Squirreled away
Money under every mattress? Think again

While Japan has traditionally been a nation of savers, the last 40 years have seen the average rate of household savings drop from a whopping 23 percent of salary in the mid-1970s to just 2.6 percent today. However, it’s not all bleak. While it’s sad to see the Japanese lured to spend above their means by an increasing range of credit products, improvements in pension and insurance options have provided peace of mind without the need for mattress-stuffing. Then again, perhaps the biggest culprit for this dramatic decline in thrift is the aging population—with fewer youngsters and more pensioners, the balance has shifted between those saving for distant nightfall and those surviving the twilight with what they were smart enough to put aside.

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Argentum Wealth Management
Argentum Wealth Management is a licensed independent financial planning and advisory firm that provides personal investment solutions to individuals living and working outside their home countries. Their services cover:

→ Retirement & private pensions
→ Regular savings & lump sum investments
→ Children’s education
→ Portfolio management
→ Property purchases & mortgages
→ Global health & life insurance
→ Estate planning & asset protection
→ Corporate solutions

Whether you’ve just arrived in Japan, have been here a while, or are looking to move somewhere else, Argentum Wealth Management provides advice, solutions and servicing to support you wherever you are. Working together with the world’s largest investment institutions and banks, they offer access to a wider range of internationally based vehicles than many competitors. Argentum’s professional and experienced team will give you all the information you need to make the right decisions. They’re committed to their customers’ ongoing needs, providing online portfolio viewing, regular financial reviews, updates and a dedicated support team. Argentum can also service individuals who already have investment solutions and are looking for a higher level of service and advice than they are currently receiving. Call or email for a free consultation.

☛ 601 Hinoki Azabudai Building, 3-1-5 Azabudai, Minato-ku. Tel: 03-5549-9099. Email: advice@argentumwealth.com. www.argentumwealth.com


Currency Online
Currency Online offers a secure, easy-to-use online money transfer service that provides competitive and consistent pricing. Established as Elldridge Lynch in New Zealand in 1986, Currency Online offers businesses and individuals an easy and secure way to exchange currencies and arrange payment to accounts worldwide. The service is open 24 hours a day, five days a week, providing an online platform where you can request rates, convert currency, add beneficiaries, and manage all your currency needs from the comfort and security of your computer. “Our clients keep up-to-date with market movements and transact online when they feel the rate is favorable,” says marketing manager Jon Speedy. “There is no need to run down to the bank to find out what the rate is.” Currency Online also emphasizes that transfer fees are not necessarily the most important factor when looking to save money on your transfers—the rate you are offered will have a big effect on how much money you can save. Compared to most banks, Currency Online offers superior exchange rates that will far outweigh any potential transfer fee difference. Setting up an account with Currency Online is free and takes less than five minutes. Once you’ve supplied the necessary documentation and your account is approved, you’ll be able to login and transfer online around the clock.

☛ Tel: 0120-974-891. Web: www.currencyonline.com


Relo Financial Solutions Ltd.
Relo Financial Solutions prides itself in helping customers lead a safe and secure life in Japan. Their insurance services for foreigners range from car and fire to accident and theft. Fluent English-speaking staff are on call and committed to meeting all customer needs. For example, when purchasing an automobile in Japan, it can be difficult to understand the system of vehicle inspection and insurance. Relo Financial Solutions has created a complete system to assist foreign customers in the process, from the beginning to the end. What’s more, in the event of an accident, customers can get assistance from a 24-hour English call desk. They also offer full insurance on personal property: foreigners residing in Japan can take advantage of Worldwide Package plans like the All Risks insurance program with 100% Earthquake indemnity, including Personal Liability packages. Whether you’re looking for a new insurance plan or want to improve your existing plan, Relo Financial Solutions has the answer for you. Call or stop by for a consultation.

☛ 4-3-23 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku. Tel: 03-3354-6517. Open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, closed Sat-Sun & hols. Email: carinsurance@relo.jp. Nearest stn: Shinjuku. www.relo-insurance.jp/car


SU Partners Tax Corporation
Whether you’re a regular worker or a business owner, keeping up with your accounts and taxes can be stressful. Providing services that range from basic to complex, SU Partners Tax Corporation helps ease the pain by doing the legwork for you. They look after such basics as bookkeeping, payroll, corporate and individual tax-return preparation, consultation on complicated accounting and tax issues, and tax representation, crunching the numbers so you don’t have to.

On top of that, SU Partners offer an extra layer of corporate services, getting under the skin of your company and creating a business plan, consulting on the financing requirements of the banks, and discussing capital formation and inheritance issues. Other services include international tax and accounting, SPC funds, mergers and acquisitions, business succession, entrepreneur support and more.

☛ Ginza Office: 2F Davinci Ginza Building, 6-2-1 Ginza Chuo-ku, Tokyo. Nearest stn: Ginza (C1 exit).

☛ Yokohama Office:3F Yokohama Kinko-cho Bldg, 6-3 Kinko-cho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama. Tel: 0120-91-8826 (toll free).

☛ Open Mon-Fri 9:30am-6pm, closed Sat-Sun. Nearest stn: Yokohama (Northeast exit). www.supt.jp/english


US-TaxCPA.com
US-TaxCPA.com provides US income tax preparation and advisory services for US citizens, resident green card holders, and non-resident aliens residing in Japan and around the globe. They offer over 15 years of expatriate tax experience, so you can keep abreast of the latest changes in US tax law and take advantage of extended filing deadlines, foreign income exclusions, tax credits and treaty benefits to meet full US tax compliance. Whether you’re a high net worth individual with complex tax compliance issues or still early in your career, their client tax organizer walks you through the maze of tax reporting requirements in 20-30 minutes. And because they specialize in overseas tax filings, their service fee is typically 40-60 percent less than the major competition. So you save time and money in preparing your tax return, in addition to having your return done right. At US-TaxCPA.com, you’ll receive a free service fee quotation and initial consultation, and your tax return will be prepared and signed by a licensed US certified public accountant. They strive to achieve the highest level of satisfaction for their clients, whether you file your tax return annually or are delinquent in your filing obligations. For more information and to judge US-TaxCPA.com’s commitment to quality, visit the website to see what clients say about their service.

☛ www.US-TaxCPA.com

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Penny Pinching
The most expensive city on earth? Ha! Living on the cheap in Tokyo is easier than you might think

Cheap eats can be found at the chain restaurant Ootoya (www.ootoya.com), which offers affordable Japanese home cooking in surprisingly pleasant surroundings. Fast food joints such as Yoshinoya (www.yoshinoya.com) and Sukiya (www.sukiya.jp) offer substantial beef and rice bowls at half the price of a McDonald’s set meal (and only taste a quarter as horrific).

Can’t afford to sustain your gaming habit? The vintage cabinets at Shibuya Kaikan Monaco arcade (23-10 Udagawacho) are nearly all just ¥50 per play. Can’t afford to sustain your gambling habit? Many pachinko parlors, such as the Espace chain (www.nittaku.jp), have budget machines where each ball is worth ¥1 rather than the usual ¥4, while the Tokyo Racecourse (http://meturl.com/race) accepts bets of just ¥100. Can’t afford to sustain your film habit? Most cinemas hold Ladies’ Day each Wednesday and a Men’s Day once a month, with heavily reduced tickets.

You can buy used manga editions at Book Off (www.bookoff.co.jp) for as little as ¥105, or pay by the half-hour to read as much as you like in a manga café like Manboo (www.manboo.co.jp). Disk Union (http://diskunion.net), Recofan (www.recofan.co.jp) and Dorama (www.dorama.co.jp) offer secondhand CDs and DVDs at a fraction of the original prices. Even pornography is available used (eew) or in clearance sales, though we won’t go into what kind of habit will lead you to that one…

If you’re on holiday in Tokyo and looking for discount digs, try the many budget ryokan (inns) in Asakusa (such as Taito Ryokan, www.libertyhouse.gr.jp) and other areas of the shitamachi (downtown) district—or if you’re feeling brave, a capsule hotel like Roppongi’s Yuraku Zanmai (www.sauna.co.jp), where you can catch a few Zs in an electronically enhanced coffin.

So-called “coins bars” are a godsend, too—these boozers price all drinks at a mere ¥300-¥500. In fact, the Kin No Kura izakaya chain (http://meturl.com/kin) offers all food and drinks at just ¥270 apiece and stays open till around 5am—perfect for that all-night cheapskate afterparty. Many izakaya do all-you-can-drink booze deals for as little as ¥1,000 for two hours—one such favorite is Sherpa in Shimokitazawa (http://meturl.com/sherpa). And remember, waiting a few hours for the first trains while singing in a karaoke booth or chilling at a net cafe will almost certainly cost you less than a late-night taxi home.

If it’s a soft drink you’re after, some vending machines, especially near colleges, sell lesser-known brands of soda (and sometimes the major brands too) for just ¥100 a pop—that’s around ¥20 cheaper than at a convenience store.

Don’t miss clothing chains H&M (www.hm.com/jp), Aoki (www.aoki-style.com) and Zenmall (www.sakazen.co.jp), where the latest fashions can be had for a pittance; the Tokyu Hands (www.tokyu-hands.co.jp) and Don Quijote (www.donki.com) chain stores, each of which sells household goods, electronics and basics at wallet-friendly prices; and the ¥100 shops like Daiso (www.daiso-sangyo.co.jp) dotted around the city, which sell all the household goods you could need for the equivalent of a dollar—from crockery to storage to chopsticks to towels to rugs to pots and pans.

Finally, wherever you shop, don’t forget to bag a loyalty card. Since most stores and many restaurants offer these, you could find yourself stocked up on free meals, music and machines. Who says tightwads can’t go to town in Tokyo?