Belated Happy New Year to everyone. I look forward to your continued support this year as well.

I started this blog in June 2017. Now that it’s 2024, this June will mark a full seven years of blogging. It feels both like time has flown by and that it’s only been seven years—a strange feeling indeed.

Since it’s the start of the year, in this post I’d like to look back on my journey since starting the blog and share my goals for the year ahead. (Who’s interested though? lol)

Until the Day I Bought a Porsche with My Own Money

Back in 2017 when I started this blog, I knew almost nothing about cars—heck, I didn’t even know what PDK meant. Honestly, I barely understood anything about how cars work.

Looking back now, it’s surprising I even started a Porsche blog under those circumstances.

Ignorance is scary… or maybe it’s actually a strength lol

Also, although I wanted this to be a blog that people would actually read—even as a latecomer—there were already so many great blogs by automotive critics, well-known individual car bloggers, and major car media outlets. Who would want to read a blog written by a housewife who knew nothing about cars?

I decided to write every day for three months straight, experimenting with article titles and writing styles, but the traffic just wouldn’t grow.

Then, after about three months, I tried various approaches and finally landed on the idea of making this blog a story of a housewife buying a Porsche with her own money.

Even if I wasn’t knowledgeable about cars at first, I thought that by sharing my daily journey learning from my husband and working toward my goal, maybe more people would find it interesting.

So I changed the blog title to “Until the Day I Buy a Porsche with My Own Money” (the current title, “Welcome Home, PORSCHE,” came in April 2018). From that point on, traffic increased, supporters grew, my husband and I started working as a team, and this blog became the most visited individual car blog in Japan.

It was a strategy for the underdog… and maybe just a lot of luck, but my real-life experience that even a latecomer blog can succeed with some creativity was a huge personal win.

Opportunity Only Has Forelocks

That said, the road to buying a Porsche with my own money was anything but smooth or straightforward.

My husband once said, “If you really want a Porsche, you’ll seriously think about how to earn money,” which made me realize I still wasn’t serious enough.

There were long periods when I felt frustrated, thinking, “Once I’m done raising three kids, I could spend more time working…”

Looking back on how I finally achieved my goal of buying a Porsche with my own money in May 2023, I think it came down to two things:

“Building confidence by clearing small goals first”
“When the right opportunity comes, even if you’re not perfectly prepared, boldly seize it”

For me, jumping straight to a Porsche was impossible, so I first bought a used BMW 320i (MT) for 2.3 million yen. (That alone took a huge leap of courage.)

After having a baby, I sold the 320i and about a year later bought a brand-new Swift Sport for 2.2 million yen.

At that time, buying a new car was still a dream far beyond my reach, so it took courage again.

Once I finished paying off the Swift Sport, I started thinking, “Next, I want to be able to buy a Porsche,” and decided to save for a Porsche down payment over several years (see my post on X at the time):

In October 2022, I’m happy to report that I’ve fully paid off the loan on my beloved Swift Sport. From now on, I officially declare that I will start moving concretely toward buying a Porsche 911 (whatever that means lol) pic.twitter.com/FpI847aUFx

— Mina – Welcome Home, PORSCHE (@Mina_Panamera) October 26, 2022

I told my dealer contact, Mr. H, “Please let me know when the facelifted 992 model is announced.” About a month later, he contacted me saying, “It’ll be the pre-facelift 992, and I can’t promise you can buy one, but would you like to try lining up for a Carrera T?”

At that time, I didn’t have a big lump sum saved, I didn’t want to touch my steadily built-up investment trusts, and honestly, I felt it was still too soon for me…

But this opportunity came right after I finished paying off the Swift Sport.

It felt like something invisible was pushing me forward, and I convinced myself, “They say opportunity only has forelocks, and chances often come a little early…” So the next day, I contacted them to reserve a Carrera T.

Of course, I didn’t know if I’d get a production slot or if my loan would be approved.

I figured if something went wrong, it was a sign not to buy, so I waited patiently. Luckily, I got a production slot and my loan was approved. In the end, I cashed out my investment trusts (lol) to make the down payment and bought the Carrera T.

Then, in May 2023, my very first Porsche, the Carrera T, was delivered.

Life Beyond the Carrera T

With three small kids, buying a 911 might have been premature or even reckless by conventional standards.

Still, I truly feel “I’m so glad I bought it.”

Because buying it myself opened my eyes to a world I couldn’t have seen otherwise.

I had watched my husband buy Porsches and even attended deliveries, but experiencing it as the buyer myself felt completely different.

I became much more sensitive to details (like dirt), and just seeing my partner car parked raised my spirits. In many ways, I feel like I’ve opened the door to a whole new world, and I’m genuinely happy about that.

I also feel my luck has improved, especially in my work life.

After buying the Carrera T, I threw myself into work harder than ever, thinking, “I need to earn more to pay off the loan.” Honestly, 2023 was probably the busiest work year of my life as a workaholic.

That meant no more lunches with friends and less time to relax at home. Balancing work and parenting became even more challenging. (But I’m gradually finding my own way.)

Still, I’ve come to enjoy all these ups and downs with a “Well, that’s life lol” attitude. And it all started with buying the Carrera T.

Life is surely a continuous series of challenges until the very end.

In 2024, I want to take on many challenges, work hard, enjoy a car life that fits my lifestyle at each stage, and (by the way, I also became PTA president at my kids’ elementary school starting this April…) just keep running full speed ahead and make it a year with no regrets.

Thank you again for following “Welcome Home, PORSCHE” this year!