How to tackle the rising cost of living in Japan

If you've noticed over recent months that your yen isn't going as far as it used to, you're not wrong. Statistics have shown that inflation is on the rise here in Japan, with the increase exceeding targets set by the Bank of Japan. If you're trying to find ways to deal with your money not going as far as it used to, these are some of the ways my family is trying to mitigate it.

Pic Credit: Japanexperterna.se/CC By SA 2.0

Grocery shopping

One of the biggest ways our household saves money is with the groceries we buy. We try to be mindful of shopping in season when it comes to produce, and that helps us cut our bill quite significantly. We also typically buy produce at our local JA Farmer's Market, which on the whole has cheaper prices than supermarkets do.

If you are shopping at supermarkets, checking to see if they have a rewards program or points program is also helpful. There are a number of articles here on City-Cost about those points programs, such as this one if you're wondering about their benefits or how to get signed up.

I also like trying to use one ingredient in multiple ways. For instance, if we make seasoned taco meat for taco rice bowls, I'll use any leftovers to make toast pizzas -- I pop some pasta sauce, taco meat, and shredded cheese on a piece of bread and grill it in the toaster oven for a quick lunch. Being able to make multiple meals from one key ingredient has helped us save a bit of money and also staves off the boredom that comes with repeating the same dish over and over.

Electricity use

This article from Bloomberg notes that a hefty part of Japan's inflation has come from soaring energy costs, and we have certainly noticed our bills being higher recently than they were in previous years. Two of the small but significant steps we've been taking when it comes to our energy use include:

• Unplugging appliances from the wall when they're not in use. This was something I only started doing relatively recently when another City-Cost contributor (thanks, ToneToEdo!) told me about the concept of vampire power. Basically, if you've got something plugged in -- even if it's not in use -- the device sucks power and contributes to your overall electricity bill. A study from Harvard University in the States noted that vampire power can account for 5-10% of the total electricity use in residential homes, so it's certainly an easy way to lessen your bill!

• Finding ways to weatherproof our home. This is huge for us in winter in a house where insulation isn't really a thing. We put bubble wrap on our windows to cut down on the heat that escapes, and although it's not exactly aesthetically pleasing it definitely helps in retaining heat. In summer we try to open up our windows during the evenings once the sun goes down to let some of the cooler air permeate the house. 

Finding other ways to make ¥¥¥

Obviously, the cost of living crunch is easier to handle when you have more money coming in. I've been trying to use my downtime from my regular job to blog more here on City-Cost, and that helps our household budget quite a bit. One thing I've found particularly useful is reviewing the things I buy, which helps offset the cost of them. If I buy myself a sweet treat or a drink at a convenience store, I snap a couple of pictures before I indulge so I can write up a review, and getting ¥ 150 for each one I submit goes a long way over the course of a month! I highly recommend everyone else to do the same to help offset the cost of the things you buy -- it's also fun letting people know what you liked or didn't like about a product to help inform their purchasing decisions. In fact, you may even save someone else some money by doing that!

Using what we have/swapping with neighbors and friends

I think a big part of saving money involves just not spending it in the first place. I've been on a mission to utilize the things I have -- for instance, finishing products before I buy new ones just because I think they'll enhance my life in some way. 

We have a few neighbors with children in our street -- one of them has a daughter older than my own, and my son is older than another neighbor's son. When their daughter grows out of clothes they kindly send them our way, and when my son grows out of his stuff we pass them on to our other neighbor. It all helps the budget and it's great for the environment, too!