Winter bonuses increase, but people are still playing it safe spending-wise

Did you receive a winter bonus this year? If you did, you're in the majority! According to a recent nationwide survey by Japan Information Co., Ltd., around 65% of employed people in Japan received a winter bonus, with the average payment coming in at 480,000 yen. Compared to last year, more people saw their bonus increase than decrease, suggesting things are ticking up, at least on paper.

From a financial point of view, though, things still feel pretty cautious. The most common use of winter bonuses was adding them to savings, which was chosen by nearly 60% of respondents. The biggest change from last year was people using their bonus to help cover everyday living costs, which jumped by 23.5%. At the same time, spending on things like eating out and fashion or beauty actually dropped.

If you did receive a winter bonus this year, are you opting to save it, spend it on everyday items, or splurge a little?