Japanese man’s extreme frugality earns ¥135 million (almost $1m USD)

A 45-year-old Japanese man known on Twitter as “絶対仕事辞めるマン” (Absolutely Going to Quit My Job) exemplifies an extreme approach to the Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) movement through an exceptionally frugal lifestyle.

From his very first day at work, he committed to the FIRE philosophy, spending the past 21 years meticulously saving and accumulating over ¥135 million (around $1 million) while earning an annual salary of ¥5 million. His journey was marked by the challenges of working for a “black company” (a term for exploitative companies with long hours and low pay) during Japan’s employment ice age, which he describes as a hellish experience.

He lived in a company dormitory for a modest 30,000 yen a month, scavenging for used appliances and sticking to a strict budget. His typical dinner was a simple meal of a sour plum, salted vegetables, and a bowl of rice, occasionally supplemented with energy drinks purchased using reward points. During the summer, he cooked sweet potatoes on a colleague’s car windshield, demonstrating his resourcefulness.

Despite his extreme frugality, he now enjoys a more substantial breakfast of four boiled eggs and has invested in a microwave for hot meals. However, the recent depreciation of the yen has significantly impacted his savings, causing him to question the value of his 21 years of hard work.