The next time you are thinking about buying a new piece of exercise equipment (or joining a gym), try to think about how you are going to fit that new equipment/membership into your life. If you think you will use it after work, then before you spend any money, try to go for a walk (or a run, or do some other sort of exercise that doesn’t require you to buy any new equipment) after work ten times in one month before you let yourself buy it.

If you easily pass the ten-times test, then go ahead and buy it because you have already set yourself up for success by putting yourself in the habit of exercising at that time.

If you don’t pass the test, ask yourself why. Was it because you don’t really have time after work? If so, then do another ten-times feasibility study in another part of the day so you can determine the best time to introduce this new piece of equipment into your life. No sense having it if you don’t have time to use it. Or do you have the time, but not the motivation? In that case, how much motivation will the new piece of equipment buy you? Be honest with yourself — and take points off for every other piece of equipment that you have ever bought and not used more than 10 times.

Giving yourself a rational basis for the decision-making process when it comes to buying exercise equipment can save you a whole lot of money in the long run, if you tend to buy stuff and then not use it. Try to notice this sort of behaviour and do not give in to your urge to buy until you have proven to yourself that, not only do you really NEED this fabulous new piece of equipment, but that you have actually collected evidence that you will be able to fit it into your life.

So, if you are anything like me, gyms are not a frugal way to exercise or lose weight, even if you get a fabulous deal on the membership fees. They are, on the contrary, one of the most expensive and least effective ways to accomplish either goal. (Again, I am talking about “people like me”. If you are “people like some other person who can’t understand why everyone isn’t in love with their gym and exercising there all the time”, then stop reading and go to your gym, for heaven’s sakes. Don’t let me discourage you!)

Here is one way to exercise without spending any money at all (as long as you already have a portable mp3 player and some running shoes): download a free exercise podcast and just do whatever the podcaster tells you to do. I can personally recommend the Couch to 5k Podcast by Robert Ullrey and the Podrunner Intervals Podcasts by Steve Boyett. I used these two podcasts to get myself ready to run my first 5k race last April and I have just started using them again to train for another 5k race in January.

The beauty of using these podcasts — besides the fact that they are free — is that they do all the thinking for you. I like to exercise in the morning, but I am naturally a night person, so my brain is not really functioning first thing in the morning. I like to train on a regular schedule — Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays — so on the nights before my runs, I set out all of my running clothes beside my bed, make sure my iPod and earphones are near the door to my house, and then I set my alarm to wake me up early enough to do my run. When I wake up, I don’t need to think about anything at all. I can just wake up, put the clothes on that are sitting right beside my bed, wander downstairs, plug myself in, put on some shoes (and, these days, some mittens) and just do whatever Robert or Steve tells me to do. No brain required! This is especially good for someone like me (like you?) who lacks the motivation to exercise and who would much rather stay in my nice, warm bed (you, however, are going to have to find your own nice, warm bed to stay in).

Here is how I deal with the “go for run” vs. “stay in nice, warm bed” debate: I avoid the debate entirely. I have a little talk with myself at night (when I am at my brainy best, for whatever that is worth) and tell myself that the person I am in the morning is not allowed to make the decisions. The night person inside me makes good decisions (“I should eat better and exercise more.”) and the morning person makes bad decisions (“I should stay in bed all day where it is nice and warm and nevermind about exercise or my job.”). So, the night person sets the alarm and does all the work to make sure that the morning person isn’t given a chance to make any decisions at all. I have a standard route that I use (mapped out using another free utility: Gmaps Pedometer) so I don’t even need to decide whether to turn right or left even once. I get up in the morning and live the life that the night person told me to live. By the time I figure out that the night person has tricked me out of bed and onto the streets, I am already half-way through my run and there is no point turning back then. Foiled again!

Both of these podcasts are ideal for training for a 5k race. However, while they certainly can get you from the couch to your first 5k race (I am living proof that it works and if I can do it, anybody who doesn’t have a legitimate health claim to the contrary can do it), you don’t have to use the podcasts for running. You can use them to built up your strength and endurance in any kind of activity. The podcasts are both designed to have you walk sometimes and run other times, with the amount of running getting gradually longer and the amount of walking getting gradually shorter. You could do anything during the “running times”, though — dancercize, sit-ups/push-ups, yoga stretches, weight lifting — and just pair your activity with something that is less strenuous to do during the “walking times”.

I hope that this information helps you reach your exercise goals without breaking the bank!

I am not a professional heath expert, so please consult your relevant oracles (doctors, friends, Oprah, etc.) before you start an exercise program!

by Seth Godin
Recommended by FU

This is not a money book in the sense of being about money, but it is a money book in the “money quote” sense.

Basically, he says you should be doing what you want to be doing and the way to get to do it is to be a leader. This does not mean you have to be the CEO or anything. Just be a leader of a group of people who want to move in basically the same direction. How do you find them? By being a leader. And there are lots of tips on how to do this, but not THE ANSWER answer — since the answer varies depending upon the specific situation.

Have given my copy to my son and bought copies for a couple of friends whom (I think) need encouragement to exercise their leadership abilities — this in the hope these people will be happier, more productive, and hence better off as a result. If you know somebody like that — if you _are_ somebody like that — this would make a nice present.

“The shop is called J-Cool and it is owned by Masaru Kubota. Masaru has studied in both the US and Japan and opened his shop with the express purpose of catering to the foreign population in Tsukuba. He can speak in English and he is working on training his staff to speak English too. He has experience dealing with a variety of hair types and styles.”

Finding a reliable barber/hair stylist in Japan that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg is something I view as a necessity to a happy long-term stay in Japan. Interested? Check out the website.

“FJ Friends” are foreign-owned or foreign-friendly businesses and services around Japan. If you know of a worthy business, or would like to introduce your own business to our readers, contact us!!

“We established KNT 5 years ago and 2 years ago we started the Coaching division. The focus is individual personality assessment to promote self-understanding and personal development. I use the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, an excellent tool in helping people to objectively view themselves and identify their personal strengths. Through improved self-understanding, people are better able to set personal and career directions.”

“Details on the process, etc. are on the website. I have tried to set a frugal fee so that individuals can take advantage of this great assessment. The Press section has a Japan Times article that describes application of the Myers-Briggs (MBTI).” Indeed, please visit the KNT wesbite (www.kntnet.jp) to learn more about the MBTI and its unique applications.

Looking for some frugal, but valuable, life direction? Check out KNT!

“FJ Friends” are foreign-owned or foreign-friendly businesses and services around Japan. If you know of a worthy business, or would like to introduce your own business to our readers, contact us!!

“FJ Friends” are foreign-owned or foreign-friendly businesses and services around Japan. If you know of a worthy business, or would like to introduce your own business to our readers, contact us!!

“FJ Friends” are foreign-owned or foreign-friendly businesses and services around Japan. If you know of a worthy business, or would like to introduce your own business to our readers, contact us!!

Finding a foreigner-friendly place to get a haircut in Japan can be quite stressful, especially if you color your hair, don’t speak great Japanese (hard to explain your desired style through gestures alone), or simply have had a ‘bad experience’ before. BOY, a small salon in Osaka, offers a friendly, convenient location, English-speaking stylists (ask for Ai Nishino), and great prices – a 20% foreigner discount to boot! The salon seems particularly popular with NOVA teachers and other locals, and many are long-term clients.

‘BOY’ Higashi Shinsaibashi Bldg. 5F
(1-minute walk from Shinsaibashi Station, Midosuji Subway Line, Osaka)
TEL: 06 6252 7630
Call in advance for directions!
Cuts (20% of these prices): cut, 4,500 yen; color, 8,000-10,000 yen

“FJ Friends” are foreign-owned or foreign-friendly businesses and services around Japan. If you know of a worthy business, or would like to introduce your own business to our readers, contact us!!

Below, read some very valuable “inside information” on the state of the Japanese medical system which answers some of the questions raised above. The above information was related by a young (early 30s) surgeon married to longtime British resident of Japan. Hopefully it will clarify some of these mysteries!

“There is no legal requirement for a doctor in private practice to have specialist training in the specialities they advertise themselves for. The only exception is for anesthesiology, where they must have proper experience and certification. It’s impossible to tell from outside a clinc whether or not a doctor is a certified specialist or not, as bylaw hospitals are only allowed to list the names of their doctors and their specialities, address/contact details, and opening hours etc. on their signs and advertisements. Many doctors who are certified specialists will display their certificates in their waiting rooms, though, and/or a copy of their resume.”

“[One reason for] this lack of legal requirements for proper training is down to the heavy political clout of the Japan Medical Assocation. Local medical associations predominantly consist of private practitioners, and the national medical association primarily reflects their interests. As the JMA is a major donor to the LDP (Japan’s ruling political party), it’s been able to block attempts to reform the regulatory framework. Even though its influence does seem to be waning a bit (it wasn’t able to stop Koizumi from cutting the amount doctors will be reimbursed for treatment by over 3% from this April), [stet.] the framework for private practitioners isn’t going to be tightened up any time soon.”

“It’s important to remember that about surgeons going into general practice advertise other specialities too, as they won’t attract enough purely surgical patients to make ends meet. Pediatrics is another similar area: as the reimbursement rate per patient is much lower for children than for adults, and the birthrate is declining, it’s increasingly difficult for purely pediatric clinics to survive.”

“So to find a reliable local specialist, it seems the first point is to avoid single doctors who advertise multiple specialities, and the second is to check the waiting room for a certificate of specialist certification and an impressive resume.”

(How is this information related to frugality? Well, frankly… it’s not, exactly. However, if you are going to spend money on medical services, it does make sense to choose a reputable provider.)

© 2006 Wendy J. Imura.

I am a firm believer in frugality with a purpose – if you’re just scrimping and saving with no joy or end goal in mind, then you probably will either: 1) be miserable, or 2) won’t be frugal for very long. Even people forced into frugality through unfortunate circumstances such as a lost job, sudden illness, or other factors should leave a wee bit of room in their budgets for an occasional treat. In Japan, all the dismal, gray concrete, small living spaces, and culture shock can really bear down on you sometimes, and I find these treats, or ‘gohobi,’ particularly important. Thus – today’s suggestion of a few bargain (relatively) “puchi cerebu” experiences.

What are some suggestions? Well, deluxe city hotels offer some great deals during the Obon week, when most guests and business travelers head for the hills. Weekend stays are, of course, quite expensive, but mid-week deals are a real steal. For example, the Cerulean Tower Tokyo Hotel (that immense 40F skyscraper south of Shibuya Station) offers a number of packages, including a ‘Mid-Summer 10-Day Deal’ of 10,000 yen per person for a non-smoking, ‘city-view’ twin room from August 6-16th. Given that the average room price is 19,735 yen per person, this is almost a 50% discount! (Prices vary by day.) Interested in other luxury hotel steals/deals? Check out http://www.ikyu.com (Japanese only).

If you’re looking for a slightly different ‘celebrity’ option, why not try a facial or pedicure (for ladies)? Dashing Diva Salon in Tokyo has monthly ‘nail parties,’ costing 10,000 yen for a luxury pedicure, manicure, massage, and drinks, all sponsored by Being a Broad.

Men, in case I’ve lost your attention, why not consider a full-or half-day rental of a luxury car? One unique service in Tokyo (30,000 or 15,000 yen/month) offers members special pricing on half or full-day rentals on a number of luxury automobiles, including a new BMW 320 (E90) for 10,800 yen for 12 hours, or an Alpha Romeo GTV for 10,800 yen/day (weekday special). They’ll even drive the car to your home or a nearby railway station for 2,000 yen! Interested? Visit http://www.spacewin.jp for the “Kaiinsei Gaisha Club” (Import Car Exclusive Membership Club). Unfortunately, the website is in Japanese only.

Now, the ‘puchi cerebu’ experience is not for every cheapskate – some frugal folk are, rightly, uncomfortable spending money on things they view as frivolous. People like this would be better off saving their money! But, if you are a Frugalite with expensive tastes at heart, then the ‘puchi cerebu’ experience is probably right up your alley.

© 2005 Wendy J. Imura.