use File::HomeDir;

my $home_dir = File::HomeDir->my_home;
my $data_file = "$home_dir/api_data.json";

if (! -e $data_file || time() - (stat($data_file))[9] > 600) {
    # File doesn't exist or is older than 10 minutes
    ...get/update the file
}

...do stuff with file