I need to save more
In my car, I was thinking about what to do about my bank account's rapidly decreasing balance.
In japan, the prices of things necessary for life are increasing rapidly.
Food, electricity, gas, and gasoline prices are rising too.
I compared the electricity bill for April between last year and this year.
Even though my usage hasn't changed much, it went from 18,000 yen last year to 25,000 yen this year.
At my house, we use electricity to prepare hot water for baths and showers.
Rising electricity bills are a big problem.
My family eats out often. We usually go to reasonably priced places like Hama Sushi and Saizeriya, but going every week adds up.
I believe that if I eat out less often, I can cut down on my food expenses.
And, reflecting the unstable global situation, Japanese stock prices are falling.
Unfortunately, my financial assets are also decreasing.
I need to be more frugal.
I plan to cook more often to reduce the number of times I eat out.
So, I decided to grow herbs and vegetables on my balcony.
I thought that using homemade ingredients would increase my motivation to cook.
Recently, the price of rice has increased by about twice in Japan.
So I started eating bread more often.
I made toast topped with a fried egg using Swiss chard and oregano that I grew on my balcony.
The Swiss chard seemed too bitter for the kids, but the flavor of the fresh oregano leaves was a hit.
I also started eating spaghetti more often.
Nowadays, you can buy spaghetti much cheaper than rice.
I made spaghetti using sage based on a recipe I found online, and it was delicious as well.
I'm not a good cook, so sometimes I end up with some crazy dishes, but let the kids try their best at tasting :)
You also have to save money on daily food expenses.
According to a Japanese government survey, in 2024, the average monthly food expense for a four-person household in Japan was 96,000 yen.
This average of 96,000 yen includes 19,000 yen worth of eating out.
By the way, our food expenses, including eating out, were 130,000 yen.
This is the result of buying a bento box or eating out.
I decided to aim for 96,000 yen, which is the average cost of food.
Assuming a month is 30 days, three meals a day, and a family of four, the budget for one meal per person is 266 yen.
If you buy your lunch at a convenience store, you won't be able to meet your budget.
It's important to remember that your budget also includes the cost of eating out.
Fortunately, the kids can eat free school lunches.
If we save up these minutes, we can go to Hama Sushi and Saizeria.
To reiterate, the budget per person per meal is 266 yen
I also have to come up with the cost of seasonings.
This also includes the cost of alcohol consumed at home.
We went on a trip during the May holidays.
This trip, we stayed in cheap accommodation to save money.
It is an accommodation facility run by the city where we live.
Although it is in an inconvenient location, it is very cheap.
At the off-season ski resort, we rode the ski lifts and enjoyed go-kart.
At the souvenir shopping facility, we were able to see many "Koinobori".
We only went to places where we didn't spend a lot of money, but we still had fun.
As a souvenir, I bought some rare vegetables that I don't see in my area.
They are "young corn" and "wild vegetables."
I made snacks that go well with alcohol.
Our next trip is planned for the August "Obon holiday".
Save money on daily food expenses and create travel expenses.
By the way, meals while traveling are not included in the food budget.
We plan to enjoy local food and have included it in our travel costs.
I'll try my best to save money.
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