Creating your dream home can be costly…but it doesn’t have to be. Host Das meets couples who have done more for less, as he picks tips on glamming up his future home. When Izwan and Nadirah were forced to move up the timeline on their home purchase, they were left with just $5,000 to renovate their 5-room flat. Das discovers how they turned their blank canvas into a modern masterpiece - and their limitation into a thriving business – by doing it themselves.
Myra, known to her friends at the “Taobao queen”, saved thousands on furniture by buying direct from manufacturers on China’s largest online marketplace, despite not being able to read a word of Chinese. She teaches Das how to navigate the platform, save costs on shipping and even snag free furniture customisation. You’d never guess that 80% of the furnishing in Renee and Leo’s home is second-hand. Das learns how to haggle for homeware and get furniture for free, and transforms a worn out chair into a new piece for his home.
After decades of deflation, Japan is now experiencing rising prices. Food items have seen some of the most price hikes. So how do you cope with inflation when your salary just isn't keeping up? For one Japanese millennial in Tokyo, the solution is at his fingertips.
The Japanese yen has fallen sharply to a 34-year low against the US dollar. The weak yen is positive for inbound visitors, but Japanese consumers and companies are feeling the pinch. CNA's Henry Yin and Michiyo Ishida explain.