Life Advice needed

[Xc4lyfe]

Hi Mustachians!

I've got a unique situation that I could use some advice.

Let me introduce myself. I am a 27 year old male. And I've just recently started living the Mustachian life. Ive been married for one year. I recently left the military and started a new job that I love. My wife will graduate veterinary school with a PhD this May. Together we are debt free and our only income is my income ($42k). My wife will be taking an internship somewhere in the country most likely making $30k and I have the opportunity to be promoted in May as well to be making $65k. While I was in the military we had a long distance relationship and only recently started living together in October. I would like to stay and keep my job while she is off doing her internship which would mean more long distance but I am confident we'll be OK. After her internship we came up with an idea to take a year to bike around the world (Summer 2018). I would love to do this trip but with this job and finally being close to my family, I'm not thinking this trip is the best timing. We wouldn't be taking in any income during our year of traveling and we will be saving for this trip over the next 18 months. My priorities now is buying a house and settling down for at least 5 years. My wife's priorities are to break the routine and to travel following her internship. My issue is the lack of desire to travel and also the financial piece of this trip. I'm not sure if I should try to convince her to delay this trip or to enjoy my job for the 18 months and then travel?

Thank you for your time and thank you in advance for the advice.

[Secretly Saving]

Talk to her now about this!  This is a big disconnect in terms of dreams and expectations.  One or both of you will be massively let down unless you find a way for you both to be happy. 

[Metric Mouse]

Talk to her now about this!  This is a big disconnect in terms of dreams and expectations.  One or both of you will be massively let down unless you find a way for you both to be happy.

This. Open communication is important for long-term plans like this.

[SachaFiscal]

Maybe instead of biking around the world in one year you could propose doing an international bike trip once a year until you are FI.  You could go to Italy one year, then France the next, then maybe rural China.  It would be more expensive because of travel costs but you'd be able to keep your job and still be saving for retirement. Plus you could really enjoy each place because you weren't rushing through it.

[Lucky Girl]

Agree with the other posters that you need to discuss this with your wife, but I think having more information on your finances and life goals are important.

Do you want to have kids?  This is a huge piece of the puzzle.  You don't get to take time off for a bike trip for a year once you have kids.  If this is a dream of your wife's, I recommend you let her get it out of her system and then settle down. 

What will your FI number be?  How long will it take you to get there?  How hard will it be to get jobs again once you come back from the trip?  All of these things can maybe help you decide and figure out how to compromise.  Maybe you can get half way to your FI number and then take a sabbatical year, as Dr. Doom once recommended (see livingafi blog). 

[Xc4lyfe]

I agree that I need to communicate more openly. I think I've been overthinking the situation in my head.

But I think we could become FI in 10-15 years if we focus and I like what sachafiscal is saying about enjoying one place per year which would be feasible to keep us on track to FI. I would be afraid of losing a job for this trip that might set us back another few more years. Plus whatever headache comes with finding a new job(I don't want to be unemployed again, it's extremely stressful).

Thank you again for all the feedback. I greatly appreciate an outside opinion.

[BallerOnABudget]

My advice would be to slow down, communicate, and carefully plan your adventure. I know as humans, once we have our sights set on something, we want it ASAP. But you're still young and have lots and lots of life ahead of you. You could establish a very solid financial foundation over the next 3, 5, or hell even 10 years and STILL be young and energetic enough to go travel the world. Whatever you choose, good luck to you both!


As a side note, I'd be wiling to bet that for every "I dropped everything to travel the world and it was the best choice I ever made! Now please go read this yahoo article about it and visit my blog" story, there are ten "I dropped everything to travel the world and it was completely insane and now I'm broke with no job, WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE STOP ME?" stories.

[charis]

Is she advocating that you quit your job so you guys can travel around the world for a year?  While she is similarly unemployed?  I have to say that I would be baffled by a proposal like that from my spouse at 28 years old, when I was just starting my career.   That is a HUGE thing to ask of someone.  Maybe try to cut trip back to something more compatible to being employed - a month-long trip, or the summer if you can swing it.   Maybe she would consider extending the trip with a friend or family member, if she really wants to. 

On the other hand, if you think the job will be there when you get back or that you can get something else right away, or she will have a job lined up before you leave, maybe it's not so crazy.  Or maybe cutting back to 6 months would be a good compromise.  There are a lot of options here.