Want to retire and just travel...

[taylshaw]

That's the dream, anyway, but I'm not sure how to go about it. My name is Taylor, I've been working in education and saving since I was in my twenties, and I'm just feeling totally burnt out. It would be great to get away for awhile, I've never even been out of the country.

I'll do some more posting, and I've been reading through this great and expansive site, but I have tons of questions -- like, is anyone here just SEMI-retired, maybe works 3 months of the year and the rest is just chill? I'm thinking I could do that, just to keep my head sharp and the cash flow steady. I'm also wondering about the best way to travel. My friend has a timeshare that lets him swap weeks wherever he wants in the US and some Caribbean resorts, too, which would be right in my market, and an investment, too, I've heard. I guess I don't know where to start! Thanks for having me.

[Niko]

Some options to explore:

Teach Abroad
Peace Corps
Work on cruises
Work at foreign resorts
Foreign Service Officer
Tough it out here until you had a small nest egg to support a thrifty lifestyle in Thailand.

[Meadbh]

Any opportunity for educational exchange programs?

[Sarah in SC]

Taylor, you might check out housecarers.com, it is a site that looks like it gets a lot of "teacher traffic". Folks who need a housesitter put up a free ad and the potential housesitters apply online for the position. You get a free place to stay in exchange for watching the place, maybe feeding animals, whatever. I applied for a housesitter for a trip we have planned, and got 12-15 quality replies, including two girls who were housesitting in France then!

We took off three months to go sailing a few years ago--but we had to quit our jobs and start back with new ones when we got back. There are a lot of people doing what you describe in sailboats, but not the big flashy new ones with payments, they'll be the ones on the older, but well-maintained ones!

Good luck in your mission to create some flexibility in your schedule--but be warned, that trip to the Bahamas is what caused us to pursue FIRE! While not a bad thing as far as we are concerned, it is an ambition killer in that sense.

[mountaintosea]

In 1992 I took a leave for one year and traveled around the world. But I was able to work with employer and return in the same job as I had when I left. We were going through a recession then so everything worked out. It was a great experience.

[TickTock]

Your Money Or Your Life mentions something along the lines (don't have the book in front of me right now) of "you'd be surprised how many artists and creative types work half the year to support their passion for the other six months."

I recommend checking a copy of the above book out of the library and reading it. Might strike a chord...

[AzDreamer]

I have never heard of anyone making money investing in timeshares. Here's a link to a site with more info, click the "Advice" link at the top.

Timeshare Users Group - Timeshare Owners Helping Each other, Unbiased Timeshare Information for All Owners, Buy Sell Rent Timeshare

[Niko]

Originally Posted by AzDreamer

I have never heard of anyone making money investing in timeshares. Here's a link to a site with more info, click the "Advice" link at the top.

Timeshare Users Group - Timeshare Owners Helping Each other, Unbiased Timeshare Information for All Owners, Buy Sell Rent Timeshare

I know someone who "invests" in a couple of timeshares. This person also leases a Lexus, borrows from their 401K, and claims they are one of the few lucky people who actually make money in Vegas -- even over the long haul.

[Puzzley]

I would avoid anything with the word "timeshare" associated with it like the plague....

[kcowan]

Take a year off and travel the world. Then decide what you want to do.

[pentang.fog]

To the original poster: that is definitely a great dream, and a lot of the other comments are brimming with great advice (particularly Niko, although taylshaw makes it sound like he might already have a nestegg?). Why not just save up, though, to take your own trips and be creative, rather than being roped to a vacation rental business? Traveling is never much of a financial investment (unless you find a spot you really like and buy a small home there, like my father in law did many many years ago in Colombia). Some people above posted links, there's a good, concise timeshare FAQ that turned me off the whole enterprise (I too considered one a while back): Timeshare Consumer Group FAQ