Creative Mortgage Budgeting

[stephanD]

My 2 cents advise # 1: There are too many unknown about this OP's situation to give him a solid advise, so my advise to him is to consult with a financial adviser.
My 2 cents advise # 2: You summited Katahdin, and now what? In order to have a job, you need a place to live. In order to have a place to live, you need a job. Nobody is going to hire a homeless person, and nobody is going to rent or sell you a place to live if you don't have a job. So, unless you are a dependent, or you have a fat trust fund waiting for you, or you have some sort of income, one has to think about those things if you don't want to find yourself jobless and homeless at the end of your hike. Nice memories are not going to put food on your table.

[rickb]

Different strokes for different folks,
but you are advocating taking a loan to go on vacation, like it is equal or "no worse" than borrowing money to get a college degree?

Yikes!

This troubles me.

These days it seems like even the smartest of people hear what they are predisposed to hear.

Confirmation bias?

I am in no way advocating taking a loan to go on vacation.

Rather I am advocating that some people might reasonably consider doing so. The distinction is small, but important. Nuance maters.

Peoples’ situations are different.

Some will have professions that virtually guarantee a good job for the rest of their life (plumber, physician) and others are scrambling in the gig economy.

What is universal to all is that we only have so many years on this planet, and so many chances to sieze the day. Creative thinking suggests all options be considered — even if some will be rejected.