General Frugality
About Frugal Living
http://frugalliving.about.com
This is a very thorough and useful resource from www.about.com, an indexed web directory. With the exception of the frequent pop-up ads, it is a good, organized clearinghouse for frugal information. Check out the sister site, http://allabout.co.jp/family/yarikuri, a Japanese "All About" homepage featuring comprehensive information on frugal living.
All Things Frugal
http://www.allthingsfrugal.com
This US-based web site is a sort-of clearinghouse of "Do-it-Yourself" frugality. They offer the Pennypincher E-zine, a weekly free e-zine, and the Tightwad Tidbits, a daily free e-zine filled with tightwad tips. Some of the tips are pretty straightforward, or "Oh, I knew that" sort of things, but some are useful. Be warned, the e-zines are full of free advertising.
Crown Financial Ministries
http://www.crown.org
While Christian in outlook, Crown Financial Ministries' website features a wealth of useful resources, including some extremely interesting message boards. Their no/low-debt, responsible budgeting philosophy is very close to that of Frugal Japan's, and comes highly recommended.
The Family and Home Network
http://www.familyandhome.org
A group founded in 1984 as "Mothers at Home." In 2002, the name was changed to Family and Home Network to "to be more inclusive of parents who strive to spend generous amounts of time with their children but aren't at-home mothers (mothers working part-time, at-home fathers, families with both parents working part-time or tag-team parenting)." The groups' monthly magazine and web content feature useful information about transitioning to one income, frugal living, and budgeting, and overall exudes an extremely family-friendly philosophy.
Froogle
http://www.froogle.com
Google has launched a new price-comparison service called Froogle.com. Just type in the name of the item you want (the more specific the better) in the query box, and Froogle will find sites selling the item on the Internet and list the prices, usually with a picture included. The "Advanced Froogle Search" will also let you set a price range. This is a useful site for comparison shopping on overseas or mail order shopping from Japan.
Frugal Village
http://www.frugalvillage.com
An interactive web-based community and portal site with extremely active online groups and message boards. They are "...focused on simple living, homesteading, frugality, budget living, crafts, traditional skills, and homemaking," and stress graceful and voluntary simplicity.
Frugal Watch
http://www.japaninc.com/frugal_watch
A weekly roundup of how to be frugal in the world's most expensive country to live (unless you read this!), written and compiled by Wendy J. Imura.
Gary Stretcher
http://www.stretcher.com
Get Rich Slowly
http://www.getrichslowly.org.
This is a blog where the the site owner, J.D., posts daily information about personal finance and simplicity, frugality, and personal development. There are no get-rich quick schemes or hot stock tips, simply good information about slowly but steadily building wealth.
Mary Hunt's Cheapskate Monthly
http://www.cheapskatemonthly.com
The online version of Mary Hunt's popular Cheapskate Monthly magazine, this web community probably most closely resembles Frugal Japan in terms of philosophy, which is "bringing dignity to the art of living below your means." Favorite features are online back issues to years worth of Cheapskate Monthlies, as well as online calculators for computing budgets and other useful tools.
Simple Living Network
http://www.simpleliving.net
Simplicity Resource Guide
http://www.gallagherpress.com/pierce/frugal.htm
A list of frugal websites and resources for those interested in simple living and frugality. Features reviews of self-published frugal guides. Some information will be more useful to US readers.
Tawra's Tightwad Tips
http://www.notjustbeans.com
This web site is interesting in its personal, down-to-earth tone and real-life examples. Tawra and her husband paid off a US $20,000 debt in four years on an income of $22,000, with two kids. While the topics relate very closely to US life (and thus might not apply to our lives here), we can all relate to ideas of getting rid of consumer debt, doing without, and being fiscally responsible. Also includes sample monthly budgets and grocery bills. She has also written a cookbook called "Not Just Beans." The tiptionary here might be an interesting read!
Food and Cooking
Bob and Angie's Japanese Recipes in English
http://www.bob-an.com/recipe/English/index_e.html
A sub-section of the popular Japanese cooking website Bob and Angie, 103 Japanese recipes have been translated into English for easy reading. Photos of each step in the cooking process, and italicized romaji readings for Japanese ingredients make this site extremely special. Highly recommended for foreign wives trying to impress husbands with their Japanese cooking skills, or folks just looking to branch out into cheaper local ingredients and dishes.
Cookpad.com
http://www.cookpad.com
A community-based, Japanese cooking website featuring tens of thousands of recipes in easy to understand Japanese, with pictures. Rate your favorite recipes or add your own to the mix - its all free. (Note that cooking from recipes are a great way to study Japanese!)
Gourmet Navi (Japanese/English)
http://www.gnavi.co.jp/index-e.htm
Great website for searching out recommended restaurants in a specific area, based on price, food style (Italian, Asian, etc.), and other preferences. Favorite features include online menus and coupons that offer real bargains (free bottle of wine, 20% of dinner, etc.) on dining at the restaurants.
Top Secret Recipes
http://www.topsecretrecipes.com
An interesting, slightly commercial website devoted to divulging recipes for famous or brand name American foods (from restaurants and other establishments) to make at home.
Email Lists
Freecycle Japan
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/freecyclejapan/
"Freecycle"(TM) is a combination of the words 'free' and 'recycle,' and the Freecycle (TM) Japan list provides a place where members can list items of any sort they are seeking, or wish togive away, barter, or exchange.
Frugal Japan
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/frugaljapan/
The Frugal Japan list allows members to discuss savings and low-cost lifestyle hints unique to Japan. Members are encouraged to offer their own tips, and discuss other issues related to personal finance and budget management while living in Japan. We strive to promote the "setsuyaku seikatsu" in Japan, or learning to live on a little less for our future savings! Click on the link to join or have a look at the list.
Tell and Sell Japan
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TellandSellJapan/
Tell and Sell Japan is a mailing list for foreign people living in Japan who want to sell, buy, trade or give away new or gently used merchandise and other personal items. Read more about the list on the website: http://tellandselljapan.alientimes.org/
Miscellaneous
Life Insurance Information in Japan (Japanese Providers)
http://www.seiho.or.jp/english/index.html
This has to be one of the most confusing topics for long-term foreign residents in Japan, but is a necessary one to understand. This website gives an English language overview of the Japanese life insurance industry, which might be helpful for those looking into the matter.