FrugalJapan
How to live frugally in the most expensive country in the world

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Why Boring Investments Work

By Wendy J. Imura
Are you investing in Japan? If you are already, or were thinking about starting soon, a new law recently came into effect in Japan more...

The Summer Blues: Cutting Air Conditioning Costs

By Wendy J. Imura
Okay. I'll get right to the point. It's hot. Darn hot. And expensive. If you're a slightly detail-oriented (i.e. anal) more...

Archives

Amazing Frugal Uses for Everyday Things

By Wendy J. Imura
One essential part of frugality, I believe, is ingenuity. True tightwads develop very ingenious ways of reuising everyday items in new, fascinatingly frugal ways. Below, I've assembled a collection of some of my favorite amazing frugal uses for everyday things.

Buy Recycled: Good for the Planet and your Wallet

By Wendy J. Imura
Buying recycled (or used, in real English!)items is actually quite popular amoung Japanese, with 84.2% of a recent Fuji Sankei Living newspaper poll respondents saying they had purchased used items in the past. The most commonly bought used items were: books, clothing, children's clothing, CDs/DVDs, and cars.

Credit Cards in Japan -- Cracking the Code

By Wendy J. Imura
Credit cards in general are bit different in Japan than in our home countries, and foreigners often find it impossible or very difficult to qualify for a card without a guarantor or substantial time in the country.

Debt Free Living

By Wendy J. Imura
American consumer debt totalled $2 trillion at the end of November 2003. That's the equivalent of about Y200 trillion (at Y100/$), or 200X the annual net profit of Toyota Motors for 2003. According to various Internet sources, that is also roughly the same size as Japan's government debt burden, and the total amount of money tucked away in Japan's postal savings. Wow. (Consumer debt does not include mortgages.)

Food, Glorious Food! - Frugally

By Wendy J. Imura
No, I'm not channelling 'Oliver,' nor about to break into spontaneous song and dance - I'm just excited to share a few frugal grocery shopping tips with my loyal readers. Grocery, or food shopping, is one area where everyone, I think, can learn to save a little money.

Freeganism & "Not Buying It" In Japan

By Wendy J. Imura
Today's topic is what might be an unfamiliar word "freeganism." It's pronounced like the word "veganism" (VEE-gan-ism) in English, and is similar in origin. Simply put, freeganism is a brand of anticonsumerist culture where by practitioners strive to "minimize their support of corporations and their impact on the planet." They are the "scavengers of the developed world" who forage through trash for just-expired food, dress in castoff clothes, and furnish their homes with items found on the street or on Freecycle.org swapmeets. (All quotes are taken from a recent NY Times article on the subject, which I strongly recommend reading. more...

Freezing - A Definitive Guide

By H. Fukase
Food is expensive in Japan. For most people the grocery bill makes up a large portion of their weekly expenditure. One way to reduce this outlay is to buy in bulk when items are on special. With the limited space in many Japanese refrigerators though, buying easily spoiled items in bulk can take a little planning. That 1kg pack of sliced pork you bought on special very quickly loses its frugality when you have to eat it all in two days before it goes bad! The obvious answer is to freeze it. However, before you pop the meat straight from shopping bag to freezer, there are a few things you should do to ensure you get the best out of your food, freezer and look after your health as well.

The Frugal Challenge: Living on a Single Income in Japan

By Wendy J. Imura
I think learning to live on a single income, or at least strategizing for it, is a vital skill for anyone (male or female) to learn. For whatever reason, many families have a season where they go from being DINKs (double-income, no kids) to SINKs (single income, no kids), SIKS (single income, kids), or even NINKs/NIKs (no income, no kids/kids). Even if you are single now, learning how to live below your means is a valuable lesson.

Frugal Cockroach Killers

By Wendy J. Imura
It's coming. The rainy season. And there's nothing you can do to stop it! You can, however, take some actions to avoid the number one nasty sign of summer - cockroaches.

Frugal Japanese Cooking Tips for the Kitchen Challenged

By Wendy J. Imura
I've been too busy the last year to do much beyond holiday meals and the very basics. But, I'm determine to get back into the good ole daitokoro (kitchen) sometime soon. In the meantime, I'm beefing up on my Japanese cooking basics.

Frugal Japan Wiki

By Wendy J. Imura
Ever had some amazing frugal information you just wished you could share with someone? Ever wanted quick access to that great tip on the Frugal Japan YahooGroup, but found the site search engine wanting? Ever visited the Frugal Japan website (http://www.frugaljapan.com) and wanted to add a comment or article of your own? Well, we've got the answer to all your problems: the Frugal Japan Wiki! Check it out here: http://wiki.frugaljapan.com/

Getting Back on the Frugal Bandwagon

By Wendy J. Imura
Work has been very busy, leaving me very little time for being frugal, much less writing about it. After several months of more eating out, convenience foods, and more air-conditioner use than usual, my wallet is feeling the pinch. Remember that maxim about your spending stretching to cover a larger income? It's true. It's hard to admit, but this frugal guru has not had the time to balance her own household accounts in a several months! Ah well - maybe the summer will prove better.

Getting the Government to Work for You

By Wendy J. Imura
With a public debt equivalent to roughly 150% of GDP, there's no question that the Japanese government is borrowing (and spending) itself into the ground. While the majority of the money appears to go to publicly financed road projects used mostly by deer and monkeys, the Japanese government is, in fact, an amazing trove of frugal resources, if you know how to access/ utilize them.

Grocery Delivery: Convenient, Fast & Sometimes Frugal

By Wendy J. Imura
Have you ever wondered why even getting the smallest thing done seems incredibly complicated in this country sometimes? Buying food and supplies, and trying to save money at it, can be quite a chore. Try adding a new baby, an ill family member, or a busy work schedule to the equation, and you really begin to wonder how Japanese people manage.

The Holidays: How to Survive the Last Minute Crush

By Wendy J. Imura
This frugalite has been too busy with work and other pursuits to be much of a saver recently. Oh - the taxi rides! The convenience food! The pile of receipts waiting to be entered into my household accounts (probably won't happen)! My wallet weeps.

Homemade Baby Food: Fast, Frugal, and Fun

By Wendy J. Imura
Although I like to concentrate on frugal issues which affect a larger segment of the population, I felt it time to introduce one of what I consider to be one of Japan's greatest cheap secrets: homemade baby food. Wait a minute, you say, generations of mothers in my family were a whiz at the mortar and- pestle! It's true: homemade baby food used to be the norm around the world, and in many cultures still is. However, for those (and I date myself) born and raised in the 60s and 70s, I think the trend was more towards formula feeding and prepared jars of baby food.

Housecleaning Services

By Wendy J. Imura
All right, you're probably scratching your head in amazement and wondering: "Is there really such a thing as a frugal housecleaning and helper service," especially in Tokyo, recently voted the most expensive city in the world?

Housewife Magazines: The Ultimate Frugal Resource

By Wendy J. Imura
Take a peek into one of Japan's greatest hidden frugal resources: the housewife magazine. Even if you don't read Japanese, these magazines are an interesting cultural experience. With titles like "Sutekina Okusan" (Lovely Wife) and "Shufu no Tomo" (Housewife's Friend), these monthlies are packed with recipes, storage tips, DIY projects, and of course, tons of frugal savings ideas.

Investing in Japan for Beginners

By Wendy J. Imura
You might be surprised at the title of this article - "Investing in Japan for Beginners." How, exactly, is investing frugal? Shouldn't we be sitting around scanning newspaper inserts for supermarket sales or reusing rubber-bands instead of checking the stock charts? Well, while I am an advocate of saving money, simply watching your cash pile up into mountains (or small hills, even) gets pointless after awhile, especially in a country with interest rates near zero. Accordingly, many foreigners turn to investments to achieve a higher return on their money.

Keeping a Lid on School Prep Costs

By Wendy J. Imura
So, it's now almost April, which in Japan means: time for the new school year and fiscal year to start. Before our son more...

Keeping Warm Despite a Warm Winter

By Wendy J. Imura
So, the new Japanese phrase for the day is: 'dantou,' the kanji for which literally mean 'warm winter.' That, according to the weather experts, is apparently what we are enjoying in 2007.

Keibai Bukken: A Different Way to Buy a House

By Sam Perry
If the thought of a 35 year loan to pay for a house gives you the shivers but you want to put down roots and have your own home here in Japan then you could do worse than consider 'keibai bukken' (foreclosed properties) which allow you to purchase properties at a great price. Houses regularly sell at half their market value or less.

Laundry Drying Tips

By Wendy J. Imura
One glance at this week's title will let you know that, yes, it's another "housekeeping" issue. The most recent inquiry I received from the Frugal Japan website came from an intrepid young urban professional who lives in a small Tokyo apartment. Having no clothes dryer, and being away from the house most of the day, she is unable to hang her clothes out to dry. Drying them inside (called "heya boshi") results in a musty smell in the clothes, and can actually lead to mold (both on the clothes and in the room). What are some tips to eliminate the smell?

Medical Mystery Explained: Are those Specialists Licensed?

By Wendy J. Imura
The Japanese medical system seems to be full of mysteries. Why, for example, do the small clinics of private practitioners seem to advertise multiple, often unrelated, specialties? Why, for example, does the local pediatrician also offers a neurology specialty? Are those specialists even licensed in their fields? Navigating the Japanese health system can be a frustrating process simply dealing with unfamiliar procedures and languages alone, without having to worry about these issues.

Myriad Uses for Milk Cartons

By H. Fukase
What do you do with your milk cartons when you've finished the milk? Do you crush them and hide them in your burnable rubbish bag and hope no one sees you? Do you rinse, dry, open, flatten, tie with approved string, and put out for recycling on the appropriate day? There is an easier way to recycle your milk cartons- reusing them. Lightweight, strong, waterproof, easily cut, and malleable; there are hundreds of ways to reuse milk cartons and save you money in the process. Here are just a few ways of using milk cartons in the kitchen.

On the Road Again - Traveling Japan by Car

By H. Fukase
Domestic travel within Japan is expensive! There's no question about it. If your winter holiday coincides with the Japanese holiday season, travel becomes even more of a challenge. Airplanes and buses to many destinations are booked solid weeks and sometimes months in advance, and trains running at 150% capacity are not uncommon. As for the car, well, all those news images of cars backed up for kilometers along the expressway are surely enough to make anyone head for the remote control and a winter break filled with TV New Year specials. But there's no reason to hole up in your apartment over the holidays- with a little planning and a few tricks you can make the most of your holidays while stretching your yen so you have more to spend at your destination.

Petit Celebrity??

By Wendy J. Imura
What is a 'puchi cerebu'? It's a bit of a buzzword, really, that you might have heard on the Japanese media recently. "Puchi" means "little" or "mini"(like "puchi bakansuu" for a "mini-vacation," or "puchi ritaiyaa" for a "mini-retirement), while 'cerebu' is the katakana-ized version of "celebrity."In short, the phrase means something like a "mini-celebrity," and is usually used to describe mindful splurges by otherwise frugal people on things that make them happy - or make them feel like a "miniature celebrity."

Pregnancy and Childbirth

By H. Fukase
Having a baby in Japan can, but doesn't have to be, expensive. With a little research you can find many and varied ways to be frugal and have fun with children from the very earliest age.

Radical Frugality

By Wendy J. Imura
I've had some major life changes in the last two-and-a-half years: quitting a job, starting a company, major cross-country move, and a new baby (now toddler!). I've also made a few steps in my own frugal journey: surviving the lean months with little income during my maternity leave, descent into overspending from overwork, and hopefully now a return to more dedicated budget control. Through it all, I've gained and learned from doing Frugal Watch.

Recycling Center: Kuru-Kuru Plaza

By Wendy J. Imura
While enjoying dinner at a friends' apartment last night, I complimented them on their nice coffee table. With a grin, they let me know that it was a salvage from their neighbor's "sodai gomi" pile. Then they let me in on a little secret: "In fact, all the furniture you see in our house is recycled." How did they manage that? There're very few reliable recycling shops in our area of suburban Osaka. That's when they told me about Kuru Kuru Plaza - a type of recycling center that is definitely worthy of mention.

Reduce, Re-use, Recycle: The New Three Rs

By Wendy J. Imura
Most people can tell you what the "old" Three Rs stand for: reading, writing, and arithmetic. Lately, however, I've been thinking that 'new' 3Rs are equally worthy of our attention: reduce, reuse, and recycle. While this mantra might seem a little faded some 30 years after the first Earth Day, it can make your daily life in Japan much simpler, and more frugal.

Rental Goods

By Wendy J. Imura
Equipping an apartment or house with furnishings can be challenging enough in a new country, especially when you don't speak the language well. But what if you're only going to be in Japan for a finite amount of time? Suppose you are studying at a year-long language program, or coming as a short-term teacher, artist, or model, or just simply don't want to commit to buying too much? Well, new rental options abound that can make outfitting your abode quite easy.

Restaurant Websites

By Wendy J. Imura
One of the funnest parts of living in any large Japanese city, or Japan for that matter, is experiencing the multitude of restaurants available. With the exception of deep rural Japan, most Japanese cities offer an abundance of dining options. The tricky parts are, of course, finding these restaurants, and then enjoying your meal without emptying your wallet.

Save Your Energy

By H. Fukase
Take a look at your fuse box. On the left hand side of the box there is a big black switch. This is your circuit breaker. Your electricity company calculates the base rate (demand charge) based on the ampage of your breaker switch. For example, TEPCO (Tokyo Denryoku) charge 520 yen for a 20 Amp contract ampere and 1040 yen for a 40 amp switch. If your electricity provider is TEPCO they have a great English website http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/index-e.html explaining all about ampage and will send someone out to your place for a free consultation to ensure you have the optimum ampere contract for your household's electricity consumption.

Savings Accounts: Foreign Currencies

By Wendy J. Imura
Banking in Japan is a bit of a mystery to most foreign residents. Most of us have a bank account or two, or a Post Office account as well - ones that we use mostly for the convenience of receiving our salaries, paying our bills, and storing our money in a location safer than a shoebox or a mattress. With interest rates so low for regular Japanese bank deposits (0.01% usually, slightly higher for certificates of deposit, or CDs), it might seem that there are few domestic options for saving money, particularly in a currency other than yen.

Searchable Database of Newspaper Inserts

By Wendy J. Imura
There is an innovative new website from Yahoo! - http://www.shufoo.net -- that may be of interest to frugalites.

Seven Vital Hints When Buying a Home in Japan

By Wendy J. Imura
Admittedly, this topic is geared for longer-term residents of Japan, and most likely those with Japanese spouses. Try as one might, it is still difficult for foreigners to apply for (and be granted) a housing loan. However, there are an increasing number of options available for financing. This, signs of a bottom in land prices, and hints of an end to Japan's zero-inflation rate policy might make now a good time to look at buying house or condominium, if that's in your future plans.

Six Little-Known Secrets for Supermarket Success

By Wendy J. Imura
Frugality is really about the basics: living below our means every day. And what better way to do that than through saving money at Japanese supermarkets? Today, I'll introduce six little-known shopping secrets that are guaranteed to slash your bills!

Start Saving: June Approaches!

By Wendy J. Imura
Anyone having spent any reasonable length of time realizes that April signals a "new start" in Japan. Television commercials abound with cherry blossoms and new randozeru backpacks on the backs of shiny-faced first graders, and the subways are filled with fresh graduates making their first tentative forays into the adult world. Along with ill-fitting black recruit suits and kangeikai, April is also the start of the new fiscal year for most Japanese corporations, schools, and government offices.

Staying Warm on The Cheap

By Wendy J. Imura
How can you stay warm without going broke? Well, *first* don't do what I do and keep the heater on all the time. Our December heating bill was in the five digits (remember, we're talking yen here), and is not something you really want to brag about as a frugal writer. Here are a few hints for you, and me, to hopefully enjoy a warmer winter.

The Taxman Cometh

By Wendy J. Imura
This article reflects the business of late January for me and everyone, I expect.

Tax Reforms

By Wendy J. Imura
The word "tax" in any ezine title seems to automatically induce drowsiness, so I thought I'd try a slightly catchier hook for this week's main article. Japan's top tax-reform committee recently recommended a major change to the current tax code that would both simplify the current tax system, and could eliminate some nasty tax burdens on foreign Frugalites.

Top Five Frugal Regrets

By Wendy J. Imura
Summer in Japan always makes me nostalgic for .. summers of Japan past? Not really, but it was a shock when I realized a few weeks ago that it had been precisely 10 years since I first set foot in the land of the Rising Yen. As an impressionable university student, I had zero financial sense, and everything seemed mystical, fun, and slightly wacky. Ten years later, it still does (the wacky part, at least), but I do know a bit more than I used to about money, and saving it, in Japan.

Useful and Free Online: A New Round-up

By Wendy J. Imura
Every six months or so I clean out my "Favorites" list on my web browser of email links for interesting and/or fun websites that deserve sharing. So, without further ado, please find the latest verion of "Useful and Free Online" websites. The Frugal/Fun Top Five follow:

Why Google is Great (and Frugal)

By Wendy J. Imura
It is a well-known secret in our family that I am a Google otaku, or Google geek. As a translator by profession, I spend many hours each week searching for obscure terminology and usage examples. Spending so much time with a website makes you rather fond of them. I've watched the company since it was simply a little-known, but very accurate, search engine to the 'monolith' software/services firm it is today. Believe it or not, Google is actually an excellent frugal tool.

Page last modified on October 09, 2007, at 10:51 PM

Copyright ©2006 Wendy Jonas Imura. All rights reserved.
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