10 money-saving traditions from around the globe

Global financial customs you'll want to adopt

In many countries, people save money in ways that have nothing to do with apps, spreadsheets or bank accounts. Instead, they often rely on culture, community and ingenious traditions to stretch their money and grow their wealth over time.

From parties that quietly build gold reserves to funeral ledgers that act like social insurance, these habits can make all the difference to their economic wellbeing.

Click or scroll on to get the lowdown on 10 smart and thrifty financial traditions from across the globe.

Kakeibo (Japan): mindful budgeting

Invented in 1904 by Hani Motoko, Japan’s first professional female journalist, Kakeibo is a manual ledger system.

Unlike digital apps, it requires you to physically write down your income and expenses. By answering four reflective questions each week, including “How much would I like to save?” and “How can I improve?”, practitioners reportedly save up to 25% more through increased mindfulness.

Susus (West Africa and the Caribbean): social saving

A susu is an informal rotating savings and credit association (ROSCA) that has its roots in pre-colonial Nigeria but is now popular throughout West Africa and the Caribbean. A group of friends or coworkers puts in a set amount monthly, and each month, one member receives the entire kitty.

It acts as a zero-interest peer loan and forces a savings habit through social accountability as you can't skip a payment without letting your friends down.

Tandas (Latin America): community pots

Originating in Mexico, a tanda uses the same rotating savings system as a susu, with members contributing regularly and taking turns receiving the pooled money.

The key difference is that tandas are usually run informally by a trusted friend or family member rather than a designated collector. Participants often draw numbers to set the payout order. An early spot works like an interest-free loan, while a later one becomes a forced savings goal.

Alkansya (Philippines): bamboo vault

A traditional Filipino saving habit involves using an alkansya, a coin bank often made from a hollow piece of bamboo. They're usually sealed shut with no way to get the money out without breaking the bank. This discourages the all-too-tempting habit of dipping into savings for small, impulsive purchases.

On the downside, there are plenty of stories of non-polymer banknotes being ruined by termites, damp or mould inside sealed alkansyas, which is why they’re best used for coins rather than paper money.

Cash-first culture (Germany): tactile spending

Despite being a tech powerhouse, Germany remains famously devoted to cash. Many Germans believe “cash doesn’t stink” and use it to maintain a tactile connection to their spending. Paying in cash forces you to plan ahead: you have to visit an ATM, decide how much to carry and live within what's actually in your wallet or purse.

Plus, it becomes much harder to overspend when you have to hand over hard cash, rather than making a painless tap with a card.

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Hongbao (China and other parts of Asia): red envelopes

During the Lunar New Year, children in China and other parts of Asia receive hongbao: red envelopes filled with cash. A common habit is for parents to place this money into a long-term savings or education fund, rather than letting it be spent on toys and treats.

This age-old ritual teaches children to treat a windfall as future capital instead of instant spending, reinforcing lessons in delayed gratification, prudence and long-term thinking.

The pasta-off switch (Italy): passive cooking

To save on high energy costs, Italian home cooks have adopted a method called passive cooking to rustle up the nation's staple. You bring the water to a boil, add the pasta, boil for just 2 minutes, then turn off the heat and cover the pot tightly.

The residual heat finishes the cooking in about eight to 12 minutes, depending on the type of pasta. Over a lifetime of meals, this simple habit can save a meaningful amount of gas or electricity while also reducing your environmental footprint.

Altın Günü (Turkey): gold day

This is a sophisticated rotating savings habit among Turkish women with a strong social focus. A group of friends meets regularly, usually on a monthly basis, for tea, nibbles and gossip, and every member brings a small gold coin to give to the hostess.

The hosting duty rotates each month, meaning every woman eventually receives a gold windfall that she can use for major household purchases or as a rainy-day fund.

Harambee (Kenya): all pull together

More than just a habit, Harambee, which is Swahili for 'all pull together', is a national philosophy in Kenya. It involves community-led fundraising events to tackle large costs that an individual couldn't handle alone, such as school fees or medical bills.

Harmabee is based on the idea that many small contributions create a massive impact. This crowdfunding culture ensures that no one is wiped out by a single financial emergency.

The condolence ledger (South Korea): reciprocal funeral funding

In South Korea, funeral attendees don't just bring flowers. They bring condolence money in white envelopes. At the entrance, a family member records every donation in a master ledger.

The family is then culturally obliged to return that exact 'investment' when the donor's family faces a similar loss. This community-funded approach ensures that no single family is left to shoulder the full cost of a funeral. There's even a small superstition attached: condolence money is often given in odd-numbered amounts, which are believed to carry better luck and respect than even sums, apart from the number 10.

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