Household appliance actress Natsuko: “Upfront investment in home appliances will make your life richer” [Part 2]

>> >> What is the hidden view of money behind the determination to "become an independent person" from repaying the scholarship to the stage of the dream? [Part 1]

Natsuko's Way of Saving Money: Thorough Research, Using Public Support and Tax Exemption Systems

-Is there anything you do to manage your finances?

Since my child was born in May this year, I have decided not to buy unnecessary things as much as possible. This is because there is a wide range of child-rearing goods to choose from, and once you start buying, there is no end to it. When I want essential items, I not only buy them at regular prices, but also use rental services and flea market apps. Since the number of child-rearing goods is increasing, it is very reassuring to have a rental service that allows you to return them when you no longer need them.

In addition, after giving birth, my husband and I studied public support services. I used 100,000 yen worth of child care goods and sitter services in Tokyo's childbirth support project "Baby First". In addition, the postpartum doula, a service that supports postpartum mothers, was subsidized for the area I lived in at the time, so I asked her to help with housework.

There is also an option called "home visit type childcare" for children on the waiting list. When I returned to work, I felt like I was overwhelmed by balancing childcare and work, so these services were extremely helpful. Regardless of childcare, I think it would be a good idea to do regular research on subsidy programs that are available in the area where you live.

――Is there anything in your twenties that makes you feel good about doing something financially?

The iDeCo (Individual Type Defined Contribution Pension) and NISA (Small Investment Tax Exemption System), which I started in my late 20s, also lead to tax savings, so I'm glad I did. My husband is very knowledgeable about investments, so I would like to study finance myself. After having a child, childcare costs a lot of money.

--How often do you check the operational status?

I myself think about investment and asset management in the long term, so I don't ask my husband to check the operational status in detail. However, I check the news happening in the world and trends in the industry, and try to be more sensitive to information. In particular, through the sales of home appliances, I have a first-hand sense of the position and trends of each company in the home appliance industry.

Trends in home appliances, tips for not failing in choosing home appliances

--Please tell us about the latest trends in home appliances.

In the past few years, "time saving" has been one of the major keywords in home appliances, but recently there is a tendency to emphasize the value of creating time called "time production". Until now, the goal has been to reduce waste as much as possible and improve efficiency. Recently, however, it seems that the trends in home appliances are shifting in the direction of creating time and enjoying leisure time.

In addition, I think that the "entertainment" of home appliances has become more popular due to the increased time spent at home due to the effects of the corona virus. Cooking appliances that make drinking at home fun, projectors with multi-functions, and healthcare appliances to prevent weight gain at home have been released, and sales are increasing.

--What should I do to avoid making mistakes when purchasing home appliances?

It is a good idea to clarify the purpose of your purchase. For example, if you buy an electric toothbrush, you can prevent mistakes by thinking about what you want to do with your teeth, such as whether you want to whiten your teeth, take care of your gums, or be careful about cavities.

Isn't there a lot of people who shop without knowing what they want? Then you will regret buying it and not using it. So when I want something, I try to think about what I want to do by buying this product. This can be said not only for home appliances, but for all purchases.

Relieving Stress with the Power of Home Appliances

What new challenges would you like to take on in the future?

After giving birth, thankfully, the number of jobs that require comments from a parent's perspective has increased. In the midst of this, I would like to expose myself as I am, struggling with work and childcare. Unlike a super mom who can do anything skillfully, I live a life with the help of home appliances. I want to send out what I can propose because I am like that without hiding the original part. As an actress, I would like to challenge myself to play the role of a mother.

-What advice would you give to people who are stressed out at work or raising children?

There are so many people who are accumulating stress because there are restrictions on movement due to the corona sickness, and there are fewer opportunities to get together with friends or change their minds outside. Including myself... In such a way, I think that stress will be alleviated by making the room comfortable with home appliances.

Natsuko-san, 3 convenient home appliances that you recently recommend

――Please tell us about the convenient home appliances that you recommend these days.

A wall-mounted display that allows you to view 4k images of over 1,000 locations around the world simply by connecting to Wi-Fi.

This allows you to set things like Oregon's grasslands in the morning, central Paris in the daytime, and fireworks in Africa at night, so you can experience the feeling of traveling abroad.

Especially when I was stuck at home due to the corona crisis, I was healed. It is recommended for those who have a lot of remote work and feel a sense of blockage at home.

This warms the room evenly, so you can feel the warmth of early spring even in the middle of winter.

Compared to similar products from other companies, the operability is easy to understand, there is a sense of security without worrying about tipping over, and it is lightweight and convenient to carry.

In the case of an air conditioner, the air in the room tends to be dry due to the wind, but this warms the air by radiation. Therefore, the moisture of the skin is kept without drying the air.

Up until now, I think that the Roomba has the image of "It's nice to clean the room, but it's troublesome to throw away the trash."

This new Roomba has a function to store 60 days of sucked garbage in an automatic garbage collector, and the accumulated garbage is automatically discharged into a paper pack. So I don't have to waste time throwing away the trash.

In addition, the appearance of the conventional rumba was characterized by "glossy black shiny", but it changed to a soft cloth material and became a friendly atmosphere. The floor will be shiny if you use it together with the robot vacuum cleaner “Brava Jet m6” that can also be wiped with water from the same manufacturer.

I believe that by investing in home appliances upfront, we can enrich our lives. During difficult times, it would be nice to borrow the power of the above home appliances and live a little more happily and calmly. *This interview was conducted on November 5, 2021.