Hi there, it’s Frank.

Long time no see!

Actually, I’ve been working on a test that I give at the beginning of every one of my online lessons in 2025. I started making it late last year.

And finally—on April 3rd, 2025—it was done. The PDF ended up being almost 3000 pages long.
So yeah, I decided to reward myself and had a beer. That moment was pure bliss… and super cheap too.

So speaking of being cheap, here’s a question I got recently:

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【Question】
Prices are crazy these days, and I can’t afford the food I really want. The last time I went to the supermarket, all I bought was a pack of ＜mini bread rolls＞ for 99 yen before tax. Is this kind of lifestyle okay?

【Answer】
This is what you might call a classic ＜pandemonium＞ situation. Total chaos.
Actually, I think I’ve bought that same pack of mini rolls too. You mean the one with five inside, right?

Let’s be real: you bought them just to fill your stomach. The bread texture and the chocolate inside?
Yup—definitely tastes like 99 yen.

Sure, the government’s not doing much about inflation, but this is exactly when your real strength is tested. Here’s the thing:

“Lo barato es caro.”
This Spanish saying literally means: “Cheap is expensive.”

Why? Because when the quality is so bad you’re not satisfied, you end up buying something else to make up for it—and spending more in the long run. That’s the trap.

Balance, my friend. Moderation is key.

Instead of just grabbing whatever fills you up, hold off a little, and next time go for something *a bit* better.

Buying a level-1 quality bread and then buying level-2 to feel satisfied costs you 1 + 2 = 3. But if you had just bought level-2 bread from the start, you’d be happy *and* spend less in the long run.

――Lo barato es caro.（Cheap stuff ends up expensive）

Remember that.

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Need a break? Why not check out my daughter’s YouTube channel,
O-Hana Fantasia? She’s a returnee, fluent in English and Spanish.
Give it a try!：>Here

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