brianmanahan
Lifer
- Sep 2, 2006
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That said today I have reserves.
but an m3 will likely only depreciate in value over time
That said today I have reserves.
but an m3 will likely only depreciate in value over time
but an m3 will likely only depreciate in value over time
They don't take EVERYTHING, she was lucky to have it so she was taken care of when your parent's didn't step up for her.
First, what expenses do you have each month...are you living with your parents when in the US? My wife goes to Japan each year (she was born there and her entire family lives in Shinzouka and the surrounding areas (middle Japan). A couple weeks is about $2000 and she's not spending money on lodging. $1200 of that is airfare. The exchange rate is terrible now fortunately now it is at least hovering around 80YEN per dollar...it had dropped to around 70 for a while.
To put this in perspective, even 4 years ago it was around 120YEN per Dollar. 10 years ago a bit more. Oddly the 'historic' sites don't show that picture accurately.
Most low income people couldn't come up with $5,000 of disposible income, that is about $400 per month. What kind of lodging are you doing in Japan? You are doing Hostels. You don't have a private bath, you share a room...most people wouldn't even qualify to lodge there and if they did most wouldn't want to do that.
It's interesting that you are claiming you can do all this cheap and are still eating out at the 'expensive' places.
again a very rare situation. It's common to bath around each other and see tits and the like, especially at the hot springs...but most aren't walking around half naked outside of that. Most hostels are VERY STRICT in Japan about separating the males and females. Also your stuff is sort of free for the taking.
Nomihodai is very limited. You are getting the small selections of beer, wine and some cocktails that restaurant bought, these are all the 'well drink' types. You aren't getting Patron, Moet, etc. They usually have a white and red wine, only a few beers, some regular spirits. You also only have 1 or 2 meal selections for those places.
If you are in North Japan then things will be better as the tourism took a big dive. I know guys that clean up reactors that recommend staying away from 20 miles minimum from that disaster site pretty much for our life times. They also did not sign on to decontaminate even though it was tied to up to half million dollar bonuses. Many died and have had issues that did.
You can do Japan for $5k over 3 months...you aren't going to really enjoy places like Tokyo on that. Mt. Fuji area, the country, etc sure. If one likes just getting out in nature, it can be cheap...but you still are faced with the terrible YEN exchange. There are many islands that over a better experience and much much cheaper.
Beer is expensive in Tokyo. What you're talking about is the way to go but I've never found one cheaper than 5000 yen.
If you ever make your way into Yokohama let me know. It's a cool bay city, pretty much a suburb of Tokyo, and there are some good restaurants there. If you end up wanting some English conversation just find a TGI Friday's or any of the local English bars. Yokohama has one called Benny's that is pretty cool.
As for the country, make sure you check out some of the nearby shrine areas first (Kamakura for example) and then head into the outer areas. Hakone is cool. Fuji should be open all the way to the top right now (or maybe in August, can't remember for sure) if you're interested in hiking at all.
yup, took her house, pension, liquidated all assets..yup, everything. All benefits go to their care.
didn't "step up" for my great grandma? you mean her only daughter, my grandma who had it rough as it was, husband passed away...etc, etc was supposed to magically beable to care for an elderly who had Alzheimers disease? hard to step up when your elderly yourself....way to make assumptions man.
anyway, planning is fine n all, but i wouldn't put too much faith in how your plan works out. Ask some old people how well their youthful plans of their future worked out for them. live responsibly, but just freakin live it. saving and investing can cause just as much headaches and heartaches as anything else.
When one holds prerequisite that enjoyment requires great expense, or that spending money creates a fundamentally enhanced elevation of pleasure, then no evidence to the contrary is likely sway that belief. Alkemyst supposes that in the interplay of the material world and the sensual, it is the material that wins, and not one's ability to create meaning and define for oneself the true extent of what joys we may experience. In this divide, I fear no bridge is able to exist.You can't say I'm not enjoying Tokyo, I'm here your not.
When one holds prerequisite that enjoyment requires great expense, or that spending money creates a fundamentally enhanced elevation of pleasure, then no evidence to the contrary is likely sway that belief. Alkemyst supposes that in the interplay of the material world and the sensual, it is the material that wins, and not one's ability to create meaning and define for oneself the true extent of what joys we may experience. In this divide, I fear no bridge is able to exist.
Last time I worked 100 hour weeks we sold the company I got paid a $50k bonus and cashed my options for a couple hundred grand.
I wish my boss was as loyal as yours
He just finished working the whole company to death for over a year. Not 100hr weeks mind you, but 50+ for that long of a time starts to feel like it
Not to mention he hasn't given anyone a raise in about 3 years with the economy excuse, even though we've been lush with business and he goes around bragging to us about how the company is now debt free because of our hard work. He already considerably underpaid everyone since we were willing to take it because otherwise it's a great place to work. Then he sells the company for a huge payday for him, and noone gets a raise or bonus at all. Now we're at the company in a much more strict work situation, everyone getting paid between $3-10 less an hour than they should, with worse work conditions. It's all ok though, we save $30/month on our health insurance!
/rant
Never went to college, massive waste of money. Started working at 16 and worked for 12 years, 6 at one and 6 at another. Never made more than $25K a year, and I've lived on my own since 16.
Uh...
this. wranglers and levis and lees last me like 5-7 years.
Ya think?You sound like a very vain person.
OP will end up regretting his decisions in life later.
What's wrong is that it's an unsustainable life style that exists only due to the xenophobia and sloth of the American middle class, foolishly believing that China is incapable of out-competing them in non-menial tasks.
what was the point of this thread?