Interest and life are closely related. Just as car enthusiasts don't sleep on the streets to buy a car, hobbies can only be a part of life, and they can't be used to break their families. In this article, let's talk about the connection between interests and life under the title of "Budget Limit for Spending on Interests".

■Example: A 20-generation Otaku family that is on the verge of collapse

I used to call myself "OTAKUFP". I'm positive about spending money on my interests. I basically assemble my own computers, and I like all kinds of IT products very much (smartphones have been available since 2006), I love comics, animation, and games (there are more than 2,000 books after the collection is organized), and I am also interested in audio-visual equipment (I have a 100-inch projector). I spend a lot of money on these interests, but of course, 10,000 yen a month is not enough.

Now I have a certain amount of moderation in spending on my hobbies, but in my 20s I lived a life of "buying what I wanted". Even though my monthly income was only about 200,000 yen at the time, I still insisted on buying at least three copies of anime DVDs, two game software, and more than 20,000 yen for manga and magazines every month. Even the little-used A3 size scanner has been taking up a corner of the room. On average, I use about 6~80,000 yen (maybe more) every month, not to mention saving money, and I want to spend it if I have extra money. At that time, they would even overdraft their credit cards, and their finances were almost on the verge of collapse.

When you really realize that "if you go on like this, the economy will collapse!" I was so frightened that I decided not to buy hobbies like DVDs, games, magazines, or comics for a few months to come. I used to think that buying magazines was a matter of course, and I sold them as waste paper; Comics and games are also sold to second-hand dealers. Then I started looking for ways to enjoy the hobby that didn't cost money. As long as the animation is recorded at the right time every day, it is free; The game will definitely be able to be played in depth for a long time if you only buy it, so only one half a year is enough. In the end, after a period of living of "buying nothing", I realized that "I had to buy" was nothing more than my obsession. I can say that I learned how to distinguish between something that I "definitely want to buy" and something that I don't buy.

After that, I gradually became independent and my income gradually increased. But now, when I think back to myself when I was almost bankrupt, I still pinch a cold sweat. This time, I would like to share my story with you (especially readers who have invested a lot of money in their interests), mainly in the hope that you will not repeat my mistakes and treat your interests and life correctly.

■Engel's coefficient? No, let's focus on the "Otaku coefficient"!

Engel's coefficient: the proportion of total food expenditure in the household economy to total personal consumption expenditure. Families with lower annual incomes tend to have higher Engel coefficients. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications 2013 Annual Report (Heisei 25), the total consumption expenditure of a generation is 161,000 yen per month, of which 38,000 yen is spent on food, and the Engel coefficient is 23.5%.

Following the Engel coefficient, I would like to introduce you to a new concept -- the Azhai coefficient. I believe that intelligent readers already know what the "house coefficient" is, yes, it is the proportion of total interest expenditure in the household economy to total personal consumption expenditure. The calculation formula is as follows.

(Total interest expenditure) ÷ (monthly income) × 100

For example, if your monthly income is 200,000 yen and you spend 30,000 yen per month on hobbies, then your "otaku coefficient" is 15%. In fact, as far as the "house coefficient" is concerned, it is more desirable to use annual income to calculate than to use monthly income to calculate. If you have a lot of interest expenses for additional income (such as bonuses, etc.), please be sure to use the average annual expenditure and income to calculate the problem.

I'm afraid that many friends don't particularly care about the money they invest in their interests, so be sure to try to calculate your "house coefficient". Most of the time, the results will surprise you. If the house coefficient exceeds 20%, then it is already too much; More than 25%, and there is a good chance that your home will collapse. Even for those who "interest is life", more than 25% is not something to brag about. The ideal "house coefficient" is less than 10%. If you're not sure how much you're spending each month, try working backwards from your annual income.

■Four major countermeasures for hobby spending

When you learn that your interest spending is high, most people may have the idea of wanting to reduce some of your interest spending, but this is actually painful. But here are four ways to get you out of trouble.

[Solution 1] Reduce hobby spending

This is the most realistic approach. But spending less doesn't mean you need to give up on your interests, try to spend less while sticking to your interests. The most recommended way is to buy cheap copies, pre-loved goods, etc. The most important thing is to abandon the obsession of "buying, buying, buying" in your mind.

[Countermeasure 2] Reduce expenses other than those of interest

This is the approach employed by many people who have stuck to their interests for many years. Since you can't reduce your interest spending, try to make up for it by reducing your spending on other areas. Stay away from unnecessary spending, as you may be able to maintain a high level of interest spending.

[Countermeasure 3] Make more money

The higher the income, the more money you can spend on your interests. Let "want to increase interest in spending!" "It's also pretty good to be your motivation to work hard. Even if the annual income only increases by 20~300,000 yuan, the amount of money that can be invested in the interest will increase greatly.

[Solution 4] Combine the expenses of living and the expenses of interests

Children or family members, if you have such interests related to daily life, then it will no longer be just your interests. Imagine that as a railway house, you can go out on a summer trip with your family, not only to enjoy your own interests, but also to promote family harmony, and this expense will be included in the overall family expenditure. Friends who like food can sort out their usual food expenses and calculate their interest expenses.

Through the above, I believe everyone has their own views on controlling zhì interest expenditures. So, as long as the expenditure of interest is controlled so that the family does not collapse? No, in fact the problem is only half solved. The other half is the perspective of whether or not interest will be sustained in the rest of your life. It is often said that "the elderly can be supported", and I think that "whether the old age can spend money in their interests" will be one of the important points of disagreement for the elderly. For the long road ahead, I am afraid that saving money is the best choice. (Original author: Shunsuke Yamazaki)