From personal experience: Poverty here is loads better than any third world country, and even some first world countries (looking at you US).
Posts like OP are weirdly abundant in a bunch of Japanese subs and they all feel very off...
If you’re really that strapped for cash, why the hell are you shopping at the conbini? Waaaay overpriced. Learn how to budget, cook, thrift, find side hustles and/or find a better paying job for christs sake.
Don’t know where OP lives but might be the only place around with a self-checkout? I don’t know.
But I agree. Strapped for cash and buying stuff in konbini doesn’t really go hand in hand.
I never get konbinis, people really seem to love them, the amount of videos on them, people coming to japan and just eating there. You go to super market and stuff is 10-20% cheaper.
This isn't always the case. I do agree in THIS case there are options, but there are not always options. Many years ago I was homeless, in a place where no shelters or assistance existed. It was during the height of a recession in the US, so no jobs were available, in a place where a "side hustle" wasn't possible.
Should I have starved? Or should I have taken the donut out of the fresh bakery area to simply put food in my stomach?
There are not always options.
Basically my opinion. I can forgive a starving person stealing food to survive but why not just fucking ask for the food first? Charities exist? It's not the 16th century anymore.
Where were you? I was in a town of less than 3000, with the closest "city" 15 miles away. Its very closed minded to assume the world you live in, and your life experiences are the same for everyone. There is NOT always another option.
lol. I don't need you to. It was one very small period of my life, 20 years ago. I don't steal now, and have no reason to...because I got *lucky*. I'm simply saying that operating in black and white (never, always) is a dangerous way to live in this world. You don't know people's situations, and they are not the same. Your own twin can grow up in the same house, go to the same school, have the same grades, etc...and still...their life is not the same as yours.
When you operate in black/white, you marginalize the way the world *actually* works, which is one of the greatest problems our world has today.
You can believe what you want, but if you believe in black/white, you categorically...are wrong.
Most grocery stores aren't on board with the self-checkout thing yet. Actually the only one near me that has it is The Big! in my local AEON mall, every other place is resisting it as long as they can, seems like. They changed my local Daiso to self-checkout and the workers seem to hate it, they always want to come over and help you with it even though its self checkout, which I appreciate. Even though I could do it myself I'd always much rather have some human interaction.
Lol way to admit to a crime on the internet.
Are you continuing as an ALT just for the sake of living in Japan? If so, go back home, it's not worth it. When you get caught it's not gonna be good for you, and your residence here could be threatened anyway
Yeah... I wouldn't. I could get away with it at Walmart in shitty US communities when I'm buying thirty other things and I'm taking pennies from the world's richest family where the only person who could possibly stop me is an underpaid, overworked attendant.
But Japan takes shoplifting to the extreme. Not only would you be arrested and banned from the store, but they'll call your employer/school and make you a community pariah. There was a story recently of a nearly-retired school administrator who was fired and lost his pension because he took a Large coffee from the machine instead of the Medium he paid for.
I know wages suck but I never resorted to stealing , plus why steal from a conbini, just buy cheap vegetables and cook them with a ton of rice if its food you need, you'll find that much more filling than conbini food.
Ill be honest.
But I think you should go back to your own country.
Stealing is never justified. If you get caught you will also make a worse image(assuming you are foreigner) for other foreigners that are trying their best here.
Also inflation is bad but not “that”bad in japan.
I understand ALT salary is bad, but if you are so tight on budget why are you shopping at a conbini which is expensive?
Buy in bulk at Gyomu super and plan weekly meals and budget accordingly or go to the supermarket.
Also I know a couple of people when they were doing alt jobs, they also had a second job or studied to get a N1. Need to start thinking about the future.
Being tight on budget as ALT and stealing but wants to remain in japan will never work in the end.
Better to go back
I just hope the convenience store workers who probably get paid even less than you do don't end up getting blamed when their stock take covers in our of whack
You knew the salary when you accepted the job. Not knowing how to manage your money is your fault. You are a pos. I sincerely hope you are caught next time you steal.
You have a choice. ALTs make enough to survive. Plenty of Japanese are surviving on less.
A quick look online shows 7-11 employees in Tokyo making ¥1113/hr. Assuming a 40-hour work week and four weeks per month, that’s ¥178,080 per month, before taxes. You are probably making more than the people getting in trouble for your thefts.
My work gave me great wages but took a good chunk of my paycheck per month. I NEVER thought about stealing. You need to find a new job or go back to your home country. Japan is RUTHLESS if you get caught. If you get caught, you'll be deported and basically banned from coming back since they will tell your workplace what you did while you're incarcerated. Walk when you can, shop at alleyway markets (cheapest produce), and eat a lot of eggs until you find a new job.
Bonjour, the monetary system generates much injustice worldwide and ever since its creation by human animals. I think there are cases where people working as ALTs in Japan are fooled around by both BOE and dispatching companies […]. Please try to do some savings or eat less because the bad feeling you get about 万引き may become a hindrance for your future career. Mutual trust is at the basis of any virtuous society. Good luck to you ☮️👋🏻🎼
Stop it. Find a new job. My father, once said, that not paying the living wage was a crime that cries out to God. I am an atheist, but I believe that. Find something new.
Why are you shopping at conbini if you are this short of money? It's the most expensive place you can buy basic goods. You need to be going to discount supermarkets, cooking at home, eating leftovers from dinner as your bento lunch the next day, buying things on sale, etc. There are many ways you can stretch your money without resorting to theft.
Have a look at [FNNnewsCH on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@FNNnewsCH), and watch a couple of episodes of their 【しらべてみたら】videos, with "万引き" (shoplifting) in the title to see what happens.
There is an episode where the police is called over a pack of gum, taken by an elderly person.
I think one big part of managing, is by budgeting your funds, being careful with your spending, and tracking it.
Being clear of the difference between what you want, and what you actually need, can help reduce unnecessary spending. Finding cheaper alternatives, and calculating the unit cost of items to figure out which gives you a better bang for your buck adds up along the way. Reduce/eliminate luxury spending as much as possible.
Track your funds carefully (both income, and spending), and review it month to month to see if there is anything else you can do to trim the fat. Carefully review "recurring costs" and see if there are cheaper alternatives that you can switch to (eg: lower cost mobile phone plan, investing in a bicycle if your daily commute is a reasonable ride away, etc).
You don't have to be "crazy strict", and live a life of a pauper (unless you're one), but being aware of your financial state will give you a good idea if you can afford to treat yourself to that cheesecake to reward yourself, or if you should put that 600Y towards tomorrow's lunch instead.
I understand about inflation. In Japan, I heard after decades of deflation, inflation has recently… I think income should also be…but I don’t know if it’s happening.
I also recommend visiting your local city hall to tell your situation. You really must be struggling because they will check your income and assets. It’s to meet their eligibility requirements to qualify. I don’t know much in detail, but I think there’s short term rental assistance. Please ask them.
If you can get assistance, it may give you some breathing space. A nearby supermarket and Daiso can be your other options.
Be careful about the stealing, even petty theft can get you into big trouble in Japan. My suggestion is buying things at a supermarket, conbinis are way more expensive than most supermarkets
You know they have cameras right?
Once they notice the pattern of shrinkage they'll investigate and then you're fucked. Better go home now unless you fancy Japanese prison.
no, morally i wouldnt be able to steal. i havent been in a situation where im hungry and have no money so i cant say that i wouldnt but it would take a lot for me to start stealing. you arent allowed to do other work while you are with this specific company?4
That is truly an awful situation you are in but if you get caught then you’ll lose your visa. ALT companies can be some of the most exploitative out there
If someone hypothetically needs to do it to survive, they need to do it to survive. I don't particularly care if some corporation loses money, and would much rather a store have some items stolen than a person go hungry because their job's exploitative salary doesn't cover their cost of living.
That said, if OP is really that strapped for cash, they should really not be shopping at konbinis. And as a person with a bottom-of-the-barrel dispatch ALT job and salary, it's definitely still enough for me to survive and feel absolutely no need to resort to theft - and I really don't live as frugally or budget as well as I ought to. I don't see why I would be so down bad that I had to steal to get by - the industry's shit, but it hasn't gotten to *that* point yet.
That said, I am a single guy with no dependents, chronic health conditions, or other major drains on my finances who lives out in the inaka where life is cheap, so I can't speak for everyone and can certainly see my situation being more dire if any of those things were different.
OK. But the corps aren't the one who bite the loss. The store owner does. [That's how franchising works](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/franchise.asp). When you steal from a franchise, you're not stealing from the corps; they're entirely unaffected unless the business outright closes down. The corps don't directly own the store, the store owner effectively rents the name and a system of operation because they also have a family to feed. That's who you're stealing from, no-one else.
The 'stealing bread to feed your family' Valjean thing I get, but one thing I really hate about the current discourse is how people use economic illiteracy to pretend no-one is hurt by those actions. Ignorance is no defense; just because people who argue this point never bother to learn who's really being hurt doesn't make the damage go away.
There is no shame in going back to your home country if you are living in poverty here.
From personal experience: Poverty here is loads better than any third world country, and even some first world countries (looking at you US). Posts like OP are weirdly abundant in a bunch of Japanese subs and they all feel very off...
I mean a lot of people are living in poverty here Doesnt justify stealing. And yes, you should go back.
If you’re really that strapped for cash, why the hell are you shopping at the conbini? Waaaay overpriced. Learn how to budget, cook, thrift, find side hustles and/or find a better paying job for christs sake.
Don’t know where OP lives but might be the only place around with a self-checkout? I don’t know. But I agree. Strapped for cash and buying stuff in konbini doesn’t really go hand in hand.
I never get konbinis, people really seem to love them, the amount of videos on them, people coming to japan and just eating there. You go to super market and stuff is 10-20% cheaper.
Go an hour or two before the market closes and get the stuff marked down 50% if you really want to stretch your yen.
Bingo. I have no sympathy for people stealing shit. Nobody forces people to steal shit. It's just a poor decision on their behalf.
This isn't always the case. I do agree in THIS case there are options, but there are not always options. Many years ago I was homeless, in a place where no shelters or assistance existed. It was during the height of a recession in the US, so no jobs were available, in a place where a "side hustle" wasn't possible. Should I have starved? Or should I have taken the donut out of the fresh bakery area to simply put food in my stomach? There are not always options.
I've been homeless and never stole anything. There was always a way.
Basically my opinion. I can forgive a starving person stealing food to survive but why not just fucking ask for the food first? Charities exist? It's not the 16th century anymore.
Where were you? I was in a town of less than 3000, with the closest "city" 15 miles away. Its very closed minded to assume the world you live in, and your life experiences are the same for everyone. There is NOT always another option.
I'm not gonna sympathise with thievery or try to normalise it for you. Sorry.
lol. I don't need you to. It was one very small period of my life, 20 years ago. I don't steal now, and have no reason to...because I got *lucky*. I'm simply saying that operating in black and white (never, always) is a dangerous way to live in this world. You don't know people's situations, and they are not the same. Your own twin can grow up in the same house, go to the same school, have the same grades, etc...and still...their life is not the same as yours. When you operate in black/white, you marginalize the way the world *actually* works, which is one of the greatest problems our world has today. You can believe what you want, but if you believe in black/white, you categorically...are wrong.
[удалено]
Again, not always, as you point out with the word "usually".
Most grocery stores aren't on board with the self-checkout thing yet. Actually the only one near me that has it is The Big! in my local AEON mall, every other place is resisting it as long as they can, seems like. They changed my local Daiso to self-checkout and the workers seem to hate it, they always want to come over and help you with it even though its self checkout, which I appreciate. Even though I could do it myself I'd always much rather have some human interaction.
Lol way to admit to a crime on the internet. Are you continuing as an ALT just for the sake of living in Japan? If so, go back home, it's not worth it. When you get caught it's not gonna be good for you, and your residence here could be threatened anyway
Yeah... I wouldn't. I could get away with it at Walmart in shitty US communities when I'm buying thirty other things and I'm taking pennies from the world's richest family where the only person who could possibly stop me is an underpaid, overworked attendant. But Japan takes shoplifting to the extreme. Not only would you be arrested and banned from the store, but they'll call your employer/school and make you a community pariah. There was a story recently of a nearly-retired school administrator who was fired and lost his pension because he took a Large coffee from the machine instead of the Medium he paid for.
This is, of course, assuming the OP doesn't just get deported
I know wages suck but I never resorted to stealing , plus why steal from a conbini, just buy cheap vegetables and cook them with a ton of rice if its food you need, you'll find that much more filling than conbini food.
If you’re having money troubles, you shouldn’t be shopping at the convenience store.
Don't steal. It's easy. Nobody is forcing you to steal. If you can't make ends meet, find another job or learn to budget...
Guys, this is just a troll from one of those loser subs.
Troll account?
What are you stealing? Strong Zero?
No. You should find a different job. One day you will get caught, and life will suck.
Ill be honest. But I think you should go back to your own country. Stealing is never justified. If you get caught you will also make a worse image(assuming you are foreigner) for other foreigners that are trying their best here. Also inflation is bad but not “that”bad in japan. I understand ALT salary is bad, but if you are so tight on budget why are you shopping at a conbini which is expensive? Buy in bulk at Gyomu super and plan weekly meals and budget accordingly or go to the supermarket. Also I know a couple of people when they were doing alt jobs, they also had a second job or studied to get a N1. Need to start thinking about the future. Being tight on budget as ALT and stealing but wants to remain in japan will never work in the end. Better to go back
I just hope the convenience store workers who probably get paid even less than you do don't end up getting blamed when their stock take covers in our of whack
You knew the salary when you accepted the job. Not knowing how to manage your money is your fault. You are a pos. I sincerely hope you are caught next time you steal.
You have a choice. ALTs make enough to survive. Plenty of Japanese are surviving on less. A quick look online shows 7-11 employees in Tokyo making ¥1113/hr. Assuming a 40-hour work week and four weeks per month, that’s ¥178,080 per month, before taxes. You are probably making more than the people getting in trouble for your thefts.
“Things are bad, so now I’m actively looking for ways to make it even worse”
My work gave me great wages but took a good chunk of my paycheck per month. I NEVER thought about stealing. You need to find a new job or go back to your home country. Japan is RUTHLESS if you get caught. If you get caught, you'll be deported and basically banned from coming back since they will tell your workplace what you did while you're incarcerated. Walk when you can, shop at alleyway markets (cheapest produce), and eat a lot of eggs until you find a new job.
Stop buying melon pan and drinking.
Bonjour, the monetary system generates much injustice worldwide and ever since its creation by human animals. I think there are cases where people working as ALTs in Japan are fooled around by both BOE and dispatching companies […]. Please try to do some savings or eat less because the bad feeling you get about 万引き may become a hindrance for your future career. Mutual trust is at the basis of any virtuous society. Good luck to you ☮️👋🏻🎼
Whatever you do don't keep doing it at the same one.
Stop it. Find a new job. My father, once said, that not paying the living wage was a crime that cries out to God. I am an atheist, but I believe that. Find something new.
Don't steal.
Sucks that you’re in that situation, but if you get caught you could be deported
Supermarket?
Why are you shopping at conbini if you are this short of money? It's the most expensive place you can buy basic goods. You need to be going to discount supermarkets, cooking at home, eating leftovers from dinner as your bento lunch the next day, buying things on sale, etc. There are many ways you can stretch your money without resorting to theft.
Have a look at [FNNnewsCH on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@FNNnewsCH), and watch a couple of episodes of their 【しらべてみたら】videos, with "万引き" (shoplifting) in the title to see what happens. There is an episode where the police is called over a pack of gum, taken by an elderly person. I think one big part of managing, is by budgeting your funds, being careful with your spending, and tracking it. Being clear of the difference between what you want, and what you actually need, can help reduce unnecessary spending. Finding cheaper alternatives, and calculating the unit cost of items to figure out which gives you a better bang for your buck adds up along the way. Reduce/eliminate luxury spending as much as possible. Track your funds carefully (both income, and spending), and review it month to month to see if there is anything else you can do to trim the fat. Carefully review "recurring costs" and see if there are cheaper alternatives that you can switch to (eg: lower cost mobile phone plan, investing in a bicycle if your daily commute is a reasonable ride away, etc). You don't have to be "crazy strict", and live a life of a pauper (unless you're one), but being aware of your financial state will give you a good idea if you can afford to treat yourself to that cheesecake to reward yourself, or if you should put that 600Y towards tomorrow's lunch instead.
FFS delete this troll ass post (new account, literally their only post, clearly put up just to see how people would respond to it).
Go back to your country please
Tutor online bro. Side hustle. Easy. Come on now.
If you can't afford to live in Japan, don't live in Japan. The only think you're doing is ruining the reputation of foreigners in Japan.
I forgot to scan one thing with the レギゴ app at aeon once. I mean actually forgot and not "forgot".
I understand about inflation. In Japan, I heard after decades of deflation, inflation has recently… I think income should also be…but I don’t know if it’s happening. I also recommend visiting your local city hall to tell your situation. You really must be struggling because they will check your income and assets. It’s to meet their eligibility requirements to qualify. I don’t know much in detail, but I think there’s short term rental assistance. Please ask them. If you can get assistance, it may give you some breathing space. A nearby supermarket and Daiso can be your other options.
Be careful about the stealing, even petty theft can get you into big trouble in Japan. My suggestion is buying things at a supermarket, conbinis are way more expensive than most supermarkets
what are the ALT wages?
Don't get busted!
Thieves will drive up the prices even more. I hope you are caught.
You know they have cameras right? Once they notice the pattern of shrinkage they'll investigate and then you're fucked. Better go home now unless you fancy Japanese prison.
Ahhh no. I was never like that. Also aren't you scared of Japanese jail?
You're beyond a loser. Just go home.
The ALT wage isn't unfair tbh, for the work and hours we do we don't deserve anything over 3m.
no, morally i wouldnt be able to steal. i havent been in a situation where im hungry and have no money so i cant say that i wouldnt but it would take a lot for me to start stealing. you arent allowed to do other work while you are with this specific company?4
...what? No? Not only because I just...don't steal, but if you get caught, the punishment is WILDLY exagerrated compared the crime.
it happens - dont get caught..
That is truly an awful situation you are in but if you get caught then you’ll lose your visa. ALT companies can be some of the most exploitative out there
How can you endorse stealing? Serious question.
If someone hypothetically needs to do it to survive, they need to do it to survive. I don't particularly care if some corporation loses money, and would much rather a store have some items stolen than a person go hungry because their job's exploitative salary doesn't cover their cost of living. That said, if OP is really that strapped for cash, they should really not be shopping at konbinis. And as a person with a bottom-of-the-barrel dispatch ALT job and salary, it's definitely still enough for me to survive and feel absolutely no need to resort to theft - and I really don't live as frugally or budget as well as I ought to. I don't see why I would be so down bad that I had to steal to get by - the industry's shit, but it hasn't gotten to *that* point yet. That said, I am a single guy with no dependents, chronic health conditions, or other major drains on my finances who lives out in the inaka where life is cheap, so I can't speak for everyone and can certainly see my situation being more dire if any of those things were different.
If he has a family, there is a famous ethical dilemma question "Is it ethical to steal a loaf of bread to feed your family?"
I didn’t say I did? But if the choice is between starving or not starving then you don’t really have a choice tbh.
OK. But the corps aren't the one who bite the loss. The store owner does. [That's how franchising works](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/franchise.asp). When you steal from a franchise, you're not stealing from the corps; they're entirely unaffected unless the business outright closes down. The corps don't directly own the store, the store owner effectively rents the name and a system of operation because they also have a family to feed. That's who you're stealing from, no-one else. The 'stealing bread to feed your family' Valjean thing I get, but one thing I really hate about the current discourse is how people use economic illiteracy to pretend no-one is hurt by those actions. Ignorance is no defense; just because people who argue this point never bother to learn who's really being hurt doesn't make the damage go away.
TRUE In the US stores are closing in certain areas because of so much theft and police being told not to bother.