The No-Longer-Anxious Update
Dec. 1st, 2006 02:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
azuriteOkay, so I went to the post office right after Japanese class to try and pay for the rest of my HK trip. The postal savings ATM wouldn't let me withdraw 63,000 yen; it said "You have exceeded your credit limit." I freaked out, because I didn't know whether that meant that
a) The Postal Savings ATM only lets you make X number of withdrawals, or withdrawals up to X yen (if you're a visitor to Japan/using a foriegn bank card).
b) I had much less money than I thought (or the exchange rate made what I thought was enough money "less")
or c) WaMu put a limit on the amount of withdrawals I was allowed to make from abroad
Turns out it was the latter, as I vaguely remembered someone from WaMu telling me I had a limit of $500/day to withdraw. Now, at the time, I obviously thought "Why would I want to have $500 on me IN CASH, anyway?" Well, so I couldn't do it, but I did withdraw 32,000 yen successfully. I said bye to Holly, who was inside the post office mailing packages (turned out we'd been on the same bus on the way there), and headed toward Tokyo-Mitsubishi bank a few blocks down. It was actually a lot closer than I thought, so I don't think I'll take the bus the next time I have to go there from the post office (and I would have to go to the post office, because I already know the bank can't make withdrawals from my bank account... there's no CIRRUS symbol on the back!)
I decided I would try and remember the order/process of making a deposit (o-furikomi), but I kept encountering all these options and I had NO idea what they were or what they meant. The security guard tried to help, but he couldn't translate anything into English. One lady DID help me read the correct branch name in kanji, and eventually one of the clerks helped me through the whole process. She also helped me get a card that will expedite the process (I don't have to enter all the account information again) for the next time I go on, probably on Monday.
And I emailed Fumi, the IACE Travel representative, and she'll probably get back to me and tell me everything's fine with the transfer today, and that'll be it! As for the phone bill, I called Dad and he said I was going to get a SIZABLE Hanukkah present of cash deposited into my bank account TOMORROW. *YAY.* This will probably negate the need for me to deposit any of my future paychecks into my U.S. account, which will save money (because those kind of transfers always cost money. I didn't try to do it today at the bank, though WaMu has some sort of hook-up with Wells Fargo and Tokyo-Mitsubishi. I wonder if transferring through a bank is cheaper than through the post office? I know Golloyds or whatever is supposed to be the cheapest remittance, but I don't think I can use it or something.) So I'll be able to pay my phone bill on time, save my next two paychecks for HK and Tokyo (I need SOME money for the hostels, and of course, transportation and food in HK).
...So now I just need to build up the courage to eat FISH.
Because apparently if you don't eat pork here in Japan, or in Hong Kong, you MUST eat fish. I wonder what the percentage of vegetarians or vegans is in Asia... Probably extremely low.
I refuse to eat grasshoppers (or horse meat, or other varieties of bug), though. I don't care how delicious Kawashima-sensei says they are when they're covered in chocolate.
Also on the bright side, I might just be able to swing getting some presents for people online. I found this site that has a ton of coupon codes for all sorts of stores and websites (i.e. Amazon.com, Best Buy, etc.), but I don't want to get all excited over it until I look through it some more. So if you see another post on it soon, it's because I've approved of it and it's cool enough for me to want to tell everyone and their dog (or cat) about! So far it's looking good, what with coupons for 1-800 Flowers (which I use often) and even some CLOTHING stores, which might help for presents for a Certain Someone Who Shall Not Be Named. I still have to mail out packages and things like that, but generally I think I'm good. Mom'll be sending me macaroni and hot chocolate, and I'm hoarding my Kasumi discount cards and buying the cheap stuff late at night to save money. Yay for 9pm Late Night Sales! Now if only I could get a Suica card to save me time and money when buying train tickets. Maybe when I get paid this Friday, I'll buy a JR Seishun 18 Kippu so on the days![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
baine and I are in Asakusa, I can get around easily. Unlimited travel on 5 days (doesn't need to be consecutive) during the travel period on all JR lines (shinkansen and super-express excepted), for only 11,500 yen! Not too bad, I'd say, especially considering you can spend 1/10 of that just on ONE-WAY to Tokyo from Mito (on the slow train).
a) The Postal Savings ATM only lets you make X number of withdrawals, or withdrawals up to X yen (if you're a visitor to Japan/using a foriegn bank card).
b) I had much less money than I thought (or the exchange rate made what I thought was enough money "less")
or c) WaMu put a limit on the amount of withdrawals I was allowed to make from abroad
Turns out it was the latter, as I vaguely remembered someone from WaMu telling me I had a limit of $500/day to withdraw. Now, at the time, I obviously thought "Why would I want to have $500 on me IN CASH, anyway?" Well, so I couldn't do it, but I did withdraw 32,000 yen successfully. I said bye to Holly, who was inside the post office mailing packages (turned out we'd been on the same bus on the way there), and headed toward Tokyo-Mitsubishi bank a few blocks down. It was actually a lot closer than I thought, so I don't think I'll take the bus the next time I have to go there from the post office (and I would have to go to the post office, because I already know the bank can't make withdrawals from my bank account... there's no CIRRUS symbol on the back!)
I decided I would try and remember the order/process of making a deposit (o-furikomi), but I kept encountering all these options and I had NO idea what they were or what they meant. The security guard tried to help, but he couldn't translate anything into English. One lady DID help me read the correct branch name in kanji, and eventually one of the clerks helped me through the whole process. She also helped me get a card that will expedite the process (I don't have to enter all the account information again) for the next time I go on, probably on Monday.
And I emailed Fumi, the IACE Travel representative, and she'll probably get back to me and tell me everything's fine with the transfer today, and that'll be it! As for the phone bill, I called Dad and he said I was going to get a SIZABLE Hanukkah present of cash deposited into my bank account TOMORROW. *YAY.* This will probably negate the need for me to deposit any of my future paychecks into my U.S. account, which will save money (because those kind of transfers always cost money. I didn't try to do it today at the bank, though WaMu has some sort of hook-up with Wells Fargo and Tokyo-Mitsubishi. I wonder if transferring through a bank is cheaper than through the post office? I know Golloyds or whatever is supposed to be the cheapest remittance, but I don't think I can use it or something.) So I'll be able to pay my phone bill on time, save my next two paychecks for HK and Tokyo (I need SOME money for the hostels, and of course, transportation and food in HK).
...So now I just need to build up the courage to eat FISH.
Because apparently if you don't eat pork here in Japan, or in Hong Kong, you MUST eat fish. I wonder what the percentage of vegetarians or vegans is in Asia... Probably extremely low.
I refuse to eat grasshoppers (or horse meat, or other varieties of bug), though. I don't care how delicious Kawashima-sensei says they are when they're covered in chocolate.
Also on the bright side, I might just be able to swing getting some presents for people online. I found this site that has a ton of coupon codes for all sorts of stores and websites (i.e. Amazon.com, Best Buy, etc.), but I don't want to get all excited over it until I look through it some more. So if you see another post on it soon, it's because I've approved of it and it's cool enough for me to want to tell everyone and their dog (or cat) about! So far it's looking good, what with coupons for 1-800 Flowers (which I use often) and even some CLOTHING stores, which might help for presents for a Certain Someone Who Shall Not Be Named. I still have to mail out packages and things like that, but generally I think I'm good. Mom'll be sending me macaroni and hot chocolate, and I'm hoarding my Kasumi discount cards and buying the cheap stuff late at night to save money. Yay for 9pm Late Night Sales! Now if only I could get a Suica card to save me time and money when buying train tickets. Maybe when I get paid this Friday, I'll buy a JR Seishun 18 Kippu so on the days
baine and I are in Asakusa, I can get around easily. Unlimited travel on 5 days (doesn't need to be consecutive) during the travel period on all JR lines (shinkansen and super-express excepted), for only 11,500 yen! Not too bad, I'd say, especially considering you can spend 1/10 of that just on ONE-WAY to Tokyo from Mito (on the slow train).
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 12:43 pm (UTC)I have this whole mental image of using the banks in Japan. In involves staring at the bank slip thing and going "okay... "I understand "name... there's the symbol for yen..."
....
"Now is it deposit or withdrawl? And what's the rest of the stuff on here!?"
XD but ATM machines=ftw. I may not starve afterall. XD
IfWhen I go there...no subject
Date: 2006-12-03 01:30 pm (UTC)Also, as
Plus, ask if you can get it set up so that you can directly deposit bills. I haven't had a single one since that started, though when I did, I could pay at Family Mart. ^_^
no subject
Date: 2006-12-04 05:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-04 12:40 pm (UTC)千 「せん」1000 yen
万 「まん」10,000 yen
確認 「かくにん」 confirm
口座 「こうざ」account
普通預金 「ふつうよきん」regular account
お引き出 「しおひきだし」withdrawal
お預入 「れおあずけいれ」deposit
残高照会 「ざんだかしょうかい」balance inquiry
お振込 「みおふりこみ」money transfer
定期預金お預入 「れていきよきのあずけいれ」fixed term deposit
通帳記入 「つうちょうきにゅう」passbook update
お振りかえ 「おふりかえ」{For some reason, I can't get the kanji for りか to come up. Sorry!!!} direct transfer
暗証番号の変更「あんしょうばんごうのへんこう」change pin
キャッシンケ cashing/loan
訂正 「ていせい」correction
手づき取り消し 「てすづきとりけし」{For some reason, I can't get the kanji for づき to come up. Sorry!!!} cancel transaction
支払い 「しはらい」payment
金額 「きんがく」 amount
利息 「りそく」 interest
通帳 「つうちょう」 passbook
取消 「とりけし」 cancel
*Japanese ATMS vary bank to bank, but these are the buttons generally seen. Some major banks have an English button, and all postal ATMs have one as well.
To use FamilyMart to pay for an Amazon purchase:
*2nd Button
*2nd Page-->bottom
*Input Number
*Input 4-Digit Number
(Amount)
Sorry that my notes aren't better. If you can't figure it out, just show someone your order slip and ask them to help you. They will. Once you know what the pictures/buttons/etc look like, you can do it yourself the next time. Sorry that my notes can't be better!!! It's hard to describe.
I think I got everything, but let me know if I missed something!
{Plus, I just tonight's internet time doing this for you, so I expect you to be happy this week! ^.~
no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 02:49 pm (UTC)have fun! remember to visit ladies market by the mong kok metro station. its like exit 5 or something. but its a nice large row of shopping with lots of wonderful bootlegs and clothes and etc.
remember to BARGAIN like crazy too. think of how much you want to pay for it, then when they say the price, say "no, too expensive." then they will ask you how much you want, and say a little lower than what you want. then they will say a price, and so on.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 02:54 pm (UTC)when are you going? i would meet you there if i had days off!
if youre in the shanghai area, just let me know! =)
no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 03:00 pm (UTC)visit a temple if you get the chance and try their food! they have artificial meat made of soy and it actually tastes like meat!
be glad youre not by the yangtze. freakin fish dishes everywhere! booooo for that. no likie the fishies.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-01 03:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-03 01:26 pm (UTC)Also, I heard at JET that the Vegan/Vegetarian percentages ARE low. Even when people asked for vegan meals, they'd still get fish flakes or pork or the people would pull it out of the broth, etc.
I think I remember hearing that you could get vegan food at Buddhist shrines, but it's supposed to be incredibly expensive.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-03 10:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-04 11:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-04 11:59 am (UTC)Out of sheer curiosity, why do you have a David's Bridal icon? o_O
no subject
Date: 2006-12-04 12:46 pm (UTC)Um...my icon....once, there was a challenge at
How come, anyway?
no subject
Date: 2006-12-04 12:59 pm (UTC)And I was curious about the icon because :P well, I like David's Bridal. I wanted to get my prom dress from there, but it was too expensive. So maybe someday I'll custom-design my wedding dress there.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-05 11:58 am (UTC)I don't think that I have a Midori no Madoguchi near here. I haven't heard of it before.
So if the usage dates are limited, do they exclude holidays?
*gives you a dress from the icon*
no subject
Date: 2006-12-05 01:35 pm (UTC)