While working as a teacher in Atlanta, Georgia, Lexi Smith, 24, found herself dreaming of seeing more of the world and living a simpler life.

“I wasn’t quite loving the school system from having an overbearing administration that didn’t appreciate me to having a hard time living on my salary,” Smith tells CNBC Make It. “When I found out that I could teach abroad for a much easier life and the ability to see more culture, I had to jump on it.”

Smith started looking into the possibility of going abroad to teach English and worked with a company called Xplore Asia, an organization that helps people get their TEFL certification to work and study abroad.

She received her Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certification and taught English as a foreign language in the U.S. for a bit while Xplore Asia worked to find her potential employers.

Eventually, Smith landed a teaching position at an eikaiwa, a private language school focused on conversational English, in the Chiba Prefecture of Japan and moved in March of this year.

“My interest in Japan began with anime, like a lot of other people out there, and I’m a big foodie. The opportunity to eat ramen and sushi and things like that is something I had to go after,” Smith says.

“Plus, the culture is so respectful here. Teachers are well respected and just in general, people are just so kind to each other.”

The Chiba Prefecture is located on Japan’s eastern Pacific coast to the east of Tokyo. It is about a four-hour drive from the country’s capital city.

“Living in the countryside of the Chiba Prefecture is quite different than Tokyo. Things are a lot cheaper out here. The culture is more respectful, and what you see when you look around is rice fields,” Smith says.

Smith admits she was nervous about moving to the countryside, having grown up in a city like Atlanta, but it was a much easier transition than she expected.

“I really did move here by myself without knowing the language or anyone here. My family knows that I’m a bit of a wild child, and I want to see the world. I’m a free spirit, so they accepted it,” Smith says. “They were a little bit nervous for me, but after virtually meeting my boss and seeing how well prepared I was, they weren’t that concerned anymore.”

Before Smith made the official move to Japan, she was able to connect with some of her coworkers via Zoom, so by the time she arrived, she had already established a sense of community with them.

“I was immediately friends with my coworkers even before I landed there, then they introduced me to other teachers in the area,” she says. “We started going to cherry blossom viewings together and having movie nights, and it became a really cool thing. I also got to become familiar with the train system of Japan.”

One of the perks of Smith’s job was that her employer was able to secure her an apartment before she even got to Japan. It’s a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment with a balcony that rents for 35,000 yen or $238 a month. The apartment is also within walking distance of the school where Smith teaches.

Smith’s employment contract includes her employer covering the costs of some expenses, like key money —a one-time, non-refundable payment given to the landlord when renting an apartment or house. Smith also didn’t have to put down a security deposit, which is usually the case in the U.S.

Her employer also pays for her fire insurance and was able to help her get a car, which she pays $100 a month for.

The apartment also came with a portable washer in her bathroom, and she uses the balcony to dry her clothes. One of the unique aspects of the apartment is that it came with an emergency bag containing items, like a safety helmet, needed in case of events like a tsunami, fire or earthquake.

As an English teacher, Smith’s typical workday consists of teaching from around 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Smith teaches five to seven classes a day to students ranging from three to 73 years old. Classes are one-on-one or two-on-one and 30 to 40 minutes long. She earns about 250,000 yen or $1,700 a month from her teaching job, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It.

“The mornings, I really have them to myself. Since I don’t have to go into work until three, it feels like I have almost two days in one because of that,” Smith says. “I love my work-life balance here in Japan. I have full flexibility to do what I want in my classrooms, so it doesn’t feel like such a high-pressure environment.”

Smith’s work-life balance in Japan is a stark difference from the one she had in the U.S. In America, the 24-year-old teacher had to have multiple jobs to make ends meet. She was even working as a teacher at two different schools at the same time.

“In America, when I was working at the schools there, I would be there for 10 or 12 hours a day, working very hard and sometimes skipping my breaks because the kids needed me and there was no one to fill in. I remember countless times asking other teachers to watch my kids so I could run to the bathroom. It was rough. Plus, I would work extra jobs just to kind of get by in the States. Whereas here I get by just on my full-time job teaching English.”

In Japan, some of Smith’s other monthly expenses include water, gas, electricity, health insurance, and groceries, which total approximately $376 a month.

Smith has been living in Japan for about six months and says her biggest challenge is that she’s not yet fluent in Japanese. Because of her job, Smith mostly speaks English, and she’s surrounded by people who speak English as well.

When she needs help with things like going to the post office or getting an appointment at City Hall, Smith enlists the help of her boss to do all the translation.

Though Smith is enjoying her time in Japan, she already knows she will move back to Atlanta at the end of her one-year contract.

“There is a big part of me that does want to stay longer than a year in Japan, but there’s so much of the world to see. As much as I love Japan, I can’t wait to also expand myself to see the rest of the world as well,” Smith says. “I miss my family. We’re really close-knit, so it’s hard being 7,000 miles away from them, but also being a Southern girl, I miss my soul food so much. Japan’s food is great, but there’s nothing like a good collard green at the end of the day.”

Smith still isn’t sure what she’ll do when she moves back to the U.S., but is considering pursuing a graduate degree or a return to teaching.

“I’m not quite sure what the future holds for me, but I’m excited to take whatever path it has,” she says.

One way that Smith is making sure she gets the most out of her experience living in Japan is by documenting her journey on social media, which is she started doing three months after relocating.

“I decided to start sharing my experience because people don’t know what regular life is like. I feel that Tokyo gets a lot of viewership, but all of Japan isn’t Tokyo. A lot of us live in the countryside and live regular lives, and I wanted to share that with the world. A lot of people are thinking about leaving the States and I wanted to share my perspective on it too,” Smith says.

“As a black woman and as a young person who might not have their whole life figured out quite yet, I wanted to inspire people that they can do whatever they want to do. I love building more of a community of expats.”

Since she started sharing her life in Japan on TikTok, Smith says the reception has been positive.

“A lot of people who live in Japan do see themselves in me. They feel like I am sharing the authentic Japanese experience and that means a lot to me that I can create that visibility where it might not otherwise exist,” she says.

“And for other people who look like me, [they can] also feel empowered that they can do it too. I feel that knowing more about the place that you’re going and seeing other people doing it can take some of the fear out of doing that move.”

Conversions from Japanese yen to USD were done using the OANDA conversion rate of 147 Japanese yen to $1 USD on August 30, 2025. All amounts are rounded to the nearest dollar.

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Trust is the cornerstone of any successful relationship. Without it, even the strongest emotional connection can feel unstable.

At its core, trust is having confidence that your partner is reliable, that they are someone who does what they say they will do. It has to be earned through honesty and emotional vulnerability over time.

As a Harvard-trained psychologist who focuses on relationships, I’ve found that partners who truly trust each other are willing to lean into difficult conversations. Here are 10 things they regularly talk about, even if it’s uncomfortable for them.

Managing finances is one of the top reasons couples fight, and one of the most important topics to discuss. Partners who trust one another talk about everything from the shared budget to who will pay for what (and when) to financial priorities that lay the groundwork for spending.

Every person brings a different background, set of desires, and expectations into the bedroom. Trusting couples can speak honestly about what they like, what they don’t, and how to keep intimacy alive. These conversations are less about performance and more about connection and creating an enjoyable experience together.

If you’re raising children together, chances are your parenting styles won’t match exactly. Couples who trust their partner give and receive feedback, adjust when necessary, and stay focused on raising kids based on shared values, not just individual preferences.

We all carry baggage. Whether it’s from childhood, past relationships, or personal trauma, couples who trust each other feel safe enough to be vulnerable about the experiences that shaped who they are today. They open up about painful experiences, not to be “fixed,” but to be seen and understood.

Time is a finite resource. Couples in healthy relationships talk about how they want to spend it, both when together and apart. That includes expectations for quality time, travel, work schedules, and alone time. These conversations keep the relationship aligned and prevent misunderstandings.

We all have insecurities and shame about things we’ve done: stupid decisions we’ve made, embarrassment about current choices, and even realities that we struggle to admit to ourselves because it hurts so much. When you trust your partner, you can tell them your deepest secrets without fear that they will reject or berate you.

When someone makes a mistake, like being late to a planned event or making a choice that is bound to undermine trust, couples who trust each other tell the truth. Even if a mistake is large and ruptures trust, each partner understands building a life based on lies eventually undermines the framework of the relationship itself.

For most people, family members are among the most loved people in our lives. Yet, they also make for some of our most difficult relationships. Couples who truly trust each other talk about family dynamics, ask for help navigating challenging relationships, and support each other to make these relationships as healthy as possible.

Relationships inherently have power dynamics. Who makes decisions? Who compromises? Who leads and when? When in an argument, couples who trust each other navigate these power struggles together, engaging in a dance of intimacy. Sometimes they take a stand, and other times they back down in a respectful way.

Couples who trust each other are willing to share their aspirations and hopes for the future with each other, even the crazy or unlikely ones!

I always remind people that even the most connected couples aren’t perfect. They just know how to face imperfection and have hard conversations together — something that most people rarely do. And when that happens, it’s truly a gift.

Dr. Cortney S. Warren, PhD, is a board-certified psychologist and author of the new book “Letting Go of Your Ex.” She specializes in romantic relationships, addictive behavior, and honesty. She received her clinical training at Harvard Medical School after earning her doctorate in clinical psychology from Texas A&M University. Follow her on Instagram @DrCortneyWarren or Twitter @DrCortneyWarren.

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When I moved to the U.S. from Japan in 1994, I was very curious to try classic American fast food. But my body pushed back right away. Fast food gave me low energy, poor digestion, and even weight gain. Over time, I that realized much of what we call “food” here is engineered to be addictive, not nourishing.

Today, I live by the same principles I grew up with: simple home-cooked meals, rice, seasonal vegetables, fermented foods, green tea, and fruits. Nothing extreme. I respect my body and strive for balance.

At the same time, I understand that fast food is everywhere. Sometimes, it’s tempting and hard to escape. But here are five fast foods in particular that I personally avoid — and how I stay healthy without giving up convenience.

Hot dogs are essentially processed meat high in saturated fat and sodium, wrapped in a refined carb bun. Paired with soda (even diet soda), you’ve got a combo that contributes to obesity, inflammation, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer.

What I eat instead: Tofu dumplings or grilled tofu sandwiches make great alternatives. For something a little lighter, try a whole grain pita with hummus, avocado, or falafel. To quench my thirst, I’ll have sparkling water or herbal tea.

This typical fast food combo often contains over 1,000 calories, mostly from saturated fat, salt, and processed ingredients. Add a sugary drink, and you’re getting a full day’s worth of empty calories in one meal.

From a health and environmental view, meat-heavy diets contribute to both heart disease and environmental strain. It takes 1,800 gallons of water to produce just one pound of beef.

What I eat instead: When I’m craving something hearty, I roast potatoes, pumpkin, or sweet potatoes with garlic, olive oil, and a touch of cinnamon. It’s filling, flavorful, and nourishing.

I also love tofu burgers. They’re delicious, protein-rich, and packed with vitamins and minerals, without all the cholesterol. I always make extra to keep in the fridge or freezer.

Many people think chicken is a healthier choice than beef. But most fast food versions are highly processed, deep-fried, and filled with questionable ingredients. 

And chicken breast still contains cholesterol, especially if you’re eating it with the skin on. Even worse, many chicken nuggets are made with only 45% real meat.

What I eat instead: I love homemade tofu nuggets (baked and seasoned with garlic, paprika, ginger, sesame seeds, and nori flakes). They have an equally satisfying crunch and are packed with protein.

Donuts are soft, sweet, and easy to overeat. But they’re mostly refined flour and sugar with almost no nutritional value. Pair that with a sweet, creamy coffee drink, and you’re consuming up to 800 calories and 100 grams of sugar in one sitting.

What I eat instead: Whole grain rice ball or toast with nut butter and a banana. Make your own instant coffee with unsweetened soy milk and cinnamon. It just takes two minutes and you’re out the door!

Pizza is universally loved. But fast food versions are usually high in calories, sodium, and saturated fat, with little fiber or fresh ingredients. It’s easy to grab “just one more slice,” especially in social settings.

What I eat instead: If you must have pizza, go for just one slice. Pair it with a side salad, and drink lots of water. At home, I make my own with whole wheat dough, homemade tomato sauce, and seasonal vegetables.

Life is unpredictable. Kids get hungry and parents get busy. Here’s how I stay grounded when fast food is the only option.

1. Don’t get too hungry. Hunger leads to poor choices. I always carry emergency snacks like dried fruit, unsalted nuts, or rice crackers to keep hunger at bay.

2. Follow the “5-A-Day” rule. Aim for at least five servings of fruits and veggies daily. Choose meals with whole foods, fiber, and plenty of color.

3. Ditch the “value meal” mindset. Upsizing fries or drinks is a health cost, not a bargain!

4. Slow down, even with fast food. Take deep breaths, chew slowly, and eat mindfully to aid digestion and avoid overeating.

Michiko Tomioka, MBA, RDN is a certified nutritionist and longevity expert. Born and raised Nara, Japan, her approach focuses on a plant-based diet. She has worked in nutritional roles at substance recovery centers, charter schools and food banks. Follow her on Instagram @michian_rd.

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Taking a lower-paying job doesn’t usually sound like a positive development for someone’s career. Neither does going on an extended hiatus from work.

But seemingly backwards moves — like starting an entry-level role in a new industry, or going back to school for a career change — often have the potential to make you happier and more successful in the long run, according to bestselling author and leadership expert Simon Sinek.

“I think a lot of people think that if you only maintain forward momentum, that’s the only way to advance,” Sinek said on his “A Bit of Optimism” podcast, in a September 2 episode featuring happiness expert and Harvard University professor Arthur Brooks. “But the reality is: It’s kind of more like a slingshot … At some point, you have to go back, and then it fires forward a lot faster than if you were just walking the stone forward.”

DON’T MISS: The ultimate guide to starting a business—everything you need to know to be your own boss

Happiness and fulfillment come from learning, pursuing opportunities that you enjoy and bouncing back from moves that don’t work out, said Sinek. But people frequently struggle with how these decisions are perceived by others, making it hard to love the process. That’s especially true for students and early-career professionals, who may feel like they’re competing with their peers to reach certain milestones, he said.

“The whole idea of, ‘I’m going to get behind,’ suggests that you’re in a race towards something, which means there’s a finish line and that’s what you’re looking forward to the most,” said Sinek. “And that is completely wrong.”

Once you’re confident enough in your own path to stop worrying about how others will judge your decisions, you’ll feel happier and more fulfilled, he said.

Brooks, the happiness expert, cited himself as an example of someone who made a seemingly backward career moves to ultimately become more successful. He was originally a professional French horn player, dropping out of college to tour as a musician at age 19, he said. For years, he struggled to earn a living as a soloist — and eventually stopped chasing a breakthrough, going back to school in his late 20s.

Returning to academia put Brooks on the path to his current career, he said. “Throughout my life, about every 10 years, I strip my life back to the bolts,” Brooks told Harvard Magazine in December 2022. “I start all over.”

A willingness to take a step back and reassess your career, without worrying about factors like judgment from others or making less money, is a crucial part of finding fulfillment, Sinek said on the podcast: “If you’re too paralyzed by fear and you don’t know how to reinvent yourself and you’re not willing to go backwards in terms of money and power and prestige, you’re screwed.”

If you’re weighing whether or not to shake up your career, you should ask yourself 10 specific questions, executive coach Cynthia Pong wrote for CNBC Make It in May. Those questions include “Have you thought about leaving your field most days in the past week?” “Would your loved ones say you should change careers?” and “What unique skills, talents and perspectives would you bring to a new field?”

Your answers can help you differentiate between the normal, “occasional frustration” that everyone experiences at some point and a pattern of unhappiness and misalignment that you need to address, wrote Pong.

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This story is part of CNBC Make It’s Millennial Money series, which details how people around the world earn, spend and save their money.

Lauren Perraut has “always been drawn to blood, body parts, gross things,” she says.

The 32-year-old’s mom worked as a medical laboratory scientist at a blood bank for decades before retiring. Perraut would visit her mother’s lab as a kid and see those elemental parts of the body up close.

She liked “seeing things that most people don’t get to see,” she says.

That’s why when it came time to forge her own career path, Perraut opted to become a pathologists’ assistant. Pathologists diagnose medical conditions by observing patient specimens in a lab. As a PA, Perraut dissects organs and tests body tissue to prep them for the pathologist, and helps come up with a patient’s diagnosis.

Two perks of Perraut’s job: It offers high pay and doesn’t require a lengthy medical degree. She currently makes about $122,000 per year.

Perraut lives with her husband, Dylan, and 2-year-old son, Reed, in Lexington, Kentucky. Here’s how she built her career and how the couple manages their money.

Perraut attended Eastern Kentucky University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory science, knowing she wanted to work in health care. But she didn’t want to spend nearly a decade going to medical school and completing a residency program.

“I really value work-life balance,” she says.

As an undergrad, she discovered the pathologists’ assistant path, which only required a two-year master’s program. She graduated from Duke University School of Medicine with her master of health science, pathologists’ assistant in 2017 and started working full-time a week later.

“There’s a national shortage of medical laboratory workers,” she says. As a result, “there’s a really high demand for PAs right now.”

Perraut works about 40 hours per week and loves her day-to-day. “When I get to work, we usually have specimens set up for us to start working on,” she says. “Those can range from small biopsies that come from a colonoscopy to larger, more complex cancer resections.”

She also loves being a critical piece in a patient’s treatment. “I feel like my career is really high impact,” she says. “But most people don’t even know that I exist.”  

Perraut is the primary breadwinner in her family of three. Her husband makes about $60,000 per year as an academic advisor at the University of Kentucky.

Here’s how the family spent their money in June 2025.

• Savings and investments: $3,899 into retirement funds and a shared brokerage account
• Insurance: $3,333 for health, dental and vision insurance, as well as Dylan’s life insurance
• Discretionary: $2,176 for Amazon purchases like a hat and sunglasses for Reed, child care and home goods
• Housing: $1,966 toward their mortgage, electricity, water, sewage and Wi-Fi
• Food: $1,057 for groceries and a few outings to local restaurants
• Transportation: $442 for gas, parking and an oil change
• Subscriptions and memberships: $168 for Spotify, Peloton and their annual Sam’s Club membership
• Phones: $77

Saving is a top priority for Perraut and her husband, and they put around $3,900 into savings and investments per month. As of June, they had around $400,000 in retirement savings and about $113,500 in a shared brokerage account and a high-yield savings account. They also regularly contribute to a 529 college savings account for Reed, which has about $11,500 in it.

“Our goal is to save up enough to have the flexibility to retire when we want,” Perraut says.

In June, the couple’s second-biggest expense was insurance, including health, dental and vision. The bill’s not usually a cumulative $3,333 — they happened to pay Dylan’s annual life insurance of $2,968 that month.

The couple bought a three-bedroom house in 2021, and the only debt they currently have is their mortgage. They also pay about $1,696 for homeowners insurance annually, and their property taxes were about $3,427 in 2024.

Car insurance is annual as well and comes out to $1,537.

Surprise expenses in June included various medical supplies, like eyelid cleanser. And other than the occasional trip to McDonald’s or a local restaurant, the family doesn’t spend much on going out to eat.

“I feel like Dylan and I are both relatively frugal people,” says Perraut. “I don’t feel the need to buy super expensive things or go out to super expensive restaurants.”   

Perraut is very happy with the balance they’ve struck. “We both enjoy our jobs and we enjoy our routine,” she says. She doesn’t think she’ll want to retire early, even if she can afford to.

She loves their location as well. “I really enjoy living in Kentucky,” she says. “We’re pretty centrally located to bigger cities like Nashville or Indianapolis or Washington, D.C. We can drive to the beach within a day. We’re surrounded by horse farms and lots of bourbon.”

Perraut wants to encourage others to consider a similar career path in health. “Even since I’ve graduated, the salary range has increased significantly,” she says about pathologists’ assistant roles.

“I find a lot of joy in my job, and I really want to share that with others.”

What’s your budget breakdown? Share your story with us for a chance to be featured in a future installment.

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