Not giving up. A choice to protect my life
"Aren't you going to buy a house?"
Once you hit your 30s, this is a phrase you hear often from those around you.
Friends getting married, colleagues having children, photos of new homes appearing on social media. Every time I see these, I offer a small, bitter smile.
The reason is that what comes to mind isn't a dream home, but my household budget. And to be honest, the choice to buy a house just isn't realistic.
The "long-term fixed cost" of a mortgage
When it comes to houses, people often say, "It's better to pay a mortgage than rent." It may be true in theory... but what I fear most is the
long-term fixed cost of a mortgage.
A 30-year loan. If you take it out in your 30s, you won't finish paying it off until your 60s.
Social work is by no means an easy job. It requires physical stamina and involves night shifts. Taking out a loan on the assumption that I can continue this work for 30 years—that just doesn't seem realistic to me.
The reality of a 200,000 yen take-home salary
Social work is rewarding. But if you ask me if the pay is high, honestly, it isn't... It's a world where many people still take home around 200,000 yen.
Once you pay for rent, food, utilities, and phone bills, you can't really say you have much left over. Adding a mortgage, property taxes, and maintenance costs on top of that is too much.
The more I think about it, the more I feel that "to protect my life, it's better not to take on debt right now."
The "lightness" of renting
I currently live in a rental. I honestly don't know if it's better to keep paying rent forever or not.
But renting has one major advantage. That is lightness.
When I change jobs. When it becomes physically difficult. When I want to change my environment. At those times, I have the freedom to rebuild my life. For me right now, that leads to a great sense of security.
Not giving up, but "life defense"
It's not that I dislike houses. I do admire the idea of a house with a garden.
But more than that, I believe that it is not something to be burdened with by force.
If the salary for social work were a little higher. If the anxiety about the future were a little less. I'm sure I would have considered buying a house like anyone else.
Not buying a house. That doesn't mean I've given up on my dreams. For me right now, it is a choice to ensure I don't break my life.
There is something I realized in my 30s. Organizing your life isn't just about acquiring things. Sometimes, you intentionally choose not to do something in order to protect what you have.
It may not be flashy, but that is how I live my life now.