[joecolombia]

Im 20 years old and never been on a trip on my own. I think it is about time to do it since I haven`t been able to due to money issues.

Now I got saved up nearly 2000 bucks (and prob 1500 more after next week) I`m in quite a dilema.

My shitty 5-6 year old hp laptop is about to die (display is all fucked up, wifi comes and goes even though my signal is strong, battery lasts literally 10-15 minutes and it crashes every now and then) and I have always wanted a gaming laptop for casual gaming and internet browsing without any problem.

I have a surface 3 (shitty processor, but used mainly on note taking) so that`s my backup laptop for netflix and YouTube.

I don`t want to spend all of my money because I don`t think ending up without a penny would be very smart, but I need to take a decision.

The trip would be Miami on Jan/17 for a week or so and the laptop is an HP OMEN (i5, 8gb RAM, GTX 960 4GB) for 1000 bucks.

Any wisdom from you guys will be gladly accepted.

[aSimpNamedBrokeback]

I would go on the trip and then get the laptop, the price of the laptop is only going to go down.

[Nascimento]

Not going on a trip is something you might regret. You can always get a laptop later.

[jimukr104]

If you only use the laptop for note taking and Netflix why the hell are you buying an expensive laptop. You can buy laptops for 300 bucks that will do you want and i bet in a few months there will be a Black Friday version for under 200.

[weambulance]

I'd go on the trip and buy a less high speed laptop for now. I guess it depends on what you need it for, but if you can live without gaming on it and you're not doing video editing, you could get a very solid off-lease professional laptop for a lot less than $1000.

I'm a programmer and writer and my laptop is basically my absolute must have, don't go anywhere without it tool, and I'm using a 4 year old Thinkpad T430 with no complaints at all. I bought it used a year ago for about $350. Build quality is outstanding; it blows typical consumer laptops out of the water in that respect.

[joecolombia]

I`ve always wanted a decent laptop, but had to stay with my old unreliable one.

As you guys recommend, I might plan my trip first and go for an inexpensive laptop just to get a good replacement.

Thnak you

I think the gaming laptop is pretty much a childish desire of mine... damn.

[LINUX]

Go enjoy Miami, save on the apartment, cook your own meals, take your own liquor to the beach in a flask, and use the $400-$500 you saved to buy a used macbook pro on Craiglist while you're in Miami. I don't think you can get a Macbook Pro for that price living in Colombia.

The macbook pro will last you a while. Not sure about the video game thing.

[thoughtgypsy]

I agree with what others have said. You can make money later, but you can't turn back time. As long as you have a bit of money set aside to keep you on your feet for a month or two, why not travel?

Is it necessary to travel to Miami? It's an awesome place to be, though also a very high cost city. There may be other places you could travel that would give much better value, depending on what you're going for. I've done lots of mini-trips, and sometimes I've enjoyed them as much as I would had I gone on a plane somewhere far away. Sometimes a simple change of scenery is all one needs.

I would also add that you can get a decent laptop for not a whole lot. A couple years ago I bought a basic Lenovo laptop for a bit over $400, popped in an SSD and $20 worth of memory, and it runs smooth as silk. It can even play some modern games on low settings. Worth considering.

Ultimately, the decision is yours.

[joecolombia]

I think I will go there and prob go around Florida, not only stay in Miami. If I have enough cash, doing a roadtrip across the east coast would be amazing... up to NYC.

Cragilist`s idea sounds awesome, or even wait up to Black Friday.

Thanks guys.

[godzilla]

I would just buy a Acer Chromebook. You can buy a new one now for 179. I've had mine for 3 years now, I haven't found something yet I've needed a regular labtop for.

Since your going Jan 17, take a look at flights all over the world. Its the cheapest time to travel. You would be surprised how cheap it is if you book ahead of time. You could travel for a lot longer somewhere other then Miami.

[aSimpNamedBrokeback]

(08-16-2016 06:33 PM)godzilla Wrote:  

You would be surprised how cheap it is if you book ahead of time. You could travel for a lot longer somewhere other then Miami.

Viva Colombia has cheap tickets to Miami, depending on where hes leaving from its between $300-$400.

OP there's also two Amtrak trains that run between Miami and NYC. One way is $150. You could fly into Miami, take the train to New York and then fly back from New York. That's what I would do If I only had a week.

[Going strong]

Instead of Miami, go to Colombia on a low-cost plane, and there you'll be so busy gaming and chasing local women, that you won't need any computer for no video game Give priority to real-life over video-games...

Pussy before PC!

[Off The Reservation]

Where are you, in Bogota?

Buy a $100 used laptop and put linux on it so it runs like your $1000 one.

For you Miami is not real travel. Miami will always be here, full of Colombians.

You should go to Jakarta or (fill in the blank) for your $1000 and stay longer. You can always go to Miami and may "have to" go to Miami some other time.

This way you will have started your travels with some serious eye opening destination and not feel you wasted the money.

Now when you do come to Miami feel free to PM me!

[Adrenaline]

I'm in the same predicament, although I have a lot more saved. Not sure whether to spend it on travelling continuously for a year or two to get that out of my system, or use most of it to try and set myself up for the long term.

I've always valued experiences over possessions, but then again don't want to be stupid with a large amount of money that could give me freedom for a longer period of time in the long run.

[Off The Reservation]

(08-16-2016 10:37 PM)Adrenaline Wrote:  

I'm in the same predicament, although I have a lot more saved. Not sure whether to spend it on travelling continuously for a year or two to get that out of my system, or use most of it to try and set myself up for the long term.

I've always valued experiences over possessions, but then again don't want to be stupid with a large amount of money that could give me freedom for a longer period of time in the long run.

Great question. Do you have a possible hybrid solution?

Go to Vietnam and invest in beach real estate, get to know business people, get involved and then if you leave you go back home wealthier. You wouldn't have wasted on "stuff" and you would have both traveled and invested and learned.

[Disco_Volante]

Travel. Life is always going to give you reasons to be too busy to travel. It will never be a 'right time' to do it.

[the-dream]

Adrenaline, do you have something specific in mind that you want to spend the money on to set you up for life or is that just an abstract thought?

Joe, I'd go on the trip, try save some more money and buy a cheaper laptop there in the USA. I'm assuming it will be quite a bit cheaper than in Colombia. Maybe even try and save enough money to bring back some more gadgets or clothes that you could make a profit on by selling at home.

[AneroidOcean]

(08-16-2016 05:43 PM)joecolombia Wrote:  

I`ve always wanted a decent laptop, but had to stay with my old unreliable one.

As you guys recommend, I might plan my trip first and go for an inexpensive laptop just to get a good replacement.

Thnak you

I think the gaming laptop is pretty much a childish desire of mine... damn.

There is your clarity.

"wanted" not "needed"

I think this is much more a want than in any way a need. You need a working laptop as it is a tool. You want a gaming laptop but you also want to travel. I can guarantee you that you not only will but have massive upside potential from traveling and getting to know yourself and others.

A gaming laptop is a childish desire if you're not making a lot of money right now. If you get focused and increase your income while keeping your expenses low you can save significant amounts of money AND get a nice toy or two.

[dispenser]

My advice is to opt for a budget hotel near a subway station, and spend the difference on food and a used laptop.

I'd normally advise a place with a lower cost of living, but an experience of the US is worth having, if it's new to you.

[lavidaloca]

(08-16-2016 10:48 PM)Off The Reservation Wrote:  

(08-16-2016 10:37 PM)Adrenaline Wrote:  

I'm in the same predicament, although I have a lot more saved. Not sure whether to spend it on travelling continuously for a year or two to get that out of my system, or use most of it to try and set myself up for the long term.

I've always valued experiences over possessions, but then again don't want to be stupid with a large amount of money that could give me freedom for a longer period of time in the long run.

Great question. Do you have a possible hybrid solution?

Go to Vietnam and invest in beach real estate, get to know business people, get involved and then if you leave you go back home wealthier. You wouldn't have wasted on "stuff" and you would have both traveled and invested and learned.

I made the decision to keep saving rather than take off at the moment. But I had a couple 3-4 month trips that made me see the light.

Otherwise I like 99% of other guys would probably end up like 99% of other dudes, trapped in the West mindset.

I think travelling is a great thing to do in moderation to kind of get your feet wet. Once you get your feet wet for a few months I think you'll know whether or not its for you long term. If expatriation ends up being for you, you'd be better off not spending all your money over a 1-2 year trip but going on a shorter trip then coming back to make more money and figure out how to make it sustainable.

[Easy_C]

Personally I am...well, I think the laptop actually takes priority if you need one. You do NOT need a gaming laptop. Just get something with a reasonable fast processor and a large screen, that will handle all but the most intensive productivity acts. FYI I have been able to perform some fairly sophisticated financial modeling using a similarly old laptop(was a high end laptop when I got it, is now beat to hell and back) with absolutely no problem. Every productivity app works fine. As long as you invest the extra $100 or so for a good Solid State Drive and install all your work software on there you will be fine.

I do have to ask....why Miami? Just to get drunk and party? This may just be my personal preference but I would recommend doing a trip that you are actually going to learn something and remember something from. Your "road trip" suggestion I like somewhat better. How about instead of Miami you do a road trip up the coastal byway or through the Blue Ridge Parkway? I suggest those routes because they will take you through areas that feel almost like a different country compared to America as a whole.

Either one of those is going to take you near some party spots on your route while also being educational and giving you a fresh appreciation for how great traditional American culture truly was.

[malakaix]

(08-16-2016 05:43 PM)joecolombia Wrote:  

I`ve always wanted a decent laptop, but had to stay with my old unreliable one.

As you guys recommend, I might plan my trip first and go for an inexpensive laptop just to get a good replacement.

Few tips if you do:

- Swap out the HDD for an SSD, this will make a monumental difference especially for inexpensive notebooks (Just make sure storage is up-gradable before buying)

- If the storage is soldered or already has an SSD, format the drive. Consumer laptops are pre-loaded with bloatware which destroys performance.

- Check the Dell Factory Outlet for 'as new' and 'refurbished' laptops. You can get practically new machines for half the price just because of a few cosmetic scratches. I picked one up last week $200-300 cheaper and it's literally brand new.

(08-16-2016 10:37 PM)Adrenaline Wrote:  

I'm in the same predicament, although I have a lot more saved. Not sure whether to spend it on travelling continuously for a year or two to get that out of my system, or use most of it to try and set myself up for the long term.

This was my reasoning years ago, so I went ahead and did it for a couple of years.

I then came back to focus on 'real life' and making money. Years later I have a significant amount of money saved up and i'm standing here at this crossroad, wondering if i should travel again.

I'm not sure what's next, but I think bringing the two together somehow is the next logical step.