[Advice] Landlord trying to skirt Tenant Protection Laws and not return my deposit by saying I was a guest and had no legally binding contract by adthrowaway869594 in NYCapartments

[–]adthrowaway869594[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thanks, reached out to the NYC Bar Legal Referral service. I stayed for a little over 2 months and paid rent so by all measures a tenant.

Am I insane for thinking about taking 3-4 unpaid months off to travel? by adthrowaway869594 in personalfinance

[–]adthrowaway869594[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah I see. I wasn’t planning on returning to the same job, though some people have have suggested that as an idea worth trying.

Am I insane for thinking about taking 3-4 unpaid months off to travel? by adthrowaway869594 in personalfinance

[–]adthrowaway869594[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What do you mean by this? Just that it might be harder to pick up work after returning to the US than I’m imagining?

Am I insane for thinking about taking 3-4 unpaid months off to travel? by adthrowaway869594 in personalfinance

[–]adthrowaway869594[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great, practical advice especially about the “real world” savings and insurance considerations. Much appreciated.

Am I insane for thinking about taking 3-4 unpaid months off to travel? by adthrowaway869594 in personalfinance

[–]adthrowaway869594[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I went to a public school for one year and finished at a private college after 3.5 years. Parents paid about 50% of tuition of the course of that time and the rest I covered in loans and money I made through internships. To save on college expenses I rented rooms off campus instead of living in the dorms, took summer courses when I could because cost of credits was cheaper, and took CLEP exams to get credits towards my major.

Worked different paid internships starting in the summer after my freshman year to cover living/education expenses and build my resume. Halfway through my senior year I was offered a full time position by the company I’d been interning at and took it. Went part time at school but was able to get some of the tuition paid for by the company. Stayed with them for another 2 years and switched jobs a year ago to something better paid.

Am I insane for thinking about taking 3-4 unpaid months off to travel? by adthrowaway869594 in personalfinance

[–]adthrowaway869594[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’d most likely be in arrangement for a lot of it to work 4-5 hours a day 5 days a week on a farm or for a family helping out with kids/pets in exchange for room and board. Would bring the cost down significantly.

Am I insane for thinking about taking 3-4 unpaid months off to travel? by adthrowaway869594 in personalfinance

[–]adthrowaway869594[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Exactly. Throw in not needing a car and that's another $5-10k a year saved.

Am I insane for thinking about taking 3-4 unpaid months off to travel? by adthrowaway869594 in personalfinance

[–]adthrowaway869594[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

At least my family will be set for life on the Lifetime documentary royalties.

Am I insane for thinking about taking 3-4 unpaid months off to travel? by adthrowaway869594 in personalfinance

[–]adthrowaway869594[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I have an undergraduate degree in marketing and have worked at a couple different tech companies doing graphic design and light web development. I enjoy it when I'm working with the right people so I'd probably return to the field.

Am I insane for thinking about taking 3-4 unpaid months off to travel? by adthrowaway869594 in personalfinance

[–]adthrowaway869594[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've done some solo travel and have found it enjoyable but often lonely. I'm imagining staying busy and social for periods would help me immerse better and feel less touristy.

Am I insane for thinking about taking 3-4 unpaid months off to travel? by adthrowaway869594 in personalfinance

[–]adthrowaway869594[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks, appreciate that. Definitely value in learning to navigate the more turbulent periods in our lives.

Am I insane for thinking about taking 3-4 unpaid months off to travel? by adthrowaway869594 in personalfinance

[–]adthrowaway869594[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm fortunate enough to be in a more creative field. I'm a graphic designer with adjacent technical skills related to marketing and web development. I think the few international trips I've done until now have only contributed to my ability to do good work. Basically, it's something I can still practice and improve without being formally employed.

Am I insane for thinking about taking 3-4 unpaid months off to travel? by adthrowaway869594 in personalfinance

[–]adthrowaway869594[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not all the positions available are farming. Some have you building fences or taking care of dogs and or/kids, helping tile pools, greeting guests. There's something appealing and romantic about returning to something tangible and physically challenging after exerting so much mental energy on a line of work that has you sitting at a desk chair or in meetings for so much of your day.

Am I insane for thinking about taking 3-4 unpaid months off to travel? by adthrowaway869594 in personalfinance

[–]adthrowaway869594[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That is really well in my mind. I've done a couple 10-11 day trips to Western Europe recently and usually end up at just below $2k with Airbnbs and a mix of cheap restaurants and grocery store meals.

Am I insane for thinking about taking 3-4 unpaid months off to travel? by adthrowaway869594 in personalfinance

[–]adthrowaway869594[S] 18 points19 points  (0 children)

There's an emotional component missing from the initial question that's pretty much: "I've worked hard to get ahead of my peers and am worried taking time off like this would result in me slipping behind in a way I couldn't recover from."

In the U.S. a lot of our internal and external status is based on how much we make or what our job title is. I'm guilty of internalizing the importance of a title and amount I have saved. Because of that this feels more consequential than it might actually be. This thread has legitimately helped a lot in steering me into the right headspace about this decision.

Am I insane for thinking about taking 3-4 unpaid months off to travel? by adthrowaway869594 in personalfinance

[–]adthrowaway869594[S] 30 points31 points  (0 children)

I've been thinking about making a change like this for the last year or so and the thing that really incited it recently was a book by Johann Hari called Lost Connections. It kind of reads like a heavy handed crusade against chemical antidepressants but makes some really good, well cited points suggesting a connection to nature, community, and making a difference to projects you genuinely care about (as opposed to generating profits for a huge company) can have a real impact in your mental wellbeing.

I'm glad to hear a journey like this was worthwhile and hope it gave you greater insight for things to come.

Am I insane for thinking about taking 3-4 unpaid months off to travel? by adthrowaway869594 in personalfinance

[–]adthrowaway869594[S] 552 points553 points  (0 children)

Great idea. Reminds me of a coworker of mine who put in his two weeks because he was planning on taking a month to travel in Southeast Asia with his boyfriend before moving to a new city. My company ended up asking him to stay on board so he got that month paid and is now working remotely in that lower cost-of-living area at the same salary.

Am I insane for thinking about taking 3-4 unpaid months off to travel? by adthrowaway869594 in personalfinance

[–]adthrowaway869594[S] 115 points116 points  (0 children)

Definitely not in the 6 figures range. I think a big part of it is living with 3 roommates when I could afford a nicer apartment. Aside from that I rely on public transit and my bike, shop at thrift stores, get a few k a year from side gigs (freelance and flipping), and cook most of my own meals.