Traveling in Japan is stupidly expensive (okay, not taking account the nightbuses that are ridicculously cheap). Clothes too tend to be expensive, at least imo. Though being cheapskate isn't really helping on that XD But then again eating in Japan is cheaper than legal O.o, though happy dance on that. Shimamura is one of the cheaper places to buy clothes, if you haven't been to a one yet.
I see your definition of cheap being different from mine already XD Ok, the part about the busses I see, because compared to taking the train they are really cheap. Some journeys however, are just too long to be made via bus. If I want to visit my friend in Yamagata from here for example, i spend the same amount of time on a bus that i spent on the plane coming from Europe. Food is cheap if you eat out, because for me, back home we don't have cheap eating out options like that. Since eating out still ranges above eating at home, though, most of the time, depending on what you want to eat or what options you have (and let me tell you, in Oubaku you don't have many), cooking is still less expensive, yet more expensive at home. To be fair though, I think you come from a country that I would range as expensive already, so... XD
Well yeah, basically Finland is one of those expensive countries ^^;; Eating out here is a nightmare T_T So I was all but in heaven with eating out options in Japan :D
I used the night bus quite much when I was living in Sendai. The cheapest one to Tokyo was 1700yen O.o though if you want to go real comfortable then it goes above 8000yen or something. But yeah, it takes a long time, though with the night bus you save one night in a hotel... XD There's a ferry that goes from Nagoya to Sendai (and Hokkaido, etc) it's quite convenient and not that expensive. Went from Sendai to Hokkaido and back with it.
Yeah well, Sendai is a little closer still! The cheapest bus I can get is 5000... Oooh, but thank you for mentioning that ferry! i shall keep that one in mind.
The main problem is that... I really want to do most of these things because I am just interested in many things, I guess. Because hey, if I am only half interested I'm not going, peer pressure does nothing to me.
I think the notion about things one would want to buy could be worse in Tokyo. I would love to go down there right now and go to the used JE stuff shop and spend all my money but i can't, and I don't know about any JE-related places nearby other than the official shop in osaka, so... safe? XD
The exchange rate is worse for you guys than it is for me - it is back to the exact same level it was when I first came in 2009, the euro does have it slightly better sometimes, despite the crisis, surprisingly.
I can't judge that from here, but a lot of Japanese people that i have spoken to who live in Germany, England or France say that with the money they had to spend on necessities here they can basically live the life over in Europe, so why would they go back. It is sad but understandable, I guess.
And, I shamelessly stared back at anyone who stared at me. haha yesssss XD
In my first year here, I was constantly running out of money and was usually down to about than 10,000yen for the last week of the month (I get paid on the last working day of each month). Nowadays if I have ANY MONEY on the second to last day of the month, I know I'm doing well. I've got about 1200yen to last me til Monday, I'm feeling really rich at the moment. Things are pretty sweet until you're here for your second year and start to pay shit like residential taxes. Are you on NHI? That sucks a lot of money too. I'm doing a little better this year in terms of budgeting, plus I have a couple of after-work jobs to keep me a float. It means I have little social life, but that's a good thing if I want to have money left for vitals.
If you're after cheap sparkling water (or really imported anything) I always indulge in some American imported stuff at Donki, it's my go-to place for liquor as well! As for cheap travel plans, have you heard of JTB or Jalan?
I actually thought a lot about what you said over the last couple of days, but then I thought well, you live here proper, pay taxes, have a much higher rent than I do, drive a car, and the job is not well paid, so of course you would have it tough, and I really shouldn't complain, I mean, I do have savings still, and I want to add to them, and I can do that. That's what life is like, you can't just go out and buy what you want the moment you want it. When I get my money on the first of each month, I immediately put aside NHI, rent, an estimation for my electrcity bill, and money for the tekiken, that way I avoid any serious issues.
I love Donki and I saw that international section, the problem is just that the Donki here is in Minami-ku. I can be at the Osaka Donki quicker than the Kyoto one -.-
Hahaha. Oh, I think everybody is titled to complain (although maybe not JET teachers, they have it made :P) Taking your money out when you get paid is definitely a good idea and I do the same, and if I know there is a 厳しい month coming up - winter break is soon, so I won't get paid for those two weeks - I try and pay NHI and taxes up front. Also - I remember you tweeted about expensive kiwi fruit haha. I don't think I ever really paid attention in Aus, but nowadays I really take notice of what produce is in season. October is all about MIKAN
( ... )
I think the problem I'm running into is not considering coins to be real money because all coins are such a nominal amount in USD. But 500 yen is actually a considerable amount. :0
I hope your meat eaters club grows^^. Would be a shame not to take advantage of so many food options.
And ack at the staring! :(((( they're just jelly of your awesome ^____^
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But then again eating in Japan is cheaper than legal O.o, though happy dance on that.
Shimamura is one of the cheaper places to buy clothes, if you haven't been to a one yet.
'Meat Eaters United' .... ROFL
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Ok, the part about the busses I see, because compared to taking the train they are really cheap. Some journeys however, are just too long to be made via bus. If I want to visit my friend in Yamagata from here for example, i spend the same amount of time on a bus that i spent on the plane coming from Europe.
Food is cheap if you eat out, because for me, back home we don't have cheap eating out options like that. Since eating out still ranges above eating at home, though, most of the time, depending on what you want to eat or what options you have (and let me tell you, in Oubaku you don't have many), cooking is still less expensive, yet more expensive at home.
To be fair though, I think you come from a country that I would range as expensive already, so... XD
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Eating out here is a nightmare T_T So I was all but in heaven with eating out options in Japan :D
I used the night bus quite much when I was living in Sendai. The cheapest one to Tokyo was 1700yen O.o though if you want to go real comfortable then it goes above 8000yen or something. But yeah, it takes a long time, though with the night bus you save one night in a hotel... XD
There's a ferry that goes from Nagoya to Sendai (and Hokkaido, etc) it's quite convenient and not that expensive. Went from Sendai to Hokkaido and back with it.
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(The comment has been removed)
I think the notion about things one would want to buy could be worse in Tokyo. I would love to go down there right now and go to the used JE stuff shop and spend all my money but i can't, and I don't know about any JE-related places nearby other than the official shop in osaka, so... safe? XD
The exchange rate is worse for you guys than it is for me - it is back to the exact same level it was when I first came in 2009, the euro does have it slightly better sometimes, despite the crisis, surprisingly.
Thank you <3
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(The comment has been removed)
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haha yesssss XD
In my first year here, I was constantly running out of money and was usually down to about than 10,000yen for the last week of the month (I get paid on the last working day of each month). Nowadays if I have ANY MONEY on the second to last day of the month, I know I'm doing well. I've got about 1200yen to last me til Monday, I'm feeling really rich at the moment. Things are pretty sweet until you're here for your second year and start to pay shit like residential taxes. Are you on NHI? That sucks a lot of money too. I'm doing a little better this year in terms of budgeting, plus I have a couple of after-work jobs to keep me a float. It means I have little social life, but that's a good thing if I want to have money left for vitals.
If you're after cheap sparkling water (or really imported anything) I always indulge in some American imported stuff at Donki, it's my go-to place for liquor as well! As for cheap travel plans, have you heard of JTB or Jalan?
Reply
When I get my money on the first of each month, I immediately put aside NHI, rent, an estimation for my electrcity bill, and money for the tekiken, that way I avoid any serious issues.
I love Donki and I saw that international section, the problem is just that the Donki here is in Minami-ku. I can be at the Osaka Donki quicker than the Kyoto one -.-
JTB is the travel agency, right?
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I think the problem I'm running into is not considering coins to be real money because all coins are such a nominal amount in USD. But 500 yen is actually a considerable amount. :0
I hope your meat eaters club grows^^. Would be a shame not to take advantage of so many food options.
And ack at the staring! :(((( they're just jelly of your awesome ^____^
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MWAH <3
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