Meet the DINKS ticking off a “bucket list” before having kids – by going on holiday every month, having spontaneous date nights and weekend lie-ins.
Hillary Bowles, 31, and her husband, Logan, 30, are currently child-free and in their “DINK era” – which stands for ‘dual income no kids’.
The couple – who have been married for six years – spend their free time travelling, going on spontaneous dinner dates and doing workouts together.
Hillary and Logan, who works in private equity, can book time off at short notice to jet off on a break – and they go on holiday once a month.
They believe enjoying their current lifestyle will make them “better parents” in the future and they’ll have “no regrets” when they decide to start a family.
Hillary, a content creator, living in Charlotte, North Carolina, US, said: “We’re care free and young and don’t have the responsibilities.
“We are in our DINK era.
“I think it is going to make us better parents – as we’ll have no regrets.”
Hillary and Logan met while at college, aged 20, and tied the knot in July 2017.
Despite feeling a pressure to have children straight away, they decided they want to wait and continue to enjoy a “care free” lifestyle.
Hillary said: “Eventually we know we want children but we want to enjoy our marriage together first.
“We don’t give in to the pressure of having kids.
“Since the second we got married we get the question every day – ‘When are you having kids?’ Are you done travelling yet?’
“I have friends who have struggled with infertility – I don’t like that question.”
The pair have always loved travelling together and have a bucket list of destinations they want to cross off before they have kids – including Australia.
They have already ticked off 20 countries – such as a safari in South Africa, Costa Rica and the Amalfi coast in Italy.
Hillary said: “It’s very spontaneous.
“Typically we go away once a month.
“In summer it is back to back.
“We have a bucket list before we have kids – we’re getting to the end.”
Hillary and Logan are lucky their jobs allow them to be flexible with time off.
Hillary said: “We have no priorities – we do whatever we want.
“We have lots of date nights.
“We like to workout.”
On a typical weekend, if they are not travelling, the couple love to spend time together at home and will enjoy lie-ins.
Hillary said: “Typically we’ll go on the boat, go for dinner, have a drink and chill with the dogs.
“As we get older we’re getting closer [to kids] but we don’t want to put a timetable on it.
“We met so young – we got to grow up and experience all this together.
“It’s special.
“I think we have more time for each other – we focus on each other.
“We just love our life.”
The pair do see children in their future when they feel ready but don’t want to give up their travelling lifestyle just yet.
Hillary said: “The biggest thing is the travel – the spontaneity of it all.
“I know that it is going to come to an end.
“We want to keep our marriage a priority.
“We have really built the foundation.
“I know he’ll be the best dad.
“Some people want kids right away.
“Not everybody feels the same way.”
Logan said: “I love that we can get up and go whenever we want without thinking twice.
“I think a lot of people rush into having kids as soon as they’re married but for us, we got married very young so we made the decision early on to not force kids right away and do the things we wanted to do together first.
“We’ve been so blessed to see so many beautiful places around the world and, while we plan to continue to do this when we do have kids, it won’t be as simple as it is now to get up and go.
“It will definitely make us better parents because we will have no regrets or ‘what ifs’ because we got to experience all of this together first.”
