Buy a new car or go traveling?
 

Bit of a strange thread , but if you had 15k of expendable cash what would you do with it? was going to buy another car , but now thinking of spending it going traveling Australia / Asia for a bit?

If you have no ties, then definitely go travelling and see the world. You only have one life so take in from it as much as you can. :thumb:

I'm 25 and have no ties or responsibility's , so think I will,
thanks

absolutely agree, because then when you have children it becomes more difficult

Have the time of your life, you never know what you might find.

Go travelling. (I'm jealous)

Absolutely go and see the world, no question.
There will always be another car.

Thanks for replies I think it's the right thing to do now, so do you think traveling solo will be just as fun
and 15k should be enough shouldn't it ?

I'm 24 and I'd rather a car, but that's just me because travelling doesn't really interest me. I usually look at it this way: with travelling you take back the experience and memories, but with a car or large item for example, it's actually having that possession and having something to 'show' for all that money spent.

That's the way I used to look at it , but Cars / motorbikes are what I've been into all my life really and my job as well.

It seems the more money I spend on a better car, every-time that good feeling seems to get less and less.

I bought a new Saxo VTR on finance a while before I went travelling for six months.
For some stupid reason, I hung onto it while away - DOH DOH DOH! I must have paid hundreds if not thousands on interest for a car I didn't have then flogged it soon after we got back for about a quid. And the Honda Accord we bought in NZ (not on finance!) was probably a better car and lost only £120 in three months and 8000km of driving...!

I'd travel without any hesitation.

I often think about what I'd remember looking back aged, say 60 - would it be owning things or seeing/discovering/sharing things? Without any doubt, it's always the latter.

See the world.A mate of mine went solo he said it wasnt a problem but you need to be outgoing. A couple i know went to a travel agent said they had x amount to spend and the the travel agent sorted it. They sent a postcard back from every stop. I was green with envy.

Im in my 50's now and do regret not seeing more of the world years ago though then it wasn't the done thing or as easy to do as it is today with the internet etc.

Go for it, you only have one chance in life.

Go traveling it's probably the only chance you will get, why not also get a work permit so you can always work if you want to top your money up and it may help you stay away longer.

I sometimes regret the money I've spent on cars. I've spent a lot of money on 'travelling' (holidays really tbh) and have never ever regrettedt a penny of it.

However I've never travelled on my own.

Cars are cheap (well, old Subarus are), travel experiences are priceless. I celebrated my 60th year travelling solo overland to Singapore, by train. Went from my local station, via France, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Belarus, Russia, Mongolia, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Malaysia. Damn sight nicer than flying, and not as expensive as you might think. Spent quality time with many very interesting people from all nationalities and cultures, and got a good perspective on the realities of life in the UK as viewed from a distance. Best thing I've ever done.

Go traveling, you can buy a car anytime but the fun you can have at a young age in foreign countries is priceless. I have been all over the world and not not trade my fun for a car.

If you don't need a car I see no point in having one as taxis, public transport and hiring a car will still work out cheaper and easier than owing a car if there is no need?

Travelling

Never had the chance when I was younger
Always worked /married /divorced /made more money then married again
Retired twice and went back to work and now regret not taking a gap year and travelling

We have a place in phillipines and boy has house in Australia and relatives in USA and Canada so have seen a fair bit if the world in the Last few years and never regretted spending the money

But going solo I'm jealous of your opportunity
Start in Asia singapore /Thialand then down to ph
You will live on £40 -£50 easily and the women
Well :D

Then get off to Australia
You will make a $1000 dollars a week working as waiter /bar man or whatever you want to do which will find even more time then back to Asia and live life as a high roller
Then USA amazing country then up to Canada
Plenty advice from gap year students in places to go and hang out

Do it when your young
I wish I did when I was single

Thanks for replies its made up my mind, I'm going to forget about the car and spend the money traveling, I wouldn't mind working at the same time, I work in plumbing and heating at the moment.

Does any one know any good site to look at to help plan it all out, or is it better going with a agent? I don't have a clue about this sort of thing lol

I actually did the car thing. Well, twice actually. In hindsight I should have blown it on hookers.



With that in mind, I hear Las Vegas is nice :)

15k spare I'd find it hard not to make more money.
Try and make enough money each year to pay for a few weeks away and at the end you would still have the 15k (hopefully :freak3:)

Buying and selling cars, bulk buys then sell through eBay, crowdfunding etc.

edit to add: How old are you?

Investing now in a house for example rather than renting could see you more comfortable later on in life which would allow for travelling at a time in life where you may appreciate it more.

You may have 15k now but add to that the house you may buy in 10 years when you're financially ready again possible being 10k/20k/30k/40k more and that bit of travelling now could be rather more expensive than it looks.

p.s sorry to be dull.:brickwall

edit to add: How old are you?

Go travelling. 15K IMO won't give you a nice a car as a year away with that budget would.

If you had 20k and started in Thailand, you would be a millionaire there at todays exchange rate :D

At your age, check out STA travel (cap is I think 26)

Having travelled all over the world, I'd say it ain't all it's cracked up to be, don't get me wrong, I had some great times and have some cracking memories, but sometimes I sit down and think with all that money I spent which would easily be 3 times what your thinking about spending and then some, I would now actually prefer to have my 911 in the garage going up in value.

Memories are all well and good but I like tangible things that I can enjoy as and when I like, memories fade over time.

Invested properly that £15k can give you a real kick start in life and help you get ahead or just plain old be there if needed, go on holiday by all means, 2/3 weeks is generally long enough to get a good feel for a place.

If I were to do it all over I'd just go on tour with Explore Worldwide once a year, cost you in the region of £1/3k each time and you go off the beaten track and see things you probably wouldn't otherwise, maybe even get a job as a tour guide with them (you'll need bags of personality and the patience of a saint for it though) Look on their website and see what takes your fancy, or one of the many OverLand companies, camping rough ish out of the back of a giant 4x4 truck going across Africa, India, Himalayas that's "Traveling" ;)

Appreciate all the replies :thumb:
Just to add some more info , the 15k is just a budget I've set myself for a car or trip,
And I've already got deposit money for house set aside, just thought it would be good to do something like this before I get tied down with a mortgage etc..

Sounds to me that you've got the best of both worlds.

Spend half on car and drive to Cape Town , then sell for more than you paid

Forget Australia, go travelling in Asia...Burma, Nepal, India, China. You will manage the lot on half that money if you embrace the culture.

Australia is very expensive
Mars bar and a can of coke a fiver
Cheap hotel / hostel rooms £50
£30 a day for food minimum
Drink forget it at up to a tenner a pint
You would have to work just to survive

As above / Asia live like a king with plenty cash and all the advantages that would bring

Traveling- Memories will last you a lifetime, and I have never regretted going anywhere in the world, but have regretted probably 50% of the cars ive owned! And like most cars, after the new car feeling goes after 3-4months its just a car which gives you headaches and heartache most of the time!!!:)

I like ditchy's idea and that's what I would do if it were me.