The Holidays arrive, we start to think about various gifts, that is, about spending… Time, then, to talk about cookie nestthat Japanese tradition that gained relevance for its effectiveness in the management of personal finances, whose impact goes beyond the economic.
Developed in 1904 by Hani Motokothe first female journalist in Japan, kakebo is a method that looking to save moneycreating a deep awareness about spending. This process is carried out by recording all weekly income and expenses in a notebook, dividing expenses into specific categories.
Fumiko Chibaauthor of Kakebo: the Japanese art of saving moneyexplains in Vogue that this practice is useful for spend money thoughtfully, using small envelopes to separate corresponding amounts to each category and thus avoiding spending more than planned.
However, what distinguishes kakebo is its approach to psychological minimalism. By writing and reflecting on what is spent, the method invites us to become aware of consumption decisions, promoting a more responsible relationship with money.
The author points out that, in addition to teaching how to save, kakebo seeks to change our mentality towards spending, a help to free ourselves from the pressures of unnecessary consumption. Reflecting on spending is a way to improve finances, relieving mental stress associated with consumption, which contributes to emotional well-being.
In this way, the kakebo is presented as a tool that goes beyond simple financial managementlinking with a simpler philosophy of life focused on what is essential. In a world where consumerism is the order of the day, kakebo offers an alternative for those seeking to improve their economy, achieving greater peace of mind by reducing material overload.
The kakebo is presented as a alternative to a consumption model which, as criticized in the documentary Netflix, Buy now: the consumerist conspiracyis designed to get people to buy more than they really need.
The documentary points out that marketing strategies are deeply tuned to drive consumption without reflection, promoting unnecessary spending. In this sense, experts highlight that the mass production of goods – such as 100,000 million garments generated each year – has very negative consequences, for personal finances, and also for the environmentsince these products usually end up in landfills after a short time of use.
Furthermore, instant consumption gained strength with the rise of online shopping, where speed and the ease purchasing causes many people not to think carefully before making a transaction.
The psychologist Maren Costa stands out in Vogue how this immediacy “reduces the ability to reflect on the real need for the products, leading to a more impulsive consumption pattern and, in the long term, detrimental to both personal finances and emotional well-being.”
He material minimalism It goes beyond reducing physical belongings. This approach is also related to the emotional well-beingsince freeing up physical space can ease the mental weight of possessions. Pilar Guerrapsychologist and wellness expert, reflects on how Shopping becomes compulsive when superficial happiness is sought in it.. This type of consumption, based on limiting beliefs, empties bank accounts, and also the emotional well-being of those who indulge in it without reflection.
The kakebo, in this sense, aligns perfectly with the minimalist philosophybecause it is not about avoiding purchases completely, but about making them consciously. Through its expense planning structure, it encourages reflection before each acquisitionpromoting a more responsible attitude towards money. This approach allows you to accumulate savings, freeing the mind from the pressure of possessing more and more.
In practice, the kakebo invites you to get rid of the unnecessaryjust like material minimalism promotes the reduction of physical and mental overload. In this way, money management is improved, cultivating a healthier attitude towards belongings.
By internalizing this philosophy, people learn to see their purchases not as a way to fill emotional voids, but as conscious and purposeful investments, leading to a more balanced life and less focused on consumption.
