15 Money-Saving Methods From Different Countries That Might Seem Confusing at First but Turn Out to Be Pretty Cool

No matter how much you earn, it’s important to be able to use the money wisely. Many people save money by buying things on sale and collecting coupons.
We found out how people in other countries save money and whether or not we can use their methods.

Japan

• People in Japan recommend buying groceries 1 hour before the supermarkets close down, when the discounts for the soon-to-be expired foods are up to 50% off.
• Many Japanese people ride bikes to work, not spending money on the subway or other means of transportation.
• In Japan, they have a special bathing culture: they wash in the shower and rest in the bathtub. And nobody wants to miss this pleasure, but making a bath for every family member is expensive, and it takes a lot of time. That’s why it’s absolutely normal to bathe in the same water, one by one. People get in when they are already clean, so the water remains pure, and the temperature is maintained by electronic devices and lids, covering the bathtub after every person. In other families, people prefer taking baths together: children bathe with their parents until they are teenagers. For the Japanese, it’s a normal way to spend time with their families — like watching TV together.

• And that’s not all: after everyone has had a bath, they use the same water for doing the laundry. Many washing machines have a special pump that gets the water from the tub. It’s a great chance to not only save money but also to do the laundry in warm water, as Japanese washing machines don’t heat water.
• You probably know how hardworking the Japanese people are and that they often stay in the office late — and a taxi ride can be pretty expensive if the apartment is far from the office. So, to save money, on very busy weeks, some people just sleep in capsule hotels.

Australia

• 69% of Australians say that they try to avoid ironing, and 41% claim that they have never even used an iron. The most inventive people find various ways to get rid of wrinkles on their clothes, and one of them is hanging their clothes in the bathroom while someone is taking a shower. The steam removes the wrinkles, saving both power and time.

South Korea

• In winter, it can be pretty cold in Korean houses. In the best case scenario, it’s around 68°F. But people there have found an unusual way to keep warm: they set tents right in their living rooms and bedrooms and sleep there in groups.

• Also, people in Korea, like in many other countries, try to save water. During a crisis, women even bought black shirts for their husbands to wash them less often. According to statistics, washing machines account for 17% of all water consumption — and detergent is not free.

European countries

• Germany is probably the most thrifty nation. Germans try to take very good care of their clothes in order to give them away or eventually sell them. Around 1/3 of all Germans sell their clothes or give them to thrift stores.
• Most European countries don’t have heating, and using electric heaters is expensive because power costs a lot. But they found a solution: at night, they turn off the heat and maintain a comfortable temperature by using electric blankets and heat cushions.

• In Sweden and Switzerland, it’s perfectly normal to give children savings account gifts or shares of investment funds.
• Many Europeans buy furniture on sale and sometimes skimp on movers. They can rent a van and deliver the product on their own or ask friends for help.
• Also, Europeans can furnish their entire house without spending a dime. Once or several times a year, people take out all the big things they don’t need and a special vehicle comes to pick them up. But if someone needs something, they can take it. It could be some house appliance that can still be used, for instance.
• In Western countries, beauty brands accept packaging from used products. For example, MAC Cosmetics gives one free lipstick in exchange for 6 empty containers.
• In Europe, it’s absolutely normal to rent property to your relatives. One person said that a guy he knows has a house with his grandfather and father both living in it. They all pay the rent, and it’s totally okay. It’s still an asset, even if it’s your family.

People in different countries use these money-saving methods. The author of this article, for example, loves returning old packaging to get new beauty products. What money-saving methods do you use? Tell us in the comment section below, and we’ll tell our readers about them in our next articles!