Track Spending in Tokyo | Budgeting App | Should You Pay Debt or Invest First? (Expat Guide 2026)

Before you invest a single yen in Japan, you need to answer one critical question: Where does your money go? In this video, I'll walk you through the complete Foundation Phase—the step most people skip before investing. You'll learn exactly how to track your spending in Tokyo, decide if you should pay off debt first, build your emergency fund, and calculate your monthly investment number. This is Week 2 of my Simple Investing in Japan series, designed specifically for expats living in Tokyo who want to build wealth through index funds and NISA. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - The 30-Day Money Challenge 0:59 - Why Foundation Comes First 2:09 - How to Track: Best App? 4:24 - Tokyo Cost Baseline (Numbeo Data) 6:21 - How Much Should You Save? (50/30/20 Rule) 8:10 - Why Debt Is Serious... 09:55 - Debt: Types & Tactics 10:35 - DTI Ratio: Your Debt Decision Framework 12:03 - Emergency Fund 12:28 - Why 4 Months Works in Japan 13:17 - Where to Keep Your Emergency Fund (PayPay Bank) 13:59 - Life Event Fund (The 10-Year Rule) 14:44 - Pay Yourself First: Automation 15:23 - The 5-Account System 16:35 - My Streamlined 2-Account System 17:06 - Decision Framework Recap (5 Questions) 🔗 RECOMMENDED APPS & RESOURCES: MoneyForward ME (Japanese): https://moneyforward.com/me MoneyTree (English-friendly): https://getmoneytree.com/jp/app/about PayPay Bank (0.4% interest): https://www.paypay-bank.co.jp/save/or... Numbeo Tokyo Cost of Living: https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living... NY Times Buy vs Rent Calculator: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2... 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED: The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins: https://amzn.to/4pYAbzX 📺 SIMPLE INVESTING IN JAPAN SERIES: Video 1 - My 4-Phase Investing System:    • Investing in Japan for Expats | Simple 4-P...   Video 3 - NISA, iDeCo & Index Funds: Coming Next Week 💬 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Comment "Week 2 in progress!" if you started tracking this week. Which app are you using—MoneyForward or MoneyTree? Let me know! 🎯 ABOUT THIS SERIES: I'm Trunks, a Software Engineer living in Tokyo. This series teaches expats in Japan how to invest simply and build wealth through index funds, NISA, and smart financial foundations. No complex strategies, no day trading—just the proven path to financial freedom. 📧 STAY UPDATED: Subscribe so you don't miss Video 3 next week where we dive deep into NISA accounts, iDeCo tax benefits, and exactly which index fund to buy.    / @trunksng   --- ⚠️ DISCLAIMER: This video is for educational purposes only. I'm sharing my personal experience and research, not providing financial advice. Please do your own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. Music from Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/dope License code: 6EMJDFMRYVHSC14B https://uppbeat.io/t/dan-barracuda/en... License code: 5LX3VESOLP9WAODF