Meet Saki Tamogami, the Most Frugal Woman in Japan
SAKI TAMOGAMI – A 37-year-old Japanese woman, is known as the “most frugal woman in Japan.” Due to her extreme savings habits, she managed to buy three houses by the age of 34 and build a cat shelter.
Saki’s success story was featured in the 2019 TV program Happy! Bomby Girl, which highlights women who achieve success through hard work and determination. The show has revisited her journey over the years, documenting her milestones.
According to reports from the South China Morning Post, Saki spends only 200 yen (about $1.40 or PHP79) per day on food. She meticulously tracks her expenses and primarily buys discounted food items. Her daily meal budget is 50 yen (35 US cents or PHP20), and she prefers cooking at home to save money, avoiding the purchase of food containers by eating directly from pots.
Saki set a goal at 19 to own three houses by the age of 34. After graduating from college, she worked as an assistant to a property agent, saving every penny and remaining highly practical. She achieved her first milestone by buying a house in Saitama for 10 million yen (about $69,000 or PHP3.8 million) at age 27, which she rented out to cover her mortgage. Within two years, she bought a second house for 18 million yen and later, in 2019, a third house for 27 million yen.
Her frugality extends to her personal life. She has stopped buying new clothes, opting for hand-me-downs, and even sells her hair to contribute to her rent. Additionally, Saki has used her success to fulfill a personal dream of rescuing cats by establishing a cat café named Café Yuunagi in her third house, which also serves as a shelter for stray cats.
Saki’s story as per PEP.ph is an example of how extreme frugality, perseverance, and focused goal-setting can lead to significant achievements.