{"id":13849,"date":"2022-09-26T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-26T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/?p=13849"},"modified":"2022-10-21T16:23:59","modified_gmt":"2022-10-21T07:23:59","slug":"how-to-save-money-on-big-household-appliances","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/japanese-apartment-life\/how-to-save-money-on-big-household-appliances\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Save Money on Big Household Appliances"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Moving to Japan or moving homes in Japan can be an expensive affair because more often than not, rental properties come unfurnished. Normally, there\u2019s no furniture in sight, and there might not even be an A\/C unit, stovetop, or light fixtures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, if you\u2019re planning on moving to Japan and are thinking, \u2018this doesn\u2019t apply to <\/del><\/p>\n\n\n\n

me; I can just ship all my furniture and appliances over!\u2019, hold on! Apartments and houses in Japan tend to be much smaller than say apartments and houses in The States or Europe so your furniture might not fit. Secondly, depending on where you\u2019re moving from, you may not be able to use your household or kitchen appliances in Japan due to the differences in voltage. Japan operates on a 100-volt current while other countries operate on a 100V~240-volt current. If you\u2019re looking to bring some appliances over from abroad, you\u2019re going to need to invest in a step-up transformer, which can cost anywhere between \u00a55,000~\u00a550,000. You\u2019ll also need power adapters as the plug sockets in Japan might differ from the ones at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, if you\u2019re looking to not exhaust your financial resources when you\u2019re moving to Japan or moving to an unfurnished unit, read on to find out how you can save yourself some money. You can also ask your Village House<\/a> representative how you can save on furnishings and appliances if you\u2019re going with them because they offer moving support and can assist you in such matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Home<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Appliance Cost Calculator<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of your biggest expenses will be household and kitchen appliances. There\u2019s no real way of getting around to not buying these necessities unless you\u2019re willing to use the nearest Laundromat or live off of takeout and delivery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Washing machines can start anywhere from \u00a520,000 and go as high as \u00a5250,000 depending on make and model, functionality, top-loader or front-loader, size, and capacity, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Refrigerators can cost around \u00a518,000 and go up to around \u00a5350,000 depending on size, brand, functionality, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stovetops, depending on whether you\u2019re looking for gas or electric, may start anywhere from \u00a516,000 to \u00a526,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re living alone and\/or don\u2019t like to spend hours of your precious time in front of the stove after a long day at work, then you may want to invest in a microwave, which has an average starting cost of around \u00a55,000~\u00a57,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you fancy some toast or doing some \u2013 light, simple, and small \u2013 baking, then you\u2019ll need a toaster oven as standard-sized ovens are not common in Japan and can be pricey. Toaster ovens can start from \u00a52,500 yen with limited functionality and size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, if you\u2019re planning to move to Japan for only a short period of time, you may want to consider renting appliances instead of buying them. Not only might it be cheaper but you\u2019ll also avoid the headache-inducing task of having to get rid of them, which in Japan, can be rather taxing. If you\u2019re renting a property from Village House<\/a>, you can opt for some \u201cadd-ons\u201d to be installed in the apartment you signed a lease for, like an A\/C unit, gas stove, vanity sink, and washlet toilet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prices and availability may vary so check with your Village House real estate agent for more details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Shopping\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Cheap Furniture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The cost of moving is never cheap but you can cut corners and save yourself some cash by buying generic, non-Japanese brands or shopping at one of the following places:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

IKEA<\/em> \u2013 we all know IKEA. Its reputation precedes itself when it comes to reasonably priced furniture that\u2019s supposedly easy to transport home due to its flat packing. IKEA may be a good bet for you if you\u2019re looking for more Western-style furniture and household fixings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MUJI<\/em> \u2013 this is a Japanese retail company specializing in household goods that are minimalistic in design. They also emphasize on recycling and limiting production and packing waste so if you\u2019re looking to ease your consciousness regarding the environment and global warming, why not check out one of their numerous stores?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NITORI<\/em> \u2013 also known as \u201cJapanese IKEA\u201d, Nitori is a low-cost retailer selling household goods with stores at city-center locations. They also specialize in uniquely Japanese household goods such as futons, futon covers, and Kotatsus. So if you\u2019re interested in such items, you can find them here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Sale<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everybody loves a good sale and Japan is no different. One of the best times to go bargain hunting in Japan is between December and February. Known as Hatsu-uri<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

or \u201cFirst Sale of the Year\u201d, this is the equivalent of Black Friday in Japan albeit longer and many shops, including electronic and appliance stores, participate in this event. If you\u2019ve been eyeing that fancy new coffee machine or a combo washer-and-dryer, but want to be kind to your wallet; then wait until this period to splurge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another good time to go hunting for household goods, furniture, and appliances is March. This is the end of the fiscal year for businesses in Japan so many stores and businesses will hold sales to try to wrap up their financial year on a good note.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Store<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Secondhand Stores<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As previously mentioned, getting rid of large pieces of furniture, appliances, and other household goods can be a taxing and difficult affair. You have to obtain a special sodai gomi<\/em> ticket if you want to dispose of such items and you\u2019ll also need to call to arrange a time for these items to be collected. As if moving wasn\u2019t stressful enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luckily, there\u2019s a solution: secondhand shops, or recycle shops they are more commonly called in Japan. Due to the tricky nature of getting rid of furniture and bulky goods in Japan, you can score a great bargain at these shops because it\u2019s easier to send your unwanted furniture and appliances to these businesses than to get rid of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One of the most popular recycling shop companies in Japan is the \u201cOFF\u201d shops. House Off and Hard Off are where you can go sniffing around for some perfectly functioning furniture, appliances, and other household goods. Sometimes, depending on what\u2019s on offer, they may have bundle deals where you can get a fridge, microwave, and washing machine for around \u00a535,000~\u00a550,000, warranty and shipping included!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other recycle shops in Japan include 2nd<\/sup> Street, which has over 550 stores around Japan and specializes in providing customers with high-quality secondhand goods. If you\u2019re out in the sticks there\u2019s also Cosmo Space, another recycle or reuse shop. Canvass your neighborhood for local secondhand shops and thrift stores as well<\/p>\n\n\n\n

because it may save you the shipping costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Woman<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Facebook Marketplace<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lastly, if you\u2019re internet savvy, many expats have formed various Facebook groups to assist in helping other expats obtain or get rid of unwanted white goods or furniture. One of the most prevalent and popular Facebook groups is Sayonara Sale, which is dedicated to selling, giving away, and asking for items. All posts are pre-approved for safety and minimizing buyer\u2019s remorse; and all posts must include: description, location for pickup, price, condition, and of course, a picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re really strapped for cash, then Mottainai Japan is another Facebook group you can have a look at. This organization emphasizes saving the environment by giving away items for free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, if you have some cash to spare or are looking for a particular item, you may want to try Mercari, a Japanese online flea market service. There\u2019s also Craigslist Japan and GaijinPot, which has classifieds used by many expats looking to get rid of their stuff, either free or for a price, which may sometimes be negotiable. Use common sense and ask questions and verify the condition and location when using such websites though so you don\u2019t fall victim to any scams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re looking for more ways to save money, you might consider moving into a Village House! Your ideal affordable Japanese rental home might be waiting for you on our website, so please have a look at our available apartments<\/a>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Moving to Japan or moving homes in Japan can be an expensive affair because more often than not, rental properties come unfurnished. Normally, there\u2019s no furniture in sight, and there might not even be an A\/C unit, stovetop, or light fixtures. Now, if you\u2019re planning on moving to Japan and are thinking, \u2018this doesn\u2019t apply […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":13897,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13849","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-japanese-apartment-life"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13849","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13849"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13849\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13897"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13849"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13849"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13849"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}