[scooter53080]

I would agree with most of these...or at least don't disagree enough to parse them out. I would add two more to the list that I wish I knew at 22... 1) Don't buy a house. Yes it may be a good investment. Yes owning/living in your own house does provide a lot of personal satisfaction. But it can really tie you down. Aside from housing market woes, you become invested in a house and can become incredibly attached to it. It makes it difficult to just up and sell it in order to travel. Even if you can travel for $1000 a month, that doesn't work if you have mortgage/bills/upkeep on a house back home. 2) Don't get pets unless you are willing to be tied down or have a built in plan for having the animal taken care of while you are gone. Dogs/cats are a long-term commitment.

I'm drawn to a more nomadic life, but am having problem breaking free because of these. Anybody else run into these problems? How did you solve them?

[axod]

Why the emphasis in the OP and your comment on travelling? I'd say it depends on what you want out of life, and in what order. I'm happy to go see the world when I'm retired.

[scooter53080]

I guess I am talking about travel. But in the point about a house I'm also talking about relocation. A house and all the stuff you accumulate because of it seriously inhibits portability. I wish I had maintained a smaller footprint, so the idea of moving wouldn't seem so daunting.

[asdflkj]

Travel is not a thing that you try, say to yourself that you've done it, and be done with it (like coke, say, or S&M). It's more like college; you do it in large part because it will benefit your life from then on. Traveling at the end of life makes about as much sense as going to college at the end of life.

[axod]

I don't agree with that. Plenty of people go to college later in life. You can't do everything at every time in your life. I'd rather see the world when I have money to see it in a bit of style.

Everything shapes who you are from then on, and an experience like travelling may have a big effect on your later life. But so does being a parent, or starting a company, or any number of other big experiences. You just have to make a judgement as to which you want to experience first.

You could make a similar argument for having kids later in life - to some it doesn't any sense to wait until you're old and tired to have kids.

[fendale]

Buying a house is a great idea if you ask me, so long as you don't pay over the odds for it.

If I want to travel, I can rent it out (the rent will cover the mortgage) and in 12 odd years I will owe nothing on it, and can live rent free for the rest of my days (or buy a bigger house) - I am only 28 so by 40 the house thing is largely sorted, which is nice ...

[bprater]

That assumes that you will be disciplined enough to not want to "upgrade" once you've sold it off.

[natrius]

I'd seriously consider buying a house/condo if I had the money (though not in the Bay Area). Livable inner city neighborhoods are only going to get more expensive relative to the rest of the market as time goes on because people are realizing that living in the suburbs is kind of lame. If gas prices continue to go up and stay up, rents in such areas will shoot up as well.

The environment you live in is a huge part of your life, and if you don't own your home, you're unlikely to be able to stay in an environment you enjoy. Aristocratization[1] isn't that far fetched.

[1] http://www.theonion.com/content/news/report_nations_gentrifi...

[edw519]

"Don't get pets"

Having pets has been one of the best things I've ever done.

Mine are magical and mystical, have taught me many things, love me unconditionally, and are better companions than many people I know. I love their company during long coding sessions.

They expect little in return. Just a little food and attention. I always have someone to care for them when I travel.

Their greeting is the best thing about coming home, whether it's been 8 hours or 8 days.