7 Japanese Secrets of Making Money You've Never Heard About

Japan has a long history of natural disasters and nuclear attacks, and yet they still manage to bounce back. One potential reason for this is the country’s acceptance of risk, which may be attributed to their culture’s emphasis on perseverance. This could also be why we see so many Japanese companies in the tech industry today. Because it takes patience and resilience to build something from scratch.

“We have been through hard times, but still we haven’t given up on anything. We just keep going forward.” -Shizuka Iioka-san (Japanese woman)

The secret to real wealth comes from working hard and putting in the time. If you want to increase your wealth, it’s important that you find what works for you and stick with it – because the only way to achieve financial success is through consistency in following your plan.

Table of Contents

1- Arigato – Money

The Japanese word “arigato” means “Thank You”. And when you say “arigato” to your money, it means more than just thank you. It also includes gratitude for the things that happen in between when it comes into and go out of your hands. If you want to get started with this practice, start by saying “thank you” to every dollar bill or coin that enters or leaves your possession each day. This is a great way to bring mindfulness into daily life. Remembering what we have will make us appreciate all there is in our lives without worrying about anything missing.

2- KAKEIBO – Art of Saving Money

What’s your “Kakeibo” method? Have you ever heard of the Japanese budgeting system called “kakeibo”? It is a very specific way to manage expenses and it starts with writing down all of your basic needs. They then ask themselves 5 questions about anything extra they want or need that isn’t on their list, which can be used as motivation for sticking to a strict monthly allowance.

Can I live without that Item? If yes, then there’s no need to buy it if I don’t have enough money.

Can I afford it? Do I have much money to get that thing?

Will I actually use it? And for how long would it be useful?

Do I have space for it? Japanese believe that the more space you have in your house the more fresh air you’ll get. So they try to keep their house spacious.

What would I feel after purchasing? Happy, Sad or just normal and How long would that feeling last?

If you’re looking for an easy way to start budgeting your expenses, try adopting the Japanese Kakeibo system. This simple but effective plan works by setting a specific amount of money that won’t be spent on anything else other than necessities like rent and groceries. The idea is not to spend more than this predetermined percentage of income each month. You can actually save more money with this approach because you’re only able to purchase what’s necessary rather than buying something expensive just because it catches your eye.

3- Minimalism

Simplifying your life doesn’t have to be a difficult process. If you’re reading this, I’m going to assume you are either a beginner or somewhere along the journey of simplifying and becoming more minimalist in how you live. Hopefully, these tiny steps will help get you on track with what it takes to simplify your life.

1- Write down your goals and objectives
2- Discard all the clutter and unnecessary things
3- Stay away from expensive brands
4- Dress, Eat, and Live Simple
5- Organize things by category

4- Focus on Self Development

It is important to spend time on developing your mental peace. You should not be wasting money on foods that are unhealthy for you or leisure activities where the only thing accomplished is a temporary high followed by an inevitable crash, but instead investing in yourself and taking care of your brain. The Japanese culture emphasizes well-being over materialism which leads their citizens to be happier than Americans who place more importance on acquiring things rather than looking after themselves mentally. This is why the country has seen such rapid technological advances as well as economic success over the years.

If you want to be happy and successful in life, then it’s important that you spend your money on skills development.

5- Don’t Compare Yourself with Others

It’s so easy to compare ourselves with others. But the only person you should be comparing yourself to is your past version of yourself. If you can do that, then you will see how much improvement has been made in the journey. Nobody wants this new improved self-image tarnished by comparisons. Instead of worrying about what other people are doing or achieving, focus on taking care of yourself and making sure that you don’t stop improving for any reason.

6- Learn to Handle Money before Making

It’s important to learn how to handle money before making it. It can be hard for people who get lucky and make some money, but don’t know what they should do with that cash. They may end up buying useless things and back to their poor state again. So first you have to learn how to manage your finances before moving on to bigger goals.

7- Be Thankful for Everything You Have

You can’t buy happiness, but you can live a happy life by being grateful for what you have. So no matter how much money is in the world, people will always worry about it and be unhappy unless they are able to find joy from within themselves. That’s why we should all work on cultivating an attitude of gratitude so that we may also enjoy our lives more fully while appreciating everything around us.

Being grateful for what you have and being happy is more important than any amount of wealth or income. To live a fulfilling life, try practicing gratitude every day both in your thoughts and deeds. Who knows? You may find that having less actually leads to more.