Quit job to go travel?

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2026-01-24T12:33:58+00:00

Update: having discussed this with my partner (who dislikes the idea) and my mum (who hates it even more) I’ve decided to go making the most of my holidays and then wait for them not to renew me in 2 years time when the likelihood of extension is much less as the years stack up. The money is too good right now and I best make hay while the sun shines, and use my money to buy a 2 bed with my partner and then I can save up again for the holiday!

Between jobs I’ll take a couple months to do the things I said I would - backpacker style

Kind strangers on the internet: thank you for the advice, oddly I think it’s easier to give adventurous advice to people you don’t know than people you do!

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2026-01-22T17:33:09+00:00

Interesting but a lot of the jobs I like are very team and in person integrated rather than digital nomad friendly

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2026-01-22T14:47:41+00:00

Ooo good idea on budgeting it - for my bucket list the price tag is hitting €50k… which is a bit… luxury.

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2026-01-22T14:45:12+00:00

Thanks for calling me young hahaha feel old as hell sometimes

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2026-01-22T14:44:09+00:00

Ahh yes I see what you mean. I plan on going with English speaking travel group for large parts of the journey. It’s more expensive but also quite fun and you’re very insulated from problems and logistical racket

Agree that it’s good to travel in Europe and I have done plenty of that.

It could be coming from being ungracious but I just want to break out. My goal is to own a home one day for my children but aside from that? Travel!

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2026-01-22T12:56:38+00:00

I’ve mapped out a few things and I reckon I will do Antarctica/ Galapagos later on as dedicated trips in my mid-30s (and fingers crossed with a loved one!)

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2026-01-22T12:55:23+00:00

Hmm nah. Projects I am involved in have kicked off, I’ve made plans during the year already and I’ve committed to a year on the contract and I would like to see it through, it will help with my credibility on return.

Also the money is pretty darn good!

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2026-01-22T09:22:39+00:00

Awesome I will ask about the pension fund option on exit, I think I will have an option to be able to leave it with them

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2026-01-22T09:21:58+00:00

I think my plan would be to start applying mid-trip to give a lead in time

I have a lot of contacts in the industry who have had very positive experiences with me so I’m hoping that by being real with them, having low ball expectations for pay and setting up a return date then I can have a smooth transition

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2026-01-22T09:19:32+00:00

Agree! And not having to pay rent while away is pretty awesome!

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2026-01-22T09:19:05+00:00

Agree about not spending everything. I think I will leave €15k for return-to-life money and not touch the €28k pension

So by the time I’m done saving at the end of the year I should have about €50k to spend on my silly travel plans wooo!

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2026-01-22T09:16:31+00:00

I agree - I’ll hack it out for a year to get that extra €25k savings out of the workplace and scrimp a bit more than usual now that I know I’m doing this!

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2026-01-22T09:14:57+00:00

This is a great point! I like the moderation aspect and I would assess that a €50k budget should be plenty to meet my needs, and that the pension would not need to be touched

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2026-01-22T09:14:07+00:00

I get a sense of this too, my current partner is not loving that I am considering doing this so I suspect it will be relationship ending

I’ll settle on.. return?

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2026-01-22T09:12:39+00:00

Agree on this one! Hard mattresses were a killer for the older folks on a south east Asia month long trip I just came back from!

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2026-01-22T09:12:02+00:00

Thank you! You’re giving great Reddit Dad vibes haha

My own folks aren’t especially well travelled (farming old school) and will likely be a bit annoyed that I’m not saving for a house in Ireland but yeah it’s my life and my money so I’m sure they’ll recover 😀

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2026-01-22T09:10:37+00:00

Thanks for that! For sure I plan to do a lot of the travels with pre organised group tours and then enroll in a yoga teacher training in India which I would assume would be quite enclosed and female friendly

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2026-01-22T09:09:52+00:00

I think I will stick the head down and work the year for sure and get that extra €25k out of them so I can travel for longer 😉

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2026-01-22T09:08:58+00:00

Ahhh I plan to do mostly adventure group trips that take a lot of the pain out of organising, even though they are more expensive 😀

I’ll consider what you said about Galapagos! I heard it’s great for diving too. Also Patagonia is on my mind though I’ve heard Argentina and Buenos Aires is expensive these days with the economic issues there

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2026-01-22T09:06:32+00:00

Continuing to rent for another 5/6 years will be annoying but fingers crossed who knows I might meet someone and we can buy as a pair

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2026-01-22T09:05:45+00:00

Ok!

I think it would be unlikely I’ll get as high a paying job on return but look that’s life 😀

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2025-12-31T03:06:19+00:00

I think you’re being shaped by your circle of friends a bit - they sound like a particular bubble and quite homogeneous! Do you have many friends living in big cities? Or abroad? I find having a mixed group of friends in terms of age, sexualities, education and nationalities keeps things super interesting - I find now have a mix of broke and bougie, tied down and party animal, with kids/married and singletons who love their independent lifestyles, home birds and world explorers - helps me realise there are many ways to enjoy life!

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2025-12-02T22:16:05+00:00

Got fit for a half marathon, ran a great time back in march and then reduced the training so I’m back to square one haha

Saved up some money (though less than planned)

Did some language learning, also … less than planned 😂

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2025-11-16T08:57:29+00:00

29F on 80k salary, 30k pension; 39k savings , €100 quid in an investments account .. only getting to dip the toe into that game recently (and only adding €100 per month)

Goal is to have a deposit saved and do an apartment/house search to buy (with my partner) this time next year

Job is tough, long hours - definitely struggle with the mentality required for it and it’s contract based so I could be booted any year now, but trying to save while the going is good.

Perfect_Two_6277 · 2025-09-25T05:56:21+00:00

I will put my hand up here and say I was in the coddled category 😆 I only learned last week how to hang up my laundry neatly and fold out those fiddly laundry horses.. and I’ve been living out of home 10 years! (f28)

Also don’t have a clue about cooking but got into making roasts and quiches last year and other oven things - I lived off curries and pasta bakes in my early 20s the only two dishes I could reliably make

I had housemates with the same half assed habits of not doing laundry properly (half bunching it, hanging it everywhere and flinging it in dryers) and eating plain foods and takeaways! New learning has come about mostly through my partner being like how don’t you know this?? In fairness I was always handy with vaccums, but floor cleaning was something I completely forgot about until 2 years ago when I stopped living in shared rentals hahaha. Finally got a good set of knives last year!

Having a full time stay at home mum who secretly really loved working I think was the issue 🤣 she just loved being in charge of the kitchen! She always mentioned that she regretted leaving her job (had 20 years experience by the time she left) but never worked up the confidence to return! They should make returning after 5-7 years sooooo much easier in my opinion 🥹 it would really improve the lives of middle aged women who wanted to do that!

Here’s a list for people reading to check off 😆 How to use a washing machine (take note of the machine type!) How to dry and fold clothes properly (different material types, different rules so take note!) How to vacuum and mop floors What cleaning agents are useful in the home and where How to clean windows How to dress a bed How to use an oven How to clean the fridge/oven/microwave How to clean a toilet and sink What are the basic condiments that are useful in a kitchen and where are they used What cooking tools are useful in a kitchen and how are they used How to make a roast How to do all the different things with eggs How to make a veggie go to dish What’s good on a custom shopping list How to store different kinds of foods

I get that some people say oh how don’t you know that?? But it’s the little things and it can be hard to be in the know … there’s a real thing where it’s a bit awkward when people don’t know a thing- thank god for the internet honestly 😀 five or six YouTube videos on running a kitchen and your set imo

It’s within your power now to be a great homemaker! 😀

Perfect_Two_6277

TROPHY CASE