Japanese method
家計簿
Kakeibo Debt Calculator
Kakeibo (家計簿, “household account book”) was created by Motoko Hani in 1904 for Fujin no Tomo (Women’s Friend) magazine. Four simple questions each month help you see where your money goes and direct more toward debt.
The four Kakeibo questions
① How much do I have?
Your monthly income. Start here so you know what you’re working with.
② How much am I spending?
Fixed (rent, utilities) and variable (food, fun). Writing it down creates awareness.
③ What must go to debt?
Your minimum debt payments. Non-negotiable—this is what you’re already committed to.
④ How can I improve?
Surplus = income − spending − debt. Send that surplus to your highest-rate debt.
Use our dashboard and open the 家計簿 Kakeibo tab to answer these questions with your real numbers.
Why Kakeibo works for debt
Research shows Kakeibo practitioners save 35% more on average. The mechanism isn’t spreadsheets—it’s the monthly pause. Writing by hand creates awareness that digital entry doesn’t. Use our debt payoff calculator to add your debts, then open the Kakeibo tab on the dashboard to run the four questions with your data.