Personal Stories

I Totally Went Over Budget In My Recent Japan Trip, And I Had To 'Eat Bread' For 2 Months

It was a trip to last a lifetime – of memories and a reminder to myself to try my best to control my shopping and spending when on holidays, especially when overseas.  My first overseas trip after the Covid-19 pandemic was the works. I bought tickets to Japan and booked good location hotels telling myself that I deserved it as we all survived the pandemic.  The budget that I set for myself for the trip flew out the door once I landed in Tokyo. Everything was so kawaii and my fear of missing out (FOMO) kicked in.  I bought expensive gifts for myself – incense candles, sticks, nice bags and clothing. The biggest “draw of blood” was went I went to a shopping district and ended up spending over US$1,500 in one day by almost maxing out my credit card. That district was Shibuya, where there were popular brands like Swatch, Onitsuka Tiger, Japanese streetwear, and second-hand luxury items shops.   When I went home, my luggage was so full I had to hand carry some items. I looked ridiculous as I exited the airport with my total items looking larger than myself.  I got a bigger shock when I returned home and did the math of my shopping two weeks after the trip. As I had a few credit cards, I didn’t realise that I had overspent so much.  The trip to Japan cost me in total of US$7,000. That is enough to make a rental deposit for a very nice apartment. With my hard lesson learned, I also realised that I did not have enough money for expenses in the next two months.  I literally “ate bread” for two months after, often relying on “handouts” from my family for free meals.  Lesson learned, when in a beautiful country don’t let your heart rule your logic.