I spent about a year in 2011 faking what my retirement might be like, and I traveled quite a bit.
To recap, for about 8 months I went to the following cities around the world:
- Beijing
- Shanghai
- Hong Kong
- Macau
- Singapore
- Lisbon
- Evora
- Madrid
- Salamanca
- London
- Paris
- Stockholm
- Brussels
- Austria
During those actual days of traveling, I spent about $20,000.
I really enjoyed the whole experience, knowing fully how lucky I am to have had the resources (time & money) and the opportunity to do so…. but now I’m re-thinking my retirement.
You know how everyone always says they’d love to retire and travel the world? I don’t think I want to do that.
Traveling the way that we do on such a budget, is for the young
My parents who are nearing retirement, can’t handle the amount of walking and exhausting days of touring we did.
My aunt who is older than my parents, traveled to Paris for 2 weeks and spent $20,000. Obviously, some of the money was spent on clothing, but I’m fairly sure her hotel was a 4 or 5 star hotel (we stay in 2-3 stars), and they must have eaten in restaurants every single day.
Even if we had to money to travel like that, I am not sure I’d want to. It’s pretty tiring. I might want to go back to cities I enjoy like Hong Kong or New York, but not to do adventure traveling and discovering new places.
Traveling all the time gets boring
I know. First world problems… but it really gets to you, not being able to really relax, have a comfortable routine and to always be in tourist mode and on-the-go.
I missed my clothes and I missed the essentials of what makes a home for me, namely a kitchen!!!
After a while, all that traveling feels like a blur and I started feeling jaded.
I’d suggest traveling for 2-3 weeks at a time annually, rather than traveling the way we did.
You will enjoy it more, feel less stressed and really appreciate it. It’s a nice break from work, but not as a full-time endeavour.
I am dying to get back to work
I am by no means a workaholic, but I like being challenged mentally.
Traveling does challenge you mentally, but in a different way.
Even when I have kids, being challenged by them (both mentally and physically), still isn’t the same as working at my job.
When I work, I am able to use my experience and skills to figure out and solve problems, and that kind of challenge is what I miss the most, when I don’t work.
It just isn’t the same.
I am now considering a part-time retirement
I don’t even know how this will work, but if I could work part-time in my industry, or do something where it isn’t 40 hours a week, I’d probably do that when I retire.
Perhaps I will have less energy when I am older, and my mind might change… but at this point in my life, I feel like I have too much down time.
I need to be busier than this, but I don’t want to be so busy that I’m stressed.
So what are my options?
At this point, I have no idea. I know that I will not be traveling 100% on vacation when I retire, and I know I will miss being challenged and using my skills when I don’t work at my job.
I know I will have kids, which will help fill that void of busy-ness immensely, but I really don’t think I have the personality nor the will to be a full-time stay-at-home parent.
Maybe I could start a business on the side… but that’s like working, isn’t it? Arg.
So .. what ARE my options?
Just a girl trying to find a balance between being a Shopaholic and a Saver.
I cleared $60,000 in 18 months earning $65,000 gross/year.
Now I am self-employed, and you can read more about 
Have you ever considered couchsurfing.com when you travel? I would say it is also for the relatively young, but it’s a great way to get a different perspective of a city. Your host can offer non-touristy suggestions. You can make dinner with your host instead of going out for every meal. And it’s free!
Welcome to my world… 🙂
Everyone’s different – fortunately. We are also different at different ages. For example, based on my personal trend, I think I’ll mellow enough to actually be able to fully retire at some point. At maybe 75 y.o.. 😉
My issue with most volunteering is that it doesn’t fill what *I* need like work does (and either did full time parenting in the very short time I did it) – brain stimulation, dealing with super smart people on projects… I’m not sure but my guess is that you’re an INTJ – you have to have that kind of thing, most people’s ideal retirement will not look at all like yours will. This makes it hard to figure out what that should be.
For me the key is finding a career that is so enjoyable you wouldn’t want to quit! .. The classic example for me is Hugh Hefner who is still hard at work and loving it in his 80s. Or Jane Goodall who is so inspired to be a conservationist that she would never dream of retiring.
Many people are really looking forward to retirement (and not work anymore), I don’t want that too. I feel like I’d get bored to death.
We haven’t been in so many places in 2011, but we did spend 7 months abroad (NYC – 6 months, Spain – 1 month). I also worked from there, since I can’t afford being ‘inactive’ all this time, but, since I am a web designer, I can literally work from anywhere, as long as I have my laptop and an internet connection.
I don’t think I’ll be able to retire for good, when it will be the case, since, even if I get a week off my clients, I still work on my own sites and projects. seem to be some sort of a workaholic 😀
You could volunteer.
BTW, you’ve been pinged: http://bit.ly/yhJE31
I think keeping an open mind is a great idea, especially since having kids is so life changing, you may value a different lifestyle than you imagine now, or not, who knows. You obviously enjoy planning and being organised and getting out and doing stuff, kids offer a lot of those opportunities, it doesn’t have to be monotony on the home front, any more than a paid job has it’s moments.
We did one big trip this year, 6000km of driving into the outback, and a week at the beach. The big trip was a lot of work, the week at the beach was very relaxing. I don’t think I could summons up the mental and emotional energy for the big kind of trip more than once a year. But I really would like more relaxing weeks or weekends away. Having a special few places you return to, home(s) away from home, might be a very nice lifestyle for retirement or semi-retirement.
We quit our jobs and bought a motorhome 2.5 years ago, and have been living in it fulltime ever since. We still work, but we work a seasonal job then find another job and move for the following season. That allows us to fully enjoy the area we are in for several months. I wouldn’t want to travel any other way…I Love having my home with me everywhere I go. 🙂
I’ve thought about taking off a full year to do ALL the travelling I want to do in one hit. And if we did it that way, we’d definitely be penny pinching the whole way and I don’t want to be doing that for a year on the road. And I’m pretty sure that I wouldn’t actually enjoy it all that much – so although it might be more expensive in the long run (round the world flights go for a song), I’m still planning to do several smaller trips over a few years. Just things like laundry, kitchens, wifi … all those home comforts you overlook.
IN regards to retirement .. I don’t yet know exactly what I want my retirement to look like. But I do know whatever I do, I want it to be a CHOICE. I may well want to work, PT, contract, volunteer, whatever. Or I may not. I want to have enough saved so that I have options. And I definitely don’t want to do budget travel in my retirement!
I’ve thought about not fully retiring either. But it seems harder to plan for that because less people do it and not as many people talk about it. I’d love to see that I wouldn’t mind working at least part-time the rest of my life, either, but I’m not sure if I’ll feel the same way in 40 years.
I would have thought it’s pretty individual.
Many people in Europe travel with caravans, RVs or boats when they’re retired: maybe so they can take their kitchen and routine with them!!
Since we have had our kids young and already became grandparents in our early 40s, our plan is to semi-retire in our 50s and spend some of each year travelling/away. As my husband is a keen sailor, we will probably simply have the time to sail at a more leisurely pace, seeing new places and re-enjoying some we’ve already seen and sticking to calmer waters rather than the more exciting and intensive sailing weeks we might have done in our 30s. It is quite likely we would also use a caravan/RV and travel to places of scientific or historical interest in a more leisurely fashion (like around the British coast…).
We will probably also spend more time at our holiday home, as my mom does now, able to enjoy low season and empty beaches since the house is equipped for all weathers and staying several weeks or months at a time. Also we will have time to look at the masses of sights between our home and our holiday home (1200 km) which we have never had time to look at properly when we’ve been restricted to 2-3 wk holidays and needed to get there and get back “on time”. Like Paris!
Some of the time we will enjoy being around to see the grandchildren grow up (and probably great-grandchildren, since we are already ahead of the game!) and to enjoy our small, low-maintenance home, putting it at the disposal of family and friends while we are away.
We will continue to enjoy reading and educating ourselves and may do some consulting work (my husband) on individual projects, just because it’s enjoyable and stimulating. As a translator, again like my mom, I will probably be able to continue doing jobs for a long time past the regular “retiring age” of 65 or whatever and am not bound to a location, thanks to internet.
I have been a SAHM since my eldest child was 6 and gradually built up my translation business to a level that is nicely compatible with being a mom to my 3 girls and now a grandma to 2 small ones, plus I did my Bachelor’s in my late 30s/early 40s as a mature student. Although I feel I have almost always had “time to smell the roses”, I hope for more of it when my husband is no longer quite so stressed by business.
The only thing that could necessitate a rethink is if our health suffered, so far so good, we do what we can. But I think our positive outlook would be helpful there, too.
However I travel or live, I hope to do it “lightly”!!
I think all of your possibilities are valid. I too cannot fathom full time retirement. I just came back to work after 6 months maternity leave. Though I enjoyed the leave (and kinda wish I’d taken a bit longer with my little man), I’m also enjoying being back. I love my job and my husband thinks it’s hilarious that I would continue to do it part time if we won millions in the lottery. Like you, I enjoy the challenge and the rewards (besides money) that come from my work. I’m early in my career also, and many people tell me that I’ll feel differently in 30 years, but I know many colleagues in my business who are still at into their 70s with no sign of stopping (and not because they have to for financial reasons!)
I would suggest that another alternative would be to pursue volunteering. My aunt has been retired for over 15 years, but she is busy with involvement in various volunteer jobs, including the hospital, church, and soup kitchen. She also does letter/grant writing for agencies she believes in. I can foresee myself following in these footsteps, using my skills to benefit groups that might not be able to afford the fees of a consultant to do these jobs. Just another thing to think about.
Austria is a country.
I’ve noticed a different pattern in traveling based on age. At my age (early 20’s) lots of folks do it on the cheap- taking buses, backpacking, hitting the hostels, constantly moving around. Later (30’s-50’s) people tend to do hotels and still move around a bunch, but it’s tamer and a bit more expensive. Then around retirement age, I’ve noticed a lot of people will go on “vacation” somewhere for months at a time. They rent a short-term condo, set up “home” there, have their kitchen and their amenities but can still go to the beach or see the sites. They tend to stay in one location except for a few day trips. Often they go with friends. That to me sounds like the kind of travel I’d like to do in retirement.
Part-time retirement sounds like it could become a trend though. Partly because so many people haven’t planned for retirement well enough to fully retire. But also because more people now seem to get actual enjoyment out of their work. I enjoy the field I’m trying to break into, though who knows if that will still be the case when I’m 70 😛
You never know how you`re going to be feeling when you`re older but I think part time retirement is definitely going to be a new trend! How and where you travel and stay depends on you! I don`t see me sleeping in the trains anymore as we used to -lol. My husband and I are in our forties but have no interest in taking bus tours or travelling on a hectic pace when we retire. I see us renting a home, villa, apt or chalet for about a month or two or whatever at a time and immersing with the culture, shopping where they shop, eating where they eat, etc. There would probably be an activity involved nearby such as golf, surfing, skiing, something like that depending on our age and health. We have 3 kids and it depends on what they`re doing and where they are too. Studies show when people retire they travel for the first 3 years or so, maybe 5 but then there is a significant drop as people tend to then want their own beds and routine. Good to travel and live in the present while you`re young but plan and save and think about the future too – it`s a balance!!
Dear FB,
I would like you to know that working into the old age is possible provided you keep looking after your health, physically and mentally as you are now. I know a gentleman, aged 82 years old, who travels around the world consulting projects in the mining industry. He is still going strong. His mind is still so sharp and remembers numbers like we remember to drink water (sorry, probably not a good way to describe). Puts those of us younger than him to shame. One of the most amazing character I have come across. My full respect to him 🙂
From Gracie Girl,
Perth, Australia
I never thought I was the type to be a full time stay at home parent however, since I left my job in Sep I’m actually enjoying it.
Can you do some of your work from home? I’m now in discussion with my MD to work from home & do some consulting abroad on behalf of my company ( which would involve travelling to nearby countries such as France or Spain for a couple of days at a time ). I really like that concept.
I think it’s having the best of both world: you look after your kids, do the school run etc but also work and earn money and you’re only away for a couple of days at any one time.
I get what you mean by being challenged. After a little while of being away, I miss home as well. I want to reach the point where I could retire, I will then retired and go travel for a bit (3 to 6 months), come back home and settle into some kind of routine (work part time, volunteer, garden, read more, whatever).
I know exactly what you mean. I will probably work part time when I’m older. I wish I could retire now and travel now!
Your options as as you list: full-time retirement and part-time retirement. I’d guess that at 60-70 years old, you probably won’t have the energy to open a business. You’ve got a long way until then, so keep on saving money, and you’ll be just fine either way!
I think that older people like to go on cruises and bus tours while they’re on vacation. Only young people can travel as you and your boyfriend did, and you are lucky that you got to do it! I cannot do it without incurring the wrath of family members, etc. (Plus, not enough money…)
I HATE travel. BUT! I love going somewhere for months or years at a time. Great for immersing your kids in a language or culture, as opposed to taking them touring.
Bonus points for working in that culture! May not look like an option now, since you guys are consultants, but may be something to think about as a goal?
Liza
That’s true. We could go somewhere for a year or two, like in different cities or countries around the world
The problem is we both want to work, not just one of us so finding 2 jobs in the same city at the same time for 2 of us is difficult, although not impossible.
Maybe we’ll be able to do something like go every summer away to another country for 2 months, travelling 🙂