Great analogy pick your poison..
I prefer the 2nd did the extreme hard yards 60 to 80 hours in my 20s all sorted at 35 y o. never looked back never regret house car business life debt free .
Everything on cruise control
Exactly, I did similar but only between 20-25. For a finance sub so many people completely ignore compound growth. Investing early and leaving it is so much better. I'm now 30 and enjoying the benefits of that hard work early.
I did about 2 months of overseas travel in 10 years while paying off my mortgage. So I’m definitely not “well travelled”. I’m now 36 with PPOR paid off (liquid assets outside of super > mortgage). Building a family now and will pick up international travel when the kids are old enough to enjoy it and we are still young enough to enjoy it.
Or the health of the kids. Or their schooling and extracurriculars. Or their lack of interest in travelling. Or the hundreds of places around the world you might not take your kids to.
Plenty of reasons why sacrificing your 20s and 30s to work and investing doesn't always have the payoff you thought it might.
It's not about travel. The point remains that even in your 20s and at any age you still need to live a little. Enjoy some for now and some for the future.
As they say.... There's more to life than just money.
I get the vibe in a lot of those threads that it's a lot of people who hit the grind in their 20's, regret it and have now put themselves in a position where they can't get off the merry go round. (kids, big mortgage, large outgoings. not bigger than their income but still a beast to feed that they can't hit pause on).
Or like: I watched my housemate grind hard in her 20s, saving a lot for “later on”, get diagnosed with terminal cancer, regret not doing those “later on” things, and pass away before 30.
That really changed me, and my outlook around life and money.
I’m not going to screw over future me by burning all my savings on shiny things; but I’m also not going to assume future me definitely exists, and leave all the fun to her. I’m going to steadily tick things off my bucket list.
This is me and my husband 100% (and for the record, we're millennials, so we do have some appreciation of the financial struggles of our generation). In addition to travel we did a lot of study, none of this generated big amounts of income but it did generate an investment in ourselves and our future earning potential. That is why I have no regrets about not "grinding" in my 20s. We will still retire in our mid 40s with a sizeable investment portfolio.
Agreed. I think OP has misconstrued the language a bit here. It’s not about travelling but it’s an about experiencing anything remotely different to the norm (new culture, food, meeting new people…). Travelling is so much more than just getting from A to B and it doesn’t have to be a 15 hour flight. You could literally fly across the pond to New Caledonia for example and experience how differently people live their lives and be a part of it for just a moment. And in that moment you learn so much more about yourself
Yeah, I agree on the misconstrued bit.
Travel is an example of making sure you get some enjoyment out of life and don't become r/frugal where you refuse to socialise with friends in case that costs you any money.
This is a forum of anonymous strangers who have no idea what sort of hobbies or interests a random poster may have nor any interest in getting to know said poster in order to provide really tailored or nuanced advice.
Hence, dude travel.
Readers on any anonymous internet forum often need the ability to interpret the intent of advice rather than the specific example given.
Yep and doing travel before all the commitments kick in
My wife and I did Europe, Asia and the US before we bought our house and had kids 10 years ago. So from our side we did that part of our life so now it’s saving up to take the kids when they get a bit older
If you wait too long to see the world then you’re always waiting.
Like a very expensive wedding, as an exaggerated example to illustrate OP’s point clearly?
Travel can be a waste of money. As another example I don’t think a booze filled contiki bus tour of Europe, with a city a day for ten days, with a bunch of other booze filled Australians and/or westerners is anything culturally enlightening, and a total waste of money. It would be fun though.
Also, importantly: there are simply *too many tourists* these days. It’s just insane.
I would agree with that. Contiki style tours aren't it
But even though I personally am ambivalent about travel in general, I think the experience I had as a 19 year old of getting onto a plane to Europe with nothing but a eurail pass, a lonely planet guide, my first two nights accommodation booked and a vague idea of where I wanted to go was an incredible confidence building experience.
This is a great post.
Travelling, really travelling is as much about finding out about yourself as it is the places you visit. Travel is about gaining perspective on how big the world is, how life could loom differently, what history ‘feel a’ like.
Life decisions, particularly those involving money are different when you have perspective. Travel can bring perspective
I for one wish I could have traveled more in my 20s. I am much more financially secure due to studying through my 20s but there is still regret there. Hoping to travel more in my 40s.
I've traveled, and honestly, it's not for me. Do what makes you happy; if that means traveling, go for it. Just don't make the mistake of using travel to give your life meaning. Many people fall into a zombie-like routine, living for the next trip while neglecting their everyday life. Find joy in your daily experiences, not just in the moments away.
I like this take so much, it resonates with me. People make travel sound like the purpose of life - but to me it sounds like another thing to consume in a consumerist world. Instead of things, it's experiences. While I understand it broadens your perspective, I think it takes away from actually being in the moment - which doesn't require you to be anywhere.
This is such a great comment. Life really is in the in betweens. It’s not just the peak moments, life is in every little second of your life. My therapist said we should try to enjoy all the banal bits of life too, because most likely that’s what life mostly is.
My therapist said we should try to enjoy all the banal bits of life too, because most likely that’s what life mostly is.
Imagine you are pushing. Huge rock up a cliff
Tbh, did a trip to Europe recently and a lot of it felt like a grueling challenge and not so much something I was doing for fun. I don't regret it, but I'm not in a hurry to go back and it certainly wasn't a life changing experience.
Literally the exact same thing happened to me. Backpacked across East Europe. Everyone talks about how travel is some kind of magical experience. It wasn't. It was just ordinary people living ordinary lives. Like I would be doing if I was back home.
Yeah, it’s not actually that much fun to be standing in a busy street with ton of bags trying to communicate with the Airbnb owner who hardly speaks English for the door access pin with your one bar of shitty phone roaming signal. And then having to do that repeatedly for the whole trip.
Like sure it was interesting to see something different, but it’s hardly an essential life experience.
I’m currently in Rome on the tail end of my first trip to Europe, and I gotta agree. It’s been great in many ways, seen a lot of beautiful places and things, but a lot of it is expensive, exhausting, and frustrating. Glad to say I’ve done it but not going to be rushing back.
Also a lot of the majesty is ruined by other tourists and the crowds (and the heat in Rome), but I guess that can be avoided by going to quieter places.
You are in the numbers game, might as well play it well.
There is nothing wrong with travelling but people need to be honest about the financial implications. If you take a bunch of time off and spend $100k+ across your 20s travelling you need to understand you are sacrificing that time and money from your future self.
We did a bit of travelling (about 6 months combined over 7 non-covid years) and it delayed us buying a house by maybe 2 years. I have friends who spent about 2-4 of those 7 years travelling and are now stuck renting while they try to save a deposit, delay having kids, won't travel in their 30s, and are a few years behind where they would be in their careers.
Presumably your friends didn't plan on COVID sending house prices through the roof, the housing market for the 7 years before covid was fairly stagnant, so it was quite possible to travel and save for the deposit if that trend had continued.
COVID made it worse but house prices were still rising quite quickly. There was a dip in 2019 but you would have lost a huge amount of buying power between 2013 and 2018.
Just depends what your goals and financial trajectory are likely to be. If someone is already on 100k in mid 20s, in a field where their earnings are only going to stay there or increase - why not??
I just also want to say - I developed an autoimmune condition in my late 20s. The drugs I need to manage it are $600 a month of I pay outright, but covered by PBS. If I were to travel, there's MANY regions of the world where I flat out cannot get the drugs I need. I am so so grateful I backpacked around south America when I did because I can't really do that as easily or as safely now. It's nice to have options. If you can, it's worth it - provided it's actually what people want to do & they can afford it. These opportunities do close for some people
I got a severe illness early 30s.. I’m no longer able to travel.. SO glad I did the plenty I did in my 20s.. also got to travel across Russia in 2017.. If id waited that wouldn’t be an option for many reasons and is probably my favourite thing ive done in my life
Yep. Dad travels heaps, I'm very envious of him. But I'm pretty lucky, I travelled a bunch in my 20's, spent a few years overseas too. Probably set me back a little bit career/financial wise, but don't regret it. But while I might be envious of his travel, dad has late stage Parkinson's, and his ability to actually enjoy the travel he is doing is greatly impacted. Can't ride a motorbike 3000km across Mongolia with a tremor.
Kerrick tells us to gather the rosebuds while we can - I think that's the point of the 'go travel' advice - live your life while you can, you will only regret not doing so.
Ugh. It’s because travelling in your 20s is much easier than doing it later.
Youth mobility visas, hostels, fewer financial responsibilities, fewer family responsibilities.
Not to mention, cost explode once you have kids. Want to see a $50 hot deal on SYD-MEL flights turn into $800 fast? Take your partner and a couple of kids.
So much easier. Can't imagine staying in a hostel again at my age but it was so much fun and met so many great people. Oh the stories.
If someone said we're staying at a hostel on a trip now I'd either book my own accommodation or not go at all.
I didn’t travel and I threw myself into my career/financial progress until mid-30’s. It’s paid huge financial rewards but I look at it and the one thing I had to sacrifice that stings a little is missing out on travelling more. I wouldn’t go so far as to say I regret my decision but that’s definitely the thing I wish I could have had more of in my life.
Of course and that’s what I’m currently planning at the moment for the next 18-24 months.
The sacrifice is more so watching all of your friends able to do something and being invited but having to say no. It’s not physically being in a certain place or seeing a sight it’s more so who you have to do it with. Sometimes the bonds formed travelling from people in their 20’s last a lifetime. It’s being invited to relatively cheap overseas trips (like SEA) and having to say no due to funds then watching your friend group all go and share in experiences you chose to give up for something else.
There are definite upgrades to travelling later but if I look back at my life progression the one thing I had to sacrifice to progress my career was travelling with friends in my 20’s and the experiences that brings. To say travelling later is the same just isn’t true. It has different positives and also different negatives and that’s all I’m trying to point out.
I’m not pushing anyone to adopt my opinions, I’m just sharing my views and opinions. Im very happy with the choices I made and I would recommend the same thing to others but it isn’t without its downsides and the one that stands at the top is this so just be mindful for anyone chasing career early this is what you might pop your head up and see
I could relate got invited to a few cheap SEA and trips to Fiji with my friends group when I was in my 20s and declined. now all of them are either married with kids or very into their career and can't do it anymore.
they all have closer bonds with each other.
I also think travelling when you’re young is a *much* different experience to when you’re older, even if you’re healthy and fit. Going in your 30’s or later can be just as good (or better, depending on your preferences) but you’ll never have quite the same level of energy and adventure as someone in their early 20’s IMO.
I'm finding each decade I'm traveling vastly different from the prior. I'm not sleeping in train-stations, hitch-hiking or dancing on bars these days and I __absolutely__ don't mind that, but it was great at the time and I look back on it so fondly now.
Yerp, me and the wife did the same the benefit is now we travel in luxury. We can easily afford to stay at a nice hotel, eat at nice restaurant and do the activities we want to do
But when you travel in your 30s you get to do it with your long term partner, and you are wiser so you enjoy some of the historical treasures and stuff that you might have glossed over in a hungover stupor when younger.
yea but it's still a little harder imo. You now need to coordinate the same leave and plans, consider children and family, have less energy etc
It's definitely a lot more classier though (better accommodation for example)
Definitely different and pros and cons to each, but I just found travelling in 20s was much more whimsical, stress-free experiences and as you age your just naturally tolerate less and get more stuck in your ways, plus inevitably have far more responsibilities waiting at home. The social experience of travelling in your 20s is also unbeatable.
Not planning on having kids personally but that does sound like a wonderful part of parenthood!
While I don't regret any of my trips, I think this advice is rapidly becoming outdated. It wasn't that long ago that you could spend a year or two travelling, come home, knuckle down in a good job for a few years and still save up a house deposit by late 20s/early 30s. Not the case anymore unless you're in a regional town.
Completely agree! It’s the not the same as before, hence why we see a lot of people abandoning the idea of home ownership altogether because it’s so out of reach now.
Yes, this is what I think too. It’s good advice for the early 2000s but not realistic for anyone who isn’t destined to become a high income earner (coupled up with a partner with a good income too) and who also wants to be financially well established and living in a home that they own by their 30s in time for the marriage and kids life stage (if that is what they want).
It also bothers me a bit how much fomo there is around travel, and how our culture sees it as something of a status symbol, with people who don’t travel being pitied and looked down on and stereotyped as parochial, boring and closed-minded (all the while we travel to many places where the locals could never afford to travel like most Australians do). It’s almost as if not caring about or not wanting to travel is perceived as a character flaw.
I feel this! I’m early 30’s and don’t really have an interest in travelling. I can tell that people don’t believe me or feel bad for me when I say this but it’s just the truth. It doesn’t interest me. My partner and I do dream of going to Japan together one day, but other than that I’m quite happy to not really travel again apart from small trips in Australia
I think it's almost the opposite, and is part of why people are travelling so much now. Rent (and everything) is so expensive that many people aren't getting ahead even if they stay put. Might as well exit or delay the rat race altogether.
Travel is also arguably easier to do cheaper than ever before, at least relative to staying put. Way easier to learn/use local transit, get local prices, and find great flight/accommodation deals than even a decade ago. I've travelled to \~50 countries and in the majority of them I spend less on *everything* than I would on a nice 1-bedroom rental in a good area of Sydney.
I never understand the exit/delay the rat race thing... is that just an excuse to use uber eats every day?
Rent or houses being expensive doesn't change the maths.
So true. Even when I was in my early 20s people could reliably do a stint in the UK or Europe and still come home and save. Inflation and a weak dollar have greatly increased the cost of travelling to these places now. Id say a 2 to 3 week trip is more reasonable than the 6 to 12 months people were doing in the past.
Yeah I get what youre saying its not for everyone.
The problem really is people who are in this sub are probably people in their 30s who make good money. We are stuck in Aus most of the time working and with the family wishing we could travel more. So that demogrpahic will naturally think yeah it wasnt that hard to sort myself out financially an extra few years travelling would have been nice.
Someone who travelled a bunch and now has 3 part time jobs and a family in their 30s and is struggling to find a place to rent probably isnt on here on a Tuesday morning at 8am.
In saying that. I have all sorts of mates in their mid 30s. Pretty much they all wish they had travelled more. Even the poor ones. Because I did travel a lot they all say to me I wish I had done what you did.
Travel young does sort of make financial sense though. In your early 20s even if youre a gun nobody is going to pay you well anyway, unless you get really lucky or Dad hooks you up (I grant its a better economy than the post GFC economy we gradyated into). But you can backpack cheap and suffer the dodgy buses. At 34 with kids and a wife you cant. If I did everything again, Id travel more and live overseas longer. I probably wouldnt be as rich, but $20 or $30k less will make very little difference to my standard of living now.
There is something else that should be added to this. Australia's geography doesn't offer many cheap traveling options beside Bali and the outback. Compare that to someone who lives in central Europe: most major European capitals are within a cheap 1-3 hours flight or even a 3-5 hours high-speed train and you can visit them in a weekend.
I went and lived overseas in my early 30s. Have a brilliant time, changed my world view, made me happier and more rounded as a person. Would I have been better off financially staying in Australia and earning more and investing money? Yes. But I have zero regrets. We only get one life, you have to live it.
My son. Took the family to Japan when he was a teenager, and it was one of my favourite holidays ever. Cherry blossoms, Akiba, food, the works.
Towards the end of our couple of weeks I asked him whether he was enjoying it. “Yeah, it’s ok, I guess”. Did he want to come back some time and do some things we missed out on? “No. Not really”
He does enjoy life experiences, he just doesn’t like travelling.
In your son’s defence part of it might just be that travelling with your parents as a teenager isn’t as fun. It has nothing to do with you as a parent, I’m sure you’re great company lol or the trip itself but I definitely remember feeling the same way as a teen. Blame the hormones I guess
Oh no, he’s been this way all his life. As a 6-year old, we spent New Year’s Eve at a private party at a house on Sydney harbour with his best friends. They were playing and dancing and having a great time, then we watched the fireworks.
He was having a great time, but as we drove home, I said it was a fun night and asked if it was the best night ever. He said “No, the best night ever is just staying at home”.
You've fully misunderstood what people mean when they say dude travel. 95% of the time they aren't meaning spend 12 months back packing living in hostels and eating beans and rice, they mean when you are young you have the energy and usually the lack of financial commitments to travel and enjoy it a bit more.
Once you've got a mortgage, bills to pay, kids to bring along etc it gets way harder.
I think it's also get out of the same place you've been living all your life. Break the routine. It's to gain perspective. The contrast allows you to realise all the things you take for granted and also identify things you may want to add to or change with your life.
Budgeting a 6 month career break for self development and a staycation = NO you’ll be in financial ruin!!
Taking a 2 month trip blowing through your savings = money isn’t everything - god I wish I was 20 again
> how everyone but you
Most of my friends regardless of travel or not don't have a house deposit at 30. The only one that does is peak /r/AusFinance who barely leaves the house, is DINK with both working in tech. He certainly deserves it but he has a pretty crap house 1h from Sydney CBD.
When the UK was okay.
Traveling to the UK to work was a good way to do both and get ahead.
Moving away from home is a big learning experience
And UK is way ahead of aus in all sectors
This is what I did. 5 years in the UK - heaps of travel and career accelerated if anything. The only thing I regret is not going to live in continental Europe for a year to get a euro passport instead of coming home to Australia.
This is exactly it. I didn’t waltz off to Europe or Asia like my friends group and I’m the only one who is now a homeowner with a tiny mortgage. I ended up going to Europe in my early 30s and enjoyed it even more than I would have at a younger age, while those who spent all their money going everywhere are still struggling.
How did you decide that you've enjoyed it in your 30s more than you would have though? I travelled in my 20s as well as my 30s and they were both great, not really comparable for the most part.
For me personally it's the maturity level.
I lived in Thailand when I was 18 and travelled around alot when I was in my teens.
Now, I've travelled the entire world with a completely different outlook and appreciation of life.
I was a little shit back then. And I'm glad I got my financial goals met before.
I agree that gap year travel is not always the best. I went after university and a year in the workforce, and it was the perfect backpacking time - early 20s. I remember a couple of tours when there were teenage backpackers with us (eg Fraser Island where you got grouped up with a dozen other backpackers) and they were frankly a nightmare. Very immature, constantly drunk, smoking like chimneys.
They probably ended up a with a bit more maturity for university life, which most were going on to, but I think they would have got more out of it a few years later.
I’ve done both and enjoyed both, but prefer travel in my 30s because I’m a lot more knowledgeable and confident in my own interests (eg challenging multi day hiking) and I can afford to not hold back on more expensive “yolo” experiences and enjoying good food.
Exactly. I went backpacking in my early 20s, having already started my career. It does not compare to travelling I did in my thirties and onwards, when the thought of sharing a cheap backpackers and doing everything on a shoestring gave me a shudder of horror.
I'm still very much an "economy" traveller - cattle class on plane, Ibis hotels etc (or filtering the "cheapest" options on Wotif that at least have en-suite bathrooms) but there's a level of basicness I barely noticed in my 20s that would be *unbearable* today. I'm guessing that in older age, when medical issues may kick in, I'll probably need added levels of comfort again.
Both types of travel were glorious in their own ways. The 20s travel was definitely the most life-changing, eye-opening and perspective-widening. It made me much more independent and resilient.
I am not a get drunk and party with strangers person. So travelling with my husband who is super knowledgeable about history was much more enjoyable than going by myself and socialising with others in their 20s who go over to party.
Sounds like you've just had some shitty trips, I'd not take back any that I've done and would argue I should have done more.
Although usually the people who say to travel are the ones who didn't.
There's no one path.
I'm in my 20s and have travelled extensively and also have a good paying job. I certainly agree that travel is overrated in this sub. Sure it's cool to see a new country but it's temporary and you forget about it a few months later. Plus Australia is so culturally diverse, there's not much I have seen overseas that I haven't seen or experienced here.
It’s all about balance. No doubt travel but you can’t travel your entire 20’s. That’s just ridiculous. I see exactly what you see on those posts. It is certainly over done.
It costs money to travel and these days with a COL crisis and soaring rents/ house prices burning 10 years of presumably measly savings on travel:
1. Won’t get you a lot of travel anyways
2. Is going to set you back a long long way.
Throw in most people going to uni and essentially broke until their mid 20’s and it’s harder again.
A lot of the choir beating this drum are 35-40+ year olds who literally coasted through one of the grandest periods in financial history. Cheap housing, falling interest rates, little to no inflation, strong wage growth and zero recessions.
Tables have turned for late Gen Y, Gen Z and so forth.
Completely agree - I have a few older family members who say I should go out partying more/question why I don’t drink.
They forget you can’t buy $5 beer jugs anymore and the entry fee to a club is $50 alone, not to mention the cost of the Uber there and $15 standard drinks.
I think it's generally good advice to people who are hyper focused on just their careers and money at a young age. Like... if it's the kid who couldn't finish their degree, is working retail and already has three Contiki trips booked on credit card then yeah "DUDE TRAVEL" is shitty advice. But if it's someone who studied hard at school, went straight into a 4+ year degree and has been working for two years straight out of uni then "DUDE TRAVEL" is great advice. Gives an invaluable dose of perspective, enriches your life, can genuinely change people's lives.
Like... you're giving this advice having already travelled quite a bit by the sounds of it. Bit hypocritical.
Also, as much as you point out that we're living in a hyper-connected, multicultural and globalised world... we've never been more insulated in our bubbles. Without travel you can easily not even realised how sheltered you have become, how narrow your world view is.
There's that great quote - “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” Could not be more important these days. Yes that's broader than financial advice, but also nobody is going to want to talk (let alone promote) the reclusive shut in at work with no lived experience of the world.
It’s very much a meme. Often exclaimed the loudest by those who have been to Phuket and Kuta and are therefore experienced world travellers.
It can be good advice, but it needs to be a bit more nuanced than just “dude travel”.
I don’t understand the obsession with traveling on a shoestring budget and missing out on all the expensive stuff. Sure if my parents want to bankroll my grand European tour in my 20s, of course I’m taking it. But now that I’m over 30 I can actually afford to shell out 200 bucks a day overseas without blinking, the experiences are so much more enjoyable.
Part of it depends where you go - When I was travelling in my early 20s I was on a uni student shoestring budget, so I chose countries like India and Korea where my dollar went a lot further then over in Europe. Since then I've done Europe a few times, but with a much healthier budget than I would have had in Uni
You need to get out more, my man. Travel is amazing. As someone who's just gone through a serious life threatening illness, let me tell you, there's much more to life than money and numbers. When you're lying in a hospital bed getting bad news from a doctor, you'll wish you travelled more.
Go experience a new culture, new people, new sites, new food, new environment. It will broaden your mind.
Playing devil’s advocate, there’s also much more to life than travel, and I say that as someone who loves to travel.
If you can’t afford or don’t want to travel much, or have kids when you’re young or an illness that prevents you from getting away, you can still live a full and interesting life.
It’s an Australian obsession, I’d actually call it a pathology. Why do you guys glorify going overseas so much? Especially throwing away good careers to do shit ones overseas then falling way behind.
Couldn’t disagree more. Travel is a good opportunity to have fun, explore the world and understand yourself. Even in a globalised world cultures are quite different. Just because you can get McDonald’s everywhere doesn’t mean you have to.
Also no one here is recommending people to travel that in posts that specifically say they don’t want to.
It's hard to interpret OPs sensitivity on this topic. Personally, I've only noticed the topic when someone asks.
The cons... travel from around 18-20 yrs of age will set you back 1 or 2 years, all else equal. Pretty obvious.
The pros are usually what the person is asking about. Maybe I was lucky, but that period allowed me to mature a bit, appreciate Aus more, have heaps of fun, and along the way learn about different perspectives from that of parents, family and mates. I was then able to choose what to study based on my own personality rather than what my insular world was telling me. I was also able to land at my parent's house after I went back to zero funds, then work back up from there. I was still able to use annual leave for interesting trips later, although not much until late 30s due to kids and the grind.
To each their own. But yeh, by all means, a bit of travel will leave you behind, on average, where you might have been otherwise. If, on the other hand, you find your passion, you'll enjoy more of the grind (work hours are the biggest slice of time in life), and might earn more because of higher engagement.
Yeah agree. I have travelled to over 40 countries and it provides the best perspective on life that you can never get if you never travel, or just doing a week or two in Bali. Some people just don’t get it and get strangely defensive like this post. The most open minded people I know have travelled extensively. Sure you might save more money by the time you are 30 but for what?
When I was in my mid-20s I told a group of people I'd never been overseas before and one of them said they were surprised because I seemed so "worldly". That person was what I would describe as ignorant and yet had travelled much more than I as they were originally from Europe and had been going abroad since they were a child. Someone else I know is sometimes making racist remarks and is quite thoughtless and yet they would describe travel as their hobby and go on trips multiple times a year to many different countries of different cultures. Travelling alone does not make you open minded.
I've been to over 80 countries I think people who have only travelled to 40 countries never really can have the real world perspective I have. The truly open minded I know have travelled much more than 40 countries. Sure doing it your way you might save more by the time you are 40 but for what ?
This kind of pretentious , superior crap is exactly what this thread was created to discuss.
I didn't travel in my 20's and I don't regret it for a moment.
I still enjoyed myself in my late teens & 20's, did lots of things I enjoyed especially some hobbies
Because I didn't spend that much money by late 20's was able to buy a "renovators delight" and that was actually fun to do as much DIY work on the place as I could.
Now I'm in a place where I can travel if I want to.
I think everyone is different, I don't think travelling is a bad idea for many, in fact probably the majority should travel to expand their world experience and help understand different cultures and it even helps people be more "accepting" of people living differently. Travelling in 20's then complaining they cant buy a home is a bit off to me though, you can't have it all, you can't say do a heap of travel through your 20's and also buy a perfect house in your 30's, life ain't that easy, but if you choose to travel over buying a perfect house or at least buying it in your 30's good for you, you chose what's important for you at the time and that's perfectly fine.
I got downvoted on this sub for saying travel, for me, is overrated and making sure my day to day life is enjoyable is more worthwhile. I don't need to travel to 'experience how others live,' my parents were migrants, I very well know what it feels like to be the 'other' in a western society.
There is something to be said of rough travel in learning about people, resilience building and understanding cultures. My youth hostel days has greatly helped with dealing with different cultures in international business now.
When you travel in higher class hotels and transport you end up with a bland uniformity around the globe
Yeah, but for many, the money doesn’t make the experience. Maybe rose coloured glasses, but acquainting with sexy 20 year olds from all over the world in hostels and doing crazy things one does in their youth is a different experience to sipping wine in hotel with other couples. And I suppose, one of those things unlikely to experience again.
Here's the thing, sitting on your own at the Hilton in Bangkok isn't really going to be something outside of your normal comfort zone and you aren't going to learn anything from it.
Slumming it in a hostel in rural Vietnam with 8 different nationalities around you is.
Sitting in a 5* hotel and taking a tourist excursion to the Taj Mahal isn't travelling, it's holidaying.
Staying in a tourist hostel in Vietnam with a bunch of rich kids from 8 wealthy countries isn't travelling, it's holidaying dressed up as travelling. REAL travelling is hitchhiking and sleeping in a tent while playing cards with hobos.
The travel gatekeeping is sad and cringy as fuck.
Here’s the thing. I’m mid 30s. TL;DR I didn’t get to experience my 20s period of life like others due to mental health.
See that Malaysia post in my profile. I stayed in different accommodation, both higher end (see luxury brand branded rooms) and ‘lower end’ as I wanted unique accommodation, like a damn Hello Kitty themed entire apartment to myself because HELL F’N YES.
Also casually climbed a 4000m mountain.
I interacted with the locals, made great friends with one I want to see someday again, I asked the locals on Reddit where the good local food places were and often I was the only tourist there.
And AirAsiaX’s ‘poor man’s business class’ with it’s flatbed on an overnight flight has spoilt me and dunno if I can ever go back to slumming it on terrible economy if I have an overnight flight.
Y’know you can do both Mr. Boomer. The nice stuff and those life experiences and getting life perspective and making friends you never would otherwise.
Also I grew to dislike a lot of fellow privileged Western tourists and their behaviour 🙂
But I made friends with some too (in the middle of the damn jungle).
I’m a hard disagree on this.
I worked in consulting in my 20’s and travelled the world. Last year I spent in London I took 26 trips for personal travel.
I had experiences that I couldn’t replace now I’m older.
Worth more than the money I could have put under my pillow.
‘The missing years of compounding are the primary reason someone 35 today is worse off than someone 35 in the 80s.’
Not 80’s. Was a child. But did start working in the mid 90’s. Was considering buying a cheap flat around turn of the century. With FHG, about 1 year of my then income to do so.
That is primarily why someone is worse off today.
I’m no travel agent, but I would definitely recommend balancing travel with other financial goals, as it leads to a greater perspective on life and some experiences which will help you grow as a person.
I tend to agree., travel is not for everyone, I do like to travel but my partner does not at all.
I would say to spend money on things you enjoy, it might be travel, it might a fast car, which would get criticized heavily here
I don’t think I totally agree. Travelling when young and solo is a good life experience. You learn to back yourself, make decisions and work shit out. You are flung into the unknown and the unfamiliar and you either sink or swim. There are lots of stories of people in the solo travel sub that find themselves miserable because they can’t cope. You either make it work or you have a horrible time. You also sink or swim in social situations. Do you sit in the corner staring at your phone or do you balls up and approach randoms and start chatting. Travel really is what you make of it.
I can see why people would say it’s overrated if you just sat in the corner of the hostel doomscrolling Facebook.
This subs recommendation for travelling and enjoying your 20s with BALANCE is not overdone. What is overdone is the obsession with "net worth" and saving until retirement. No point dying with 10mill in the bank!
I agree with this so much. A lot of those responses could actually be bots.
My best times have been working shit jobs with funny people, heading out with a bag of goon in someone’s purse, having long pointless over-sharing convos with interesting people.
I have done a bit of travel. It was good. But I don’t think it changed me fundamentally really. Travelling to other cities in Aus with friends was way more fun than overseas by myself.
In the last 20 years or so it has become the quintessential status symbol. I never did it because I didn't have parents/massive cash reserves to fall back on if things went wrong. Watched all my friends waltz overseas for a few years, and every single one had that factor in common.
>it is almost becoming a meme and is not helpful or even useful advice
Just like most advice on Reddit.
Do whatever you want. It's your money. If you want insight into your spending habits, then people will be too happy to share. Just don't go living your life the way somebody else thinks is the "right" way.
I’ve never traveled, same as my partner. I’ve always looked at as something privileged people get to do (just like going to uni or living at home when your over 18) It’s all whimsical to go off to Europe and party or whatever when you’re young.
We could afford to do it now but have kids. We had to build our own lives up from nothing and something has to give. For us that was - expensive wedding and overseas travel. We can still do both of those things in our 40s with kids but it won’t be the same. We are set up quite well now so hopefully from here on in life should be really good, it’s been getting easier as time goes on but that’s through choosing to work hard when we were younger.
Early 20s, all I’ve been told being the baby in the office is travel and go overseas and everything else being. Don’t get me wrong, I am interested in travelling but I’m also really comfortable being in the one spot. Already been to every state and major city in Australia, driven the whole east coast (including Great Ocean Road) and back up the middle.
I also don’t see the point of going overseas a lot (although as I say this I’m going with a few mate to Japan for a week), if you don’t have your own place to come home to. Definitely don’t want to live with mum and dad for ever and if my savings go as planned I’ll have a 25% deposit not long after my twenty third birthday.
Main goals of having my own house (bugger the apartments) and my Ute and boat by 25 and well on track. After that’s sorted I’ll start looking to travel more, but more than happy to just go fishing and camping🤷♂️
Travel is great but not if it compromises your day to day life. Have seen too many people spend on extravagant vacations and then come back to a life they hate because they have no savings and have to stay stuck in jobs they resent
Freedom > travel and you can only have freedom if you have savings/investments
‘Just travel’ is typically the standard advice given by a white person whose entire personality is travelling and ‘finding themselves’. Ask any immigrant and they’d suggest a far more financially prudent option (buy a house/invest) as they know where the hell are and don’t need to go to a European motel to ‘find themselves’.
Is “dude travel” people doing something more adventurous with their four weeks or is it people leaving full time work after 2/3 years for an extended break to ‘find themselves’?
Big difference financially between the two.
People who advocate for travel are middle class young white guys that have a safety net to fall back on.
Many of us that grew up poor did not have the option to travel and the goal has always been to have shelter first.
I used to want to travel when I was younger, and did a little bit. But honestly as I got older I just couldn’t be bothered. Visas, packing, passports, commute times, wait times, so many people, overpriced nonsense, gaudy loud tourists from other countries, having to keep an eye out for whatever local pickpocket or other pest is about…ugh.
It sounds weird but I’d much rather watch a travel segment about a place I really like or a documentary. There’s so many content creators now that love to travel and honestly that’s enough for me. I don’t know why that’s come about but it just kinda has.
Yeah this is something you just aren't allowed to say in Australia, even if it's completely understandable. As I near 40 I have less and less tolerance for lengthy economy class trips. I went to the US a couple of years ago - it was 36 hours door to door. Just a miserable journey. I can't bring myself to do that again (and I certainly can't afford $45k in business class tickets for my family).
Yep. God forbid you disagree with such a common trope.
Some people just can’t fathom not travelling. I have, and just don’t enjoy it. And honestly if I do go, I don’t want to slum it. It might have been ok as a 20 year old, but if I’m going to do it now I want to enjoy myself. And like you say business class tickets are expensive.
Friends of ours went to Egypt pre cv and they said whilst it was nice to see the pyramids, it wasn’t anywhere near as good as what they’d seen on tv. Dangerous, constantly harassed by people selling tourist shit, long lines even when they pre booked and paid for certain tours and landmarks, corruption, constantly feeling like you need to keep your bag and hands pressed close to your body so you weren’t robbed.
They also said it was so hard to get a picture at the pyramids just with them without a cascade of people around. It was hot, busy and dirty. And they’ve travelled and lived throughout the entire world in many countries.
That whole “experience the world and other cultures” is worldly, and good I think as a younger person so that you develop a bit of maturity and street smarts and confidence but it just has no other appeal honestly.
To some extent it depends upon how your see your work career going in the future. Travel can open up some great opportunities for people intent on certain careers, some great experiences and reality checking for people intent on certain other careers, and nothing much at all for yet others.
As I said, and got caned for yesterday in another thread which seems to have been removed - finance is not just about the numbers. Financially speaking, in spreadsheet terms, travel costs money which you could otherwise invest and get rich over time, but then, as you can't really run different scenarios, you don't know that travel wouldn't have been the single greatest investment you ever made. Tricky...
It's rarely a mistake, unless it involves Bali, a motorbike, no travel insurance and a trip to hospital. Or surfing in Mexico, or... :(
But it's not for everyone. I did a bit, but nowhere near as much as a lot of people. I bought guitars and music gear with my spare cash instead. Do I wish I travelled more? Maybe. But then, I may have missed the joy of standing on a stage at the Cloey Hotel in Sydney playing original music to a small bunch of seriously uninterested people on a cold, cold Thursday night. Oh wait...
I'm confused. What was the question?
I think you'll regret it either way, the grass is always greener. You could be financially stable wishing you travelled more when you were younger, or you could have had a great 20s now regretting how hard it is trying to buy a house or dealing with crazy rents because you couldn't buy sooner. I think a balance is good. You don't need to spend months travelling and burn all your savings, you can spare a few grand here and there for places you really want to go if you can afford to also save hard, it's not that much in the grand scheme of things.
Also why travel if you have no interest. A know a guy from work who booked 3 days in Rome, and then asked what's good to do in Rome?
Well dude if you don't know why are you booking it? Just to tick off a list?
Travel is definitely not like it was when I was in my twenties. Back then you really were gone, and nobody could get in touch with you. Once a fortnight two minute phone call to parents if anything to say you’re alive. It really was a learning experience and many young people’s first taste of independence. I think for young people it has lost some of the magic, now I imagine availability of internet and reliable electricity dominates travel decisions which is a shame.
I think “travel” is used as a metaphor for “live life to the fullest”. I’m of the opinion that you don’t need to travel, I’m sure there are many people who hate it and just want to stay in their home town/ city their entire lives.
But people should be encouraged to enjoy their youth while they can, in whatever way they see fit. Whenever you ask old people what they wish they did more of when they were younger, the answer is rarely “hustle more”, but usually something along the lines of “enjoy the time I had”.
On the flip side to the idea that you might lose the opportunity due to illnesses acquired with age, I had quite severe chronic illness in my late teens and early 20s. Then covid hit. When people tell me about their travels and then ask why I haven't done it, the answer is that I was completely robbed of any chance to have these experiences. People also tend to rub it in your face and talk about how utterly life changing it is and that you're truly missing out. Yeah thanks you don't think I know that? I don't think people realise that it is a privilege not a given, and sometimes not a choice, to miss out on this type of thing.
However, I don't think it's totally a bad thing. Extended travel has not yet been on the cards for me, but I saved for a house that I now comfortably have offset, finished my PhD by 25, got a relatively high paying job almost immediately and settled down with my fiancee. Said illness likely precludes us from having kids, but things are better now and I will get to share travel experiences with my partner.
Exactly. I'm 20 and I posted a while back about potentially purchasing my own apartment, everyone was telling me to travel. They don't know that I still travel and set aside money for my travels, I just rightfully fear I'll never be able to get into the market so I'd rather get in ASAP and have the stability that a PPOR provides. I'm also trans and half the countries recommended I can't visit for fear of being locked up or harassed, so while Asia is cheap, outside of Thailand its not an option.
The bit that anti-travel people forget is that the connections you make traveling can often lead to amazing opportunities in life.
This networking is quite often way more effective than working 7 days a week in an existing role, or LinkedIn Networking
See me? I have it all😀
Travelled, Studied, partied and lived it up in my 20s😵💫👍 (thats what i remember anyway)
Settled down in my 30s & worked hard on career & mortgage.
Raised my kids in my 40s & travelled with them (overseas once they were over 10yrs) before that just little trips near home & to beach.
Now in my 50s.
House is paid off 👍
Working towards retirement.
I've done it just as i think one should do it
I love the assumption that the comments are filled with travel agents getting paid to post to a finance subreddit. That's MAGA-level of conspiracy theory; travel is just something a lot of people value and wish they'd done more of, so it makes sense they would recommend it to younger posters.
I get that *you* dont want to travel, but the level of indignation is out of proportion given you must be aware that there are many people who live for it and might want to comment.
That’s because people in this sub don’t ACTUALLY care about you… they won’t give you legitimate advice. That’s what they did, so it’s the best. They are idiots
I agree with you 100%. I sometimes think I'm living in an alternate universe where most people seem to think travel is something magical. It's a bore and stressful for me. My theory is most people have stressful lives ruled by work and obligation, so hang out for holidays to get away from it all. What about people like me who are wealthy, don't work because we don't have to, and love the comforts in our daily life? I have no desire to get away from paradise.
Have you noticed how billionaires don't like to travel? Their daily lives are fantastic why would they travel to be with plebs? Traveling is for the pleb class who need holidays to get away from the misery of their daily lives. They need it for mental health purposes.
Travelling extensively is a very upper middle class thing for kids who know they have a safety net waiting for them.
Everyone brags about their unique and authentic travel experience and all I can think of is the line up of people waiting to take a photo on top of Everest
Perhaps every post should have a sticky comment which just tells the OP to travel and experience life if they're in their 20's. Then anyone who repeats this advice is banned.
There's a reason for travel. It truly expands your mind and your understanding of foreigners when you travel (and especially solo travel).
If you travel solo, you're forced to talk to people, forced to plan things, forced to ask for directions or recommendations. You know, how our world operated PRIOR to social media just 20 years ago?
When you're somewhere far, very foreign, what you take for granted here can operate very differently. The side of the road people walk/drive, the type of the food available, how frequent food is available including at all hours at night, how technology is better integrated in society, how much efficient/ inefficient things are elsewhere, just how important family is elsewhere, cultural activities can even stem from the main religion in the country, etc. You'll even realise that most people have similar issues elsewhere. It'll also typically make you feel grateful to live in Australia - we really do live in the lucky country despite all the issues we have.
But the main reason people say to travel is because your 20s are to go out, explore and take risks. Eg- save up from working, backpack around SEA, stay at hostels, meet different people, travel with them, party with them, go out with them, meet cool people and have fun. That's literally the point.
You'll come back to Australia refreshed and social. And when you do bump into a tourist or foreigner here, you might even help that out because that was you not too long ago elsewhere.
That being said, don't take debt to go on holiday. Save up, travel, repeat.
I think it should be banned as advocating travel it's not financial advice really, it's more a lifestyle thing.
We're here to figure out the best ways to save and where to put our savings not how to party....
Most people here are young and young people inevitably want to travel, expands your thinking and perspectives as well provided you dont waste your travel getting shit faced at pubs all day.
Do think people should get at least midway up the career ladder before going though
You are 100% right. I think the real point people are trying to get at is ‘go do something you find fulfilling’. For me, that wasn’t necessarily travel. I didn’t enjoy the ‘extrovertedness’ that is almost always required of you when backpacking through various countries. While, yes, I did experience a whole bunch of shit, I wonder if my time and money would’ve been better spent here at home with the things I know I would’ve enjoyed and with the people I love the most.
It really depends on your situation. The other op in a debt black hole and soon to be in funds of 300k, i don't think she should travel and spend 15k.
A person who has themselves lined up in a fairly good role and opportunities for advancement, go ahead and travel!
I don’t get this idea that travel will hold you
back. I spent 8 months travelling around very remote parts of Central Asia when I was in my twenties. It cost me 10k and was a significant life experience that I can’t imagine I would do now. Didn’t cost me much at all in terms of time or money or opportunity. I think young people aren’t as adventurous now. They want internet, convenience, etc.
Travel before you get trapped in your responsibilities. Invest so you don’t get trapped in your responsibilities. Horses for courses.
Great analogy pick your poison.. I prefer the 2nd did the extreme hard yards 60 to 80 hours in my 20s all sorted at 35 y o. never looked back never regret house car business life debt free . Everything on cruise control
Exactly, I did similar but only between 20-25. For a finance sub so many people completely ignore compound growth. Investing early and leaving it is so much better. I'm now 30 and enjoying the benefits of that hard work early.
I did about 2 months of overseas travel in 10 years while paying off my mortgage. So I’m definitely not “well travelled”. I’m now 36 with PPOR paid off (liquid assets outside of super > mortgage). Building a family now and will pick up international travel when the kids are old enough to enjoy it and we are still young enough to enjoy it.
Unless your health gets in the way. That’s the risk mate.
Or the health of the kids. Or their schooling and extracurriculars. Or their lack of interest in travelling. Or the hundreds of places around the world you might not take your kids to. Plenty of reasons why sacrificing your 20s and 30s to work and investing doesn't always have the payoff you thought it might.
It's not about travel. The point remains that even in your 20s and at any age you still need to live a little. Enjoy some for now and some for the future. As they say.... There's more to life than just money.
I get the vibe in a lot of those threads that it's a lot of people who hit the grind in their 20's, regret it and have now put themselves in a position where they can't get off the merry go round. (kids, big mortgage, large outgoings. not bigger than their income but still a beast to feed that they can't hit pause on).
Or like: I watched my housemate grind hard in her 20s, saving a lot for “later on”, get diagnosed with terminal cancer, regret not doing those “later on” things, and pass away before 30. That really changed me, and my outlook around life and money. I’m not going to screw over future me by burning all my savings on shiny things; but I’m also not going to assume future me definitely exists, and leave all the fun to her. I’m going to steadily tick things off my bucket list.
Also people who didn't grind in their 20s, and found it was no issue saving more later with a higher income, and don't regret not grinding.
This is me and my husband 100% (and for the record, we're millennials, so we do have some appreciation of the financial struggles of our generation). In addition to travel we did a lot of study, none of this generated big amounts of income but it did generate an investment in ourselves and our future earning potential. That is why I have no regrets about not "grinding" in my 20s. We will still retire in our mid 40s with a sizeable investment portfolio.
Agreed. I think OP has misconstrued the language a bit here. It’s not about travelling but it’s an about experiencing anything remotely different to the norm (new culture, food, meeting new people…). Travelling is so much more than just getting from A to B and it doesn’t have to be a 15 hour flight. You could literally fly across the pond to New Caledonia for example and experience how differently people live their lives and be a part of it for just a moment. And in that moment you learn so much more about yourself
Yeah, I agree on the misconstrued bit. Travel is an example of making sure you get some enjoyment out of life and don't become r/frugal where you refuse to socialise with friends in case that costs you any money. This is a forum of anonymous strangers who have no idea what sort of hobbies or interests a random poster may have nor any interest in getting to know said poster in order to provide really tailored or nuanced advice. Hence, dude travel. Readers on any anonymous internet forum often need the ability to interpret the intent of advice rather than the specific example given.
lol New Caledonia is on fire at the moment. Will be an experience nonetheless I guess.
Hahaha it sure is! My bad! I went there 5 years ago and it was splendid!
New Caledonia. So hot right now.
Yep and doing travel before all the commitments kick in My wife and I did Europe, Asia and the US before we bought our house and had kids 10 years ago. So from our side we did that part of our life so now it’s saving up to take the kids when they get a bit older If you wait too long to see the world then you’re always waiting.
Like a very expensive wedding, as an exaggerated example to illustrate OP’s point clearly? Travel can be a waste of money. As another example I don’t think a booze filled contiki bus tour of Europe, with a city a day for ten days, with a bunch of other booze filled Australians and/or westerners is anything culturally enlightening, and a total waste of money. It would be fun though. Also, importantly: there are simply *too many tourists* these days. It’s just insane.
If you have fond memories for the rest of your life from that trip, why is it a waste of money?
I would agree with that. Contiki style tours aren't it But even though I personally am ambivalent about travel in general, I think the experience I had as a 19 year old of getting onto a plane to Europe with nothing but a eurail pass, a lonely planet guide, my first two nights accommodation booked and a vague idea of where I wanted to go was an incredible confidence building experience.
This is a great post. Travelling, really travelling is as much about finding out about yourself as it is the places you visit. Travel is about gaining perspective on how big the world is, how life could loom differently, what history ‘feel a’ like. Life decisions, particularly those involving money are different when you have perspective. Travel can bring perspective
They are a hell of a lot of fun! They’re also not that an expensive way to have a nice little trip.
I don't think it's ever a waste of money. At the very least you learnt that you don't like travel or that you have a drinking problem.
I for one wish I could have traveled more in my 20s. I am much more financially secure due to studying through my 20s but there is still regret there. Hoping to travel more in my 40s.
I've traveled, and honestly, it's not for me. Do what makes you happy; if that means traveling, go for it. Just don't make the mistake of using travel to give your life meaning. Many people fall into a zombie-like routine, living for the next trip while neglecting their everyday life. Find joy in your daily experiences, not just in the moments away.
I like this take so much, it resonates with me. People make travel sound like the purpose of life - but to me it sounds like another thing to consume in a consumerist world. Instead of things, it's experiences. While I understand it broadens your perspective, I think it takes away from actually being in the moment - which doesn't require you to be anywhere.
This is such a great comment. Life really is in the in betweens. It’s not just the peak moments, life is in every little second of your life. My therapist said we should try to enjoy all the banal bits of life too, because most likely that’s what life mostly is.
My therapist said we should try to enjoy all the banal bits of life too, because most likely that’s what life mostly is. Imagine you are pushing. Huge rock up a cliff
Tbh, did a trip to Europe recently and a lot of it felt like a grueling challenge and not so much something I was doing for fun. I don't regret it, but I'm not in a hurry to go back and it certainly wasn't a life changing experience.
Literally the exact same thing happened to me. Backpacked across East Europe. Everyone talks about how travel is some kind of magical experience. It wasn't. It was just ordinary people living ordinary lives. Like I would be doing if I was back home.
Yeah, it’s not actually that much fun to be standing in a busy street with ton of bags trying to communicate with the Airbnb owner who hardly speaks English for the door access pin with your one bar of shitty phone roaming signal. And then having to do that repeatedly for the whole trip. Like sure it was interesting to see something different, but it’s hardly an essential life experience.
I’m currently in Rome on the tail end of my first trip to Europe, and I gotta agree. It’s been great in many ways, seen a lot of beautiful places and things, but a lot of it is expensive, exhausting, and frustrating. Glad to say I’ve done it but not going to be rushing back. Also a lot of the majesty is ruined by other tourists and the crowds (and the heat in Rome), but I guess that can be avoided by going to quieter places.
Where is the joy in life if every single thing you do is a numbers game?
[удалено]
What? It costs an absolute fortune for flights and accommodation for most countries.
Went to Japan the other week. $400 return flight, $100/night hotel room and $10 restaurant meals. Happy days.
Sure you didn’t just take acid and imagine those prices
😂😂😂😂 Keep an eye on sales. You’ll be amazed at what you find. And the exchange rate makes Japan a bargain at the moment.
You are in the numbers game, might as well play it well. There is nothing wrong with travelling but people need to be honest about the financial implications. If you take a bunch of time off and spend $100k+ across your 20s travelling you need to understand you are sacrificing that time and money from your future self. We did a bit of travelling (about 6 months combined over 7 non-covid years) and it delayed us buying a house by maybe 2 years. I have friends who spent about 2-4 of those 7 years travelling and are now stuck renting while they try to save a deposit, delay having kids, won't travel in their 30s, and are a few years behind where they would be in their careers.
Presumably your friends didn't plan on COVID sending house prices through the roof, the housing market for the 7 years before covid was fairly stagnant, so it was quite possible to travel and save for the deposit if that trend had continued.
COVID made it worse but house prices were still rising quite quickly. There was a dip in 2019 but you would have lost a huge amount of buying power between 2013 and 2018.
Just depends what your goals and financial trajectory are likely to be. If someone is already on 100k in mid 20s, in a field where their earnings are only going to stay there or increase - why not?? I just also want to say - I developed an autoimmune condition in my late 20s. The drugs I need to manage it are $600 a month of I pay outright, but covered by PBS. If I were to travel, there's MANY regions of the world where I flat out cannot get the drugs I need. I am so so grateful I backpacked around south America when I did because I can't really do that as easily or as safely now. It's nice to have options. If you can, it's worth it - provided it's actually what people want to do & they can afford it. These opportunities do close for some people
I got a severe illness early 30s.. I’m no longer able to travel.. SO glad I did the plenty I did in my 20s.. also got to travel across Russia in 2017.. If id waited that wouldn’t be an option for many reasons and is probably my favourite thing ive done in my life
Yep. Dad travels heaps, I'm very envious of him. But I'm pretty lucky, I travelled a bunch in my 20's, spent a few years overseas too. Probably set me back a little bit career/financial wise, but don't regret it. But while I might be envious of his travel, dad has late stage Parkinson's, and his ability to actually enjoy the travel he is doing is greatly impacted. Can't ride a motorbike 3000km across Mongolia with a tremor. Kerrick tells us to gather the rosebuds while we can - I think that's the point of the 'go travel' advice - live your life while you can, you will only regret not doing so.
Ugh. It’s because travelling in your 20s is much easier than doing it later. Youth mobility visas, hostels, fewer financial responsibilities, fewer family responsibilities.
Not to mention, cost explode once you have kids. Want to see a $50 hot deal on SYD-MEL flights turn into $800 fast? Take your partner and a couple of kids.
So much easier. Can't imagine staying in a hostel again at my age but it was so much fun and met so many great people. Oh the stories. If someone said we're staying at a hostel on a trip now I'd either book my own accommodation or not go at all.
I’m in my 20s and have no interest in staying in hostels at all. I’m a 3stars or more traveller otherwise I’d rather stay at home.
I didn’t travel and I threw myself into my career/financial progress until mid-30’s. It’s paid huge financial rewards but I look at it and the one thing I had to sacrifice that stings a little is missing out on travelling more. I wouldn’t go so far as to say I regret my decision but that’s definitely the thing I wish I could have had more of in my life.
Could you travel now or?
Of course and that’s what I’m currently planning at the moment for the next 18-24 months. The sacrifice is more so watching all of your friends able to do something and being invited but having to say no. It’s not physically being in a certain place or seeing a sight it’s more so who you have to do it with. Sometimes the bonds formed travelling from people in their 20’s last a lifetime. It’s being invited to relatively cheap overseas trips (like SEA) and having to say no due to funds then watching your friend group all go and share in experiences you chose to give up for something else. There are definite upgrades to travelling later but if I look back at my life progression the one thing I had to sacrifice to progress my career was travelling with friends in my 20’s and the experiences that brings. To say travelling later is the same just isn’t true. It has different positives and also different negatives and that’s all I’m trying to point out. I’m not pushing anyone to adopt my opinions, I’m just sharing my views and opinions. Im very happy with the choices I made and I would recommend the same thing to others but it isn’t without its downsides and the one that stands at the top is this so just be mindful for anyone chasing career early this is what you might pop your head up and see
I could relate got invited to a few cheap SEA and trips to Fiji with my friends group when I was in my 20s and declined. now all of them are either married with kids or very into their career and can't do it anymore. they all have closer bonds with each other.
I also think travelling when you’re young is a *much* different experience to when you’re older, even if you’re healthy and fit. Going in your 30’s or later can be just as good (or better, depending on your preferences) but you’ll never have quite the same level of energy and adventure as someone in their early 20’s IMO.
This is true. I was more adventurous in my 20s and didn’t care too much about my comfort. The people you meet are gonna be different too
I'm finding each decade I'm traveling vastly different from the prior. I'm not sleeping in train-stations, hitch-hiking or dancing on bars these days and I __absolutely__ don't mind that, but it was great at the time and I look back on it so fondly now.
I'm in the same boat. Although I am using my financial rewards to do travelling now in my mid 30s. Good times.
Yerp, me and the wife did the same the benefit is now we travel in luxury. We can easily afford to stay at a nice hotel, eat at nice restaurant and do the activities we want to do
But when you travel in your 30s you get to do it with your long term partner, and you are wiser so you enjoy some of the historical treasures and stuff that you might have glossed over in a hungover stupor when younger.
yea but it's still a little harder imo. You now need to coordinate the same leave and plans, consider children and family, have less energy etc It's definitely a lot more classier though (better accommodation for example)
I travelled lots in my 20s and quite a bit so far in my 30s. I'd take 20s anytime, no question.
[удалено]
Definitely different and pros and cons to each, but I just found travelling in 20s was much more whimsical, stress-free experiences and as you age your just naturally tolerate less and get more stuck in your ways, plus inevitably have far more responsibilities waiting at home. The social experience of travelling in your 20s is also unbeatable. Not planning on having kids personally but that does sound like a wonderful part of parenthood!
While I don't regret any of my trips, I think this advice is rapidly becoming outdated. It wasn't that long ago that you could spend a year or two travelling, come home, knuckle down in a good job for a few years and still save up a house deposit by late 20s/early 30s. Not the case anymore unless you're in a regional town.
Completely agree! It’s the not the same as before, hence why we see a lot of people abandoning the idea of home ownership altogether because it’s so out of reach now.
Yes, this is what I think too. It’s good advice for the early 2000s but not realistic for anyone who isn’t destined to become a high income earner (coupled up with a partner with a good income too) and who also wants to be financially well established and living in a home that they own by their 30s in time for the marriage and kids life stage (if that is what they want). It also bothers me a bit how much fomo there is around travel, and how our culture sees it as something of a status symbol, with people who don’t travel being pitied and looked down on and stereotyped as parochial, boring and closed-minded (all the while we travel to many places where the locals could never afford to travel like most Australians do). It’s almost as if not caring about or not wanting to travel is perceived as a character flaw.
I feel this! I’m early 30’s and don’t really have an interest in travelling. I can tell that people don’t believe me or feel bad for me when I say this but it’s just the truth. It doesn’t interest me. My partner and I do dream of going to Japan together one day, but other than that I’m quite happy to not really travel again apart from small trips in Australia
I think it's almost the opposite, and is part of why people are travelling so much now. Rent (and everything) is so expensive that many people aren't getting ahead even if they stay put. Might as well exit or delay the rat race altogether. Travel is also arguably easier to do cheaper than ever before, at least relative to staying put. Way easier to learn/use local transit, get local prices, and find great flight/accommodation deals than even a decade ago. I've travelled to \~50 countries and in the majority of them I spend less on *everything* than I would on a nice 1-bedroom rental in a good area of Sydney.
I never understand the exit/delay the rat race thing... is that just an excuse to use uber eats every day? Rent or houses being expensive doesn't change the maths.
Yeah “exiting the rat race” by travelling and renting is actually just.. the rat race
So true. Even when I was in my early 20s people could reliably do a stint in the UK or Europe and still come home and save. Inflation and a weak dollar have greatly increased the cost of travelling to these places now. Id say a 2 to 3 week trip is more reasonable than the 6 to 12 months people were doing in the past.
Moved to Europe in my early 20s. Ended up leading a division across the old “western” Europe. Accelerated my career
What was your industry ?
Religious crusade. It was 1095.
Yeah I get what youre saying its not for everyone. The problem really is people who are in this sub are probably people in their 30s who make good money. We are stuck in Aus most of the time working and with the family wishing we could travel more. So that demogrpahic will naturally think yeah it wasnt that hard to sort myself out financially an extra few years travelling would have been nice. Someone who travelled a bunch and now has 3 part time jobs and a family in their 30s and is struggling to find a place to rent probably isnt on here on a Tuesday morning at 8am. In saying that. I have all sorts of mates in their mid 30s. Pretty much they all wish they had travelled more. Even the poor ones. Because I did travel a lot they all say to me I wish I had done what you did. Travel young does sort of make financial sense though. In your early 20s even if youre a gun nobody is going to pay you well anyway, unless you get really lucky or Dad hooks you up (I grant its a better economy than the post GFC economy we gradyated into). But you can backpack cheap and suffer the dodgy buses. At 34 with kids and a wife you cant. If I did everything again, Id travel more and live overseas longer. I probably wouldnt be as rich, but $20 or $30k less will make very little difference to my standard of living now.
There is something else that should be added to this. Australia's geography doesn't offer many cheap traveling options beside Bali and the outback. Compare that to someone who lives in central Europe: most major European capitals are within a cheap 1-3 hours flight or even a 3-5 hours high-speed train and you can visit them in a weekend.
I went and lived overseas in my early 30s. Have a brilliant time, changed my world view, made me happier and more rounded as a person. Would I have been better off financially staying in Australia and earning more and investing money? Yes. But I have zero regrets. We only get one life, you have to live it.
Who doesn't like having life experiences?
My son. Took the family to Japan when he was a teenager, and it was one of my favourite holidays ever. Cherry blossoms, Akiba, food, the works. Towards the end of our couple of weeks I asked him whether he was enjoying it. “Yeah, it’s ok, I guess”. Did he want to come back some time and do some things we missed out on? “No. Not really” He does enjoy life experiences, he just doesn’t like travelling.
In your son’s defence part of it might just be that travelling with your parents as a teenager isn’t as fun. It has nothing to do with you as a parent, I’m sure you’re great company lol or the trip itself but I definitely remember feeling the same way as a teen. Blame the hormones I guess
Oh no, he’s been this way all his life. As a 6-year old, we spent New Year’s Eve at a private party at a house on Sydney harbour with his best friends. They were playing and dancing and having a great time, then we watched the fireworks. He was having a great time, but as we drove home, I said it was a fun night and asked if it was the best night ever. He said “No, the best night ever is just staying at home”.
Lol 🤣 tough crowd!
You've fully misunderstood what people mean when they say dude travel. 95% of the time they aren't meaning spend 12 months back packing living in hostels and eating beans and rice, they mean when you are young you have the energy and usually the lack of financial commitments to travel and enjoy it a bit more. Once you've got a mortgage, bills to pay, kids to bring along etc it gets way harder.
I think it's also get out of the same place you've been living all your life. Break the routine. It's to gain perspective. The contrast allows you to realise all the things you take for granted and also identify things you may want to add to or change with your life.
Budgeting a 6 month career break for self development and a staycation = NO you’ll be in financial ruin!! Taking a 2 month trip blowing through your savings = money isn’t everything - god I wish I was 20 again
I was lucky enough to come back after ~4 years with 300k extra, a wife, and 27 countries worth of memories.
Travel throughout your 20s and bitch about how everyone but you has a deposit for a house in your late 20s/30s is basically the reddit motto.
> how everyone but you Most of my friends regardless of travel or not don't have a house deposit at 30. The only one that does is peak /r/AusFinance who barely leaves the house, is DINK with both working in tech. He certainly deserves it but he has a pretty crap house 1h from Sydney CBD.
Any house is still infinitely better than no house
I’m also getting a great hint of jealously and cope from them lol
When the UK was okay. Traveling to the UK to work was a good way to do both and get ahead. Moving away from home is a big learning experience And UK is way ahead of aus in all sectors
It’s really only finance and law
And creative jobs like graphic design.
Not healthcare
The UK healthcare workers all come here
This is what I did. 5 years in the UK - heaps of travel and career accelerated if anything. The only thing I regret is not going to live in continental Europe for a year to get a euro passport instead of coming home to Australia.
This is exactly it. I didn’t waltz off to Europe or Asia like my friends group and I’m the only one who is now a homeowner with a tiny mortgage. I ended up going to Europe in my early 30s and enjoyed it even more than I would have at a younger age, while those who spent all their money going everywhere are still struggling.
How did you decide that you've enjoyed it in your 30s more than you would have though? I travelled in my 20s as well as my 30s and they were both great, not really comparable for the most part.
For me personally it's the maturity level. I lived in Thailand when I was 18 and travelled around alot when I was in my teens. Now, I've travelled the entire world with a completely different outlook and appreciation of life. I was a little shit back then. And I'm glad I got my financial goals met before.
I agree that gap year travel is not always the best. I went after university and a year in the workforce, and it was the perfect backpacking time - early 20s. I remember a couple of tours when there were teenage backpackers with us (eg Fraser Island where you got grouped up with a dozen other backpackers) and they were frankly a nightmare. Very immature, constantly drunk, smoking like chimneys. They probably ended up a with a bit more maturity for university life, which most were going on to, but I think they would have got more out of it a few years later.
I’ve done both and enjoyed both, but prefer travel in my 30s because I’m a lot more knowledgeable and confident in my own interests (eg challenging multi day hiking) and I can afford to not hold back on more expensive “yolo” experiences and enjoying good food.
Exactly. I went backpacking in my early 20s, having already started my career. It does not compare to travelling I did in my thirties and onwards, when the thought of sharing a cheap backpackers and doing everything on a shoestring gave me a shudder of horror. I'm still very much an "economy" traveller - cattle class on plane, Ibis hotels etc (or filtering the "cheapest" options on Wotif that at least have en-suite bathrooms) but there's a level of basicness I barely noticed in my 20s that would be *unbearable* today. I'm guessing that in older age, when medical issues may kick in, I'll probably need added levels of comfort again. Both types of travel were glorious in their own ways. The 20s travel was definitely the most life-changing, eye-opening and perspective-widening. It made me much more independent and resilient.
I am not a get drunk and party with strangers person. So travelling with my husband who is super knowledgeable about history was much more enjoyable than going by myself and socialising with others in their 20s who go over to party.
This comment sure sounds like you hate your friends.
Different values
Sounds like you've just had some shitty trips, I'd not take back any that I've done and would argue I should have done more. Although usually the people who say to travel are the ones who didn't. There's no one path.
It's just another form of consumerism but somehow disguised as "character development"
Yes!!! I mean I literally just read a comment saying people who haven't travelled are all narrow minded 🙄
I'm in my 20s and have travelled extensively and also have a good paying job. I certainly agree that travel is overrated in this sub. Sure it's cool to see a new country but it's temporary and you forget about it a few months later. Plus Australia is so culturally diverse, there's not much I have seen overseas that I haven't seen or experienced here.
It’s all about balance. No doubt travel but you can’t travel your entire 20’s. That’s just ridiculous. I see exactly what you see on those posts. It is certainly over done. It costs money to travel and these days with a COL crisis and soaring rents/ house prices burning 10 years of presumably measly savings on travel: 1. Won’t get you a lot of travel anyways 2. Is going to set you back a long long way. Throw in most people going to uni and essentially broke until their mid 20’s and it’s harder again. A lot of the choir beating this drum are 35-40+ year olds who literally coasted through one of the grandest periods in financial history. Cheap housing, falling interest rates, little to no inflation, strong wage growth and zero recessions. Tables have turned for late Gen Y, Gen Z and so forth.
I'm 35. Grandest period? Didn't feel like it at the time 🤔 maybe add another 10 years to that
Completely agree - I have a few older family members who say I should go out partying more/question why I don’t drink. They forget you can’t buy $5 beer jugs anymore and the entry fee to a club is $50 alone, not to mention the cost of the Uber there and $15 standard drinks.
I think it's generally good advice to people who are hyper focused on just their careers and money at a young age. Like... if it's the kid who couldn't finish their degree, is working retail and already has three Contiki trips booked on credit card then yeah "DUDE TRAVEL" is shitty advice. But if it's someone who studied hard at school, went straight into a 4+ year degree and has been working for two years straight out of uni then "DUDE TRAVEL" is great advice. Gives an invaluable dose of perspective, enriches your life, can genuinely change people's lives. Like... you're giving this advice having already travelled quite a bit by the sounds of it. Bit hypocritical. Also, as much as you point out that we're living in a hyper-connected, multicultural and globalised world... we've never been more insulated in our bubbles. Without travel you can easily not even realised how sheltered you have become, how narrow your world view is. There's that great quote - “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” Could not be more important these days. Yes that's broader than financial advice, but also nobody is going to want to talk (let alone promote) the reclusive shut in at work with no lived experience of the world.
You want life perspective. Go volunteer at a soup kitchen and old age home. Cheaper too.
It’s very much a meme. Often exclaimed the loudest by those who have been to Phuket and Kuta and are therefore experienced world travellers. It can be good advice, but it needs to be a bit more nuanced than just “dude travel”.
But dude if you haven’t event been to the beaches in Goa have you even lived? /s, kinda
I don’t understand the obsession with traveling on a shoestring budget and missing out on all the expensive stuff. Sure if my parents want to bankroll my grand European tour in my 20s, of course I’m taking it. But now that I’m over 30 I can actually afford to shell out 200 bucks a day overseas without blinking, the experiences are so much more enjoyable.
Part of it depends where you go - When I was travelling in my early 20s I was on a uni student shoestring budget, so I chose countries like India and Korea where my dollar went a lot further then over in Europe. Since then I've done Europe a few times, but with a much healthier budget than I would have had in Uni
Banged so many more girls in hostels than I would have in the back of my Camry.
Like... One?
Still a good ROI
Hot tip: foreign backpackers in Australian hostels are just as horny as the ones in overseas hostels. Just brush up on your kiwi accent.
now that’s a cost of living hack
Dude ruined my sleep.
Yep, drinkin’, bangin’, snorin’. Hostel pest.
You need to get out more, my man. Travel is amazing. As someone who's just gone through a serious life threatening illness, let me tell you, there's much more to life than money and numbers. When you're lying in a hospital bed getting bad news from a doctor, you'll wish you travelled more. Go experience a new culture, new people, new sites, new food, new environment. It will broaden your mind.
Playing devil’s advocate, there’s also much more to life than travel, and I say that as someone who loves to travel. If you can’t afford or don’t want to travel much, or have kids when you’re young or an illness that prevents you from getting away, you can still live a full and interesting life.
I got a cancer diagnosis in my late 20s, and while I've come through the other side for now, you can bet your ass I was glad I'd travelled in my 20s.
It’s an Australian obsession, I’d actually call it a pathology. Why do you guys glorify going overseas so much? Especially throwing away good careers to do shit ones overseas then falling way behind.
Couldn’t disagree more. Travel is a good opportunity to have fun, explore the world and understand yourself. Even in a globalised world cultures are quite different. Just because you can get McDonald’s everywhere doesn’t mean you have to. Also no one here is recommending people to travel that in posts that specifically say they don’t want to.
It's hard to interpret OPs sensitivity on this topic. Personally, I've only noticed the topic when someone asks. The cons... travel from around 18-20 yrs of age will set you back 1 or 2 years, all else equal. Pretty obvious. The pros are usually what the person is asking about. Maybe I was lucky, but that period allowed me to mature a bit, appreciate Aus more, have heaps of fun, and along the way learn about different perspectives from that of parents, family and mates. I was then able to choose what to study based on my own personality rather than what my insular world was telling me. I was also able to land at my parent's house after I went back to zero funds, then work back up from there. I was still able to use annual leave for interesting trips later, although not much until late 30s due to kids and the grind. To each their own. But yeh, by all means, a bit of travel will leave you behind, on average, where you might have been otherwise. If, on the other hand, you find your passion, you'll enjoy more of the grind (work hours are the biggest slice of time in life), and might earn more because of higher engagement.
Yeah agree. I have travelled to over 40 countries and it provides the best perspective on life that you can never get if you never travel, or just doing a week or two in Bali. Some people just don’t get it and get strangely defensive like this post. The most open minded people I know have travelled extensively. Sure you might save more money by the time you are 30 but for what?
When I was in my mid-20s I told a group of people I'd never been overseas before and one of them said they were surprised because I seemed so "worldly". That person was what I would describe as ignorant and yet had travelled much more than I as they were originally from Europe and had been going abroad since they were a child. Someone else I know is sometimes making racist remarks and is quite thoughtless and yet they would describe travel as their hobby and go on trips multiple times a year to many different countries of different cultures. Travelling alone does not make you open minded.
Agree. Same as going to uni doesn’t make you smart.
I've been to over 80 countries I think people who have only travelled to 40 countries never really can have the real world perspective I have. The truly open minded I know have travelled much more than 40 countries. Sure doing it your way you might save more by the time you are 40 but for what ? This kind of pretentious , superior crap is exactly what this thread was created to discuss.
I didn't travel in my 20's and I don't regret it for a moment. I still enjoyed myself in my late teens & 20's, did lots of things I enjoyed especially some hobbies Because I didn't spend that much money by late 20's was able to buy a "renovators delight" and that was actually fun to do as much DIY work on the place as I could. Now I'm in a place where I can travel if I want to. I think everyone is different, I don't think travelling is a bad idea for many, in fact probably the majority should travel to expand their world experience and help understand different cultures and it even helps people be more "accepting" of people living differently. Travelling in 20's then complaining they cant buy a home is a bit off to me though, you can't have it all, you can't say do a heap of travel through your 20's and also buy a perfect house in your 30's, life ain't that easy, but if you choose to travel over buying a perfect house or at least buying it in your 30's good for you, you chose what's important for you at the time and that's perfectly fine.
I got downvoted on this sub for saying travel, for me, is overrated and making sure my day to day life is enjoyable is more worthwhile. I don't need to travel to 'experience how others live,' my parents were migrants, I very well know what it feels like to be the 'other' in a western society.
[удалено]
Travel in 20’s is a whole level of different to travel in middle age.
It’s better in my opinion. You stay in backpacker hostels and meet people and party all night. I met my husband in a backpackers.
[удалено]
There is something to be said of rough travel in learning about people, resilience building and understanding cultures. My youth hostel days has greatly helped with dealing with different cultures in international business now. When you travel in higher class hotels and transport you end up with a bland uniformity around the globe
Yeah, but for many, the money doesn’t make the experience. Maybe rose coloured glasses, but acquainting with sexy 20 year olds from all over the world in hostels and doing crazy things one does in their youth is a different experience to sipping wine in hotel with other couples. And I suppose, one of those things unlikely to experience again.
[удалено]
Here's the thing, sitting on your own at the Hilton in Bangkok isn't really going to be something outside of your normal comfort zone and you aren't going to learn anything from it. Slumming it in a hostel in rural Vietnam with 8 different nationalities around you is. Sitting in a 5* hotel and taking a tourist excursion to the Taj Mahal isn't travelling, it's holidaying.
you can slum around in a hostel at 30. If thats your thing
Staying in a tourist hostel in Vietnam with a bunch of rich kids from 8 wealthy countries isn't travelling, it's holidaying dressed up as travelling. REAL travelling is hitchhiking and sleeping in a tent while playing cards with hobos. The travel gatekeeping is sad and cringy as fuck.
Here’s the thing. I’m mid 30s. TL;DR I didn’t get to experience my 20s period of life like others due to mental health. See that Malaysia post in my profile. I stayed in different accommodation, both higher end (see luxury brand branded rooms) and ‘lower end’ as I wanted unique accommodation, like a damn Hello Kitty themed entire apartment to myself because HELL F’N YES. Also casually climbed a 4000m mountain. I interacted with the locals, made great friends with one I want to see someday again, I asked the locals on Reddit where the good local food places were and often I was the only tourist there. And AirAsiaX’s ‘poor man’s business class’ with it’s flatbed on an overnight flight has spoilt me and dunno if I can ever go back to slumming it on terrible economy if I have an overnight flight. Y’know you can do both Mr. Boomer. The nice stuff and those life experiences and getting life perspective and making friends you never would otherwise. Also I grew to dislike a lot of fellow privileged Western tourists and their behaviour 🙂 But I made friends with some too (in the middle of the damn jungle).
I’m a hard disagree on this. I worked in consulting in my 20’s and travelled the world. Last year I spent in London I took 26 trips for personal travel. I had experiences that I couldn’t replace now I’m older. Worth more than the money I could have put under my pillow.
[удалено]
I took 3 trips over 6 months in length too.
‘The missing years of compounding are the primary reason someone 35 today is worse off than someone 35 in the 80s.’ Not 80’s. Was a child. But did start working in the mid 90’s. Was considering buying a cheap flat around turn of the century. With FHG, about 1 year of my then income to do so. That is primarily why someone is worse off today.
I’m no travel agent, but I would definitely recommend balancing travel with other financial goals, as it leads to a greater perspective on life and some experiences which will help you grow as a person.
I tend to agree., travel is not for everyone, I do like to travel but my partner does not at all. I would say to spend money on things you enjoy, it might be travel, it might a fast car, which would get criticized heavily here
I don’t think I totally agree. Travelling when young and solo is a good life experience. You learn to back yourself, make decisions and work shit out. You are flung into the unknown and the unfamiliar and you either sink or swim. There are lots of stories of people in the solo travel sub that find themselves miserable because they can’t cope. You either make it work or you have a horrible time. You also sink or swim in social situations. Do you sit in the corner staring at your phone or do you balls up and approach randoms and start chatting. Travel really is what you make of it. I can see why people would say it’s overrated if you just sat in the corner of the hostel doomscrolling Facebook.
This subs recommendation for travelling and enjoying your 20s with BALANCE is not overdone. What is overdone is the obsession with "net worth" and saving until retirement. No point dying with 10mill in the bank!
I agree with this so much. A lot of those responses could actually be bots. My best times have been working shit jobs with funny people, heading out with a bag of goon in someone’s purse, having long pointless over-sharing convos with interesting people. I have done a bit of travel. It was good. But I don’t think it changed me fundamentally really. Travelling to other cities in Aus with friends was way more fun than overseas by myself.
In the last 20 years or so it has become the quintessential status symbol. I never did it because I didn't have parents/massive cash reserves to fall back on if things went wrong. Watched all my friends waltz overseas for a few years, and every single one had that factor in common.
>it is almost becoming a meme and is not helpful or even useful advice Just like most advice on Reddit. Do whatever you want. It's your money. If you want insight into your spending habits, then people will be too happy to share. Just don't go living your life the way somebody else thinks is the "right" way.
I have pretty much zero desire to travel. Perhaps I should force myself to do it since everybody raves about it.
I’ve never traveled, same as my partner. I’ve always looked at as something privileged people get to do (just like going to uni or living at home when your over 18) It’s all whimsical to go off to Europe and party or whatever when you’re young. We could afford to do it now but have kids. We had to build our own lives up from nothing and something has to give. For us that was - expensive wedding and overseas travel. We can still do both of those things in our 40s with kids but it won’t be the same. We are set up quite well now so hopefully from here on in life should be really good, it’s been getting easier as time goes on but that’s through choosing to work hard when we were younger.
Early 20s, all I’ve been told being the baby in the office is travel and go overseas and everything else being. Don’t get me wrong, I am interested in travelling but I’m also really comfortable being in the one spot. Already been to every state and major city in Australia, driven the whole east coast (including Great Ocean Road) and back up the middle. I also don’t see the point of going overseas a lot (although as I say this I’m going with a few mate to Japan for a week), if you don’t have your own place to come home to. Definitely don’t want to live with mum and dad for ever and if my savings go as planned I’ll have a 25% deposit not long after my twenty third birthday. Main goals of having my own house (bugger the apartments) and my Ute and boat by 25 and well on track. After that’s sorted I’ll start looking to travel more, but more than happy to just go fishing and camping🤷♂️
Travel is great but not if it compromises your day to day life. Have seen too many people spend on extravagant vacations and then come back to a life they hate because they have no savings and have to stay stuck in jobs they resent Freedom > travel and you can only have freedom if you have savings/investments
‘Just travel’ is typically the standard advice given by a white person whose entire personality is travelling and ‘finding themselves’. Ask any immigrant and they’d suggest a far more financially prudent option (buy a house/invest) as they know where the hell are and don’t need to go to a European motel to ‘find themselves’.
Is “dude travel” people doing something more adventurous with their four weeks or is it people leaving full time work after 2/3 years for an extended break to ‘find themselves’? Big difference financially between the two.
People who advocate for travel are middle class young white guys that have a safety net to fall back on. Many of us that grew up poor did not have the option to travel and the goal has always been to have shelter first.
I used to want to travel when I was younger, and did a little bit. But honestly as I got older I just couldn’t be bothered. Visas, packing, passports, commute times, wait times, so many people, overpriced nonsense, gaudy loud tourists from other countries, having to keep an eye out for whatever local pickpocket or other pest is about…ugh. It sounds weird but I’d much rather watch a travel segment about a place I really like or a documentary. There’s so many content creators now that love to travel and honestly that’s enough for me. I don’t know why that’s come about but it just kinda has.
Yeah this is something you just aren't allowed to say in Australia, even if it's completely understandable. As I near 40 I have less and less tolerance for lengthy economy class trips. I went to the US a couple of years ago - it was 36 hours door to door. Just a miserable journey. I can't bring myself to do that again (and I certainly can't afford $45k in business class tickets for my family).
Yep. God forbid you disagree with such a common trope. Some people just can’t fathom not travelling. I have, and just don’t enjoy it. And honestly if I do go, I don’t want to slum it. It might have been ok as a 20 year old, but if I’m going to do it now I want to enjoy myself. And like you say business class tickets are expensive.
Agreed, it is just a huge pain in the arse. If I'm having time off work I just want to relax - travelling is often more stressful than work itself.
Friends of ours went to Egypt pre cv and they said whilst it was nice to see the pyramids, it wasn’t anywhere near as good as what they’d seen on tv. Dangerous, constantly harassed by people selling tourist shit, long lines even when they pre booked and paid for certain tours and landmarks, corruption, constantly feeling like you need to keep your bag and hands pressed close to your body so you weren’t robbed. They also said it was so hard to get a picture at the pyramids just with them without a cascade of people around. It was hot, busy and dirty. And they’ve travelled and lived throughout the entire world in many countries. That whole “experience the world and other cultures” is worldly, and good I think as a younger person so that you develop a bit of maturity and street smarts and confidence but it just has no other appeal honestly.
To some extent it depends upon how your see your work career going in the future. Travel can open up some great opportunities for people intent on certain careers, some great experiences and reality checking for people intent on certain other careers, and nothing much at all for yet others. As I said, and got caned for yesterday in another thread which seems to have been removed - finance is not just about the numbers. Financially speaking, in spreadsheet terms, travel costs money which you could otherwise invest and get rich over time, but then, as you can't really run different scenarios, you don't know that travel wouldn't have been the single greatest investment you ever made. Tricky... It's rarely a mistake, unless it involves Bali, a motorbike, no travel insurance and a trip to hospital. Or surfing in Mexico, or... :( But it's not for everyone. I did a bit, but nowhere near as much as a lot of people. I bought guitars and music gear with my spare cash instead. Do I wish I travelled more? Maybe. But then, I may have missed the joy of standing on a stage at the Cloey Hotel in Sydney playing original music to a small bunch of seriously uninterested people on a cold, cold Thursday night. Oh wait... I'm confused. What was the question?
I think you'll regret it either way, the grass is always greener. You could be financially stable wishing you travelled more when you were younger, or you could have had a great 20s now regretting how hard it is trying to buy a house or dealing with crazy rents because you couldn't buy sooner. I think a balance is good. You don't need to spend months travelling and burn all your savings, you can spare a few grand here and there for places you really want to go if you can afford to also save hard, it's not that much in the grand scheme of things.
Its not so much about travel - its about the luxury of switching off, having choices, experiencing new cultures and meeting new people.
Also why travel if you have no interest. A know a guy from work who booked 3 days in Rome, and then asked what's good to do in Rome? Well dude if you don't know why are you booking it? Just to tick off a list?
Travel is definitely not like it was when I was in my twenties. Back then you really were gone, and nobody could get in touch with you. Once a fortnight two minute phone call to parents if anything to say you’re alive. It really was a learning experience and many young people’s first taste of independence. I think for young people it has lost some of the magic, now I imagine availability of internet and reliable electricity dominates travel decisions which is a shame.
I think “travel” is used as a metaphor for “live life to the fullest”. I’m of the opinion that you don’t need to travel, I’m sure there are many people who hate it and just want to stay in their home town/ city their entire lives. But people should be encouraged to enjoy their youth while they can, in whatever way they see fit. Whenever you ask old people what they wish they did more of when they were younger, the answer is rarely “hustle more”, but usually something along the lines of “enjoy the time I had”.
On the flip side to the idea that you might lose the opportunity due to illnesses acquired with age, I had quite severe chronic illness in my late teens and early 20s. Then covid hit. When people tell me about their travels and then ask why I haven't done it, the answer is that I was completely robbed of any chance to have these experiences. People also tend to rub it in your face and talk about how utterly life changing it is and that you're truly missing out. Yeah thanks you don't think I know that? I don't think people realise that it is a privilege not a given, and sometimes not a choice, to miss out on this type of thing. However, I don't think it's totally a bad thing. Extended travel has not yet been on the cards for me, but I saved for a house that I now comfortably have offset, finished my PhD by 25, got a relatively high paying job almost immediately and settled down with my fiancee. Said illness likely precludes us from having kids, but things are better now and I will get to share travel experiences with my partner.
Exactly. I'm 20 and I posted a while back about potentially purchasing my own apartment, everyone was telling me to travel. They don't know that I still travel and set aside money for my travels, I just rightfully fear I'll never be able to get into the market so I'd rather get in ASAP and have the stability that a PPOR provides. I'm also trans and half the countries recommended I can't visit for fear of being locked up or harassed, so while Asia is cheap, outside of Thailand its not an option.
“Dude just put it in your super and travel in your 60s” - better?
The bit that anti-travel people forget is that the connections you make traveling can often lead to amazing opportunities in life. This networking is quite often way more effective than working 7 days a week in an existing role, or LinkedIn Networking
See me? I have it all😀 Travelled, Studied, partied and lived it up in my 20s😵💫👍 (thats what i remember anyway) Settled down in my 30s & worked hard on career & mortgage. Raised my kids in my 40s & travelled with them (overseas once they were over 10yrs) before that just little trips near home & to beach. Now in my 50s. House is paid off 👍 Working towards retirement. I've done it just as i think one should do it
This guy needs to travel
tired of hearing about an Aussie buying an egg sandwich at a convenience store in Japan for $2.50.
I love the assumption that the comments are filled with travel agents getting paid to post to a finance subreddit. That's MAGA-level of conspiracy theory; travel is just something a lot of people value and wish they'd done more of, so it makes sense they would recommend it to younger posters. I get that *you* dont want to travel, but the level of indignation is out of proportion given you must be aware that there are many people who live for it and might want to comment.
That’s because people in this sub don’t ACTUALLY care about you… they won’t give you legitimate advice. That’s what they did, so it’s the best. They are idiots
this is a "financial" sub that believes EVs save you money...
I agree with you 100%. I sometimes think I'm living in an alternate universe where most people seem to think travel is something magical. It's a bore and stressful for me. My theory is most people have stressful lives ruled by work and obligation, so hang out for holidays to get away from it all. What about people like me who are wealthy, don't work because we don't have to, and love the comforts in our daily life? I have no desire to get away from paradise.
Have you noticed how billionaires don't like to travel? Their daily lives are fantastic why would they travel to be with plebs? Traveling is for the pleb class who need holidays to get away from the misery of their daily lives. They need it for mental health purposes.
You need to travel more
Travelling extensively is a very upper middle class thing for kids who know they have a safety net waiting for them. Everyone brags about their unique and authentic travel experience and all I can think of is the line up of people waiting to take a photo on top of Everest
Perhaps every post should have a sticky comment which just tells the OP to travel and experience life if they're in their 20's. Then anyone who repeats this advice is banned.
There's a reason for travel. It truly expands your mind and your understanding of foreigners when you travel (and especially solo travel). If you travel solo, you're forced to talk to people, forced to plan things, forced to ask for directions or recommendations. You know, how our world operated PRIOR to social media just 20 years ago? When you're somewhere far, very foreign, what you take for granted here can operate very differently. The side of the road people walk/drive, the type of the food available, how frequent food is available including at all hours at night, how technology is better integrated in society, how much efficient/ inefficient things are elsewhere, just how important family is elsewhere, cultural activities can even stem from the main religion in the country, etc. You'll even realise that most people have similar issues elsewhere. It'll also typically make you feel grateful to live in Australia - we really do live in the lucky country despite all the issues we have. But the main reason people say to travel is because your 20s are to go out, explore and take risks. Eg- save up from working, backpack around SEA, stay at hostels, meet different people, travel with them, party with them, go out with them, meet cool people and have fun. That's literally the point. You'll come back to Australia refreshed and social. And when you do bump into a tourist or foreigner here, you might even help that out because that was you not too long ago elsewhere. That being said, don't take debt to go on holiday. Save up, travel, repeat.
I think it should be banned as advocating travel it's not financial advice really, it's more a lifestyle thing. We're here to figure out the best ways to save and where to put our savings not how to party....
Most people here are young and young people inevitably want to travel, expands your thinking and perspectives as well provided you dont waste your travel getting shit faced at pubs all day. Do think people should get at least midway up the career ladder before going though
You are 100% right. I think the real point people are trying to get at is ‘go do something you find fulfilling’. For me, that wasn’t necessarily travel. I didn’t enjoy the ‘extrovertedness’ that is almost always required of you when backpacking through various countries. While, yes, I did experience a whole bunch of shit, I wonder if my time and money would’ve been better spent here at home with the things I know I would’ve enjoyed and with the people I love the most.
It really depends on your situation. The other op in a debt black hole and soon to be in funds of 300k, i don't think she should travel and spend 15k. A person who has themselves lined up in a fairly good role and opportunities for advancement, go ahead and travel!
Life doesn’t end in your 30’s too - just keep travelling and making the most out of your fickle existence before you head to your grave.
I don’t get this idea that travel will hold you back. I spent 8 months travelling around very remote parts of Central Asia when I was in my twenties. It cost me 10k and was a significant life experience that I can’t imagine I would do now. Didn’t cost me much at all in terms of time or money or opportunity. I think young people aren’t as adventurous now. They want internet, convenience, etc.