Retire Early for Adventure: Go Travel and Volunteer

Elephant kisses a man who is feeding him at an elephant sanctuary in Thailand.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Editor’s note: "How to Retire Early for Adventure" is part four of an ongoing series focused on how to retire early and the FIRE movement. The introduction to the series is How to Retire Early in Seven Steps. To see all early retirement articles, jump to the end.

Don't feel bad if you spend many of your work hours daydreaming about quitting and going on an adventure. Blame your ancestors.

For 99% of human history, our nomadic lifestyle linked movement with survival. Our brains evolved to derive pleasure from discovering the new and unfamiliar. Research even suggests the existence of a “wanderlust gene” that may predispose individuals to crave adventure.

From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance

Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just ~~$107.88~~ $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues

CLICK FOR FREE ISSUE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/y99mlvgqmn1763972420.png

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters

Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.

Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.

In other words, adventure is in our DNA. It’s no wonder, then, that “travel” was the most frequent last wish of those suffering from a terminal illness in a 2022 study.

Simply put: Adventure offers excitement and purpose not found in an office. This is why travel and volunteering are often among the ways people plan to spend their free time upon retirement. And those in the Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) movement want to do them sooner rather than later.

Contrary to popular belief, people who achieve FIRE status aren’t pursuing a cliched sedentary lifestyle, tanning on the beach or playing golf. Read FIRE-themed forums or books and you’ll see that financially independent individuals often seek greater purpose and meaningful “work” to enrich their lives.

Linking travel to volunteering exposes you to new cultures and perspectives and provides an ideal opportunity to give back.

Benefits of early retirement for adventure

If the benefits of travel and adventure could be distilled into a pill, we’d all be addicts.

Travel has been shown to improve health, lower stress, enhance creativity, and increase happiness and life satisfaction. Similarly, studies indicate that volunteering and contributing to your community positively impact health by reducing stress and increasing positive emotions, thereby decreasing the risk of physical and mental health conditions.

Combine the two, and you have a recipe for an enriching life.

You might be thinking, “Can’t you simply travel and volunteer while still holding a job? Isn’t that what vacation days are for?”

That’s true, and we should all consider traveling and volunteering more. However, many FIRE advocates see early retirement as a unique opportunity to redefine what retirement means. Instead of seeing it as an end, it becomes a new beginning filled with possibilities.

With no job tying you down, early retirement allows you to travel extensively, whether it’s backpacking through Europe or exploring Asia. Experiencing new cultures and environments fosters personal growth, broadens perspectives, and can lead to new hobbies and interests.

Moreover, early retirees can travel off-peak, enjoying destinations without the crowds and at a lower cost. They can choose to stay longer in places they love, allowing more time to engage in volunteer assignments without the pressure of limited vacation time.

Most importantly, doing this at a younger age means having better health to travel and engage in adventurous or highly active activities.

Travel destinations and volunteering opportunities abroad

If retiring early and seeking adventure aligns with your goals, you can find destinations that cater to both your adventurous and altruistic sides.

Kick the tires

Many companies can match you to the kind of volunteering experience you want. For example, the top destinations abroad offered by Volunteering Solutions include countries ranging from India to Australia. These trips offer breathtaking landscapes, rich histories, and diverse volunteer programs, such as teaching, conservation and community development. You could help elephants in a Thai village or provide medical services in Peru.

But should you? Before signing up for a volunteer program abroad, ensure it is ethically managed. International Volunteer HQ provides guidance on how to tell if a program is above board. For example, volunteers' work should not replace local jobs, and programs should be audited regularly and conducted with input from the local community. If helping elephants is your passion, for example, be sure you understand how to distinguish between an ethical operation and an elephant orphanage created for tourists. And any program working with children should have a Child Protection Policy, like Projects Abroad.

How to get started

Traveling to new places can be daunting, especially if you are unfamiliar with the customs, don’t speak the language or don't know anyone at first. So, it's important to organize your international volunteering through a reputable and reliable resource.

If you'd like an experience tailored to retirees, check out these suggestions by Volunteer Forever.

In addition to Volunteer Solutions, another popular resource is GVI, a U.S.-based organization that connects people to extensive volunteer and work programs worldwide.

If you belong to a religious community, you might be interested in their work programs abroad. Again, tread carefully, as the quality and professionalism of these programs varies widely.

If you have a background in agriculture, accounting, marketing or related fields, you could share your skills through the Farmer to Farmer program. Volunteers can spend as little as two weeks abroad working with local farmers — a great way to dip your toe in international volunteering.

Doctors, nurses, therapists and dentists also have rewarding volunteer opportunities abroad, even if they are retired. Relief organizations like The Red Cross also take volunteers.

For a deeper commitment, the Peace Corps trains and places volunteers in more than 60 countries for two-year stints. These volunteers work in their host countries across an array of areas, from education and environmental work to agriculture and economic development. The Peace Corps has a specific program for retirees and people over 50. You'll get three months of training, financial counseling and medical support. Interested candidates need to apply.

If two years seems like too long a commitment, Peace Corps Response places volunteers abroad for three to 12 months.

The hybrid approach

Want to blend positive impact with more of a vacation vibe? Some wonderful programs combine these two approaches. For example, Earthwatch leads expeditions that pair volunteers with academics to conduct scientific research. You could study killer whales in Iceland as part of a twelve-day expedition. Other non-profits, such as Audubon or Natural Habitat Adventures, offer tourism that supports local communities or wildlife. These trips vary widely in cost, amenities and how physically demanding they are, so be sure to research more than one group.

Planning and preparation

Whether you’re looking to head overseas to feed your adrenaline cravings or help feed those in need, extended time abroad requires careful preparation. Here are a few key planning steps to ensure a smooth experience.

Financial Planning: Create a detailed budget that includes travel and living expenses. Secure a local bank account to avoid potential delays and issues with international banking services. For international money transfers, use services like Wise for low fees, and review your credit card’s foreign transaction fees, opting for cards that do not charge currency conversion fees. Some of the best travel rewards credit cards will offer no foreign transaction fees, travel insurance and other benefits.

Visa and Entry Requirements: Research visa requirements for each destination. Ensure you have the correct visa for your intended activities, whether a tourist visa or a working visa for long-term volunteer programs. Be aware of new requirements for Americans traveling to Europe. And consider applying for NEXUS, Global Entry or related certifications to make your customs experience less of a hassle.

Safety and Political Stability: Stay informed about your destination's safety and political stability by registering with your home country’s embassy for travel alerts and updates.

Health Considerations: Before leaving, get your vaccinations up to date and schedule a health check-up. Investigate the healthcare system of your host country to understand its coverage, functionality, and quality. It may make sense to obtain comprehensive travel insurance that covers medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and personal liability.

Retiring early doesn’t have to be an exit from work but rather an entryway to adventure, exploring the world and making a difference. It offers many benefits, including a renewed sense of purpose. One could even argue that we’re born for it.