80.1% Feel 'Cost of Living' is Increasing, 22.3% Point to 'Children's Educational Expenses'

The research institute 'Shufu JOB Soken' (Operating company: b-style holdings Inc., Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, President: Kunihiko Mihara), which explores the realities and true feelings of housewives and househusbands who wish to balance work and family, conducted a questionnaire survey on the theme of 'Increase in income and increase in expenses' targeting this demographic. The results are reported below. (Number of valid responses: 552)

■ Survey Results Summary

1. 95.8% 'think' they want to increase their current income.

2. Do you want to increase your income: Comparison by age / Comparison by number of children.

3. Intended use of increased income: 'Savings' 59.4% / Top 5 ranking.

4. Items where spending is felt to be increasing: 'Cost of living' 80.1% / Top 5 ranking.

5. From free comments.

◇ Excerpts from free comments (Age: Employment status)

- I want to have a little leeway in how I spend my money, rather than having all my income disappear into living expenses and educational costs. (50s: Part-time job)

- It is difficult to lower living costs, and considering children's educational expenses, I want to increase my income, but balancing it with the burden of housework is difficult. (30s: Temp worker)

- Since my child is small, the hours I can work are limited right now, so it would be fine if I could earn just enough for my child's cram school fees. (40s: Part-time job)

- I feel that I have to accumulate funds for old age, so I put everything into savings except for the bare minimum necessities. (50s: Part-time job)

- I feel it is important to balance a work style that increases income with a fulfilling private life. (50s: Temp worker)

- Living expenses (essential things like rent, utilities, and taxes) are high, and I feel I have no financial leeway. If I had extra, I think I could put it towards savings or stress-relieving hobbies and improve my quality of life. (20s: SOHO/Work from home)

- Nowadays, doing anything starts with costs; I want enough income to actually be able to choose the things I want to do and the things I want to have. (50s: Currently unemployed)

- Since I am currently unemployed, I feel a sense of crisis as my savings are rapidly decreasing. I want to find a job soon. (70s: Currently unemployed)

- My husband's income is by no means small, but we use up almost all of it on living expenses, child-related costs, insurance, and savings. I want some leeway to go out to eat or travel. (40s: Part-time job)

- The reality is that even without living luxuriously, we are increasingly unable to lead the life we have lived so far. (40s: Currently unemployed)

- My part-time income disappears on food expenses alone. (30s: Part-time job)

- I have come to spend money more strictly on things necessary for survival. (30s: Part-time job)

- Even though my income is not increasing, prices just keep going up. (40s: Temp worker)

- It would be nice to have a large income, but having long working hours is hard, so I want to switch to a high-hourly-wage job. Most of the money would be used for children's tuition and lessons. (50s: Part-time job)

- I want to increase my income to have a diet that considers nutritional aspects. (40s: Part-time job)

- High prices continue, and there is hardly any money left to spend on myself. (50s: Part-time job)

- Due to illness, I cannot work as I want, and I am suffering from price hikes for groceries and other items. (50s: Currently unemployed)

- With the pension receiving age approaching, I think health concerns will also start to emerge soon, so I want to earn money before that. (60s: Part-time job)

- I don't know how much things will cost in the future, and I am anxious without preparations. I want to save for educational expenses and old age funds. (30s: Part-time job)

- Currently, due to the soaring prices, everything is getting more expensive—not just food, but utilities, tuition, mortgages, taxes, communication fees, daily necessities, etc.—and I am at a loss as my income isn't increasing. Even with so-called childcare support, if you have children, the support might only apply right after they graduate, meaning we aren't eligible at all and are troubled by soaring educational costs. (60s: Part-time job)

- My income is not high, yet children require more and more money, leaving me with vague anxiety about the future. (30s: Currently unemployed)

- I spend it on pet expenses. I feel hospitals and treatment fees are very expensive. (40s: Part-time job)

- The recent high prices are having a massive impact, and even though we are not being extravagant, living expenses tend to cost more than before. (50s: Part-time job)

- Things I didn't need before my income increased suddenly spark new interest or broaden my world once my income does increase. Even if my income goes up, I still find myself wanting to increase it further and earn more.