When I was in Japan it was really interesting seeing all the vending machines on the street. They were everywhere and in fact there were six of them within 180 steps of the hotel I stayed at. Yes, I actually counted the steps and Yes, I enjoyed looking at them all.

Now my wife said "Why do you keep looking at them--they are all the same stuff inside". However, I knew that wasn't true. They had different drinks inside. Some had a mix of hot and cold drinks. Some were Japanese only brands while others were primarily either Pepsi or Coca Cola products.

Yes, they LOOKED similar but if you looked closely they were not the same.

and you know what there was a financial lesson to be learned from these three vending machines.

Now I mentioned 6 vending machines but : One was in a hotel lobby so it didn't make this list. One section had 3 vending machines one of which had newspapers and another had hot coffee but this lesson is about the Cola I like to buy every day.

Now I'm not going to tell you not to buy coffee every morning at Starbucks. I'm not going to say don't buy a car which is a money pit. I'm not even going to tell you not to spend $8 on an avocado to put on toast. I'm going to tell you that if you are going to buy something try to get the best price on what you want to buy.

Here is the thing. I love Coca Cola and I limit myself to one drink daily. If I get the Cola from the first vending machine literally just a few short steps from my hotel?

That an ice cold drink for 180 Yen or about $1.80 Canadian

By Canadian standards that s pretty cheap for a vending machine Cola which usually sells for $2.50 to $3 here in Canada

Less than 60 steps away I can get 500ml of Pepsi in a can. Now 20 Yen isn't much but everyday for a year? That would be almost $60 Canadian. Also cans are more recyclable than plastic. By making that one change you save money and things are better for the environment.

That seems like a pretty easy tradeoff if you ask me.

Going another 100 steps down the road they have a 500mL Coca Cola in a can for 100 yen. Saving 80 Yen by simply walking another hundred steps means saving almost $300 on my daily cola addiction and getting exactly what I want with only a little extra exercise every day. Sure I have a can which I can't reseal but I get a can which is more easily recyclable so I'm making a little greener choice.

Now it is likely just something I find annoying but just the thought of someone paying more when there is such an easy cheaper alternative. The idea of someone wanting to buy a plastic bottle for more money when the same item can be had in a fully recyclable solution just makes me think: I can't let anyone be so ignorant in the future. Sure it is only a small difference which is more convenience but one less bottle and one more recyclable drink container.

Overall when I saw this I just had to say : "Please open your eyes and look at the price tag". There are enough ways to save by just being observant to make a difference on a budget. So, check the vending machines and don't assume because the look the same their contents costs will be the same. Then when you are good at this one.. keep your eyes open for other comparisons. Don't impulse buy because a better deal might be just a block or so away. Literally.

Just a small rant but after seeing those vending machines but I never want anyone to pay more without good reason. To me a few extra steps to save money is a good for my health and my wallet.

Some people may disagree .. so.. as always feel free to send comments as I love comments