[2025 Household Expenses: 5-Person Family] Daily Necessities Record! “Visualizing” Everything to Beat Inflation

Following the Food Expenses post, I’m sharing our “Daily Necessities” data for the entire year of 2025.

[2025 Food Expenses for a Family of 5] Full Record! Visualizing Every Cent to Beat Inflation

Discover how we kept our family of 5's food budget at 0/month despite rising prices. A detailed 2025 breakdown of grocery, convenience store, and dining out costs, including tips on smart shopping and managing hidden expenses like office drinking parties.

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2026.01.04

In these times of rising prices, I’m opening up the “backstage” of our household budget to show how we managed supplies for a family of five and exactly how much we spent.

💡 Note on My Budgeting Method

My priority for household management is to keep it “sustainable” without stress. Therefore, instead of sorting receipts by item, I simplify things by categorizing expenses by store name.

For example, all purchases at Tsuruha Drug, 100-yen shops, and Rakuten are categorized as “Daily Necessities,” regardless of the specific items. Please note that while we do buy some groceries at Tsuruha, for the sake of simplicity, “Spending at Tsuruha = Daily Necessities” in this blog.

Additionally, to save both money and time, all toilet paper and tissues in 2025 were covered by “Furusato Nozei” (Hometown Tax Donation) rewards. Because of this, those costs are not included in this list, which is a major factor in keeping our expenses down.

1. 2025 Total Spending for Daily Necessities

• 【Total Annual Expenditure】 350,640 JPY
• （Monthly Average: Approx. 29,220 JPY）

2. Breakdown by Store & Month

Here is the list of stores we relied on throughout the year.

(Detailed monthly figures are omitted here for brevity, but the average reflects the full data.)

💡 What I Realized Looking at Store Breakdown

Analyzing the percentages, I realized that Tsuruha Drug Store accounts for 57.3% of our total daily necessity spending. Honestly, I was surprised to see just how much we rely on them! Tsuruha is always nearby and dependable; they have truly become an essential part of our lives. Looking at these numbers, I feel a renewed sense of gratitude for how they support our household.

💡 Smart Shopping Tips & Reasons for Fluctuations

• Tsuruha Drug (57.3%): I maximize savings by combining the Shareholder Benefit (5% off) with the Customer Appreciation Day (5% off) held on the 1st, 10th, and 20th of every month. I make it a rule to bulk-buy on these 10% off days!
• Rakuten (8.6%): I stock up on toothbrushes for the whole family and stationery for my kids and husband during “Point Up” promotion periods.
• Fluctuations in Monthly Spending: In 2025, there were constant rumors of my husband being transferred (job relocation). To be ready to move at any time, I minimized stock whenever rumors surfaced and replenished everything once things settled. This cycle explains the drastic waves in spending, such as June (minimum) vs. July (maximum).

💡 Comparison with National Statistics

According to the 2024 “Family Income and Expenditure Survey” by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (for a 5-person household), the average monthly spending for household goods is around 15,000 JPY.

Our monthly average of 29,220 JPY is significantly higher than the national average, even considering that it includes some groceries from Tsuruha. Facing this objective fact has provided a great opportunity to identify areas for improvement in 2026.

Source:Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications – Family Income and Expenditure Survey

3. Guidelines for 2026 Based on 2025 Data

• Improving “Discretion” at 100-Yen Shops (15.1%)Spending tends to spike in March and December. I want to build a habit of reducing “impulse buys” during these months.
• Continuing “Furusato Nozei”The strategy of securing toilet paper through the tax donation system has been incredibly effective for both our budget and time management, so I will definitely continue this.
• Seeking “Optimal Stock” Unaffected by Transfer RumorsIn 2026, I aim to stabilize our spending by redefining the “minimum yet optimal stock level” for our family, so we don’t panic regardless of relocation rumors.【Action Plan】
  • Set “one month’s supply” as the standard (limit/minimum).
  • Reduce the number of items by choosing multi-functional products.
  • Strengthen the “First-In, First-Out” rotation habit.
  【The Reality: It’s Not That Easy…】While I know this in my head, it is incredibly difficult in practice! With a family of five, things run out so fast. When the anxiety of a potential move hits, I hesitate to buy. On the flip side, when the “10% off” day at Tsuruha arrives, my “saving instinct” clashes with my “don’t-increase-luggage instinct.” In 2026, I want to keep searching for that “perfect balance” where we feel the least amount of stress.

4. Recommended Links

Here are the shops that support our daily lives. I’m sharing them with sincere gratitude.

• Tsuruha Drug Official Site