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tucker0104
03-08-2008, 13:54
How does everyone afford a thru-hike? I am going to be getting out of the navy in January and plan on leaving in March to do probably half at once. My question is how does everyone afford to just leave their life and job for 4-6 months. I have no bills and no mortgage so I am in the perfect place but I will be turning down a lucrative job offer to be able to do it. Do I just have to suck it up and sacrifice for the experience?

Sly
03-08-2008, 14:00
If you have the money and your bills are paid, I don't see thru-hiking as a sacrifice,

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn. -John Muir.

rafe
03-08-2008, 14:02
Pay up your bills, save a little extra, and go. :D

highway
03-08-2008, 14:15
Here is one way I found to rationalize some of it away:

First, you have to eat, whether hiking or not. And, the cost for your food will likely account for the largest portion of your hiking expenses. But you really shouldn't count it in (just have it) as you would have to eat those 4-6 months anyway. Now, once the cost of your food is subtracted out of your budget, the expenses for a thruhike becomes such a bargain I can't imagine why everyone wouldn't wish to do it. It works for me:D

rafe
03-08-2008, 14:17
Of course it helps if you've got no life to begin with...

Appalachian Tater
03-08-2008, 14:49
A lot of thru hikers are pre- or post- having extensive responsibility, or at least in a transition. There seems to be a cluster of young people pre- or post-college and then another age cluster of retired people. You seem to be in the perfect situation--in transition from military to civilian, young, without mortgage or bills. Sgt. Rock, one of the owners of this site, is in a similar situation of leaving the military, except he has a family, and he is thru-hiking right now.

What would you be sacrificing? A really exciting job so wonderful that you have trouble going to sleep at night in eager anticipation of going to work the next morning?

If you can scrape together $4,000 or $5,000, you should consider doing the WHOLE trail. You may never have such a perfect opportunity again. Regret in life tends to be about things you didn't do, not that you did do. It would be hard to imagine how doing a thru-hike in your situation would be a sacrifice. You may find that it is an important influence on the rest of your life.

Good luck!

squeeze
03-08-2008, 15:53
but I will be turning down a lucrative job offer to be able to do it. Do I just have to suck it up and sacrifice for the experience?

Maybe the job will still be there when you get back. Invite the prospective boss to follow your trail journal. Or, after 6 months on the trail, you may find that you want to do something totally different or live somewhere else.
Also, you're young...plenty of time to make up the "lost wages".

Pokey2006
03-08-2008, 16:18
Talk to the folks at this prospective job. They might be willing to hold it for you (I did meet a few thru-hikers who had new jobs waiting on them to finish the trail). Also, if you got one good job offer, chances are you could get another in six months.

Remember: Hiking the trail is an impressive accomplishment, and bosses are as easily impressed by it as family and friends.

You don't need $4,000 to $5,000, unless you're doing the luxury tour. You can hike the trail for less, but that's another thread.

As for my own story, to afford it, I gave up my apartment and quit my job. With my last month's rent and bills taken care of, I had about one month's pay to put in the bank just before I left. I also saved up a few hundred dollars over the winter, once I knew I was going to hike the trail. Then I cashed in on 5 weeks of unusued vacation time. I normally don't have so much vaca time -- changes in ownership at my job had created a "fluke" in the system, and I got lucky.

The best part? When I returned, my old company lured me back -- with a promotion AND a healthy raise. I left less than a year later to go on another hike, but that's another story...

If you're not paying rent now, you can work around the clock, sock it all away, and just go.

scavenger
03-08-2008, 16:25
moved back in with mom to avoid payin rent while hiking, saved for months, got a loan from a family member in case i need more money than i have saved

dessertrat
03-08-2008, 16:27
How does everyone afford a thru-hike? I am going to be getting out of the navy in January and plan on leaving in March to do probably half at once. My question is how does everyone afford to just leave their life and job for 4-6 months. I have no bills and no mortgage so I am in the perfect place but I will be turning down a lucrative job offer to be able to do it. Do I just have to suck it up and sacrifice for the experience?

Being debt free is a great start. Do you have leave to cash out, or terminal leave to use? If you have no bills and two grand in the bank, go for it. Why not?

Jason of the Woods
03-08-2008, 16:29
Sometimes in life there are things that you find a way to do. If you really want to hike you find a way. It is best if you take care of things before you go so that you are able to enjoy nature the way that it is intended.

Pokey2006
03-08-2008, 16:30
Ah, a loan...that IS an option. Not the best option, but, if you're marketable enough to get lucrative job offers, and so would have no problems paying it off later, why not?

Tinker
03-08-2008, 16:46
Put enough cash in a checking account to cover the minimum payments on the credit card debt you will be building as you do your thruhike. Have a trusted friend or relative make the payments for you. When you finish, pay down the credit card.
You're young and should be able to pay down the card quickly if you get a good job after the trail.
OR...........you might become a trail bum..... :D.

tucker0104
03-09-2008, 11:57
I have like 20 grand saved up so money isn't the problem. I guess my real question is that I want to know is it really as great as everyone says?

Lone Wolf
03-09-2008, 12:00
I guess my real question is that I want to know is it really as great as everyone says?

in my opinion, no. a thru-hike is like a marathon. you're always thinking about the end/finishing and not really getting much out of each day. most seem rushed all the time

rafe
03-09-2008, 12:01
I have like 20 grand saved up so money isn't the problem. I guess my real question is that I want to know is it really as great as everyone says?

Yes and no. It can be miserable at times, tedious at others. It all depends on your attitude. Safe to say, it's an experience that you're not likely to forget. I still have vivid memories of almost every day I've spent on the A.T. And yet I can't remember what I did last Sunday afternoon... :-?

Jason of the Woods
03-09-2008, 12:21
I agree 100%! That's why we are only doing sections and walking slow and looking at stuff.;)
in my opinion, no. a thru-hike is like a marathon. you're always thinking about the end/finishing and not really getting much out of each day. most seem rushed all the time

Sly
03-09-2008, 12:36
in my opinion, no. a thru-hike is like a marathon. you're always thinking about the end/finishing and not really getting much out of each day. most seem rushed all the time

LW will make it seem as though a thru-hike is the worst thing. Go out, enjoy yourself and don't pay attention to his BS.

Lone Wolf
03-09-2008, 12:39
LW will make it seem as though a thru-hike is the worst thing. Go out, enjoy yourself and don't pay attention to his BS.

well it is kinda dumb. always planning ahead, always putting in miles when you really don't want to, always worrying about getting to POs on time, always worrying about weight, always worrying about baxter closing, always worried about running out of money. always rush, rush, rush... lotta stress in thru-hiking. truth :)

Jim Adams
03-09-2008, 12:39
Want justification?.......You can't stay home 6 months for $3000!

geek

WalkingStick75
03-09-2008, 12:41
I did section hikes because when I had the opprutunity things didn't work out for me. Do a thru but don't loose sight that on the fact that it should be fun too. If you don't complete the thru hike then it becomes a section hike.

Enjoy your hike! and Have fun :)

rafe
03-09-2008, 13:09
I have like 20 grand saved up so money isn't the problem. I guess my real question is that I want to know is it really as great as everyone says?

I've already responded once but not to this part. To wit: as great as who says? (Warning: thread swerve ahead.)

Look, the fact of the matter is that most thru hike attempts fail. That is an incontrovertible, universally acknowledged fact. We can, and do, argue about "why" until the cows come home. Underlying these discussions is the question of who or what's to blame. Usually the hiker is found at fault -- not prepared, spoiled, lazy, lacking "grit," etc.

IMO, one of the most searingly honest accounts of an attempted AT thru-hike is Bill Bryson's A Walk In the Woods. For sure, the book is dissed and kicked to the curb by all manner of "serious" and "successful" hikers. So what? They're loathe to acknowledge Bryson's truth, as it would diminish and invalidate their own accomplishments, of which they take great pride.

If Bill weren't onto something deeper, his book wouldn't be the best seller that it is. Read it.

brotheral
03-09-2008, 13:34
Sounds like the door is open. There will always be jobs if you want to work. If you really want to do this, go for it !! Stop when you're ready to stop. If it's working for you, do the whole thru-hike. I just finished watching the TREK DVD recently. I'd suggest watching something like that !!
Happy Trails :welcome BrotherAL

Bearpaw
03-09-2008, 14:18
I have like 20 grand saved up so money isn't the problem. I guess my real question is that I want to know is it really as great as everyone says?

A lot depends on your temperament. I thru-hiked the AT in 1999 right after getting out of the Marine Corps. Like you, I had no debt, and money in the bank.

I had been an officer and the stress I faced on a day-to-day basis in the Marine Corps made the tougher days on a thru-hike seem mellow by way of comparison. I was also fairly type-A and found setting and reaching goals without having to rely on others to be great. So I absolutely enjoyed my thru-hike.

Just understand that it is not a fun and joyful experience every day (much like life :-?). You would have to decide how much you would enjoy doing the same thing, eating the same food, and feeling the same pain day after day. Remembering that you are doing this in incredible places with remarkable people with unparalleled freedom from the "normal" work-a-day routine. It's all about finding that balance of good and bad.

I section hike now (the sections I really liked on my thru), as well as hike MANY other trails because I have time off as a teacher. I really love these long sections. Will you find work with the typical 2 weeks a year of vacation? If so, now would be a great time to attempt a thru-hike. Your other option is to regret not trying while you work day after day, or string together a week of two at a time for the many years it takes to section hike.

I'd say give it a try. The worst that could happen is you'll have some interesting weeks of hiking to remember as you start your job search early. The best is you stand on Katahdin or Springer and reflect on an incredible adventure.

JAK
03-09-2008, 14:26
A major recession is supposed to be right around the corner. That might be as good a time as any. I think the most practical obstacle for most people is social obligations. They say the only real social sin is bad timing. For more single folks, young and old alike, I think the only real obstacle is the existential angst that comes from having too many options. Freedom is both sought and feared. Being and Nothingness. Nausea. That's the only real reason I can see why I spend so much time trapped inside this box I've built around myself instead of out hiking or kayaking with my daughter or some such thing, like finding rocks on a beach. What can be more meaningful than finding a few more rocks on a beach with your eight year old? Of course that won't finish you a Master's Thesis, and you can't do it every day, or forever, but it will make you rich. Gotta go now. Cheers.

Frolicking Dinosaurs
03-09-2008, 14:30
in my opinion, no. a thru-hike is like a marathon. you're always thinking about the end/finishing and not really getting much out of each day. most seem rushed all the timeThis gets to heart of why we were already considering doing a section rather than thru hike before some injuries made it impossible for she-dino to hike 2,176 miles in a single season.

JAK
03-09-2008, 14:34
I really like that post by the Lone Wolf and the reply by the She Dino. It's the quality of the moment that matters. Some people might find that on a thru-hike, others on one or more section hikes. I'm heading out now to see if I can find it on a beach. :)

GGS2
03-09-2008, 14:48
Ok, JAK, just don't go in the water without a wet-suit. Or maybe a dry-suit.

JAK
03-09-2008, 16:33
Hey I'm back from my 5 minute section hike of Saint's Rest Beach / Irving Nature Park. ;)

Wave's were pretty awesome for this part of the Bay of Fundy. I didn't think we got that much of a storm other than lots of rain. It was a lot colder than I expected. Northwesterly starting to bring some of that cold wrap around. Logistics worked out well. Tim Horton's Extra Large Tea with 2 milk and 2 sugar. My clothing system was sufficient, except I left my mitts in the van and my wife wouldn't let Margaret out of the van unless I gave her my toque. Little stinkers always wearing my hat. :D

JAK
03-09-2008, 16:37
Not me or my video, but same beach different day. Waves were bigger today I think. Maybe twice as big but its hard to say on video. Definitely farther apart today. Big long swell, twice as long maybe, from farther away would be my guess.

JAK
03-09-2008, 16:38
Oops. Here it is. Again, not my video but same beach.
It's better in real life. Honest. :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeLa6cE7C-o&feature=related

Programbo
03-09-2008, 18:44
How does everyone afford a thru-hike? I am going to be getting out of the navy in January and plan on leaving in March to do probably half at once. My question is how does everyone afford to just leave their life and job for 4-6 months. I have no bills and no mortgage so I am in the perfect place but I will be turning down a lucrative job offer to be able to do it. Do I just have to suck it up and sacrifice for the experience?

I think you partly answered your own question..Most thru-hikers do their trip either just getting out of the military when they have funds avaliable but before seeking a new occupation..Or just after HS/College but before settling down..Etc....Is it as great as everyone says?..That depends on the person..As I`m sure you are aware there isn`t a fantastic completion rate and a LOT of people drop out very quickly as they discover it isn`t at all what they expected...If you have a life long love of the mountains and nature and are a long time backpaker then I`m sure it will be a wonderful experience..If you`ve never hiked a day and expect it to be all trail-magic and hanging out at hostels trading stories and having one wacky adventure after another you are setting yourself up to be one of those early drop-outs

wilderness monk
03-09-2008, 19:15
I have been using investments in addition to my retirement. Once I retire from the fire department and start my thru-hike I'll have serveral thousands of dollars to use on the trail. I need alot of cash for beer on the trail.

future class of 2014

gungho
03-09-2008, 19:38
well it is kinda dumb. always planning ahead, always putting in miles when you really don't want to, always worrying about getting to POs on time, always worrying about weight, always worrying about baxter closing, always worried about running out of money. always rush, rush, rush... lotta stress in thru-hiking. truth :)


That is why I enjoy section hiking, I don't like being rushed and always allow plenty of time to get to the destination. I might plan a 4 day 3 night trip,but often reserve an extra day or two for either resting or taking that extra day if i need to.

Blissful
03-09-2008, 19:52
I have like 20 grand saved up so money isn't the problem. I guess my real question is that I want to know is it really as great as everyone says?


Yes. It's hard. Tough. A real challenge, make no mistake. But nothing like it. A true adventure. But you have to want to do it. It's mainly a mental game.

Blissful
03-09-2008, 19:55
There were several military guys out last year. They did the whole thing, too. Great men, both in their 50's I believe (you can check out their trail journals from 2007 on trailjournals.com. 357 Magnum and Beach Bum). And of course this year Sgt Rock is doing it afer leaving the military. But he has wanted to do it forever, it seems. :)

Red Hat
03-09-2008, 19:57
It's as great or as bad as you make it. If you are a positive person, you will still have days, but for the most part, you will love it. If you are a negative person, you will hate it most of the time, but there will still be parts you love. As for how to afford it, pay your bills off, and save $2-3000 for the hike. Then go!

JAK
03-09-2008, 20:05
I have like 20 grand saved up so money isn't the problem. I guess my real question is that I want to know is it really as great as everyone says?I haven't done a thru-hike or any part of the AT so I don't know, but I love the woods and the outdoors. I understand your predicament. I think it is more than reasonable to have a plan B and also a plan C. If I was to start something like the AT I would be prepared to stop at any point and switch to plan B, which might be kayaking from Maine to Cape Breton or something, then perhaps bail out of that and bike to Newfoundland maybe. Plan Z might be to take up homesteading in Labrador or Alaska. I don't know. I don't see any reason to be committed to anything other than nature and adventure itself. Six months to a year would be a nice amount of time for a once in a lifetime adventure, but I would keep it flexible, and I would keep enough money in reserve, assuming I had it to begin with, so that I could continue to have the freedom to adventure all my life even if in just dribs and drabs here and there. If I grew up on the AT I would be more committed to it. I've always had a nagging dream to sail a small boat across the North Atlantic. That is more of my thing, but I'm not married to it.

Sly
03-09-2008, 20:06
well it is kinda dumb. always planning ahead, always putting in miles when you really don't want to, always worrying about getting to POs on time, always worrying about weight, always worrying about baxter closing, always worried about running out of money. always rush, rush, rush... lotta stress in thru-hiking. truth :)

Snivel on... :rolleyes:

Dogwood
03-09-2008, 20:07
You Find A Way!!!! Forget About How Others Have Found A Way Because Their Way Is Probably Specific To What Was Right For Them. I"m Not Trying To Be Evasive. Have U Completed Elementary Or High School Or College? Have U Had A Child? Do U Pay For Your Own Place? Have U Ever Bought A Car? How Do U Cope With Life In The Navy? Have U Ever Held Down A Job? Have U Ever Had To Raise Cash For A Proect? Find How U Came To Succeed At Any, Or All, Of Those Endeavors And In That Same Place U Will Find The Answer To Your Question Of How To Deal With Funding/completing An At Hike!!!

JAK
03-09-2008, 20:08
I guess I am saying alot of the clothing and gear and skills are the same, so I don't see a reason not to keep things super flexible, or to plan too far in advance, unless its fun to do so. Keep your clothing and gear simple, and most of your money in the bank, and your options open. I say.

Sly
03-09-2008, 20:10
That is why I enjoy section hiking, I don't like being rushed and always allow plenty of time to get to the destination.

Many of the people I know took 7 months to hike to Maine. It's only 10+ miles a day. If you take one day off a week (28 zeros!) it's 12 miles a day. After a couple weeks, 12 mpd is an easy six hours. Lots of time to goof off.

rafe
03-09-2008, 20:25
Many of the people I know took 7 months to hike to Maine. It's only 10+ miles a day. If you take one day off a week (28 zeros!) it's 12 miles a day. After a couple weeks, 12 mpd is an easy six hours. Lots of time to goof off.

I wish I'd had someone to sit me down and pound that math into my brain before I quit. :o I'd walked 670 miles in 60 days and it just seemed like Katahdin was on some other planet... unreachable. 12 miles in six hours? I wish... :rolleyes:

Sly
03-09-2008, 20:29
I wish I'd had someone to sit me down and pound that math into my brain before I quit. :o I'd walked 670 miles in 60 days and it just seemed like Katahdin was on some other planet... unreachable. 12 miles in six hours? I wish... :rolleyes:

If you can't do 2 miles per hour after 60 days easily or not worry about reaching Katahdin ... sorry, can't help you.

rafe
03-09-2008, 20:39
If you can't do 2 miles per hour after 60 days easily... sorry, can't help you.

Might make 2 MPH while walking.... but with breaks, it comes down to 1.5 to 1.75 MPH. The hikers in Mueser's study typically did 15 mile days in 10 hours walking, which matches my experience this summer. Gimme credit, I'm up from 11 to 15 mpd. ;) But no zero days. :(

LIhikers
03-09-2008, 22:58
How does everyone afford a thru-hike? I am going to be getting out of the navy in January and plan on leaving in March to do probably half at once. My question is how does everyone afford to just leave their life and job for 4-6 months. I have no bills and no mortgage so I am in the perfect place but I will be turning down a lucrative job offer to be able to do it. Do I just have to suck it up and sacrifice for the experience?

As I see it the question shouldn't be how do you afford it the question should be which do you want more, that lucrative job with the rewards it brings or a long hike with it's special rewards. Do wahtever is more important to YOU.
I have a job I like so much that I'm not willing to quit and go for a long hike, so my wife and I are section hiking the AT one and two weeks at a time. But, earlier this winter I nearly got layed off and if I had, I would have been out for a thru hike this year.

paradoxb3
03-14-2008, 13:08
I saw someone mention TREK. in response to:



I have like 20 grand saved up so money isn't the problem. I guess my real question is that I want to know is it really as great as everyone says?


Here's what the makers of TREK had to say:

http://www.cirquevideo.com/BeerHi.html

jesse
03-14-2008, 13:55
What it cost? depends on if you think like an accountant, or an economist.
Accountants add up receipts. So much for food, motels, shuttles, transportation, gear replacement, etc.
An economist takes opportunity cost into play. You would not count the food, sense you would have eaten those six months anyway. You would count extra restaurant meals, shuttles, transportation, gear replacement, etc. And you would count income not earned. So if a person can earn $50K/year, they would need to add half of that to the cost their thru-hike.

Which is more realistic? I say the economist. However, the accountant way of thinking is easier to justify.

Is it worth it? to some it is, to others it ain't.

sherrill
03-14-2008, 14:00
It's up to you to decide. Not worrying about job or money takes some stress out of the decision but in the end it's all about getting out there. You'll figure it out.

When I hiked in 83 I had dropped out of college and decided to section from Springer up to Franklin to hang out with friends. From Franklin I decided to go to Hot Springs, from there, Damascus, etc, until I found myself staring at some sign on top of a rock in Maine.

And that's all I've got to say about that. :p

naturejunkie
03-14-2008, 15:08
Many of the people I know took 7 months to hike to Maine. It's only 10+ miles a day. If you take one day off a week (28 zeros!) it's 12 miles a day. After a couple weeks, 12 mpd is an easy six hours. Lots of time to goof off.

Amen!:sun

Yahtzee
03-14-2008, 15:15
I posted this earlier on another thread, but it seems apropos here, as well.

If you clear $600 every two weeks, have your bills in order when you leave, and leave on the Saturday after you get paid, you will have $1200 before counting what you have saved. (The second $600 should come around the time you hit Fontana.)

Plus, if you factor in your tax refund (for those who get on, of course) you could be looking at 2K without saving a dime.

chief
03-14-2008, 15:58
How does everyone afford a thru-hike? I am going to be getting out of the navy in January and plan on leaving in March to do probably half at once. My question is how does everyone afford to just leave their life and job for 4-6 months. I have no bills and no mortgage so I am in the perfect place but I will be turning down a lucrative job offer to be able to do it. Do I just have to suck it up and sacrifice for the experience?Tucker, you got it backwards! Suck it up and take the lucrative job. Just think how great the trail experience could be 5 or so years from now, after you've made (and saved) some cash and have a nice resume to help you get back in the work force after your hike. The trail ain't goin' nowhere.

chaosanth
03-14-2008, 16:05
I was able to save up for my thru-hike within a year by careful savings and having parents nearby to store my belongings so I would not be stuck in a lease. Also not having a family of my own or a mortgage or any other major debt helped out big time. I've narrowed down my expenses to cell phone bill and student loan payments for while I will be gone. So all of my other funds will go towards trail expenses and hopefully I'll have enough left over when I'm done to tide me over until I find a job when I get back.

splash1986
03-15-2008, 10:44
I was able to save up for my thru-hike within a year by careful savings and having parents nearby to store my belongings so I would not be stuck in a lease. Also not having a family of my own or a mortgage or any other major debt helped out big time. I've narrowed down my expenses to cell phone bill and student loan payments for while I will be gone. So all of my other funds will go towards trail expenses and hopefully I'll have enough left over when I'm done to tide me over until I find a job when I get back.


My plan exactly.

Sly
03-15-2008, 12:10
When I used to sell Electrolux, I'd always get, "I can't afford to buy that vacuum!" I response was, "You can't afford not to buy the vacuum"

Do the hike for your spiritual well being. You can't afford not to.

yappy
03-15-2008, 12:20
yeah, I agree.. ya just go. alot of folks on this forum live a life geared to being able to pick up and hike though. Everything changes when you have morgages, babies etc. Most hikers i know work to hike..saving thier pennies for the next long walk.

Feral Bill
03-15-2008, 12:30
Just getting out of the military? You've earned it! You have saved some, no?

slow
03-15-2008, 22:36
Just find all posters and say ,i will go to your boss and what they are doing on your time everyday.You will walk large.:D

abramy
03-26-2008, 17:28
I read the first line of this thread and nearly shat myself. I'm currently in the Navy... ready to get out already. Been in close to 2 years. This is what I wanna do when I get out. Just... having that much control over one of my own goals. Not having to run a chit or ask my superior for permission, not having to take leave, just going entirely on my own accord. That and I love the hiking that I've done and look forward to hopefully doing much much more down the road. Possibly MEGA in 2010. So from a young kids standpoint... a young kid in a situation you were/are in right now.. do it.

JAK
03-26-2008, 18:08
Enjoy the Navy. Don't get out too soon.

For who are so free as the sons of the waves?

Nearly Normal
03-26-2008, 22:41
I have like 20 grand saved up so money isn't the problem. I guess my real question is that I want to know is it really as great as everyone says?

Hike your own hike.
Do it your own way.
Put one foot in front of another till you get where you are going.
If it is Maine then so be it.
Being in the service, havn't you lived enough structured life?
If you don't have a family to support then hike it till you're full.

But I'm only,
Nearly Normal

88BlueGT
04-02-2008, 21:47
I am in the same boat (sort of). I'm 20yr old college student trying to set up my thru next for next year. I'm just saving my cash and what I save, I save. I'm not killing myself. But when the time comes, however much I need I'm going to take out a loan for plus $1,000 so that I can keep 1k in the bank and do auto withdrawal while I'm gone. Foe example, if I need 4K to hike, I will take out 5k, put 1k in the bank to pay bill's. I have a feeling though that I'm not going to need to take out any, but thats my back up plan.

weary
04-02-2008, 22:23
How does everyone afford a thru-hike? I am going to be getting out of the navy in January and plan on leaving in March to do probably half at once. My question is how does everyone afford to just leave their life and job for 4-6 months. I have no bills and no mortgage so I am in the perfect place but I will be turning down a lucrative job offer to be able to do it. Do I just have to suck it up and sacrifice for the experience?
You can't afford it, but some of us just do it anyway, and never regret doing it. Strange, I know. But that is the way it is.

Weary

Blissful
04-02-2008, 22:27
I am in the same boat (sort of). I'm 20yr old college student trying to set up my thru next for next year. I'm just saving my cash and what I save, I save. I'm not killing myself. But when the time comes, however much I need I'm going to take out a loan for plus $1,000 so that I can keep 1k in the bank and do auto withdrawal while I'm gone. Foe example, if I need 4K to hike, I will take out 5k, put 1k in the bank to pay bill's. I have a feeling though that I'm not going to need to take out any, but thats my back up plan.


Looks like you are doing a good job of planning, but hopefully you won't need a loan with the interest and it works out. :)

warren doyle
04-02-2008, 22:31
Debt-free, frugal, and hard working for nine months a year.