Anything & Everything

My previously regarded cheapness, coupled with a desire to continue content on my blog has given birth to The Student's Guide to Even Cheaper Eats, in which I endeavour to satisfy my tastebuds and stomach during my schooling years in Auckland CBD with a meal on no more than $5 a week. Popa's Pretzels has earned itself a large and ever-growing reputation as a popular cheap eats destination for people within the city centre keen for a hot, light meal. Located very conveniently opposite the Aotea Centre and only a couple of minutes' walk from the Auckland City library, its position on the corner of Rutland street makes it easily accessible and very noticeable for passers-by. Despite rivalling the very popular Toro Churro next door, Popa's has still earned itself multiple excellent reviews online , and it was inevitable that the food, photos, and menu would draw me in as a customer with only a few coins to spare. Again armed with my sister, I was armed with a...

Day Eight B REAKFAST : DOUTOR COFFEE The hotel in Osaka was the Hearton Hotel, located about five minutes' walk from Osaka and Umeda stations. As breakfast was not included with the rooms we were to look for something outside the hotel, and in the shopping building between the hotel and the station one was opened in the time we agreed to eat: Doutor Coffee . It wasn't the cheapest fast food we'd had, totalling over  ¥4,000 for five, though this included a sandwich or croissant and a hot drink each, and an extra chocolate mille crepe on the side. I opted for a drink I knew I wouldn't find elsewhere: the matcha latte had the typical bitter after-taste of a good green tea powder, but the sweetness and creaminess from the milk balanced it out to a very enjoyable drink. Matcha latte OSAKA AMAZING PASS Osaka offers a couple of passes which give tourists discounts when staying in the city. We opted for the two-day  Osaka Amazing Pass  at  ¥3,000 per person (...

My previously regarded cheapness, coupled with a desire to continue content on my blog has given birth to The Student's Guide to Even Cheaper Eats, in which I endeavour to satisfy my tastebuds and stomach during my schooling years in Auckland CBD with a meal on no more than $5 a week. Jewel of Bombay Inevitably, there's always that week or two in the semester where it seemed every day has timing too awkward to escape from campus for a good meal, but I didn't expect this one to come so early. Between lectures, extra activities, and late bus debacles (amongst other things), there wasn't a good solid hour to sneak away and indulge on food with as little money as I could possibly spend. Thankfully, there's always the on-campus dining options, and while some are mind-blowingly ridiculous in their pricing (I'm looking at you, hipster three-coffee-menu, gluten-free-vegan-dining cafes) there is an equal number of choices with a more reasonable range. Jewel of Bom...

Day Seven BREAKFAST Breakfast was at the hotel. Staying in Mitsui Garden Hotel it has an allegedly good breakfast buffet. I felt rude taking photos in such a setting, but it really is good. With a mix of Japanese and Western-style food, there's a good range for a light meal or a good, hearty start to the day. Furthermore, it's situated on the 26th floor of the hotel, giving an incredible view of the surrounding area. HIMEJI CASTLE Following breakfast we headed to the station to catch a shinkansen in the Osaka direction: we had two stops first, however. The first was Himeji Castle in Himeji, on the way to Osaka. The station has labels to point tourists in the direction of the castle, exiting the station and walking in a long, straight line for about 15 minutes, around 2km in the direction of the castle. The castle from outside the grounds Entrance was  ¥600 per person, paid either at a counter or through a ticket machine, designed similarly to the ones in ...

My previously regarded cheapness, coupled with a desire to continue content on my blog has given birth to The Student's Guide to Even Cheaper Eats, in which I endeavour to satisfy my tastebuds and stomach during my schooling years in Auckland CBD with a meal on no more than $5 a week. NICE DUMPLING This week I've carried over last week's $1.2 to total a very generous $6.20 budget, traipsing the area accompanied by Sister #2 for a good solid meal with the minimal student wallet. We settled upon a small but promising store directly adjacent to No. 1 Pancake, a small shop called Nice Dumpling that offers a limited, but dirt-cheap menu. The impressive crowd from previous wanderings made it a promising destination and a definite must-try on any Cheap Eats list, and with a companion to aid my cheapist adventures, my sister and I took advantage of the deals to try a range from the menu. MENU AND ORDER The prices centre around $5, which can buy 3 steamed buns, 10 ...