Posted By Polly on 01-06-2011 4:27 PM
Actually I like the yen rate because I teach at a Japanese school and get paid in Yen. We've been able to pay off most of our credit card debt by exchanging most of my paycheck to dollars. I guess one person's oyster is another one's pearl? or something like that.

Smart lady.  Do you exchange at a bank, or sell to Americans who need yen?  If you sell to American friends, both of you can come out ahead on the deal. It's like cutting out the middleman.

The dollar fell below 80Y to the dollar today.  It is 79.6750 online right now, which means it will probably be 77 or 78 on base tomorrow.   How low will we go this time around? 

Glad I took out money today for this weekend.

That's not cool...

I remember back in 2002 when the yen was like 125 to the dollar. Those were the good old days!

Friday my wife went to Zushi Post office and changed a good deal of cash...

Guess how much.. ¥75 = $1

Today I saw near Yokosuka gate there was a store having it for ¥76.50 = $1

Boy o boy.. Can it get any worse?

This is sickening, for those that live here (and salary doesnt adjust based on the yen), get paid in US dollars, and have to suffer living in the Japanese economy with Japanese bills. hmm.. Thats me!!!

I guess I can remember the good ole times when it was ¥140 = $1.. Those times are long long gone..

I think it's still 77Y on base. I don't think we'll see $140Y for a loooooong time. It's really sad how devalued the U.S. dollar has become over the years. It's becoming worthless. I feel bad for you local hires......times like now really gotta sting when you pay bills. Don't feel too bad though....I don't think our COLA has adjusted much over recent months.

We got into a car wreck about a month and a half ago with the national was responsive for the damages. Our car was totaled and we had to use a rental car. At first her cousin was going to pay for everything since the driver did not have insurance. Then about 2 weeks ago, we found out that she was filling for bankruptcy and her cousin was no longer going to pay for anything. We then had to turn in the rental car, as well as pay for everything else. With the yen exchange rate at 76 to 1 USD, it really hurt us. The car rental was about 5500 yen a day, not too bad I guess. Junking the car was 5000 yen. But the cost for the estimates were 45600 yen. It all ended up being about $2883. We lost about 600 dollars to the yen rate. =[

Posted By jstorm on 07-25-2011 9:22 PM
We got into a car wreck about a month and a half ago with the national was responsive for the damages. Our car was totaled and we had to use a rental car. At first her cousin was going to pay for everything since the driver did not have insurance. Then about 2 weeks ago, we found out that she was filling for bankruptcy and her cousin was no longer going to pay for anything. We then had to turn in the rental car, as well as pay for everything else. With the yen exchange rate at 76 to 1 USD, it really hurt us. The car rental was about 5500 yen a day, not too bad I guess. Junking the car was 5000 yen. But the cost for the estimates were 45600 yen. It all ended up being about $2883. We lost about 600 dollars to the yen rate. =[

Is this serious?  (1) I didn't know it was possible to drive uninsured in Japan.  (2) I didn't realize bankruptcy is that common. (3) How do you run up a 45600 yen bill on an estimate for a car that has been totaled? And without any agreement on who will pay for damages?  (4) What about gomen money and/or your own insurance covering you against uninsured drivers?

I don't have experience with Japanese law but too many things seem out of whack with this story.  Did you get legal assistance, or just rely on your insurance company for advice, understanding -- of course -- that they have a conflict-of-interest in that they'd rather avoid any kind of payout?

Well, the COLA has gone up... but not nearly enough as it's been too low this past year anyway. Ouch.

Any takers on 68 yen to the $ by New Years?

This is sickening, for those that live here (and salary doesnt adjust based on the yen), get paid in US dollars, and have to suffer living in the Japanese economy with Japanese bills.

Adam,

So are you saying that DFAS does not keep up with the yen rate?

Posted By ThaiGuy on 07-25-2011 10:15 PM 

Is this serious?  (1) I didn't know it was possible to drive uninsured in Japan.  (2) I didn't realize bankruptcy is that common. (3) How do you run up a 45600 yen bill on an estimate for a car that has been totaled? And without any agreement on who will pay for damages?  (4) What about gomen money and/or your own insurance covering you against uninsured drivers?

I don't have experience with Japanese law but too many things seem out of whack with this story.  Did you get legal assistance, or just rely on your insurance company for advice, understanding -- of course -- that they have a conflict-of-interest in that they'd rather avoid any kind of payout?

Apparently, if you are of a certain age you can?  I'm not too sure why she didn't have insurance.  I was a bit taken back when I heard.   So was the interpreter.  He works for the security office on base, and has been the go between for us and the police and the legal office.   We were told that she was being disgraceful by filing, and that's why her family doesn't want anything to do with it now.   Though, they were willing at first.   As for the bill, it also includes the tow truck and storage and some other random things.   We were never given nor offered a gomennasasi.  At least OUR insurance is going to give us something, about 300 dollars.   The gentleman we're dealing through is supposed to be a Japanese lawyer.  But he's having trouble getting in touch with the woman, she doesn't answer his calls, and he has no idea who the lawyer is.

77.665Y online right now, and wouldn't you know it.....JCI, rent, renter's insurance, and car insurance are all due.

I wonder if the Japanese govt is going to step in this time to stabilize the yen rate. I wonder how low the dollar is going to get??? My guess is mid 70's? What do you all think? Could we dip into the 60's?! I sure hope not. Soon we'll be wrapping Christmas present with dollar bills because they won't be worth much more than wrapping paper!

yesterday at community bank it was 76 Yikes!

I am so thankful that I earn my own yen and can supply my family with what they need without having to pay attention to the exchange rate. I wouldn't be shopping at all out on the economy if I had to exchange $$ for yen.

76.1950Y / dollar online right now  ~CrInGe~ 

Had to pay rent at 75Y/dollar today......have we reached the bottom yet? 

I paid 75Y/dollar in rent too the other day. Super ouch.

Was told at the Bank of Yokohama the rate was 73Y/dollar.

As of this morning community bank is holding steady at 75...

I heard that COLA doesnt adjust for under 80Y, is this true?

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/...D120110819

~ New record low @ 75.941 yen hit yesterday ~

Ben Bernanke (Chairman of the Federal Reserve) is thinking about printing more US currency, which most certainly would devalue our dollar and lead to higher inflation.  If that happens, we can all expect the dollar to drop well below the 70Y mark. 

Dont know if anyone has been keeping tabs on the current yen rate.

Its gone up a few points in the past week.



A friend of mine told me, to wait a few more days, but I didnt listen.  I changed a large amount early last week, so I got it at about 79.  Oh well.  You can never predict it.

For those that are interested, you might want to go and get your money out for next months rent soon.

Wow, what happened? It was like 76 a week ago. For one who doesn't get COLA, this is a welcome relief.

Read my mind ThaiGuy! This is exciting for me as since I've been here it's been in the mid 70s!

I know, I've gotten excited with the rise! Of course its after I had already paid our rent, but our other bills weren't quite as painful. It kills me to watch almost 3 grand go towards rent each month. This house is NOT worth that much.
Fingers crossed that we'll finally get a decent rate for a while. The 70's hurt.

Of course, for those of us who remember 125 a few years ago, it still looks pretty awful today. But I'll take what I can get -- around a 6% increase in just a few weeks.

I would be happy for $1 = ¥100

I like it where it's at, it helps to keep me from spending too much and having dual incomes also helps!

The first time we lived in Japan it was around 140. When it dropped done into the 120's everyone thought that was horrible. It would look pretty good now!

The first time I was here ('82), it was 250. And the old timers were complaining, fondly recalling the days when it was 350. Back in those days, I could get a great sushi dinner in the alley by the train station for about $3.

I am just waiting for the "holy crap what happened to my cola" conversations to start.

As with most things, the "opposite" reaction to the increase in dollar value vs. the yen, is the reduction of the COLA and Post Allowance. I have seen several conversations on this board where families were using the increase in their entitlements in order to not work or live a lifestyle that would be somewhat out of their reach in the US. What happens when it DOES hit the 120 range and the entitlements are cut?

I personally am not looking forward to seeing my check decrease, but that is the unfortunate consequence. I have been very careful not to count post allowance into my budgeting figures as I understood it to be a dynamic factor. I hope others have as well.

This might be a good time to revisit your monthly budget to see where you would stand if you suddenly received a check that was $200 less.

We shelled out over 5 grand for housing / utilities last month! Talk about "OUCH!". I never thought I would be happy to see 81Y to the dollar!

It was only 78Y on base today.

The DoD banking contract allows community bank to shave 2+ the decimal point off the yen rate of the actual trading yen to dollar rate.

Typically the bank on base buys yen ~every 3 days so it doesn't always match up exactly.

The bank also sets the new yen rate for the following day at 1500 (and the weekend rate at 1500 Friday to the following Monday).

Hope this clarifies it a little for everyone.

Posted By Groovie on 02-26-2012 3:31 PM
It was only 78Y on base today.

It usually takes a couple days for the base to catch up with the online international rate.  Since it closed at 81Y/$1 on Friday, my guess is that the base will raise it to 79Y by Monday or Tuesday.  They always seem to be around 2Y lower than the posted international rate.