Regretful Traveler: Woman's Job Quitting Decision Backfires on Housing and Retirement Savings

Helen Zhao, who quit her dream job to travel, spent $34,000 of her life savings on a year and a half trip to 18 countries in Asia and South America. She expressed regret for not saving enough for a house or retirement, stating that she's now 34 with little saved for retirement, far from a down payment on a house, and not ready to have kids. While she doesn't regret the travel, she wishes she had been better prepared financially and started saving and investing earlier.