BootsnAll Travel Community

ok peeps... raise your hand if you're sick of your job!

ME ME OOOOH ME


I was wondering how early people plan on quitting their jobs before they leave. The day to day is getting to be quite unbearable at times and I'm not sure if I can last another 6 1/2 months. As of now, I think I will have 20k by September. Then I could quit my job and get another part time or something or other to keep me occupied til the trip and to pay rent and shots. Ok ok so I'm just talking out my butt here, but the idea of NOT having to deal with what I deal with everyday sooner is sooooo appealing.

Pros:
Less stressed from stressful job.
More time to see family, deal with doc appointments, etc. (it is sooo hard to get multiple days off to go to the doc... plus people get sooooo nosey).

Cons:
I don't have a good reason to quit that early...
I might not have as much money for the trip

The money part is a huge factor... My original plan was to work til Dec 14th and leave dec 27th. Seem kinda hurried? I'm thinking maybe I'll take off Dec 1 or sometime in November... kind of a compromise. That way I can deal with all those last doc appts and such in the appropriate way, and have more money.

What is everyone else doing?

Brooke, three months can drain the coffers more quickly than one expects. That said, it might very well be worth it to stick it out until September and then move into a part time job somewhere else. If you're leaving for a while, you really should institute some transition time between the job and the trip. Otherwise you might spend the first month of your travels detoxing.

Brooke,

If you want three months to feel like an eternity, quit your job early

Before I left on my 2 month trip to Asia I quit my job a week and a half before and it was torture. As much as it sucks, and as long as the days seem, work seems to make weeks and months go by fast. I was waiting at home, pacing around with nothing to do while my friends were at work.

From your blog it seems like you're fairly organized so chances are there won't be 3 months worth of preparation left to keep you busy.

I got a great deal of satisfaction not having to bring my giveashit to work with me every day the last couple months. It was actually quite refreshing

quote:

Originally posted by croz:
I got a great deal of satisfaction not having to bring my giveashit to work with me every day the last couple months. It was actually quite refreshing

Lol. Nice.

I've got three years to go before my girl and I leave for our RTW...

That being said, before I left for Korea I quit my job about a month before my departure date and that month was PURE BLISS. Really. It was. The epitome of living it up. Hangin' with old and new friends. Soaking in the sights and sounds of my stomping ground, and most importantly building anticipation.

If this isn't your career and it's just a paycheck job, then bail. Take some time and go for another one that you won't have a hard time leaving come August or September...but won't that cause some tension between you and Brian?

Thanks for the input peeps.

Like I said, this is just me thinking about things and how much I want out out out.

Ok so I'm thinking what I need is more time than 2 weeks, but not 3 months (blasted - I will go even crazier with anticipation most likely as croz said). When we get back to Illinois in August, I'm going to find a part time job as I was originally planning, work both, keep myself super busy.... then quit full time job like November 1st, keep working the part time job for a bit longer, make all my final doc appts for November/december, and spend much needed time with my fam. My poor mom... she's missing me just spending the summer in NY!

Instead of 6 1/2 more months, I have 5. That's a little better. Maybe I'll get out of bed a little quicker tomorrow thinking I only have 5 more months of this working life.

"I only have 5 more months of this working life."

Thinking of going AWOL on us?

guess that sounds funny

only 5 more months at this job... still sounds long. *sigh*

I'd work as long as you can. It might seem like a lot now, but once it's all done, it will be worth having that extra bit of cash. That's extra money you could apply to staying in a nicer hotel now and again. I plan to work my main job til 1 week out and my part time job maybe even into the last week here! Every week i'm at my day job, I'm making another $500...too good to give up

I don't know man...peace of mind goes a long

Then again, that's what the traveling's for, right?

Yay, Brooke! Only 5 more months! That is really exciting.
You have been extremely kick ass in the savings department that you do deserve it. The temp or part time gig isn't the worst idea. Is there a way to ask your boss if you can cut down hours or work part time?

I think this goes back to the "do I suffer now for the benefit of tomorrow or do I enjoy today and give up a little of my goal" conundrum . I think there is a really healthy balance that can be reached with the right mentality so you don't have to choose.

I will be having 4 months of not working before my RTW (but of course, getting married and planning a 200 person wedding will take up a bit of that time, so no twiddling the thumbs there). I'm not too worried about being bored in that time.

One thing to consider is your marginal tax rates. The money you make later in the year may be taxed at a higher rate and therefore you are effectively making less per hour.

On the flip side, I recommend working a couple of months into the year before leaving on a RTW trip. The money you make in January and February could be almost tax-free because your income for that year will be so low. (Of course, you have to wait a year to get that tax refund, but it makes for a good infusion of cash when you return).

I understand all too well! My husband is already "retired" ha ha as he puts it and I am working until 27July. We plan on leaving for our RTW mid-August sometime giving me 2-3 weeks to hang out with friends & family and get last minute things done before we take off.
As for wanting to be here. well, lets see... it's 8am on a Wed and I'm already wondering if I can possibly bear to make it until 3pm quitting time! 5 months will probably eat up a huge amount of your budget but I would certainly vote for 1month off if I were you!

quote:

Originally posted by Justin7199:
I'd work as long as you can. It might seem like a lot now, but once it's all done, it will be worth having that extra bit of cash.

i don't know. my job can be pretty ugly. i'll just couch surf a little more



I'm thinking November 1st is the way to go... and then if the man says he wants me to continue on part time for a bit... I might consider it. But yeah its just I think I will need that time off... i mean just for doc appts! I know have 2 more sets of shots I will have to do, dentist, gyno, go to TMJ (jaw) doc to get new splints for the road - that's at least 6 appts and they seriously freak out when you try to take time off. And I'll need it for my sanity. I hear about people on the road where they don't really realize they can relax until a month in...

then i'll also get documentation all in line, get rid of the rest of our belongings, move out of apartment (we'll be homeless for 2 weeks too), deal with the holidays and leave. I should still be able to reach the same money goal by November 1st and whatever happens after that will be gravy.

so i'll keep taking it one day at a time

oh yes! My job is ok and they'll let me come back after our RTW if I want but I'm bored bored bored with it and have been for some time so leaving will not hurt my feelings at this point! Sounds like you're planning well for all you'll need to do.
Our house sold in only 3 days (quicker than we'd anticipated!) so we're moving next week into an apartment for 2 months while we finish up w/ just the types of things you're talking about... last dentist/doctor visits/ shots/ etc etc.
We had to find boarding facilities for our horse & goat, store our boat, just a lot of stuff in not much time so I'm going to use our "apartment" time to sort of relax and get ready to downshift for the trip. Right now I just feel stressed!

I quit my *real job* about 4 months before I left for my trip. Yes, it didnt make real sense - but honest to god I couldnt stand it another day there. It was killing my mojo.

I ended up bumming around Boston for a month unemployed (which was fun - but killed a bit of my savings) - and finally, moved back home to New York and picked up work at my familys business until I left in October. I quit working for good about a week before my departure. It worked out lovely.

I would quit ATLEAST two weeks before you leave. Like you mentioned, theres lots of last minute stuff to take care of (drs appt, shopping, etc) as well as trying to squeeze in lots of hanging around with your friends. Everyone wants to get a piece of you before you head off! Even doubely so considering its the holidays!

I think your current plan is a good one (quitting in November!) Heres to the time passing quickly!!!


(As a side note: Hows White Plains treating you for the summer? I read your WP blog.. and for the record, if your really jonesin for some Dairy Queen - head up north a bit to my stomping ground- Dutchess County! We have 'em!)

Prior to my last trip, I quite my job about 2 or 3 weeks in advance (can't remember exactly). I had to quit because I had to help Kathy move her stuff out, and my job was completely inflexible shift work, so I couldn't schedule around it.

If I'd had the flexibility, I would have left just a day or two in advance, much as I hated my job. An extra paycheck goes a long way on the road, and those last couple weeks were just agonizingly boring.

If you're going to quit earlier, you need to leave earlier.

yeah i like my current plan as well. 2wanderers - I WISH i could leave sooner, but Brian gets his Master's in December, so we're set for then. I also like the idea of perhaps offering to work part time when I put my notice in... pt would at least be a change of pace and give me time in the day to deal with other important things. soooo i'll throw that out there and if they say no, then i'm gone suckaz. it gets to be PRETTY crazy around december in that place and I'm just NOT going to deal with it if I can help it. I have been saving and sacrificing for SO LONG now if I want to leave i'm gone :-)

kforkelly - rock i love me a good dairy queen. wp has been very interesting and I'm sure i'll be sad to go back to Illinois!