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comment by WanderingEng
WanderingEng  ·  1946 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Pubski: November 28, 2018

I'm thinking about traveling less to save money and buy a house. I don't know how I feel about that. Travel seems to be part of my identity, but my perception of who I am or how I think others think of me is a terrible reason to keep traveling.

The mountains aren't going anywhere, and at the rate the snow is piling up, winter will be here for several months. I can look for better airfare after the New Year.





user-inactivated  ·  1946 days ago  ·  link  ·  
This comment has been deleted.
WanderingEng  ·  1946 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I'm not really all that mobile day-to-day. I've been in my condo almost thirteen years and at the same job fifteen.

Nobody would care if I didn't travel, but it's like my persona is wrapped up in it. Changing that, even if it's definitely what I want, feels uncomfortable.

But my own walls and space sounds really nice, and I've been enjoying running and swimming locally.

goobster  ·  1946 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Because you didn't ask, I'm gonna weigh in here...

Buying a house is isolating. Traveling is social.

Every traveler I have known, that has bought a house, has eventually started to travel again, seen the house as a burden, and sold it.

If you need to buy something to self-validate, buy a condo. No lawn upkeep. No plumbing issues. No worries that the homeless/meth heads are going to move in while you are gone.

And, you can lock the door and go away for 5 months, any day of the week.

Buy a house if you really want THAT house, and want to live in it every day. Otherwise, screw it. The economy is heading for a nosedive soon, so you won't be missing out on much, financially speaking.

HGL  ·  1945 days ago  ·  link  ·  

You buy a house because you want to stay put and raise a kid. Or because you bought a du/tri/quad-plex and that makes financial sense. It is hugely isolating because houses are rarely located in central city hubs and services and so you end up living far away from everything.

WanderingEng  ·  1946 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I have a condo now but want a little more of my own space.

Regarding the pending nosedive, I agree and am not in that much of a rush. It's more, saving now will give me more options later.

I'm not really a five month traveler and more of a "annually three one week trips and three more long weekends" kind of traveler. I think I can manage that with a house (for a cost).

OftenBen  ·  1946 days ago  ·  link  ·  

What do you think of the idea of being choosier about where/when you go? Take fewer, more deliberated trips?

Or is that a moot point because of the whole Mountain climbing aspect?

WanderingEng  ·  1946 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I'm sort of trending that way. In 2017 I took six trips (I think). I could do two. It would still be rewarding.

OftenBen  ·  1946 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Moderation in all things, especially moderation.

WanderingEng  ·  1943 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I agree with this, and I think it applies to my dilemma. It doesn't have to be either/or. I can balance it.