Ok guys I need some input...PLEASE!

[foofiter]

Ok this is gonna be sorta long but please bare with me.

I am having a serious internal conflict here and I would like some input.

I am graduating college soon and I am going to be working for a Financial Planning firm (i.e. working for rich people managing money...). My degree is in Finance. The more I work in offices the more I feel stuck. I work to live and I live to work. I don't mind working its just the restrictions of a long term job that bother me. I just feel like there is something better that I could be doing. I believe that travel is it. I truly would like to sell everything I have and leave tomorrow and never to return (at least not for a LONG time). These are the options I am weighing in my mind:

1. Continue to work and do the traditional career, 9 to 5 crap and travel 2 weeks out of the year...
2. Get my MBA in Germany from Schiller and hopefully land a job somewhere outside the USA (that involves travel) where I get more vacation time to travel. I consider this the "middle of the road" choice. This will require a TON of student loans (in addition to the mountain I have now) therefore restricting my ability to travel (for long periods) greatly.
3. Say screw it and work until all debts (student loans) are paid and save some money to start with, sell everything, buy a one way ticket, and travel until I get tired of it. Maybe toss in some Peace Corps and short term work, basically anything in order to extend my travels. Others have done it (at least I have read of people that have and still do).
4. Go balls to the wall and invest in real estate (I have thoroughly researched this one) until I achieve enough savings so that I can afford to live and do #3 on the interest. This could potentially take years and not happen until my mid-30's (I am 22 now...).

So here is my conflict. I know that I want to travel A LOT, but my mind is telling me that I should take a career into consideration. When I am at work I feel stuck and unmotivated. I find myself doing the bare minimum for everything. It just doesn't feel right to sit there and make the rich people richer while I make a tiny salary in comparison. I also find that I have a problem working for someone else as I disagree with them constantly (I have yet to find a boss I truly like working for). I feel as if my freedom that my ancestors fought so hard for is taken away when I am at work. If I were to travel the world over and experience different cultures, lifestyles, and places that I would truly see freedom in is true form by having no ties to anything. Am I the only one having issues like these? Am I being too selfish? A side note would be that my family has dropped roughly $50,000 cash on my education thus far. I fear that would see that investment as a waste if I decide to drop everything and travel and lose respect for me as a result. I have been fighting with myself over this issue since May of last year when I took my first trip overseas. Please tell me what you think!

Thanks,

foofiter

[Sijuki]

Obviuosly the most important is to get out of debt... so first off work to pay that off. Regularly save money as much as you can. In addition to Real Estate itself... look into REITs (unless this was part of your plan, as you are in finance so I am sure you know of them. But wasn't sure if you were talking of personally owning the real estate, so covering all bases). As those dividends will pay in gold. Recommendations: O, ARI, HME, PPS, etc. Can't remember anymore off hand. O is monthly and the rest are quarterly. But if you make decent money at your job you can make some healthy investments... while it takes a long time to grow your dividend... it helps. Once you get out of debt, save money and work towards your plan of traveling. Also since you are stuck working for a bit, ask your company about possibilities to travel and work... or even co-workers. Finance can easily travel and money is everywhere.

I don't know how much your loans are but hopefully you should be able to get to your ultimate goal of full travel in 5 years or so.

[U2fan]

You're definitely not alone.....I will be probably almost $75 in debt from just three years of law school.....and I feel the same way you do.

I am looking at similar options; get my masters of law abroad in hopes of making more contacts and interviewing and getting a job abroad, but yes, that means another year of loans.

Looking into Peace Corps too...

Anyway, I think if you want to get a "serious" job abroad, getting your MBA abroad is probably your best option. I think usually something that like is necessary to get your foot in the door. Hell it can be hard enough to find a job here in the US when you're IN the US, much less trying to find a job abroad when you're in the US.

Maybe this is me just being laid back, but I don't worry too much about loans. It doesn't make sense to worry about it. As long as you can afford the payments and aren't defaulting....yes getting your MBA would mean more loans, but you will make more over your lifetime with it. And if it a big step in the direction you want (living abroad), I think it is worth it.

[omisan]

Work off the debts, and throw in a little budget travel here and there. That's what I'd say.

Debt burden is the #1 thing that keeps people down and from doing what they want. By getting rid of it, your credit will be better, meaning you can do more of the real estate investment down the line, and be better set up to do whatever it is you want to do. I'm currently working at restructuring my finances so I can get rid of all my student loan and credit debt. It ain't easy, but it feels good taking off bigger chunks.

But just because you're working hard at something doesn't mean you have to squelch other aspects of your life. Balance everything out, set a goal and work toward it, but don't neglect other things you want to do along the way.

[Pepin_151]

I think you should sit down and listen to some Johnny Cash, I've been everywhere and then just sell all your stuff and haul ass all over the world. But then again I'm a little reckless and it might not be too sound of a plan?

U2 fan 75$ in debt for law school? sign me up for that school it's costing me almost 10grand a year for Queen's Law school

[kimballthegreat]

yeah most of the posts are right ... pay off the debt first. Then save. Then play. If you are afraid of being cooped up in an indoors 9 to 5 job like me than do something that alows you to enjoy yourself. The only job I have found that pays well enough to work part time and still enjoy life is being a Limousine driver. It's easier to get into than one would think. The income potential is very high. These company's are almost always very flexible and will work around your schedule. I am going to work like a dog till summer than take 2 months or so off to backpack. I enjoy the work because I am never in a building. The people I drive are awesome people. Everyones got a bit of renegade in them. I have driven some high profile executives and just talking to them they tell me how much they wish they could take off and go back pack through Europe. I drove the VP of a major computer company just last week and he was telling me that right out of college he took off with his brother for 9 weeks to travel through Europe. He can't wait to get back but can't at the moment.
Limousine drivers have a lot of time on their hands. I have driven for some of the award shows and I was paid for 13 or 14 hours of work ( 30.00 or 40.00 an hour ) and only worked for about 2.5 - 3 hours. The rest of the time I was napping reading watching movies hanging out. Good job if you have hobbies that can be portable. Like a musician can write songs, a traveler can work on planning his trip, or study about where he is going to. A computer enthusiast can bring his laptop and surf the internet or play computer games. You are outdoors with your car, not cramped up in a cubicle. It doesn't pay bad at all. I know a couple guys that make 75 - 100k a year driving limos. I guess this is food for thought.
kimball

[foofiter]

Thanks for all the input guys. I have decided (before this post) to pay off the student loans ($16K USD) as fast as possible regardless of my choice. I actually will have my credit cards back to $0 in 2 weeks. My inspiration is to be like the "Hobo Traveler" guy. His site is http://www.hobotraveler.com . I have been reading his blog for a while and read just about everything on his site. We have emailed back and forth. He has been traveling for 8 years non-stop. His google ads on his site provide him with enough income to live and travel. He also lives very cheaply. This is what I aspire to do one day and I have created my own site which (according to TP )I am not allowed to post here.

I have looked into the REITS and actual properties for investing. I do intend to have some income generating investments if I decide to take the "travel forever" route. I think U2 is right about the MBA in Europe leads to more job opportunities. I would personally be ok with no career and just seeing the world like that Hobo guy. I also have an interest in travel writing and maybe that would one day lead to something. And if I did take the "travel forever" route and finally decided to stop for whatever reason, I could open a hostel or be a tour guide or whatever. I would cross that bridge when I got to it.

I found that all of this college education and professional designations that I have received in preparation for a career has taught me that I am not really concerned with a career at all. A major concern is retirement. If I am traveling the world and living hand to mouth then I will be unable to save for a comfortable retirement (or anything else for that matter). I would have to rely on the government and inheritances for it. Even if I traveled for 5 or 10 years and stopped it would be a major setback for retirement savings. It is an issue I would have to analyze carefully because my dad has been working all his life, is now 48 and has essentially no savings. I don't want to be in that same boat. It looks as if I must choose between retirement savings and permanent travel.

I appreciate all of the input and welcome more.

Cheers,

foofiter