Views from the street: Saving your pennies

So, how do YOU pinch your pennies, peoples? :?

Melanie Burton asks how people save their pennies in one of the world's costliest capitals.

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Japan Times

For me, I spend it on things I like...and that's just about every day...

Wasn't this article used to spark another discussion? Oh well. When in Japan, it's 100 yen stores everyday for me. School supplies, batteries, snacks, souveneirs, it's all there. Supermarket/konbini lunches, discount karaoke cards, BLDY drinking, and happy hours. And of course, there's always the occasional "push"...I forget the Japanese word for it.

Brian Tisza
Photographer, 30
You should try to hang around at your in-laws' house and drink lots of malt liquor. It's much cheaper than buying beer.

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Paul Soprano
Performer, 33
Don't buy alcoholic beverages from a bar in Japan. Instead, carry a backpack with budget supermarket drinks, and pour them into a glass inconspicuously.

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Yeah my parents give me lunch money for well lunch at school and I save it up to get video games. I dunno if that is saving cash.

Don't buy alcoholic beverages from a bar in Japan. Instead, carry a backpack with budget supermarket drinks, and pour them into a glass inconspicuously.

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I'm not sure if it's the result of being a relatively broke college student, or just inordinately ghetto, but I found supermarket/konbini drinks a great alternative to bars. Excepting those nomihoudai nights, bars put a huge dent in my wallet just due to my tastes, a tolerance that grew as I was there, and the amount of time we spent in drinking establishments. Each trip to Roppongi was started by splitting a small bottle of whiskey with my buddy Anthony and each consuming 3-4 Chu-His, beers, sake cans or some other random alcoholic drink. I never resorted to carrying around a stash into a bar like our performer friend here, but I definitely know what it's like to be a bit..frugal when it came to drinking.

BLDY! All you can drink liquor for under 500 yen, NO TIME LIMIT! Below average food, but you should be so drunk you won't notice. My frequent customer got too much use there.