[caymanjim]

I live my life in a similar way, at least at times. I decided decades ago that I didn't want to work five days a week taking two vacations a year for 20-30 years and then retire comfortably.

Every few years, I take a lot of time off. Months, sometimes over a year. If I plan well, I have money saved and I travel. Every time I do this, it sets me back financially; sometimes I'm completely broke before I start working again. I'd be well-served to balance it a little better, and only blow half my savings before going back to the grind. It's not easy for me to find that balance, and sometimes it's a real struggle.

I have a knack for poor timing (left a job right before the 2001 dotcom crash, left a job right before the 2008 recession, and left my latest job just now, when there appears to be a recession looming). I'm about to set off on a months-long RV trip, and for once I expect to have a decent amount of savings left at the end, and plan on buying a house some time next year. While I like my itinerant lifestyle, it's time to secure a base of operations, too. Something modest, so that it won't prevent me from doing another trip like this in a few years.

It's not for everyone; I get that. I don't think it's a better lifestyle than working hard and retiring in comfort. It's better for me, though.

You're only your current age once. If you wait until you're old, you won't have the same experiences. I'm not willing to deny myself these moments along the way in return for a potential future payoff. So many people die before they get to enjoy the fruits of their labor. It's possible to work full-time and simultaneously live a fulfilling life; I see plenty of people do it. I don't know where they get the energy, though; all I can manage while working is TV, video games, and infrequent weekend activities. Most of the time I feel like all I do is work. Big breaks are what keep me sane.

[paulryanrogers]

Do people who do this have kids?

[prawn]

Depends to what extent. I have three children (4-9yo) and take them out of school now and then to do trips from a week up to three months. When I was a teenager, my parents took our family (us kids were 9-14) to China for three months, and that was an amazing experience for which I'll always be thankful. I carried text books in my luggage.

It is certainly harder and unless home schooling you want a home base/school, but you definitely don't need to be anchored to just school holiday periods. In our area, you file for a school exemption which is reviewed by the principal and, unless your child is lagging, they seem to approve it easily enough. You can find out what they'll miss in class and take materials along for the kids to do as activities.

Our holidays are more adventurous than sitting around a pool (usually roadtrips/hiking/camping) and we constantly talk about what's around us, so holidays are very educational and I don't feel like I'm letting the kids down long-term by pulling them out of school now and then.

Doing more than that though might be disruptive or difficult. You'd need to be travelling prior to school age, home schooling (adds extra workload for the parents) or switching schools/curricula frequently. I know home schooling is not entirely uncommon, but I think there'd be inevitable sacrifices if you were juggling that on top of work and travel.

[JKCalhoun]

Did the kids — nest is empty — time to switch gears on life and live the way I have wanted to for a long time (second best time to plant a tree and all that, you know).

[Cyberdogs7]

I do this and I have kids. We home school and it has been going well. My oldest has spent a few years in various public schools and the education they get through online classes and parental teaching is far superior to a traditional public classroom. They are set to graduate high school at 16, through a GED of course.

[incompatible]

It's easier if you don't.

[_8j50]

Good for you for chasing your dream

[stoxascer]

Chances are that after a certain age you won't have the mental or physical energy to even desire to do all that much.

I know quite a few people who retired quite well off and instead of traveling the world spending all this money as they thought they mostly just watch a lot of TV and sit on their phone. They don't even spend their social security check a month and they are perfectly content with this life.

Many people have confused the reality of old age with marketing from retirement firms and mutual funds.