Tokyo is a really expensive place to live in - when you don't earn a salary in Yen that is, or actually when you don't earn anything at all. My family is not in an entirely bad place financially, but which child wants to knowingly and carelessly increase the burden on their parents right? Besides, I still have 1 more year in Tokyo - 5th year - and one never knows what might happen, so of course it's good to start saving more now when I can!
Things I stint on:
1) Groceries:
- Japanese fresh produce is e-x-p-e-n-s-i-v-e. 2 garlics can cost like 250yen (almost 5sgd). So after searching a long time, I finally found Chinese garlic which was like at least 10 or more garlics for just 198yen!
- And I only buy fruits when they're on sale. Mostly bananas. On different days it can range from 200 yen to 78yen. Plus I always choose the bunches with more (sometimes they have 3 or 4 bananas in one bunch, so I always choose 4). Recently, I got one bunch with 9 bananas for 128yen. =)
- Comparing prices at supermarkets helps save sometimes. Like Yakult at Seiyu is 177yen but at Santoku it's 184yen. Food at Seiyu is generally cheaper as well.
- Bought a large packet of minced meat and cooked it into soboro (minced meat with green onions, onions etc) and froze it for future consumption.
- Have yet to buy chunks of fresh meat just because they're either expensive or just the value-for-money ones are too big.
2) Buying in bulk:
- Initially, buying big bottles or packets of things seemed expensive. 900yen (for a big packet) versus just 100yen for a small packet? Seemed such a no-brainer to buy the 100-yen packet right? But after a while, realised that alot of 100yens will easily build up to more than 900yen. Only gripe I have about Japanese supermarkets so far is that the hypermarkets that are so commonly found in Malaysia, Singapore and even USA, aren't all that common here. Big packagings also don't always seem to offer better value - hence need to be aware of that.
3) Snacks
- Japan is full of snacks; and it doesn't help that my roommate seems to love snacks too. But so far I've been pretty good at restraining from buying too much snacks.
- When I first got here, used to buy cartons of orange juice/fruit juice (100-150yen each). But I realised that if I stopped buying that weekly, I could probably save about 400-600yen per month so that counts too. Hardly purchase drinks from vending machines anymore. 100yen per convenient (but tiny) drink will add up!
4) All the cutesy things
- There are sooo many kawaii-cutesy little charms and stationery whatnots in Japan - and they are everywhere. Thankfully I've never really been into these things, so I'm not often tempted to buy any of these - which can actually be quite expensive despite it's impracticality.
5) Laundry
- This might sound really dirty but I don't do laundry very often either. Probably once in 2-3 weeks. The washing machine requires 100yen for 1 wash, and then the dryer needs 100yen/30 mins. Usually 60mins is required for drying so that's a total of 300yen each time I do laundry! What a far cry from the 20cents/30 mins in Eusoff =/... Well and since now it's Autumn - ie, don't perspire much, if at all - I mostly just air dry my clothes after wearing unless they are really in need of washing - ie, smells like cigarettes or got caught in the rain or reworn too many times. Most of the time I end up doing laundry only when I really need clothes for floorball haha. Each time I wash I make sure to throw in my bed sheets and quilt cover pillow case too, just to get more value outta it grr.
6) Piggy bank
- It started as a coin collection for laundry (only accepts 100yen coin) but now I guess it's my piggy bank. Each time my wallet feels too heavy with coins, I will take out about half the total number of 100yen coins from my wallet and put it in my piggy bank thingy! (which is actually just a small black drawstring pouch...) Sometimes 500yen coins are added too =)
7) Withdrawing allowance
- Since I withdraw from my savings account back home, I make sure to withdraw the maximum (or near maximum) amount each time I withdraw. This spreads out the value of the SGD$5 withdrawal surcharge.
- The money is then separated into monthly basis - and every week I take out about 10,000yen - 15,000yen - making me extra conscious of leaving enough for the remaining weeks.
8) Keeping accounts
- I've almost always kept accounts for my spending since before - but even more so now. I've drawn up a bookkeeping spreadsheet in Excel, and each week I calculate how much I spend and on what. This allows me to see where most of my money is going (and whether on unnecessary items or not).
9) Saving the Earth
- Okay, not as grand as I made that sound. Everytime I go to Seiyu, I try to make sure to bring my own plastic bag/grocery bag, because that saves me 2yen each time!
- And I know I like shopping, but I make sure that each time I shop, I usually only buy items below 1500yen.
- And flea markets are so <3!>
10) Reading up/Research
- I've started looking up blogs and online articles on how to save in Tokyo. There's been interesting things like a blog matsuri somewhere (it's like a themed blog posting), where just a few months ago they had one on Being Frugal in Tokyo.
- Started reading this old online newsletter called Frugal Watch as well (on japaninc.com)
- And I found out about the discount/wholesale supermarkets on a blog as well! Except that most of them seem to be in the outlying areas of Tokyo (I'm in Central Tokyo). Heard there's a Hanamasa supermarket in Okubo or nearby though - will check that out soon.
Things I don't save on:
1) Floorball
- I almost called it my 'passion' but I don't think I'm such a strongly-emotional person. Haha. I guess it's more of a self-commitment - an important one. Anyway, floorball is very expensive, in terms of transport costs: one-way can cost about 400-600yen depending on the day's training venue. Once, I went 4 times a week and spent like 3000yen for transport in total. >.<
- Nonetheless, I do try to save where I can: for example, taking the Yamanote Line to Takadanobaba Station which is further but cheaper (130yen, 20 mins walk) rather than the Subway to Nishiwaseda Station (160yen, 10 mins walk). And Mondays are when I mainly go, which is good because I alight 2 stops earlier than Chofu station and it costs 40yen less! I also walk from the station to the venue rather than take the bus (200yen).
- When I feel poor or have the urge to keep within tight budget in that week, I reduce the number of trainings I attend, though I keep it at a minimum of 1 a week.
2) Occasional sweet treats
- I've found that coming to Tokyo has increased the frequency of cravings for sweet things. Perhaps due to the salty nature of the food here (they use alot of shoyu and salt). So I've learnt to treat myself occasionally because I know that being too stingy on myself would eventually lead to a binge-spending later instead.
- But even when I buy sweet treats, I try to moderate it. Like a big tub of ice cream (my favourite Hokey Pokey flavour 1litre for only 398yen! Cheaper than Singapore!) which I eat over 2-3 weeks. Or a small tub of sorbet, which I divide into 4 portions. Sorbets are good, because they cleanse the palate and satisfies the sweet craving easily without needing too much. Yum.
Yay, a picture of the yummy Hokey Pokey ice cream!
3) Parties/Clubs/Events
- One thing I don't really hesitate spending money on is certain school events. For instance the recent Halloween party was 2000yen (was initially 3500yen but they lowered it for newcomers YAY), or the Paddy circle membership fee of 1000yen, or going clubbing with Yuting that one time ~2100yen etc. These are quite good for making new friends and getting to know more about Japan so I think they're quite a necessity! Besides, I'm pretty moderate in this manner already since I've not gone for a single nomikai (drinking party) yet. Those usually cost between 2000-3000yen and can be held pretty frequently! Japanese really love to drink!
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Perhaps I might sound like I'm leading a really frugal lifestyle here, almost to the extent of affecting my enjoyment of my time in Tokyo - but rest assured, I am not. The past 21 years of saving or sometimes mostly attempting to, has taught me about my own habits well. I've come to understand that being thrifty where I can and just plain starving myself into miserable-ness is quite different. I'm careful never to make myself feel too deprived, lest there be a (more) expensive backlash later on. I guess I just try to live with the conscious awareness and appreciation of money, and the sweat/efforts that have gone into obtaining it.
I just wish I know how to make my money grow. Been starting to read up a little on investing and fixed deposits etc, but there are soo many different types and banks that I'm getting confused. Argh. Slowly slowly. Investing has always been something I wanted to learn about for a long time already but never got round to it. I guess a quote caught my attention though: "The most powerful force in the universe is compound interest." apparently said by Albert Einstein. Hmm.
