お金がたまらない人の15の悪習慣

Hello!
　I believe people who save money well have a certain knack for it.

　Without realizing it, we can fall into various bad habits. Then one day, we wonder, "Why on earth do I have so little money?" Giving up on what you truly want to do because of it can lead to major regrets later.

　If you want to break free from that cycle, please take a look at this article. With just a slight shift in awareness, anyone can become better at managing their money. Today, drawing on an article from Toyo Keizai, let’s take a look together at the hidden habits in our daily lives.

　What should someone do if they truly want to become someone who can save money?

　Instead of eagerly jumping into a brand-new savings method or a complicated investment strategy, the quickest way is actually to start by "quitting" the habits you take for granted.

　The author, who has reviewed numerous household budgets as an editor for a homemaker magazine, has seen countless "spending traps" hidden in the lives of people who fail to save money.

　Things you choose to do, thinking they are good for you, might actually be draining your precious money.

　If you clear away these bad habits, money will naturally stay in your hands. If any of the 15 habits listed below ring a bell, I highly recommend "quitting" them starting today for a rich future without regrets.

1. Quit Your Daily "Detours"

Do you stop by the same places every day, even when you don't really have any errands to run?

　It could be a nearby convenience store, a cafe, a video rental shop, a drugstore, or a 100-yen shop. Even though you didn't intend to spend money, you somehow find yourself walking out with a shopping bag in hand. Have you ever had an experience like that?

　Even small daily spending can slowly eat away at your money. If you feel like you have a habit of making these detours, start by reducing how often you stop by.

📌 Observe Yourself

　To tackle this, keeping a daily journal to observe your behavior is a great method.

　"Stopping by on a whim" is easy for anyone to do. For instance, dropping by a cafe to enjoy a chat with friends is a wonderful way to spend your time. However, if you go to a cafe alone all the time without a particular purpose, I highly recommend making a delicious cup of coffee at home instead.

I used to go to cafes a lot too, but if you drink a 300-yen cup of coffee every day, it adds up to 3,000 yen in just 10 days.

💡 Face the "Feelings" Behind Your Detours

　Stopping by somewhere aimlessly, without meeting anyone in particular, might actually be a sign you are feeling a bit lonely or empty inside. You might be trying to fill that emotional gap by spending money.

　If that is the case, why not invest that money and time into a hobby or work that you can truly lose yourself in?

　Stop wasting your money and time on mindless detours, and instead pour your energy into things that genuinely fulfill your heart. That is the very first step toward a future lifestyle with no regrets.

2. Stop Accepting "Next-Visit" Discount Coupons

　When you pay at a restaurant or cafe register, you often get handed a discount coupon or a free drink ticket for your next visit, don't you? And without fail, they almost always have an "expiration date" printed on them.

　If it’s a favorite spot that you already plan to visit every single week, that’s perfectly fine. But if not, it might actually be better to refuse them or throw them away immediately. Why? Because if you accept it and tuck it away in your wallet, you’ll notice it right before it expires and think, "It’s a waste not to use it!" Then, you’ll find yourself rushing back to that store.

　If you were already in the mood to eat out that day, that’s great. But if you are going to the restaurant just to use the coupon, that becomes an unnecessary expense. Worse, you might end up accepting yet another coupon on that visit, so you need to be very careful.

📌 The Trap of Expiration Dates

　These tickets with expiration dates truly know how to play with our consumer psychology. They make us feel like, "If I don't go, I’m missing out."

　The sense of getting a good deal—"It’s cheaper because I have this ticket"—preys on our emotional weakness. But if you think about it calmly, you are forcing yourself to buy something you didn't originally need. This puts the cart before the horse and can end up feeling like a waste of money.

💡 Choose What You "Truly Need" Based on Your Own Will

　Shopping should be about buying something because you "need it," not because it is "cheap." This is a fundamental rule we should always keep in mind.

　In fact, I often find myself falling into this exact temptation, thinking, "Maybe I’ll need this again next week?" and buying it. So, I truly feel every day that we must watch out for this.

　Instead of letting your actions be controlled by "expiration dates" or "good deals" decided by someone else, choose what you truly want right now with your own free will. Building up those small choices, one by one, is likely the very first step toward living a "regret-free life" with yourself at the center.

3. Stop Collecting Coffee Stamps

　When you visit a cafe, you are often asked, "Would you like to start a stamp card?" If it isn't a favorite spot you absolutely intend to frequent, it may be better to refuse boldly.

　As stamp rallies show, when we have an incomplete set of stamps in our hands, it naturally triggers our desire to "complete the collection!"

　As a result, even if a new, cheaper, and more comfortable cafe opens nearby, you end up sticking to the same old spot instead of trying something new. The more stamps you collect, the less freedom you have to choose other places.

　The stamps they press for you are not just a simple service. It might be better to view them as a subtle sign from the shop saying, "Please spend money here nine more times."

📌 The Psychological Trap of "Wanting the Plate"

　A similar phenomenon is hidden in many places all around us.

　For example, my mother often does this, but a famous campaign lets you collect points on pastries to get a free white plate. As a result, our kitchen cupboard is filled with identical white plates.

　"Why on earth does she want those plates so badly?" Personally, I find it a bit hard to understand, but I think this, too, is a trick triggered by the human psychology of "wanting to collect and complete things."

　If you think about it calmly, instead of keeping on buying those pastries, it would be much tastier and healthier to buy plain bread and make French toast or pizza toast yourself. Yet, my mother unconsciously chooses the pastries just for the points. Before we knew it, the front of our refrigerator was covered with stamp cards peeled off those pastries.

💡 Choose "True Satisfaction" Without Being Swayed by Perks

　The sense of achievement when you complete a stamp card or get a plate is wonderful in that exact moment. However, if you sacrifice what you "truly wanted to eat" or the place you "truly feel comfortable in" just for that, doesn't it feel a bit like a waste?

4. Stop Going to Drinking Parties Just to Listen to Complaints

　It is easy to understand why people think that, as a professional, it is a senior's duty to listen to the complaints and venting of subordinates or juniors.

　However, once alcohol is involved, the conversation inevitably drags on, and more often than not, the problems don't actually get solved right then and there. Since you are spending your precious pocket money or hard-earned salary, you would probably prefer your drinks to be fun and positive, wouldn't you? If you are going to listen to someone's complaints, inviting them to lunch instead of a nighttime drinking party might save you time and money.

📌 Social Ties and "Peace of Mind" Are Important Too

　While the original article suggests that "you should just settle for lunch," personally, I feel that we shouldn't be too stingy with money when it comes to human relationships.

　Anyone who works will have a complaint or two they want someone to listen to, and a moderate amount of "letting off steam" is genuinely crucial for keeping relationships smooth.

　If you cut everything out just to save money, you will lose flexibility and peace of mind in both your life and your heart. To me, that feels like putting the cart before the horse.

💡 Regret-Free Relationships and How to Spend Your Money

　The most important thing isn't to be universally stingy with your money, but rather to evaluate whether that specific relationship truly brings value to both of your lives.

　For instance, if someone does nothing but complain every time you meet, without ever reflecting on themselves or trying to improve, it may be best to keep some distance for the sake of both your futures. Spending your time and money on that kind of dragging relationship will only lead to regret.

　On the other hand, if a precious friend is truly struggling and you are helping them vent so they can look forward again, that is by no means a waste of money.

　Instead of losing rich human relationships or your peace of mind by being too tightly bound by saving money, choose the people you truly want to cherish with your own free will. That balance shapes a rich, regret-free way of living.

5. Stop Automatically Ordering the Combo Meal

　When you walk into a family restaurant or a fast-food joint, it’s easy to look at the menu and find yourself wanting a "combo" or "set meal," isn't it? I think it’s because the word "set" implies it’s a better deal than ordering items individually.

　However, that doesn't necessarily mean it’s truly the cheapest or most optimal choice for you.

　At a family restaurant, just a main dish and a side of rice might be more than enough. At a fast-food place, just a burger and a drink might hit the spot perfectly. Before blindly picking a combo just because it's a "set," it might be worth a quick mental calculation. As you study the menu closely, you might realize a combination of individual items costs less.

📌 Calculating with a Calculator in Hand is a Bit...?

　The original article suggests doing a quick calculation, but in reality, if you are always tapping away on a calculator at the table to see if the combo price is a better deal than single items... it might make you look a bit "strange" or "cheap," which can be embarrassing.

　If your favorite items come with the combo, or if it clearly benefits you and brings you joy, then paying the combo price with a smile is the natural choice.

　When you are supposed to be enjoying a delicious meal out, staring intently at your smartphone calculator over a few dozen yen feels stifling. That kind of rigid budgeting seems to take away half the joy of life.

💡 Pay for What You "Want to Eat," Not Just for the "Good Deal"

　To live a life without regrets, don't sweat the single-yen details or pinch pennies while worrying about what others think.

　Stop letting the restaurant's marketing system sway you into "ordering the combo because it's a deal." Instead, be completely honest with your own heart and ask, "What do I truly want to eat right now?"

　Even if it ends up costing just a tiny bit more, if you eat what you love and your heart is 100% satisfied, that is by no means a waste of money.

6. Stop Buying Things Just Because It’s a Double-Points Day

　Many people shop on days when loyalty points are boosted, such as Rakuten Ichiba's "Super Sale" or "Days Ending in 5" campaigns on various shopping websites.

　However, most points earned through these campaigns are "limited-time points." As the deadline approaches, a polite notification pops up on your computer or app, saying, "Your points will expire if you don't use them by [Date]." When we see this, nine times out of ten, we end up forcing ourselves to buy things we don't actually need right away. Some people believe the best way to avoid being swayed by these expiration alerts is to intentionally ignore point-up campaigns altogether.

📌 Smart Systems Exist to Be Used, So You Might as Well Use Them Wisely

　While the original article dismisses these campaigns and says you should "quit" them, I see it a little differently. Instead of letting yourself be controlled by the system, I believe you should take the driver's seat and make good use of what is available to you.

　Take my case, for example. I target the specific timing when cosmetics at one of my favorite shops go on a "10x points" promotion, and I deliberately buy only the cosmetics I actually need at that moment.

　The key factor is that this shop's points aren't limited-time points. Since I don't have to rush to spend them before they expire, I can let them build up patiently. With the 2,000 yen worth of points I accumulate this way, I buy a 4,000 yen Christmas cake every winter for half price at 2,000 yen.

💡 Wisely Turn the System into Your Ally to Bring More "Rewards" into Your Life

　Buying things you don't even need just for points means someone else's rules dictate your actions, which ultimately leads to regret.

　However, planning ahead to buy daily essentials you use all the time (like cosmetics) on high-point days, and using the saved money or accumulated points for a little everyday happiness (like a Christmas cake), makes life incredibly rich, doesn't it?

　You don't need to ban every campaign and drain the moisture and joy from your heart.

7. Stop Buying Things When Your Judgment is Impaired

　Almost everyone has experienced making an "impulse buy" next to the cash register at a convenience store or supermarket. This means picking up items like batteries, chewing gum, or small snacks placed right by the register, even though you didn't intend to buy them.

　Shopping is inherently a task that requires significant brainpower. Constantly judging whether you "truly need it or not" and whether the "price is fair" throughout your shopping trip eventually exhausts your brain and makes thinking a hassle. That's why, at the cash register—the final hurdle after you are tired of making decisions—your judgment loosens, and you end up buying unnecessary things.

　The same happens with online shopping. When business professionals, exhausted from their daytime jobs, shop online late at night, their judgment naturally slips. It's better to leave items in your cart at night and re-evaluate whether you truly need them the next morning, when your head is completely clear.

📌 A Bit Like a Cult? The Store's "Reeling-In Strategy"

　The way stores target these moments, when people's minds are tired and their judgment is clouded, feels a bit like cult recruitment tactics, or like "fishing" for customers.

　It is a terrifying strategy for the store—using clever placement and timing to hook people whose hearts are weak or whose decision-making is completely worn down.

　Without realizing it, we might be stepping willingly into the traps they have set for us.

💡 Hold an Unshakable Belief: "Buy Because It Is Necessary"

　Adopt this primary defense mechanism to avoid being swayed by the store's clever "reeling-in strategies" and feeling regret later.

　That is, hold a strong belief in your heart that shopping should always be about "buying because you need it," not "buying because you were tempted."

　No matter how many attractive items are lined up next to the register, or how many appealing limited-edition items pop up on your smartphone screen late at night, you won't fall for their strategies as long as you have a strong sense of self to pause and ask, "Is this truly something I need right now?"

8. Stop Paying for Things Just Because You Think, "It’s a Waste to Quit Now"

　The mindset of "it’s a waste to quit now" is a psychological trap many people fall into.

　Even when we vaguely realize keeping it up probably won't work out, we often drag things out and keep going because we feel we "can't let the money and time we’ve already invested go to waste."

　Whether it's a model kit where parts arrive a little at a time every week, piano lessons your child isn't really enthusiastic about, or a health supplement with unclear results—the money you have already paid will never come back, whether you quit now or in the future. If this were a corporate project, it might not be so easy to stop, but you can cut household expenses at any time of your own free will. Therefore, making a swift decision is the smartest move.

📌 The "Too Much Hassle" and Social Ties Hidden Behind "What a Waste"

　As the original article states, the feeling of "what a waste" is a major factor, but isn't the thought that "the cancellation procedure is too much hassle" just as big a reason?

　On top of that, when "the constraints of human relationships" come into play, it suddenly becomes incredibly difficult to quit.

　When I was younger, I attended a cooking class. Since a senior coworker at my company recommended it, when I finally told them, "I’m quitting the class," that senior grilled me with questions like, "Why?" and "It’s so much fun, so why now?" I remember feeling extremely awkward and uncomfortable.

　If it’s a paid subscription service like Sky PerfectTV, you can cancel online with a click or with a single phone call without feeling guilty. Looking back, I truly feel that starting something based on someone else's introduction or purely out of social obligation might not be a good idea, because it makes it hard to quit later.

💡 Don't Be Bound by the Past; "Cut Your Losses" for Your Future Self

　However, to live a life without regrets, the most important thing is the decisiveness to quickly cut your losses on things that are wasteful or that you have realized don't suit you.

　While you drag things out because "it's a waste," "the paperwork is too much trouble," or "I'd feel bad for the person who introduced me," your precious money—and, more importantly, your invaluable "life hours"—are steadily being drained.

9. Stop Using "Treating Myself" as an Excuse

　A typical example of wasteful spending, often seen among women, is "treating myself" or buying "rewards for myself."

　Since you work frantically every day with jobs and housework, spending money on an occasional breather isn't a bad thing.

　However, according to the original article, making a special excuse like a "reward" actually reveals a hidden sense of guilt. When the inner voice whispers, "Maybe I’m spending a bit too much...", it becomes a convenient justification to push through: "But I’m working hard every day, so it’s fine!" In fact, no household budget book has a category labeled "Rewards for Myself." The article suggests that we should honestly admit it as an expense like "clothing" or "entertainment" and log it that way.

📌 Why Not? Let’s Proudly Enjoy Our "Rewards"!

　While the original article is written a bit strictly like this, my thought is: "Why not? Go for it!"

　After all, living your life to the fullest every single day is a reward in itself. There's no need to give it a dry, tasteless name like "◯◯ expenses" just to thrust realistic numbers and harsh reality in your face.

　If you focus too much on fitting everything neatly into household budget categories and end up restricting your small daily pleasures and sparks of excitement, daily life will become incredibly dull, won't it?

💡 A Positive Way to Spend Money for a Regret-Free Life

　The true purpose of saving money shouldn't be just to increase the numbers in your bank account, but rather for "you and your precious ones to lead a rich and happy life."

　The key is to stop making "mindless, dragging expenditures just to hide your guilt." It is not about forcing yourself to hold back on the true "rewards" that bring you genuine happiness.

　If you can proudly say, "This makes me smile, and it’s the ultimate reward for myself!" then it is much better to pay for it confidently and enjoy that exact time 100%.

10. Stop Comparing Yourself to Average Savings

　One thing that inevitably catches our attention is how much money other people are saving. Even if they are in the same age group and have the same income, finding out that your own savings are lower can make you feel as though you’ve been labeled as "bad at managing money" compared to the general public. However, that is absolutely not the case. Every household's spending circumstances are completely different.

　While having zero savings is certainly a problem, if your income and expenses are well balanced and you can save money regularly, your household budget is perfectly healthy. If you force yourself to raise your savings just to match the societal average, your income-and-spending balance will fall apart. This can plunge your monthly budget into the red, creating a bizarre cycle where you constantly have to dip into your savings. It is perfectly fine to look at average figures with one eye closed.

🌸 Most Unhappiness Begins with Comparing Yourself to Others🌸

　You are you, and others are others. If you hold an unshakable belief in your heart, what anyone says doesn't matter, and it is honestly none of your business whether your savings are on the lower side. The real issue arises when your own beliefs begin to waver. This doesn't just apply to savings—it applies to everything in life.

　Of course, it's natural to care about what others are doing, but what truly matters is how faithfully you walk the straight line you have drawn for yourself. It is often said that "consistency is power," and I believe that simply being able to keep going is a wonderful talent in itself. Let’s treat other people's actions as mere references. After all, if you can't even stick to what you’ve decided for yourself, you won't achieve anything by trying to do the exact same things as everyone else.

11. Stop Scouting Around for High-Interest Savings Accounts

　In an era of ultra-low interest rates, time deposits that offer slightly better rates—such as bonus-season campaigns—can look incredibly attractive. When people see numbers like "0.2% annual interest" or "0.3% annual interest" in regional bank or credit union campaigns, many think, "Oh, this is a great deal!" and feel tempted to sign up.

　However, most of these high-interest offers are a classic tactic financial institutions use to attract brand-new customers. As a result, "new deposits" are almost always required. Each time, you are forced to either open a completely new account, deposit from scratch, or pull your money out of another bank just to transfer it back in. Rather than letting yourself be charmed by numbers alone and scattering small time deposits all over the place, focusing on ways to steadily grow the principal capital right in front of you will ultimately lead to much more efficient savings.

📌 The Trap of "Fickle" Behavior, Chasing One Thing After Another

　People hopping from one bank to another, opening accounts left and right in search of even the slightest good deal, can feel almost like being "fickle" or unfaithful in a relationship.

　It is exactly as the proverb goes: "He who runs after two hares catches neither." Getting greedy, wanting a piece of everything, and constantly being swayed by every detail in online ads or flyers is hardly a smart way to live.

　If you think about it calmly, you create the hassle of filling out paperwork to open new accounts, managing passwords, and physically walking into bank branches—all for a fraction-of-a-percent difference in interest. When you factor in the time and energy you spend on all of this, the tiny interest you were supposed to gain can easily be wiped out.

💡 Don't Drown in a Sea of Information; Patiently Nurture Your Own "Core"

　To choose a life without regrets, the most important thing is to keep your mind from being disturbed by the overflowing information outside.

　Instead of constantly jumping on every world campaign or trendy piece of financial news, an unshakeable core—focusing on simply and steadily nurturing the foundation you have right now—matters above all else.

12. Stop Leaving Your Bonus in Your Salary Account

　The twice-a-year bonus is one of the most vital foundations for your savings. This is not meant for everyday expenses; it is "extraordinary money." If you leave it in your salary account, which is just a container for everyday money, it will gradually blend into your daily funds, and you’ll end up spending it without realizing it. Transfer it immediately to a separate account and keep it strictly as extraordinary money.

🌸🌸 Draw a Clear Line 🌸🌸

　The key to everything in life is drawing a clear line. You must thoroughly differentiate between what is okay to touch and what is strictly off-limits. This doesn't just apply to money. I believe clear boundaries play a crucial role in keeping everything running smoothly. In your work, you probably prioritize tasks by drawing a line between what can be put on the back burner and what must be done right away. In extreme terms, you wouldn't treat your girlfriend and the old lady next door the same way, would you? People who leave their bonuses sitting in their salary accounts are likely to have a messy, cluttered approach to their daily lives and personal relationships, too.

13. Stop Using Auto-Charge

　People with the "auto-charge" setting enabled on their transit IC cards or e-money are likely to make far more unconscious purchases than those who pay with physical cash.

　People often use this function for minor, low-cost purchases at convenience stores or station kiosks. Moreover, because it automatically replenishes your balance whenever it runs low, your awareness of "how much money I just spent" inevitably becomes incredibly weak. On top of that, if you don't get a receipt on the spot, looking at your credit card statement later will only show a lump sum like "Charged: ◯◯ Yen." This makes it increasingly difficult to know exactly what you spent your money on, leaving you with no way to reflect on your spending habits.

　Convenient services always go hand in hand with self-management. The more a person finds financial management a hassle, the more they should disable features like auto-charge.

14. Stop Signing Up for Whole Life or Endowment Insurance

　Insurance is inherently meant to provide a large sum of money (payouts) in the event of an unexpected emergency. If that "unexpected emergency" never happens, but you still expect your money back at maturity, then the source capital for that payout is built into your monthly premiums in advance.

　Furthermore, with yen-denominated insurance, under these ultra-low interest rates, you would have to pay a substantial premium just to let the fund grow to the amount returned at maturity. This is why insurance companies are now focusing on foreign currency-denominated insurance, which makes interest rates look higher. However, we should think much more seriously about the downsides and risks of tying up our money for decades until maturity. We need to be much stricter about fixed costs deducted from our bank accounts every month.

📌 The "Catch": Insurance Companies Never Lose Money

　While the disadvantages of savings-type insurance mentioned in the original article are significant, I feel that, at the end of the day, insurance companies are structured so they never lose money.

　It goes without saying, but insurance companies are not charities; they are businesses pursuing massive profits.

　They build magnificent high-rise buildings, set up offices in prime real estate locations, and hire numerous celebrities to run flashy television commercials almost every single day. They can pay high salaries to their sales representatives because the insurance premiums we diligently pay every month are packed with these exact expenses and fees.

　Viewed that way, savings-type insurance, where we deposit large sums of money thinking it's "for the future" or "for peace of mind," might not be an efficient way for us to save. Instead, we might just be helping the insurance company make the biggest profit.

💡 Stop Over-Buying "Peace of Mind" and Keep Future Options in Your Own Hands

　To live a life without regrets, stop pouring money into a complicated system you don't fully understand, simply out of "anxiety about the future."

15. Stop Asking Your Parents for Financial Advice

　Lately, I often hear money experts say, "You should never consult your parents about money."

　That makes total sense, because our parents' generation's financial literacy is, unfortunately, often stuck in a Showa-era mindset, when the economy was constantly booming. Ideas like "You’re not a proper adult until you buy a house, and real estate values always go up," "An educational endowment insurance policy is the best way to save for school tuition," or "If you just endure and keep working until retirement, your salary will naturally increase"—all of these have to be called outdated common sense that simply doesn't apply to the modern world. Because differences in values can easily lead to arguments, it is much more peaceful, and, above all, better for your future, to seek advice from someone with sound, modern financial knowledge rather than your parents.

📌 Times Change: The Reality of Yesterday's "Assets" Becoming Today's "Burdens"

　That is absolutely true; times are shifting rapidly right now.

　Even when it comes to "housing," for example, you can no longer say that "buying your own home, even if you have to stretch your budget, is the right choice" like people used to. Instead, sometimes it feels like "it might actually be better not to force yourself to own a home at all."

　A house isn't finished once it’s built; as it ages, it requires massive maintenance and repair costs. Changing a few roof tiles can instantly blow through 100,000 or 200,000 yen, and if the outer walls peel and need repainting, that alone can easily drain hundreds of thousands to over a million yen in the blink of an eye.

　Furthermore, land values are becoming highly polarized. It’s no longer like the old days where holding land anywhere gave you peace of mind; instead, there is an endless stream of cases where rural land becomes a "worthless" burden that you can't sell even if you try. If you are going to invest the same amount of money, a much smarter choice would be to pick something like a "station-front condo in the metropolitan area" that can be resold for a good price in times of need.

　In this day and age, rather than simply "owning a house," I feel we are in an era where we must look at real estate with a cold, clear lens to evaluate "whether it will truly become a solid asset for you in the future."

💡 Let Go of Past Common Sense and Hold "Good Assets" Worthy of Your Future

　To live a life without regrets, what matters most is not keeping money in a complicated system...