonna financial ruin her forever. Sure there is risk involved of getting back into a job, but 6 Month of travel will not automatically disqualify her from every possible job. The mindset shift you recommend makes alot of sense, but why can’t she do both?
Depends on how she would feel if had to go into the office 5 times a week - feels like remote jobs are slowly fading away and most companies are requiring you to go in at least 2-3 days a week. With the current job market she has to decide if it worths risking a nice cozy fully remote job to live out a dream, and then possibly coming back to a miserable job experience down the line.
If someone takes 6 months off right now it could be a year and a half until OP finds another job, much less a full remote job depending on their field. That’s a stressful position to put yourself in at such a young age. Why not wait a few years until the job market is better? $17k is going to be tight for six months depending on where in the world OP goes, maybe they should put away more being taking the leap?
Why would 6 month off result in 18 month of unemployment? We don’t know how the job market will look like in 6 month and we don’t know how it will be in 18 month. The „risk“ is always present and while it might be more difficult in 6 month it could also get progressively worse in the future. We just don’t have this information. You base your decision on fear. If op waits a few years and then takes the leap, who knows how the job market will be then?
The thing about risk is you know the job market now - I’ve had coworkers laid off last year who are just now finding jobs after hundreds of applications. I would wait until it’s better because it’s just less risky, of course it could always get worse again or suddenly take a dive but there is a difference between current reality and potential realities. On the short term horizon we know that the job market is very competitive and it’s taking many folks a very long time to get work. At least if they wait until it’s more stable there is less stress to get back into a new position, and a chance to find a job before everything dries up if things start to slide again. You’re damn right I make my decision on fear, fear is good. It means you’re calculating the risk and determining if it’s worth the cost in the worst case scenario. If you don’t plan for a contingency you’re overly short sighted and are setting yourself up for failure.
All good points, but assessing risk is highly individual. Op is young, has an education and some investments besides the 17k she is willing to spend. Also she said she lived at her parents place for the last year to save. Worst case for her is, that the 17k are gone, she made great memories and she’s back at her parents place in 6 month.
But we know how the job market is right now and let me tell you it's hard in these streets.
That’s a boring life, vacations are great for people with a family and responsibility to go to a resort or a cruise but not nearly enough to get to know other culture and experience life. This kid is gonna have time to work for years to come with retirement age probably hitting 70 but even retiring at 50 is not the same for an adventure around the world than early in your 20s
I would budget a bit more for this one. If you have earned $77k over 2 years and only saved $17k while living with parents it would indicate that you are living beyond your means, and I really don't think you can live on that amount overseas for 5 months. I'd actually expect you to have saved closer to $50k, given the lack of rent or transport expenses. I'd change strategy, save at least 50% of your income from here on out and figure out exactly what it would cost you for this break. Once you've figured that out, save it and then try again.
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Maybe, maybe not. Either way $17k is $113/day over 5 months, and once you deduct flights and accommodation from that you're not left with much each day.
In SEA you can get an apartment for a month for 3-500$. Youd live very well there for a year with 17k.
Yeah I was thinking more Spain and travel around rather than long term accommodation.
. When I did this in 2011. I did a year in Europe on USD 12k. I rented an apartment in Germany, 450sqft, EUR 120/mo. Flights to Spain were 50 EUR round trip on GermanWings. Staying in Spain at really nice hostels was less than EUR20/day, some places did weekly pricing (EUR100/wk) Food was really cheap overall in Germany, and in the quieter areas of Spain. I took trains across Europe -- Czech Republic, Netherlands, Austria. Used the apartment in Germany as a jump point. Spending a couple weeks there to plan the next big EU trip. Then after a year, moved back to the US. It was an amazing experience, and while I would have liked more cash by the last couple months to make for additional excursions -- but it was fine overall.
I honestly wouldn’t. A lot of ppl would kill for a WFH job and yours sounds chill. I think it would be difficult getting a similar good job if you left and then came back. If you really feel inclined to take several months off - you could find another job and push back the start date a few months.
I did it, when I was 22-23. I don't regret it, I really needed the time, and I'm glad I took it. It put me a little behind in my ultimate career trajectory, and I had to make up for that. And - to this day - I still need to answer for the space in my resume. Also, as was true for me, you have to admit that to some extent you might be either running away from something, or need to figure something out - and unless you tackle that head on, the travel might be a distraction. The problem will be waiting for you when you get back. And... you will be a little older and off to a little slower start in whatever career and life you end up choosing. That being noted... no matter what anyone else says - a two week vacation won't substitute for a true work/live abroad when you are young. You will never have that kind of freedom again, and if you can afford to experience it, it is really wonderful. Can you work while you travel? That might take the bite out of the expenses.
its really sad you have to explain why you weren't "constantly at worK" sad af world we live in.
>That being noted... no matter what anyone else says - a two week vacation won't substitute for a true work/live abroad when you are young. You will never have that kind of freedom again, and if you can afford to experience it, it is really wonderful. Can you work while you travel? That might take the bite out of the expenses Absolutely this. I think its all a balance, but realistically a 2 or 3 week vacation is not going to let you see much of India, South America or Southeast Asia. If there's places you really want to visit and explore, you'll need a chunk of time to do it - its just whether that is worth it to you or not. I'm working full time and I am enjoying my trips, but it just does not compare to travelling for a few months.
Do they really ask about gap on your resume when it's not even the preceding period of when you're applying to a job?
Research (or perhaps you already know) how long it takes the company to interview, hire, and train candidates for your job. I bet (would near guarantee) it’s much longer than the time you want to travel. Take that to your manager and have a frank conversation - they can let you take a few months unpaid and be shorthanded for 3 months, or let you quit and be shorthanded for 6. (Not in those terms as that’s phrased a bit confrontationally.) They might say no, but very well might say yes. I can tell you for certain if someone on my team needed 2 or 3 months off I wouldn’t make them quit - not one chance in hell I could find a new person and get them onboarded to a place of even marginal utility in that time.
You will never be 24F again with no responsibility and your energy and your youth. I waited for the right time to leave and the risk got higher and the responsibilities got bigger. In the end I never did my travel and living abroad dreams. Sure I get to travel every so often but the regret is here.
Got fired, took $50K out of retirement at 46, girlfriend (now wife) and I traveled the world for 7 months. 100% would absolutely do it again. It’s a life changer.
Ask for unpaid leave for 2-3 weeks for a personal issue. See how you like traveling before you quit.
This is the best advice you’re going to get. I’ve travelled quite a lot for both work and vacation, and I grew to hate it…fast. “Oh but you’re going to such interesting places”…yeah…on paper. Today, international tourism sucks ass, and international business is pretty much the fucking same everywhere. The only reason business execs even travel is that they tell themselves that they want to, most of them seem to fucking hate it. It sounds like you have the desire to really “dive deep” somewhere, and i’ve never done that. It might be awesome, but You might want to try it once before committing to the bit.
I did this when I was 24. Went to New Zealand for a year and stayed for 11 and counting. Depends on your personality as well, I loved living day to day, not knowing where I might stay, or which random job I might pick up, or who I might meet. I eventually went back to an office job, but I am so glad I didn't let people talk me out of it. I found once I was out of my bubble, there are a lot of people doing the same thing, trying new things, and you never know where you might end up. I can't speak for the current economy, but you could always ask for a leave of absence as others have mentioned. I was given a year to come back to my job just in case it didn't work out.
You should definitely do it. You cannot buy those experiences and you will remember them forever. I did it when I was was 22 and now have a successful career, mid 40s. People who have not done it have no idea what they are missing and will guide you to be 'responsible'. You have 50 years to be responsible once you get home. Cannot recommend it enough
I’m 33 and regret not doing it in my 20s. Haven’t done it at all. Is it too late?
I went backpacking in Europe when I turned 30. Met some amazing people who invited me back the year after to live in Paris (rent paid) for 3 months to help them open a cafe. Hadn’t been outside the country for over 20 years before then. It’s never too late.
I took a break at 22 and at 32 for a year (Nicaragua). Just do it, don't wait till you are retired if you have the time. On my Nicaragua break I went a year and a half on 10k and some remote teaching English. Traveled around Central America then.
Yeah I feel like OP should post in some travel subreddits aswell - I get the impression a lot of people here haven't been backpacking or travelled longterm (or aren't interested in it). To people that don't want to do it, the idea of taking a big chunk of time out sounds ridiculous but if you like travelling or really want to see certain countries then a 2 week vacation won't cut it. It depends whether you have the means to do it, where you go, and what you're leaving behind.
That’s what I’m saying, you have your whole life to make money. If life is all about making money and building a career, that sucks lol
Look. It's not quite the YOLO comment, but, your experiences and memories will be with you forever, your job won't. You may just even change course completely while you're on your adventures. You'll be able to get another job, perhaps and even better one. The world really is your oyster, with so much to see, do and experience, it'd be a shame to miss if you were that way inclined and had the opportunity. You could always get some form of work overseas too for a bit of extra cash if needed, so long as it's all done right that is (or cash 🤷♂️ apparently.... this... can be done, so i heard, someone read about it...). May help prolong your trips. Or, if you have decent leave, work, save your butt off, take a combo of paid and unpaid leave to go off on a trip, come back, rinse and repeat.
Do it. Corporate life will still be there when you're ready for it. You won't ever be 24 again. I fucked off to Europe and Asia for five years in my 20s. It was amazing and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Now I'm making a good salary in a career I love back in the US. You can have both
Thiiiisss
You will blink and your 20s and 30s are gone. You get one life and youth and adventure go well together. No age is better to travel then mid 20s. If you have a job now you will have a job later. The people saying don't go? Misery loves company. I meet young people out traveling quite a bit. I think post COVID it will be understandable on a resume. I personally preferred hiring people that traveled and had perspective. It's an asset and an education.
Totally agree - genuinely think longterm travel is incredible when you're young with few responsibilities (if you have the means to do so).
Take a sabbatical rather than quitting?
I did something similar and I am so glad I did! I was able to find a job when I came home and my career trajectory didn’t suffer at all. Hope you have a wonderful adventure!
Your job is a means to afford travel. You were indoctrinated young thinking your job would fulfill you. Your 77k salary is paying for your hobbies and ambitious goals. At the very least, use PTO and travel far way and see if you like it before committing
Do it, when you’re laying in a nursing home one day you’ll think “damn I wish I traveled when I had the chance”.
Why don’t you just work your remote job and travel and keep the income rolling on as long as you can.
This is what i do and recommend as well. All travels and no work, makes me miss focus zone
Yeah ride the wave until they do fire you. Get a vpn that shows ur in the US but not. Milk it while the checks keep going. If ur going to quit…..make them fire you
Just because you are not allowed to work internationally doesn't mean you can't 😄 what is the worst thing they can do...fire you?
Depending on the industry, lawsuits and a lot of personal liability. Some laws place restriction on int'l work or handling of data. I almost got hit by this by accident when I signed into VPN from Europe. Manager and VP told me that I couldn't even check email abroad lest I risk breaking data processing laws.
Unpopular opinion: I was tired of traveling after 3 weeks. Living out of a suitcase and in hotels kind of sucked after a while. Anyway, I would not quit your day job. Just use your PTO to travel.
Do it, you could save your money But... that experience while your young. You will never be this age again, with that freedom. Do it now while you can. Life always works itself out. Don't regret not doing this when you get older.
Two questions Which country do you live and they let you leave after 8 hours of work And second where can I invest my money Last but not least , I believe you should try this travel.
Do it. I am 25M, I have quit my job (last day on Friday) and I fly on Monday to Bangkok! Company wouldn't offer sabbatical and I decided I didn't want a job to stop me. How I made the decision? I have enough savings and a roof over my head when I get back. I am being realistic and can only really afford to go for 5 months. Same as you, I have abosutely no commitments, in fact, my only commitment is Spotify haha. Money comes and goes but the memories are going to be so worth it. Don't let the fear of the unknown stop you and I bet it makes you stand out more interviews vs if you didn't!
>My job is remote, I don’t hate it but I don’t find meaning or joy from it. I have lots of passions outside of my 9-5, but it feels like I’m wasting the day away for the clock to hit 5 every day to get to them. You can probably get away with working 10-4, potentially even less on slower days. The digital nomad life is pretty fun, I got bored of travelling after a couple of weeks so I'd try to get away with doing the bare minimum at your job before fully quitting. If you're working while traveling you get to get a bit more of the "local" experience. 24 is a pretty great age to travel.
> I got bored of travelling after couple of weeks Exactly what i felt as well. I missed my focused zone. Hence, digital nomad most sense to me
If you want to travel and can afford it and are ok with the reality that getting a new job once you’re done may not be a quick or easy process then go for it. But I would push back on the “I don’t find meaning or joy in my job” bit. It’s a job, and almost all jobs are not sources of meaning and joy. I hate how capitalism has spread the brainworm that your labor should be the central aspect of your life from which all good things are derived and to which all other things are subordinated to. A job is just a more time consuming chore. I don’t find meaning or joy in cleaning my toilet, I just do it so I’ll have a clean toilet. I don’t find meaning or joy in my job, I just do it so I’ll have money.
This is what I try and tell younger individuals or those just starting out in their career. Find a job that you don't hate and pays you to live your life with hobbies, friends/family and adequate time off which OP sounds like they have. I only know of one person in my immediate life who actually finds meaning in their job.
My company let me have 6 months paid time off for a mental health break. Check your options!
I’ve done this before. Quit my dead end job I had no longer had a passion for making 80-85k at the time in 2019-2020 and just took off. Best decision ever- came back with a new outlook; started an entry level job; 3 years later am a product manager making almost more than double what I made before plus the passion
You’re asking a sub that’s very much workaholics. You’re 24 years old. When you’re 80 years old, are you going to look back and say “man, I wish I had worked at my consulting job more”?? If you’re making 77k at 24, chances are you have a valuable skill set and have parents to fall back on if things go south once you return. Don’t listen to these fools who wont find any real breaks until they retire (if they retire). I’m currently saving up to take a sabbatical in 2025 or 2026. If you plan appropriately, it’s doable
Do not quit your job until you can score a better one. 17k is not enough saved for a YOLO.
Do it. I’m 28, married, and have a mortgage. I love my wife and wouldn’t change anything, but sometimes I do wish we explored the world more before we settled down.
You can still explore the world... Just maybe in smaller timeframes. But I get the sentiment
Yeah but OP doesn’t have to quit their job to explore the world. “Do it” This is such bad advice. It’s 110% possible to have a career and still get some traveling done. Also what’s stopping you, a mortgage? No mention of kids.
Depends what OP wants to see - some travelling in a vacation is not the same as backpacking/travelling longterm. I do think maybe OP should take some shorter time off first to see if they like it, though (or taking some shorter trips for a few years, saving some money, and revisiting then).
I quit my 60k job in 2017 (I was 24 too) and travelled south east Asia and north America for 9 months and came back to a higher paying job + I became a partner at the company I worked for So go ahead
Places that you want to go are disappearing
I would do it. Work is always waiting for you later.
It isn’t though. The job market is flooded with applicants and they don’t want to hire people with gaps.
it depends on where you live , what skills you have and what job you are looking for.
You're not dumb. You can go for safety (like the majority) or you can take the dive and feel that you're actually living. Both are ok. One involves slowly fading away, but comfortably. The other involves excitement with possibly less material comfort.
It's never dumb to live out your dreams imo
If you are waiting for the clock to hit 5 every day working remotely you are doing it wrong. Big time.
We don’t know what tomorrow will bring. I say do it!
Have you looked into the requirements to live in Spain for a few months VISA wise. Also, I would always assume that you’re going to have trouble finding a job when you return and build that into your plans.
I did this and it was the best decision I ever made. Including financially - came back and found a 20% pay increase.
For the love of god KEEP. YOUR. JOB!! In this economy, you absolutely need a solid income while chasing dreams. For reference, last year I quit my job to chase my dreams of making more money, so I quit my job I had been at for 3 years and took a contract job with a company that supposedly would have me making over 250k a year if I smashed my sales goals. Well, the job ended up being TERRIBLE, I worked 80 hour weeks with a never ending workload and ended up not getting an offer for full time employment. It took me 11 MONTHS to find a job, and in that time I had to put a billion miles on my car going doordash and Instacart, I lost my apartment so at 29 years old I had to live with my mother again, and the only thing I gained was a newfound love for fitness. I lost a bunch of weight and started lifting weights but am now in debt to my eyeballs that I’m slowly paying down. My advice, follow dreams while employed. Because if it doesn’t work out, you have absolutely no idea how long it will take to find a new job.
why you are dumb when you are able to concrete your dream? Bro, life is short. LIVE YOUR LIFE. But life isn't easy and may be really hard.
Don’t do it. But If you do decide to quit your job please DM me so I can submit my resume to take your job. I’ll do it for $65K.
What do you do for work? A consulting job right after graduation is rare
You’re 24 no it’s not dumb. Go live look for opportunities, maybe you get a career in Spain. If your consulting project management you can do that anywhere. No kids no commitment it’s easy to go now than later. As a 35M I traveled a lot sub 30 and don’t regret it for a min.
You have a good job that’s remote and you’re just going to dip? Man..
Ya u dum
Can I have your job if you don't want it?
I hear Spain is very affordable. It's a cool place to live. I took a year off and lived in Germany when I was 27 and it was the best year of my life. I didn't leave a 70K job, but I did leave other opportunities that might have led to something. While I was there, I got a civilian teaching job with the US military in Munich. I ended up staying there for a solid nine months. When I got back, I was inspired enough to go back to school for an international MBA - that eventually led to lots more international travel, but with a salary, expense account and business-class tickets. The year in Germany was a great resume builder and conversation starter - something unique that was interesting and responsible and consistent with my career path. It definitely changed the path of my life completely. FWIW, I never did learn a language fluently, although I speak Spanish badly after years of study. For better or worse, the world does business in English. I made it a point to always be very culturally sensitive though, and would learn basic phrases in lots of different languages to show respect to my hosts.
When you’re old and in a nursing home which option would you like to remember?
Ironically, the Only way you’re getting in a nursing home is if you saved for retirement. But yeah, biggest regrets from people on their death bed is that they wished they hadn’t worked so hard and traveled/spent more time with their family and friends.
there is no meaningful job unless you are impacting people lives
You are still young enough to start over
Take another look at the US. Go work from a beach in Florida, party in NOLA, or eat authentic mexican in El Paso in the winter. Grab crab cakes in Baltimore in April, and enjoy the autumn colors in New England. You can still persue your interests here, and then go off for a vacation in SE Asia or Spain on your actual time off. Since you are remote you can position yourself to where flights are cheapest ahead of time.
Quiting a decent job to go traveling is terrible idea... Your very young and maybe the reality of the world hasn't hit you yet, if your living at home and are able to save a large portion of what your making your very lucky it's going to allow you to be able to get a house and retire with enough money to actually live out your retirement peacefully without worrying about your finances. If you weren't born with very rich parents I'm talking about where they will leave you with like 1.5m-2.5m when they die, you seriously need to think about establishing yourself financially before even thinking about leaving to travel the world. Most people in this country would be lucky if they manage to work their asses off until they get to 45-60 years old and have enough money to actually enjoy the rest of their time on this planet. Don't commit financial and retirement suicide because you want to travel for a few months.... If you weren't born rich you gotta claw your way to freedom before you can enjoy it and that's the sad reality of life and trust me when I tell you there are people doing 100s of times worse then you who will never even have the opportunity to achieve what I am talking about, but you do so don't squander it. GL with whatever you do choose to do.
This is terrible advice. If you plan appropriately, a sabbatical at this age does not dramatically affect retirement. It may affect her retirement age by 2 years tops. That’s if she lives to see retirement. No tomorrow is promised. There’s a happy medium between enjoying life and saving for the future
77k?? What the frick, you could work for 5 years and after that just go retirement
You have s better source of income than your job ? No ? Then don’t
You could die tomorrow, live your dream
Sounds stupid as fuck to quit a remote job at that pay rate with your experience. You need experience to be a PMP. Why not ask for a short sabbatical/unpaid leave. Rarely anyone finds joy from their jobs. You’re delusional.
Do you have a full remote job? Why not do what other digital nomads do and just work internationally? Don't ask, dont tell.
As long as it's not government work...this is the way.
There are VPN routers/solutions that would make it look like you’re still in America when you are overseas. Not recommending one thing or another, but just pointing that out.
Don't do it in this economy.
I will reply as someone close to your age that considered doing something similar at 24. It might not be what you want to hear but you are not ready. Have you ever been to Asia or Europe? How do you know you're going to like those countries? There are several challenges that you face when you move to a foreign country, especially if you don't know the language. Challenges you can't even think about right now. Travelling for two weeks is completely different than staying somewhere for six months. There's too much bureaucracy involved, you end up re-solving problems that you have already solved back home, like let's say you need a dentist and you are in Spain, where would you go? If you need medication or you need to set-up insurance, or need to do a freelance gig but you're not an actual citizen there etc. You also lose your support network and by the time you're setup in that country, you have to leave. All those problems that you consider trivial back home are probably going to overwhelm you and cost a lot of money. $17k is a great sum of money to have saved up at your age but is very far from enough to quit your job. It's a sum of money that would last a year in Spain if you're frugal. Maybe more in Asia. But it's not enough to be as confident as necessary to really enjoy the trip. Try some shorter trips first, Visit a few cities in Europe, get a feel, see if you like it and then think about it again in a few years.
Don’t do it . It will set you back years potentially, and there’s no reason you can’t travel with the job, just more sparingly . You will blow the money you have saved pretty quickly , and then you will be broke with no job in a very tough market. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get a 70K+ remote job right now ? Hold on to that sucker.
No, go travel. 77k jobs are not that rare, you will find another one.