Have you ever looked at a guy and thought: “Gee, he looks loaded!  He must make a lot of money!”

It’s often the case that guys like these aren’t as well off as they seem. While they look like they live lavishly, they may not necessarily have the finances to support such a lifestyle.  Japanese website Niconico News recently did a survey inquiring into why guys make some costly lifestyle decisions even if they know they should be trimming the fat.

The survey targeted 100 men from all over Japan in their 30s within the yearly income range of 5 million to 8 million yen ($62,500 to $100,000 US), with under 1 million yen ($12,500 US) savings.  The results were tallied in percentages of men who admitted to the following situations:

・ I usually don’t/can’t cook for myself  – 84％

・ I don’t/won’t drink cheap beer – 80％

・ In addition to good good, I make a point of choosing restaurants with good atmosphere as well – 78％

・ I want people to see the best of my personality and style in my clothes – 74％

・ I’ve never read Ushijima the Loan Shark manga series  – 66％

・ I make so many plans over the weekend that I can’t manage doing them all – 64％

・ I often stain my clothes with food – 64％

・ I  lose things easily – 64％

・ I have shops I frequent regularly – 58％

・ Mailed banking documents are often returned to me for not having used the proper seal – 50％

・ I occasionally make my own ramen or curry that’s stewed for a long time – 48％

・ I will go to far away places to see a favorite star’s live concert or cheer on a sports team I like – 40％

People who can’t save money don’t cook for themselves, don’t drink cheap beer, and pick restaurants for their atmosphere.  Overall these guys have a high Engel’s coefficient – an economic term describing the percentage of food consumption to total spending. Having a high Engel’s coefficient means that you devote a comparatively large portion of your income on food, and can result from several factors, including rises in food prices (inflation), decreases in income and, in the case of developed countries that have this luxury, lifestyle choices.

“I’ll stay in a high-priced restaurant if the atmosphere is good,” says one 39-year-old man.

“I worry about the balance between price and atmosphere but get carried away with the atmosphere,” says another, 36.

A 37-year-old man who answered he wants to show off his personality with his clothing, but also that he stains his clothing, says, “If I like an item of clothing that I’ve bought, getting a hole in it or staining it means I can’t wear it anymore. Therefore I won’t wash it, but store it away safely.”

Men who tend to lose things and can’t manage their documents properly tend to be impatient and scatter-brained as well.  “I couldn’t open a savings account because the bank sent back the paper work as it had the wrong seal on it,” says a 34-year-old.

A similar example is a 30-year-old man who explains, “I forgot my passwords for accounts I am not even using but can’t close them because it costs money to close them”.

Travel expenses can be costly.  “I travel every year to cheer on the Saitama Seibu Lions to their away games in Sapporo and Fukuoka, I live in Tokyo” says a 32-year-old man.  Isn’t that a bit much if you don’t have money?

To keep up your interests at any cost may be refreshing in the least, but it certainly won’t save you any money!

Source: niconico news