Ted- you're bad!
I'll never be able to look at another can of WD40 now... It's a good job I mostly use ACF50 though!
....and now you'll no doubt tell me that's reserved for customers paying for 'extra's...
I am sooooo not coming to ****** bmw!

p.s. solution to your troubles
It's called knuckle down for 30 years and save hard- then quit and travel.
Borrowing money is like having a mistress- exciting to have instantly but you'll (really) end up paying for it forever! + a few years!

Ain't that the truth.....

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

ACF50....Good choice. That stuff stays oily and greasy for months. Our workshop floor is a testament to that. It's an ice rink

Work 30 years... ARE YOU MAD !!!! I was planning on retiring at 40...

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Bimey, this one must have taken some finding in the archives

However, as its been brought up again, I both agree and disagree depending on who I'm answering. I don't think it's stupid to borrow money to travel - depending on your circumstances. People borrow money for all sorts of reasons - houses, cars / bikes, furniture, education, weddings, holidays and many more. Why should travel be worse than any of those. Yes of course it's not the best of ideas to borrow a huge amount, blow half of it on women + booze and waste the rest but many people can find the gap between their income and liabilities. If you have a travel plan that you can finance by short term borrowing and can convince the lender they'll be able to get their money back then go for it - in my humble opinion of course. All that assumes you're not able to earn while you travel - renting out houses, working, or even selling your soul on line, etc

People do get incensed by the thought of other people's irresponsible travel. You might remember some years back when a group of university students got some faculty money for their final year project and shortly afterwards posted up pictures of them blowing it all on a beach in (I think) Spain. The university (and the press) were outraged and threatened to withhold their degrees until they explained the pictures were fake and their real purpose was to investigate the response. So, travelling on your gran's pension money might not be looked upon favourably if she has to starve as a consequence but other than that don't wait until you retire. If nothing else you'll then be spending all your budget on insurance.

This is not Toby, Ta-rider, back under a new identity to enlighten us with his wisdom is it?

As a general rule I wouldn't borrow money for a trip but I do find that I often underestimate costs and end up dipping into my line of credit as a result. So I do inadvertently borrow after the trip has started at times. I never regret it.

Whether it's a good idea or not is very dependent on the individual and her personal situation. A once in a lifetime opportunity comes up and a secure, high paying job is lined up upon return? and you have plenty of working years left? You also know that your working life will not allow extended travel for many years to come afterwards? Probably a debt worth taking on for some. Many people are paying monthly for consumer goods they don't really need, so why not pay for a trip of a lifetime instead of accumulating soon to be obsolete consumer junk?

You're in your early 60's, lost your job, have no cash, mortgage not paid off? have limited employment prospects upon return? Probably a bad idea.

I dont read the whole old thread to be honest, but want to give some thoughts...

I did save money for extended travelling, was near 40 as I was able to start.

It has some (sometimes hidden) opportunity costs doing it that way:
- familly planning (most of us have kids at this age, if they want)
- career (important age for stepping up)
- Important age for paying into the local pension system)
- you earn a lot at this age (what you not earn during travelling)
- to leave what you "have achieved - hurt more
- you spend more during your trip, because you can (kayaking, diving and so on)

Some of this has no value you can calculate into money, some has!

Not to earn money for a year cost you more at a age of 40, than with 20.

Get money from family to start such a trip in younger age - seens in my eyes like a way who can cost less at the end.

That is no advise to do it this way - at youger age my trips would may have look very differtent - probably more partying related than really exploring too myself in very remote areas. But looking more differently to all aspects - can`t hurt. At 2014 I did also wrote here in that thread - nice to compare.

If I will have kids (very lately like mentioned ^^) , I will spent them some cash for travelling at young age...

Surfy

__________________
About Overlanding, Travelogues, Equipment
Trans-Africa over the west coast

Blast from the past

My 2c worth. Borrowing money to travel is the same as borrowing money for just about anything else. You should always assume it'll have to be paid back and know exactly how you're going to do it. Never, ever borrow thinking "I'll sort it out later" because it will come back to bite you, with interest.

As such you could certainly argue that borrowing to travel now and paying back over [x] years isn't that different from saving up for [x] years before travelling later.

In my case I'm coming to it late, in my 60s, because I spent years doing the family, career and home thing. On the minus side I have missed a lot of opportunities that will probably never come again, but on the plus side I know I have a home and family to come back to

Weird that this thread is revived after 6 years....

Borrowing money and paying someone interest is bad enough for something that you need: a mortgage for your home, a vehicle for tranportation, etc. It strikes me as somewhat foolhardy to borrow money for something as non-essential as travel.

But hey, it's your money. Do what you like with it.

__________________
Bruce Clarke - 2020 Yamaha XV250

This thread was "revived" by a spammer whose post is now gone. When you see a short, marginally-relevant post by a brand new member (one post, perhaps 2 at the most) on an old, inactive thread, it's often a spammer testing the waters. Sometimes there is a more or less hidden link in the post, which sometimes takes the form of a query: "Has anyone tried Xyz Imports for replacement parts? I hear they're great!"

It's hard to be certain with the clever ones, therefore a good thing most are not very creative. A good general policy: don't put a massive amount of effort into answering these posts, at least until their authors show signs of being real people with an actual interest in the topic at hand. And if you spot those commercial links--obvious or subtle--please feel absolutely free to report them.

Mark

In case anyone was wondering, I didn't take the loan.

So I didn't do the trip.

And now six years later, I totally regret it.

Now I can comfortably afford the trip.. But I now have a career, workshops and responsibilities. I have the means but not the time nor the freedom.

It's funny what can happen in six years.

In hindsight, I could have afforded the loan payment. It would have been annoying, but I'd have paid it. I've probably spend the same money on utter crap to fill the boredom since.

It's a great reminder to seize the moment.

Who knows when I'll next have the opportunity to take a year out of my life. The good lady in my life wants a house and baby Teds.


Crikey..

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Welcome to the club.

There is good news. You'll enjoy some of the other stuff. The short trips you can still take are fun. It doesn't mean never.

My other stuff is now reaching a point I may get out of the UK on a bike. First time in eight years. It is true the next time I might conceivably get months rather than weeks is going to be in the 2030's, but that's just a wait and see.

Do try to avoid buying **** though.

Andy

Thanks for your open words!

As you could see, my answer today is too different to my answer at 2014 did also change over the years and growing experience.

These opportunity costs are getting bigger with age...

But i suggest not to regret. Not to spend money for crap. Save it!

Founding a family is a own advenure...

What is about travelling in some years togehter with family and a Van/4x4?

Also the little teds will grow up and leave your house, opens another window for travelling.

Shorter Adventures are always an option between

To find the right girl for a live - and to come together - live together - congrats!

Surfy

__________________
About Overlanding, Travelogues, Equipment
Trans-Africa over the west coast

That's what's happened to me. Both my (now grown up) kids have become big travellers. Not necessarily on bikes but by a mix of methods - trains, planes and automobiles etc. One of them now lives abroad and is collecting passports like store loyalty cards.

Depends on the paper round I guess