3 ms·

> going to shop at supermarkets and food stalls as late as possible Yes I do the same multiple days per week. It works surprisingly well here though. Rarely mo

by ascar 8y ago

> going to shop at supermarkets and food stalls as late as possible Yes I do the same multiple days per week. It works surprisingly well here though. Rarely more than 3-4 boxes left on the shelf that has over a hundred around noon. Sometimes it was even fully sold out. > I wouldn't even know what to do with a 15 million yen salary, honestly. Crazy money. With higher salary easily come higher living standards. Bigger house, not looking at food prices so much, more expensive vacations. I got by with 1.5million yen the last years, but could barely afford the 600million to 1 billion yen family house I would like to have one day (Munich, not SF!) even with a 10mil yen salary (6mil post tax) and no increase in living standards from the 1.5mil.

Ultramanoid 8y ago
> With higher salary easily come higher living standards. Bigger house, not looking at food prices so much, more expensive vacations. While I kind of understand it, I also see a difference in general between Japan and not just the West, but also many other places in Asia, notably Chinese cultures ( as referenced before, no discussions of salary for instance in Japan, and no showing-off of means even if you have them ) when it comes to contentment. To reach a point where you don't have to think about getting something better, and that's a decision to make, because there is always something better. As I also mention I keep hearing about 'stagnated economy' but I look around and I see me and everyone I care about being paid, living well. I don't care for 15 million as opposed to 4 in that sense. お金持ち is easily thrown around slightly offensively in Japan, while in Taiwan callling you rich would be high praise. I've downsized in many respects over the years. I could spend more on food now, but I don't need to. Used to live in a house 4 times bigger than now, and I wouldn't go back to it for anything now. I earned three times more 20 years ago ( and spent as much as I earned ), but as I also mentioned before, no money in the world is getting me into corporate Japan to die of karoshi or spend 90% of my time stressed, abused, and exhausted. The only thing money could help with or improve in certain circumstances is health, which in the end is the only thing that really matters in life.

by ascar 8y ago

Ultramanoid 8y ago

> With higher salary easily come higher living standards. Bigger house, not looking at food prices so much, more expensive vacations. While I kind of understand it, I also see a difference in general between Japan and not just the West, but also many other places in Asia, notably Chinese cultures ( as referenced before, no discussions of salary for instance in Japan, and no showing-off of means even if you have them ) when it comes to contentment. To reach a point where you don't have to think about getting something better, and that's a decision to make, because there is always something better. As I also mention I keep hearing about 'stagnated economy' but I look around and I see me and everyone I care about being paid, living well. I don't care for 15 million as opposed to 4 in that sense. お金持ち is easily thrown around slightly offensively in Japan, while in Taiwan callling you rich would be high praise. I've downsized in many respects over the years. I could spend more on food now, but I don't need to. Used to live in a house 4 times bigger than now, and I wouldn't go back to it for anything now. I earned three times more 20 years ago ( and spent as much as I earned ), but as I also mentioned before, no money in the world is getting me into corporate Japan to die of karoshi or spend 90% of my time stressed, abused, and exhausted. The only thing money could help with or improve in certain circumstances is health, which in the end is the only thing that really matters in life.