Things that make you go, hmm… Last week was Thanksgiving in the US, but I live here in Japan and there was hardly any mention of the holiday except from fellow Americans. However, the big thing that was on people’s minds was Black Friday–which made me go, “Huh?” Black Friday is such an American thing:Continue reading “Black Friday, Japan”
Category Archives: Personal Finance
Slaying Your Enoughasarus
Enoughasaurus: “The beast within each of us, he/she that must be satisfied. Slaying or at least satisfying your Enoughasaurus is a matter of deciding what’s enough for you and then designing your priorities and life around it.” I love this concept, but I think it’s one of those things that is very hard to do.Continue reading “Slaying Your Enoughasarus”
Do I Really Need Life Insurance?
Okay, I’ll admit, I don’t have life or disability insurance. Somehow, I seem to be okay with it. I know, however, that as an adult, it’s one of those things that I need to take care of. The thing is, my husband and I have no children. I am also not the main breadwinner inContinue reading “Do I Really Need Life Insurance?”
Our Numbers
I’ve debated many times whether I really want to be completely open about our finances and reveal everything. I am all for accountability, but I also don’t want to divulge too much of our financial situation. But at this point, it feels like I need to be held accountable for my dreams. I’ve been doingContinue reading “Our Numbers”
Arigatou Your Money
I was listening to the Stacking Benjamins and the Afford Anything podcasts last week and they both had Ken Honda on the show. Ken Honda is known as the Mari Kondo of personal finances in Japan. He is one of those people who is financially independent but still works because he loves what he does.Continue reading “Arigatou Your Money”
Exchange Rates
I try not to obsess about it, but I just can’t help it. It doesn’t help that I get a daily email from Transferwise telling me how much the dollar costs in yen. Part of the problem about me being an American living here in Japan is that my earned income is in yen butContinue reading “Exchange Rates”
Youth
Out of the mouths of babes…. The other day, I was talking to my nephew, who had just finished his first year of college. We were just talking about his experiences so far, whether he liked being in school, his friends, and his future. As we talked about his future plans, all of a suddenContinue reading “Youth”
I Answer Farnoosh Torabi’s Questions
One of the many podcasts I listen to is So Money by Farnoosh Torabi. In the beginning, she used to ask her guests the same questions over and over again. I actually liked this format because even though the questions were the same, the guests’ answers were always different. There were some similarities in philosophiesContinue reading “I Answer Farnoosh Torabi’s Questions”
Gratitude
It is November, and in the US, this is the month when we celebrate Thanksgiving Day. Since I live in Japan, it’s easy for me to forget about this holiday because nobody has heard of it. Usually, after Halloween, it is straight to Christmas decorations. It makes me sad nobody knows about Thanksgiving or evenContinue reading “Gratitude”
STEM Careers and Incomes
I usually talk to my family back in the US during the weekends. I found out that my brother started working for a new company at the end of September. He had just left his previous job of six years. The new company was going to pay him almost double his previous salary. Wow. HeContinue reading “STEM Careers and Incomes”
