5 Reasons NOT to Quit Your Job to Travel

The topic of traveling long-term and the way many online travel personalities glamorize the perpetual travel lifestyle has been on my mind quite a bit lately. As you know, we are huge advocates for finding a balance between a healthy home life and wanderlust.

Let me start off by saying I’m not judging anyone who chooses to quit their job to travel. Our goal here is to present a different side of the coin from our personal experience. With so many articles advising others to quit their job to travel full-time, we think it’s important to note that it’s not the only option.

5 Reasons NOT to Quit Your Job to Travel

You Want The Best of Both Worlds

Just because you have a job or a home base doesn’t mean you can’t live a life filled with amazing travel experiences. We have yet to publicly announce this, but we just bought a house in coastal San Diego and as someone who has been fighting against the traditional American dream for the past 10 years of my life, this was a HUGE life-changing decision for me.

However, after traveling nearly 6 months per year for the past 5 years, I’ve grown to love my routine at home. I’ve surprisingly found a massive amount of joy in remodeling and DIY plans for our little beach cottage — in between trips to places like Canada and the Philippines.

Having a home base and a career you love doesn’t mean you have to give up travel. We’ve managed to travel to over 40 countries in the past 5 years — all while paying astronomical prices to live in a beach town we adore, Scott working a traditional full-time job, and both of us running this busy online business. My point is, it’s entirely possible to find a balance. You really can have the best of both worlds.

Read more: 5 Secrets to Finding the Best Flight Deals

You Want To Have Long-Term Relationships

Because we decided against selling all of our possessions to travel, we’ve been able to keep close ties with our dear group of friends — and for this, I am eternally grateful. I’ve heard far too many perpetual travelers express regret over losing friendships after bouncing around for long periods of time. At some point, almost everyone realizes the value of long-term relationships and most even eventually find comfort in daily routine.

Travel Won’t Fix Your Problems

In my experience, if you are using travel to avoid a big emotional issue (been there, done that!), then it’s probably not going to fix anything in your life. Deal with your problem first, with a clear head, and then hop on a plane to an exotic location — ready to take on whatever adventures life throws at you.

Read more: 10 Biggest Travel Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

Social Media is Only a Highlight Reel

Don’t drink the Kool-Aid. I mean, drink it if you want to — I’m not here to tell anybody how to live their life — BUT… remember that people only show their best moments on social media. I’m not saying all long-term travelers are unhappy; just take it with a grain of salt if someone’s life on social media seems perfect.

You Don’t Want To Live With Your Parents

In many cases, the brutal truth is that many long-term travelers wouldn’t be able to afford a lifestyle of jet setting all over the world if they didn’t have a comfortable place to crash in between trips. Long-term travel is exhausting. Even taking 1-2 trips per month like we do is taxing and it’s nice to have the luxury of coming home when you get tired. And you WILL get tired.

I moved away from home at 17 and I can’t imagine relying on my parents to provide a place for me to live when I’m in my 20’s and 30’s — especially if I’m just choosing to spend all of my money on travel versus going through a tough time for other reasons. I would much rather find a balance of supporting myself AND traveling than crashing with my parents until I’m 40.

Now, if you’ve gotten to the bottom of this article and you still want to travel full-time, then more power to you! Just because this lifestyle is not right for us, that doesn’t mean it’s not perfect for someone else. As a full-time travel blogger, I’ve written quite a few resources on how to make a living while traveling, which may help if you are looking for a way to make a living while you are on the road.

How I Get Paid to Travel the World

How to Start a Travel Blog: A Step By Step Guide

What do you think? Have you ever fantasized about leaving everything behind to travel the world indefinitely? 

Pin it!