How to save money in Japan

i save money by doing overtime at work.
Not only do you save your self from doing non sense things like going to the mall, park, or just lying around, you earn money with that time you couldve been doing nothing.

Imagine, you do work from 8-5, you go out at 7am, arrive home 6pm, you still have around 4-6hrs of leisure time. You can eat, play games, go shopping, go to parks, adventures, fun things, but they almost all the time costs money right?
So why not do overtime so for 2-3hrs a day so you wont have the energy and time to do any of all the money costing things, and instead earn +125% of your salary!

WIN WIN for me!

Where do you work? 125% for overtime work is realy great!

Back in 2013 I set up an Excel spreadsheet budget.  Miwa and I both put money away each month towards our travel budget and plan it's use throughout the year.  I record all expenses on my spreadsheet and compare with the previous year on a monthly basis.  For 2017 we are running a 6000 yen a month below 2016, which means we will take a couple of extra trips this year.

Found it on some job websites. Guess i got lucky? My previous company didn't have such salary, always overtime no pay, that's why i left!

Hi reywatwrite,

My wife, 2 kids, and I will be moving to Saitama/Tokyo area next year and are having a little difficulties finding a budget. We will also visit in 2 months.

Would you mind providing a copy of the spreadsheet?

You can delete any confidential information if needed.

Thank you so much!

As we all know, Japan is the very expensive country to travel. If you are not careful with your spending on everything, you can add up a lot financial burden on your shoulders. Here, I have discovered some fantastic points to soften the punch of spending and enjoyed your trip a lot.
1. If you are visiting Japan, a huge sum of budget probably utilize the transportation cost. A much cheaper alternative to cut your spending while traveling Japan would be the high buses. The buses will take you far at the cheap prices.
2. If you are looking for shopping items, don't visit the direct markets. Emphasize to shop online through online shopping coupon codes and online food discount offers. That's too feasible to balance your budget and pay no extra cost.
3. Look for markdown food items only that available online and offered a discount on every meal. So, take a look at promo codes and discount codes that offered by online restaurants in Japan for you.
So, if you have a tight budget and want to stay longer in Japan as well, consider the favorable options and make the awesome experience that Japan has to offered!!

Hi,

Travelling:
1.  For tourist, you may want to check Japan Rail Pass. It is expensive but if you will be travelling from North to South of Japan, maybe it's a good buy.
2. For those with working visa, you can try JR 18kippu. It is unlimited LOCAL only train ride. If you have a lot of time,  it is nice to just get off and get on at any station and explore the area.

Food
1. If you live near a supermarket or drugstore and they offer point card (ポイントカード), get one! Sometimes, you can use the points to buy. The points earned and how to use the points depends on the supermarket or drugstore.
2. Supermarkets offer discounts an hour or 30minutes before they close.
3. Every Tuesday, fruits and vegetables are offered at discounted price.  Not sure if this is nationwide.

Hope that helps 😊