Salary

[word]

Yeah, GoLloyds is awesome; I'd recommend using them in combination with a bank that doesn't charge a fee for incoming overseas transfers, such as USAA.

[nicklar]

I always used Go Lloyds. It very simple to use even though my local ATM didn't have any English instructions at the time. I now have a HSBC Premier account which makes it super easy for moving money around.

[stefaluff]

Oh awesome! Thank you all for the advice! I checked out the Go Lloyds page, it does sound like a better idea!

[Triforcedx2]

Current Akita JET

My monthly bills and such are as follows:

Phone: 5000yen ($50)
Water: 3500yen ($35)
Rent: 40000yen ($400)
Gas for car: 4000yen ($40)
Electricity: 4000yen in winter ($40) / 8000yen in summer ($80)
Car insurance: 3000yen ($30)
Kerosene in winter: 3000yen ($30)
Internet: 4000yen ($40)
Food: misc amount ($100~$300)
Student loan payments: ($300 or so)

This is my average monthly money usage after I settled in comfortably.

[SaitamaPA_Denise]

The larger Japanese post offices also do money transfers (this is what I primarily use). The fee is 2500 yen from their side, then add whatever fee the destination bank charges. It's a little slower than GoLloyds but some Jets have mentioned that the price works out to be a little less expensive.

[Siyris]

The larger Japanese post offices also do money transfers (this is what I primarily use). The fee is 2500 yen from their side, then add whatever fee the destination bank charges. It's a little slower than GoLloyds but some Jets have mentioned that the price works out to be a little less expensive.

Even the small post offices will do it. My little tiny post office in my little tiny town does it... same though -- 2500 yen no matter how much you send. If you are sending more than 100,000 yen then you will need to show a valid form of ID which they will photo copy, but other than that, it's pretty simple. First time I filled out the paperwork it was a bit confusing, but now that I have the sample I can go through it really quickly. GoLloyds is more convenient, but after looking at the paperwork they sent me and at the hard numbers -- it's less expensive to use the post office, even though I can't do it from the ATM.

[stefaluff]

Noted, post office is also another good option! Thank you!

[SaitamaPA_Denise]

Even the small post offices will do it. My little tiny post office in my little tiny town does it... same though -- 2500 yen no matter how much you send.

Oh, that's good to know. To be honest I never tried a small(er) post office; the one basically right next door to my apartment closes about the same time when I get off work, so I'd only ever tried the ones with the big, official bank-related counters. You learn something new every day.

Perhaps it's also worth noting that you can send money via the post office whether you have an account there already or not.

[ollie]

Your spending habits are going to be the single biggest consideration of how much you can save. There are unavoidable things like taxes, and you will probably feel some sticker shock when comparing grocery (or gas!) prices to those in the US.

Other things to consider:
-eating out vs. at home(the latter will save you a TON!). Also, combini's are like a black hole for money...
-drinking-how much and where. I remember when I first arrived and was shocked to drop 70 bucks on a drinking party. That's normal! Sipping nihonshu or whiskey ($30 a GALLON!) at home will save you beaucoup yenjamins.
-car-My beloved steed sets me back probably $500 a month in tax, gas, maintenance, shaken, insurance etc. It was mandated by my school for visits, so I can't live without it. Maybe you'll get lucky and not need one.
-travelling-I live in Tohoku, and getting anywhere that isn't Tohoku costs a LOT. YMMV.

In general, you can live quite cheaply if you keep an eye out for bargains at the supermarket, scrounge second hand furniture and stuff, cut down on non-necessities, limit your extra-curriculars, eat at your friend's houses. As your comfort or convenience demands increase, though, so does cost, rapidly. Remember too, because the yen is strong, every yen saved is 1.2 pennies earned

[AVN]

Your spending habits are going to be the single biggest consideration of how much you can save. There are unavoidable things like taxes, and you will probably feel some sticker shock when comparing grocery (or gas!) prices to those in the US.

Other things to consider:
-eating out vs. at home(the latter will save you a TON!). Also, combini's are like a black hole for money...
-drinking-how much and where. I remember when I first arrived and was shocked to drop 70 bucks on a drinking party. That's normal! Sipping nihonshu or whiskey ($30 a GALLON!) at home will save you beaucoup yenjamins.
-car-My beloved steed sets me back probably $500 a month in tax, gas, maintenance, shaken, insurance etc. It was mandated by my school for visits, so I can't live without it. Maybe you'll get lucky and not need one.
-travelling-I live in Tohoku, and getting anywhere that isn't Tohoku costs a LOT. YMMV.

In general, you can live quite cheaply if you keep an eye out for bargains at the supermarket, scrounge second hand furniture and stuff, cut down on non-necessities, limit your extra-curriculars, eat at your friend's houses. As your comfort or convenience demands increase, though, so does cost, rapidly. Remember too, because the yen is strong, every yen saved is 1.2 pennies earned

Really Tohoku is that bad? There are like 3-4 airports and shinkansen through most of it now.
Maybe coming from Hokkaido makes me skeptical of Honshu people saying it's expensive/hard to get anywhere.

[Gizmotech]

Getting out of Tohoku takes a combination of things.

You need either:
Lots of Money (so you can get out quickly)
Lots of Time (so you can get out cheap)
Access to either a real shinkansen (Yam and Akita shins don't count) or an airport. (Big problem for a lot of people)

Money is involved in just the bloody distance you need to travel on JR east. The shin ticket isn't bad, it's the distance to Tokyo that'll kill ya. To get to Tokyo you either need to get to the Tohoku shin, or down to niigata to get to the Max Toki. Either way this takes time if you're not on that stretch. Why am I mentioning Tokyo? Because to get anywhere else in the country cheaply you need to get there first. Yam/shonai airports go NOWHERE but tokyo at stupidly expensive prices. Akita goes to Tokyo and Korea... and oddly enough going to Korea is almost the same price. Sendai atleast has a bunch of international options on top of regular ANA/JAL service... but once again, bloody effin expensive.

Hokkaido has it pretty easy to be honest. 1.2 man direct flight from shin-chitose to narita via Skymark, Airdo (haneda), and Peach(haneda I think...) later this year... The only problem there is you have to get to shin-chitose airport, but if you're in Hokkaido you're probably going through Sapporo to get out of there anyways. Hell, you guys can get right to Kyoto/osaka area for a 1.2 man flight... you guys got it pretty good.

The only real benefit to being in Tohoku would be night busses that can be pretty darn cheap. I think it's like 9k-12k from sendai to osaka overnight, which is pretty good in that you don't have to pay for a room that night and you can travel while sleeping.

[RoBot]

drinking-how much and where. I remember when I first arrived and was shocked to drop 70 bucks on a drinking party. That's normal! Sipping nihonshu or whiskey ($30 a GALLON!) at home will save you beaucoup yenjamins.

$70 = €50 aprox - this is expensive? That is a normal night out in Dublin (Ire) on the cheap- i.e drinking at home before going out to party. Are other spirits or beer much more expensive than nihonshu and whiskey?

[Siyris]

drinking-how much and where. I remember when I first arrived and was shocked to drop 70 bucks on a drinking party. That's normal! Sipping nihonshu or whiskey ($30 a GALLON!) at home will save you beaucoup yenjamins.

$70 = €50 aprox - this is expensive? That is a normal night out in Dublin (Ire) on the cheap- i.e drinking at home before going out to party. Are other spirits or beer much more expensive than nihonshu and whiskey?

Most drinking parties are nomihoudai -- or all you can drink. It's common for the drinking parties associated with work to include a meal and as many drinks as you want for a set amount of time (most often it's 2 hours, but sometimes 3). The drinks you can order are on a set menu... the price you pay covers your food and drinks for that time. Though if you get a more inaka placement, your drinking parties (enkai) will probably be cheaper... mine are typically around 5000 yen if we go into the city and 3000 if we stay in my super rural village.

[nicklar]

One thing that must be remembered is that Japan has been in the grip of deflation for years. It costs no more for a night out now in Japan than 20 years ago. When I first got to Japan I got sticker shock from the prices but living in Japan is now much cheaper - especially with the recycle shops and 100 yen stores. Many years later I find prices in Australia more a shock when I go back. I've also travelled in the US and UK and thought them much more expensive than Japan. For example we were in Hokkaido last week and we stayed in a huge room at the Loisir Hotel for only 6,200 a night. In Australia that would cost me at least three times as much. I could give lots more examples but you get my drift. Bottom line is that there is much more potential for saving on JET now - esp. given the exchange rate.

[RoBot]

Bottom line is that there is much more potential for saving on JET now - esp. given the exchange rate.

This is good- I hope to save most of my paycheck to pay for a masters degree.