In Japan, it's fairly common for women to be housewives after marriage. This is especially true amongst the upper middle class.

Housewives typically assume responsibility for everything related to house and children. The husband is given a sole responsibility: make money. The old stereotype is true: such men often work long hours and spend many nights socializing with coworkers and customers.

Housewives And Money

Japanese housewives almost always control the household budget. They ensure the family is run efficiently and that money is put away for a rainy day.

The husband gives his pay check to his wife. In return he gets an allowance back. This allowance is known as(おこずかい).

Okozukai

Salary men who're on the allowance system (okozukai sei) are easy to spot.

They always bring a bento lunch from home. They don't want to waste their allowance on food. When they do spend their allowance on food — it's usually cheap, big and unhealthy.

Going out for lunch or ordering a beer at lunch is unthinkable for men who receive okozukai.

(this man is obviously single)

Salary men spend most of their allowance on energy drinks and nightlife.

Company Expense Accounts

Okozukai usually isn't very high. A man who has a base salary of 10 million yen a year (125K USD) might only get an allowance of 30,000 yen ($375 US) a month from his wife. That's barely enough to go out once a week in Tokyo.

Some salary men go out at least 3 or 4 nights a week. Their secret: a corporate expense account. Salary men with a good position in a top company often have a sizable expense account.

Many salary men find that their companies are much more flexible about money than their wives.