Pocket Change

The Japanese currency system is wreaking havoc on my budget. My wife and I usually give ourselves each a little petty money every week for miscellaneous things or emergencies. Back in the States, I rarely spent it as I always hated the thought of breaking bills. Hoping instead to stash it away for a bigger item after the savings accrued. In the rare case I did, for example, buy a soda out of the vending machine, I would still be left with some dollar bills making it hard to go back for more.

In Japan it's been a different story. All of my discipline is out the window thanks to these:


The Japanese Yen to Dollar conversion is generally 100 to 1. So, you can think of the big, gold 500 JPY coin and the little, silver 100 JPY coin shown in the picture above as $5 and &1 respectfully. Unfortunately, I can't get over the idea that whatever's in my pocket as I near a vending machine (which there are a plenty) or a convenience store (which there are a plenty) is simply pocket change taking up unnecessary space.

Uggghhh....I'll never be able to save up for that Boss Coffee bomber jacket I want ever so badly!!!