In 2017, I decided to quit my job working for a London publisher and move to Japan. After living in Tokyo for six months, I became fascinated by how small details, mindfulness, and incremental changes were given more emphasis in Japanese daily life. It encouraged me to slow down and make some lifestyle improvements.
‘Kakeibo’: The Japanese method of saving money
A Japanese practice called kakeibo (pronounced “kah-keh-boh”) which translates to “household financial ledger,” was invented in 1904 by Hani Motoko.
- Simple, no-frills approach to managing finances
No technology-just a notebook and pen
Kakeibo emphasizes the importance of physically writing things down as a meditative way to process and observe your spending habits.
- The act of mindful spending and saving are very much interlinked, and the small changes made have had a cumulative effect on my bank account.
How to spend more mindfully
Stay committed to asking the right questions before making any non-essential purchases
- Leave the item for 24 hours
- Check your bank balance regularly
- Spend in cash
- Attach a sticker to your credit card that bluntly says, “Do you REALLY need this?!”
- Change the environments that cause you to spend
- If you notice that you often spend money after clicking on a marketing email or seeing pictures of an Instagram influencer wearing a particular brand, then unsubscribe or unfollow.
