Quit & Cash Out [a guide of what not to do]

5.2.2025 | 6:09pm | Friday | Quit & Cash Out [a guide of what not to do]

frustrated

It was 2017, unhappy with my employment situation at the time [seems to be a common thread throughout my life] I wanted to quit my job. There always seems to be a random unexpected and untimely death of someone close that makes me evaluate everything in my life.

As a devoted dream chaser, I find that a standard job doesn’t give me the satisfaction or fulfillment I’m looking for on a day to day basis. I lost a close friend and I started to question my own existence. What am I even doing if I’m not chasing any future goals? Life was stagnant and didn’t seem to have anything on the agenda to look forward too. Working long days and weekends, only to spend just as much as I was earning on nothing that meant anything long term, it was a relatively depressing way to live. I wanted to quit my job, cash out my 401k and leave the mess I made behind.

Two Women

I’m not sure if I thought i was cool or something or maybe just taking advantage of an opportunity to be a complete asshole. Dating two women who weren’t aware of each other proves to be the most idiotic thing I chose to do. Ruining two solid connections with people I still truly care about, but no longer have close connections with. The back and forth and the lies and the energy it took was too much and when everything went left, EVERYTHING WENT LEFT! I was unsure of what to do, it was honestly my first true taste of freedom taking a few extra years to leave the nest and then fuck it all up chasing two women because one wasn’t enough. [Maybe I just wasn’t enough for two women. Lmao] either way. Never again. I was trying to find a way out of hiding clothes and keeping one away when the other came around all while allowing them to feel like my apartment was their home. It was a wild time and probably the primary reason my hair is thinning rapidly [fuck it we ball]

Vested Employee

The one smart move I made in this whole ordeal was waiting to quit my job. After reviewing my 401(k) along with the company match, I was ready to go on a life changing roadtrip and say goodbye to everything I knew, only to find out, I would lose all the money the company invested if I was not a “vested employee” to their definition was employed for three plus years. I think I was like 3 weeks away from that mark which was incredible timing, but still I was eager and ready. I should’ve used those three weeks to plan instead of jumping on a whim, but I did. I think it was the middle of September. I remember hitting the road. The same freeway I driven a thousand times or more. A 2005 Honda Civic with 40-60,000 miles on it, and enough blunts pre-rolled to make it across the country.

$21,000 after tax

I am not sure that I’ve ever disclosed the amount I had after withdrawing the full amount from my 401k and I’m not sure I want to tell how long it took to spend or everything that occurred afterward, but either way I had $21,000 cash in my armrest. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that much cash at once in my life still to this day, but I wasted no time. I Cleaned out everything from my apartment, kept boxes in storage at my mom’s house with plans to ship it to wherever I decided to settle. The plan was an Arizona trip, but I wasn’t committed to the heat, just fell in love with the mountains. The first stop was Colorado because I was an over the to stoner and needed something once these blunts ran out.

free to roam

Exhilarating is probably the word that best describes how I felt. Famous for an Irish goodbye I did this the same way. I didn’t bother to say my farewells probably because it was too hard and deep down I knew I’d be back sooner or later. I just don’t like anything to be finite, there always has to be an open door. I was in decent shape, the car was in decent shape, my pockets were healthy. I figured if anything went wrong, I’d have money to cover it. I-43 south toward Beloit. I still get the Snapchat memories that pop up from time to time, of this day getting onto the freeway with good music playing. I feel like it was Panic at the disco or something.

It was 9/2/2017. The first song was Tupac - How Do U Want It? Haha Then Coldplay, then Jacks Mannequin, Dierks Bentley.

St. Joseph, MO

A random stop has became a special place for me. Nothing has been more fulfilling for me than to freely roam about the United States. North, South, East or West. I love the US of A. Regardless of anything. The place was Glore Psychiatric Museum as a self proclaimed lunatic, it only felt right to explore some history regarding mental health. A fascinating place and I urge you to make a stop when traveling cross-country. There hasn’t been any reason for me to go there directly, there isn’t much else in the area, but for me it’s been a consistent destination when traveling through Missouri. I won’t spoil it for you. There a low cost entry fee and plenty to explore.

Detour

The original plan was Arizona, with a quick pit stop on Colorado, but the short trip to Missouri was emotional. I got a voicemail from my aunt that I will never forget, wish I never deleted, and still recall to this day. It was an emotional plea for me to chase my dream and find what I’m looking for. It still holds dear to me, I think this is the kind of support i look for from anyone who loves me. My aunt was always able to see things I don’t show outwardly. Our family is relatively reserved when it comes to stuff like this and it’s tough, because I think we all benefit from kind and inspiring words but maybe we don’t know what to say or how to say what’s on our minds, but I will never forget it and if my Tia Jita ever reads this. That meant the world to me and I love you for that and I’m still trying to make my dreams come true.

Texas

This was supposed to be about spending $21,000 in 3 months and what not to do. I ended up getting another call from my uncle in Dallas telling me I’m welcome to stay with him on my roadtrip if I end up making my way to Texas. This was after Hurricane Harvey in 2017. I decided to volunteer my help to clean up while I was “in the area” knowing I would spend some time in Dallas, I took my time coming back and stopped in Austin and discovered Scratchouse & 6th Street. It was a special time. Meet a few people in still in touch with today just off a random hello to a moped next to me looking for …. You guessed it … weed. The one damn link stoner travelers have. We always look out for each other on the road. It’s special. Ended up visiting my uncle for a couple days and then headed out to Arizona.

ABQ & AZ

Don’t go. Idk what else to say. Roswell was a completely disappointment, Albuquerque was weird vibes. I found a lil yachty show for cheap which was cool experience and random strip club that I wouldn’t go back to, but then continued to Phoenix. I’m not sure what it was, maybe I just wanted to visit with my guy, maybe I didn’t feel as welcome or comfortable as I was hoping, for me to be able to plant roots and get settled. This is when I planed on hitting Colorado one time for a “reload” and then take all my stuff to my uncles trailer house in DFW.

Fort Worth

Man I love Texas, that’s all I know. My money wasn’t dwindling, but I wasn’t being cautions by any means, just getting what I needed and spending as I go. I found a job at the Dallas Cowboys Merchandising Warehouse and loved every hour I worked for $12.90 an hour. So much pride in all the gear they have that you honestly could never find in Wisconsin unless someone ordered from the catalog. I was doing me to the fullest and enjoying every second of it, letting go of all the things I was attached too. Finding a new relationship in Texas and getting serious about finding a way to move.

Things got real back home…