Pocketbook Woes

I went apartment hunting today and found a great place: It's close to a metro station. I can see the river from my windows (and the shinkansen train!). It's a corner unit on the 7th floor. There's a loft just tall enough where I can put a futon and sit upright without banging my head, below which there's ample storage space (it's a split level). The balcony is wide enough for a small table and chairs (so I can sit and watch the river and the shinkansen when it passes). The kitchen is small, but there is a teeny counter where I can put a toaster or microwave. Because of the loft area, I can use the main room for a living room/dining area. It's small (34.87 m² = 375 ft²), but it has the amenities I wanted. Price? Nearly $800 a month.

However, to move in I have to pay 3 months worth of probably-not-refundable deposit money, 1 month of 'thank you' money to the owner, 1 month of fee to the agent, insurance, October's rent, and the prorated amount for the rest of September. That adds up to about $5200 just to move into my new digs. No furniture, no utilities, no fridge, no stove, no washing machine, nothing comes with that. Ugh. But that's the Japanese way. At least I found a great space to live in!