There are a lot of things which seem to be completely unrelated to personal finance, but still have a large effect on your finances. One of the best things that you can do to help improve your finances is to realize that you need to look beyond those things that have a direct link to money, and also consider all of the things that you do which have indirect...
I totally agree with this~ Walking is wonderful exercise, stress relief, keeps weight down, is free, and clears the mind. I prefer being outside to exercising inside!
That is a nice thing about living in Japan. Public transportation is great, and you do not need a car if you live in a city. I just use trains, my bike or walk everywhere. Great for the body and wallet!
I’ve done without a car for several years by choice. With my mom’s getting older, I’ve had to become more involved with her care and now have to use a car to get her out to run her errands, doctor’s appointments, etc. I most definitely miss the years before mom got more needy, when I could do my daily hour walk that I’d done for years. I’m fortunate I work from home. I’m fortunate I’m located within walking distance of most places and have a bus line just across the street. Beyond the benefits listed above, I believe it gives you the realization that you probably could make it just fine without a vehicle if you had to. I wouldn’t miss driving myself much at all.
Pingback: Weekly Personal Finance Blog RoundUp – 12/14/2012 | Here Comes Santa Clause Edition
There’s a saying: “Walk your dog every day, even if you don’t own one”, essentially making this same point.