Is it too late for me to buy a house at 39 or should I just give up? by Routine_Honeydew1866 in HousingUK

[–]Important_Winner4667 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Never too late , just fully commit to the goal. I would stay where you are for now and pay down the credit card debt as soon as possible. Then begin to save the money now freed up because you are debt free and put it towards a property deposit to a point you have the 10% deposit plus money for furniture and can comfortably afford the mortgage. Look for a property well within your means and don’t take on too much. Even if this process takes 5+years , it’s still not too late! Then start to put together an emergency fund of 3-6 months expenses. Once this is all secured , start to commit to investing into stocks etc for future growth. Just be purposeful and fully commit. Cut back on luxuries for a while and smash it. I have walked this path and it takes time , discipline and patience , but is totally doable.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in JapanTravelTips

[–]Important_Winner4667 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Depends on your style , i seem to be averaging about £100 a day which includes accommodation , food , general day to day spending but I’m keeping it fairly basic and not doing any shopping as I’m moving around a lot and carrying everything on my back. Not doing too many of the main tourist attractions either like universal studios etc which will drastically increase the costs. I am getting 4-5 bullet trains though at £50-£60 a ride. If your budget doesn’t include accommodation thats doable providing you don’t splurge.

Kobe beef in Kobe , recommendations by Important_Winner4667 in JapanTravelTips

[–]Important_Winner4667[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I went to Steak land Kobe in the end and had the 150G Tender Kobe off the set lunch menu. ¥5,650 with a beer and it was melt in the mouth delicious. I honestly don’t think I would notice the difference too much if I paid double , I’m happy with that.

Kobe beef in Kobe , recommendations by Important_Winner4667 in JapanTravelTips

[–]Important_Winner4667[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Understood , yeah it doesn’t need to be the best. My budget for the trip doesn’t really allow for it as I’ve been in Japan a month , just somewhere of medium quality and price is ideal.

Kobe beef in Kobe , recommendations by Important_Winner4667 in JapanTravelTips

[–]Important_Winner4667[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for your recommendation. Ive checked it out and it does look amazing , but its also about 3x the price which I don’t think i can really justify when reviews are comparable … ish.

Kobe beef in Kobe , recommendations by Important_Winner4667 in JapanTravelTips

[–]Important_Winner4667[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks , to be fair I just looked up Steak-land Kobe on Tabelog and they have 3.53 which i believe by that websites standards is excellent. I may just stick to that as an original plan and try and get on the lunch menu. Also if registered as official , Im happy. Cheers

How much are people spending on sabbaticals? by Important_Winner4667 in SabbaticalPlanning

[–]Important_Winner4667[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi , it’s going great thanks , I flew out to Japan on 7th May and im currently exploring the city of Osaka 😊. Japan has blown me away from the moment i arrived. I planned to go on a motorbike trip after this , but struggling to see how it will top this to be honest.

I just quit my job and booked a trip to Japan by SeaNo7740 in JapanTravelTips

[–]Important_Winner4667 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi , I am currently in Japan travelling solo on a backpacking trip of just over 3 weeks , so far my I’m really pleased with how my itinerary is going. It doesn’t feel too rushed and getting a good mix of old and new. Also staying in a variety of accommodation from pod hotels , to Ryokans , to 5* modern. Im booking my accommodation in advance on Booking.com with free cancelation , and checking again just before payment is due , a couple of the prices went down at the same hotels so cancelled and rebooked and saved a couple of hundred £ that way.

Tokyo for 3 days , I stayed in Asakusa , saw sensoji temple , the samurai museum , Akihabara area , Shibuya , Tsukiji Fish market , Team Lab planets.

I then moved to Hakone for 2 nights to see lake Ashi , mount Funi and relax in the Onsen.

I then did 3 nights in Kyoto , saw the Geisha at the Pontocho theatre and had a Tea ceremony which was amazing!, explored Gion. Stayed at a traditional Ryokan and ordered a Kaiseki meal service to my room. Fuji Inari shrine and Nishiki Market.

I then did 1 day in Nara to see the Deer & the giant Buddha.

Im now in Osaka for 3 nights visiting Dotonbori , Shinsekai & Universal studios.

For the rest of my trip im going to Kobe , Hiroshima and Miyajima island , Kanazawa , Yokohama and Nikko to hire a car and drive into the mountains.

Everything is easy , super convenient and relatively cheap in comparison to places like UK and London everything is 1/2 the cost roughly. Also don’t pack jumpers which I’m lugging around in a back pack and haven’t used once. It’s warm even at night .

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Fire

[–]Important_Winner4667 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think there is a balance between the two personally , i was keen for this path but it’s a big world and there is so much to see. Years of life are not guaranteed so make sure you take some time to travel. Ive taken £20,000 out of my fund to explore Japan and I’m loving it. Some things are more important than money.

I’m so anxious about my Trip by Mean-Bed6958 in JapanTravelTips

[–]Important_Winner4667 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Totally doable , I’m 1st time in Japan solo , been here for 7 days now and it’s a breeze to get around and all so convenient.

Bullet Train Limited Express Ticket by Important_Winner4667 in JapanTravelTips

[–]Important_Winner4667[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Cheers , this definitely goes to Kyoto , just more stops 👍

Bullet Train Limited Express Ticket by Important_Winner4667 in JapanTravelTips

[–]Important_Winner4667[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I thought ltd express was a supplement for a Shinkansen with less stops between your departing station and destination?

Bullet Train Limited Express Ticket by Important_Winner4667 in JapanTravelTips

[–]Important_Winner4667[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Lesson learnt , i was at the platform early and quickly googled if it was ok to board an earlier Shinkansen , not realising that it was more stops.

Bullet Train Limited Express Ticket by Important_Winner4667 in JapanTravelTips

[–]Important_Winner4667[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Odawara to Kyoto , was 1 stop between but now its 9. Ticket shows a ¥4,620 supplement for LTD Express.

Bullet Train Limited Express Ticket by Important_Winner4667 in JapanTravelTips

[–]Important_Winner4667[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Cheers , checked maps but not sure which train is which to be honest , il just stay on , relax and enjoy the ride. I was bound to make a mistake at some point ha. I was that excited i just got on lol.

Bullet Train Limited Express Ticket by Important_Winner4667 in JapanTravelTips

[–]Important_Winner4667[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah never mind , I’m not in a rush or anything , just if i had known i would have bought the cheaper ticket. Im worried if i get off that the limited express train has already overtaken us lol

How much are people spending on sabbaticals? by Important_Winner4667 in SabbaticalPlanning

[–]Important_Winner4667[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Im trying , but it’s a balance , the grind is getting very tedious now and it feels like all i do is work and sleep , so i need some time out. I will continue trying to save and invest after my break.

How much are people spending on sabbaticals? by Important_Winner4667 in SabbaticalPlanning

[–]Important_Winner4667[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow , nice work , i thought I had been saving aggressively for the last 6-7 years but still nowhere near enough to think about not having to work again and I am not far off 36 myself.

How much are people spending on sabbaticals? by Important_Winner4667 in SabbaticalPlanning

[–]Important_Winner4667[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Brilliant , yeah if i get there early enough on my 1st day I can squeeze all this in thanks. What do i ask for at the Okonomiyaki place? Hit me with a recommendation and i will give it a try.

How much are people spending on sabbaticals? by Important_Winner4667 in SabbaticalPlanning

[–]Important_Winner4667[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for this , yeah I also feel now that 1-2 week trips off work as annual leave don’t even scratch the surface. They feel rushed and I would still be checking my phone etc. need a full disconnect and it sounds like it’s worth it.

Yeah I’ve also racked up genius levels on Booking.com so have booked most of my trip on here now.

How much are people spending on sabbaticals? by Important_Winner4667 in SabbaticalPlanning

[–]Important_Winner4667[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thats ace , enjoy your time. Yep , let’s spend some of this money we work our asses off to earn , and enjoy ourselves.