Vagabonding

Part of the motivation for becoming debt free is the opportunity to travel for extended periods of time. Because of debt we really have only taken one real vacation together in our eight years as a couple.

The plan:

• Become consumer debt free in three years.
• Sell our condo in five to six years.
• Reduce our possessions to what is necessary and store large items we intend to use upon our return -or- build/buy a small house.
  
• Save enough money to live & travel on frugally and simply for up to two years.

Enter vagabonding. What is it you ask? I think it's best put this way, "a deliberate way of living that makes the freedom to travel possible".

The hubs and I have tossed around a few ideas. With the sale of the condo we could buy a Mini Clubman and Airstream. Although this would be extremely cool, the airstream trailer is only 22 feet long and opens out for you to be able to sleep. Not practical if this is our "home" for any length of time.

We have contemplated the 4-hour work week philosophy of working for a few months and taking mini retirement vacations for a few months at a time. This would require a permanent residence that we could come home to and house our reduced but necessary possessions (negating the need for a long term storage unit). This would also require an extremely flexible job and career change.

In the world of extremely flexible jobs we have a couple options.

• The hubs could get a job working on board a cruise ship (he currently works for a cruise line) and as his wife I can come too. This has some opportunity for international travel as well - bonus!
  
• Move to and area with a film industry (an interest for both of us). Working on a film for a few months then taking time off. We have a little film experience under our belts and can always get more in the next few years.
• Become independently wealthy.
  

The small home option would be something like the Katrina Cottages which at roughly $110 per square foot to build are pretty reasonably priced. All we really need in a small home is an open floor plan for the main part of the house to include our kitchen and great room space for living and dining, a master suite of bedroom, bathroom and walk in closet and a half bath (for guests) and utility space as well as a covered porch and that is really all we would need. I am partial to plan numbers KC517, KC697, KC888 (bed 2 would be open living space) & KC936 (with optional master suite and upstairs as loft space).

More things to research and a debt reduction plan to keep following. The possibilities are endless and the future is closer than we might think!