General Frugality
The Complete Tightwad Gazette: Promoting Thrift As a Viable Alternative Lifestyle
Amy Dacyczyn
At about $15, its an investment, but this huge, 700-page reference manual is filled with Amy Dacyczyn's hand-drawn illustration and newsletters filled with frugal tips. Amy published the Tightwad Gazette in the US from 1990-1996, and made enough money to buy a house debt-free and retire early. These people are full-time, far-out frugal - she is someone who never buys new and reuses old tires for patching shoes and the like. A little extreme, but much of her information is valuable even now.
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Mary Hunt's Debt-Proof Living
Mary Hunt//
Mary Hunt is a reformed credit card shopping addict that has discovered a simple and effective way to both pay off debts, and live life debt-free. Her books (the "Debt-Proof" series) and magazine, The Cheapskate Gazette, have been life-changing to millions of people. Her Rapid Debt Repayment Plan (RDRP) is especially recommended for those in Japan hoping to pay off a lot of credit card debt or school loans. purchase
Smart Couples Finish Rich - 9 Steps to Creating a Rich Future for You and Your Partner
Also in Japanese: Kashikoi Kappuru wa Saigo ni Warau
David Bach
A simple, though US-focused, book devoted to helping couples determine their financial personalities and plan for their future. For Americans, the book will provide practical advice and great ideas for planning for a rich financial future. For multi-cultural couples, we also recommend the Japanese translation of this book. Reading the same book with your partner in different translations is a great way to bridge communication gaps and get "on the same page!" (Literally!) purchase English version purchase Japanese version
Food and Cooking
The Encyclopedia of Country Living: An Old Fashioned Recipe Book
Carla Emery
A classic book updated many times since its original publication. The Encyclopedia of Country Living is a long (800+ pages), complex, and sometimes disorganized book filled with practical tips on everything from gardening, livestock management, and farm life, to tips on how to make your own Jello and mend a fence. For those currently living close to the land, or those just dreaming about your own homestead someday, the Encyclopedia of Country living is a fascinating, autobiographical "love letter" to country living. Highly recommended for both recreational reading and reference. purchase
More with Less Cookbook
Doris Janzen Longacre
A classic Mennonite cookbook originally published in the late 1960s, More with Less features healthy, whole foods recipes that can be easily adapted to Japanese kitchens. The focus is on simple recipes that make excellent use of leftovers and "skimmings," as well as cooking from scratch. A classic, and also recommended for those in rural Japan who might not have access to international foods on a regular basis. purchase
Household
Clean House, Clean Planet: Clean Your House for Pennies a Day, the Safe, Nontoxic Way
Karen Noonan Logan
This book has lots of good information and recipes using vinegar, baking soda, etc. Good for frugal types and environmentalists as well. purchase
Investing
Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not
Also in Japanese: Kanemochi Otosan, Binbo Otosan
Robert Kiyosaki, Sharon T. Lechter
A classic, must-read book for everyone interested in achieving financial freedom. Robert Kiyosaki's book is not so much a frugal information resource as a way of thinking about the most basic things in our lives: employment, the definition of assets and liabilities, and our financial futures. We have read most of the books in the series, and can recommend them wholeheartedly. We also recommend the Japanese translation of this book for those with Japanese partners or friends interested in the same topics. Robert Kiyosaki (a third-generation Japanese American from Hawaii) is extremely popular in Japan, and most of his other books have been translated as well. purchase English version purchase Japanese version
Self-Employment
The Stay-At-Home Mom's Guide to Making Money from Home: Choosing the Business That's Right for You Using the Skills and Interests You Already Have
Liz Folger
While somewhat biased to US readers in terms of taxation and legal advice, Liz Folger's guide is nonetheless extremely helpful to stay-at-home Moms or other women seeking basic advice for starting their own home business. The most valuable advice comes in the form of some 60 vignettes featuring the real-life stories of women who have started their own home-businesses and balance child-care and work - including floral designers, researchers, home sales reps, lawyers, and tax accountants. This guide is a great starting point for researching in starting your own home business. purchase