What is Kakebo, the Japanese method of saving money that has spread in Argentina?

Many consider it a method, but for others, it is directly a Japanese art. This is done in recognition of the origin of its creator, Hani Motoko, who put it into practice for the first time in 1904, without imagining that it would become viral worldwide 115 years later.

Notebook Kakebo aims to help people to have a clear record of your income and expenses, to periodically evaluate their economic situation, to the point of save up to 35% money.

The easiest way to understand this method is to translate it into Spanish, that is, the famous "household book". However, what makes him special is his way of clbadify each expense, to understand then which are indispensable, which correspond to acts of leisure and which represent extras.

The notebook requires anyone who wants to keep control of his economy that he divide expenses in these categories, which can be described from some examples: essential expenses (housing, transportation, food, home care and medicines), leisure (restaurants, shops, gym, etc.) and the extras (gifts, repairs and trips).

With this inscription, at the end of each month, the sum of the expenses is subtracted from the income (salary, real estate searches, pensions, etc.) to obtain a general balance. With this figure already clarified, the booklet will allow you to answer a few questions: how much money have you managed to save ?, how much money would you like to accumulate ?, how much do you actually spend? orwhat would you change next month to improve?

By answering these questions, you will be able to better understand your expenses relative to your income and have a clear idea of ​​the items you can eliminate to save more or spend on other items. Even traditionally, one color is badigned to each type of expense, so its use is more visually appealing and not just a long list of numbers.

According to its creator, this method allows people save up to 35% money on a monthly basis. Author Fumiko Chiba has written a book about this art and explains that although "Japan is a traditional culture in many ways, Kakebo was a liberating tool, giving control of financial decisions. "