Q: Japan offers plenty of budget food choices in restaurants, so you don't need to avoid eating out altogether. Decor is often a good indicator of price, so be alert. Tipping is not expected in Japan, so you can save even more by not doing so. It's a really good idea to have a menu-reading list on your smartphone or in your guidebook so that you know what you're eating and the value. And it pays to ask for meibutsu if you're a food loverthis is the word for "speciality" and will ensure that you get the most locally true cuisine possible. Noodle bars and night street stalls specializing in noodles (ramen) are often a great way to get very full at an affordable choice. You'll know a ramen restaurant when you see customers seated at a long counter eating from steaming bowls. Udon and soba dishes are another cheap way to eat in Japan provided you choose a cheap restaurant. Izakaya is the Japanese version of a pub-eatery, and you can get a selection of typical Japanese foods as well as Western foods as such places. It's casual food, and therefore usually fairly inexpensive. Yakitori is a skewer of vegetables and charcoal-grilled chicken. It's usually served with beer or sake after work and it might be enough for a meal in some places. There are yakitori restaurants (yakitori-ya), often found near train stations. Just be aware that prices are usually for one yakitori, so add up the costs if you want more. Although sushi is considered to be a snack, it is possible to fill up on sushi as a meal. Look for automatic sushi places, known as kaiten-sushi, that serve sushi on an automatic conveyor belt. The color code on the plates you choose are the price indicators and they should match with a price chart on the wall. Choose carefully and you might be able to fill up for very little cost. Look for places where the locals eat, although you'll need a grasp of basic Japanese as such places rarely have menus and if they do, rarely anything in English. Look for nomiya and aka-chochin Japanese restaurants or chuka-ryori-ya cheap Chinese restaurants. Grocery stores sell plenty of prepared foods just like convenience stores but for a lot less money. These are almost everywhere in Japan and you can get a range of food and drink from them, including snacks, green tea, coffee, beer, etc. McDonald's and other fast food chains are everywhere. Try Mosburger, a Japanese hamburger chain. These are great budget places to eat, with lots of variety available. Along with grocery stores, these can be a great place for vegetarians, as there will be plenty of fruit, rice snacks and vegetables for sale. Bakeries are another option, although most food sold in bakeries is fairly sweet and isn't going to be quite what you're used to. You might have heard that things in Japan are really expensive, however if you avoid alcohol and clothing you will find that everything else is quite reasonably priced. You should, of course, try sake while you are in Japan. Just don't plan on going out to bars every night. Convenience stores have great tasting, inexpensive pre-made meals. They have everything from prepared ramen to beef bowls. Some convenience stores even have fresh bakeries. Most will have microwaves and chopsticks and/or disposable utensils available. Many have counters where you can eat in the store, if you wish. They're cheaper and more personal than souvenirs or expensive artisan items, and they're the best way to jog your memory years later.
A: Stick to budget restaurants and bars when eating out. Get food from grocery stores. Check out the food vending machines. Visit the usual chain food stores. Eat at food halls and food markets. Avoid buying alcohol and clothing. Get pre-made meals at a convenience store. Take plenty of digital photographs as your souvenirs.

Q: If you are buying a face cord, divide the depth of a full cord by the piece length of the wood in your face cord. Multiply this quotient by the price of your face cord to determine the cost of the full cord. Remember that the depth of a full cord is 4 feet (1.2m) or 48 inches (1.2 m or 122 cm). For instance, if Bob is selling a face cord with an average piece length of 16 inches (40.6 cm) for $90, the calculation would look something like this: 48 inches (122 cm) / 16 inches (40.6 cm) = 3 3 * $90 = $270 The full cord value would be $270. If you know the average market rate of a full cord in your area, you can compare the full cord value of the face cord you measured to that. If you do not know the average cost, however, you might need to shop around some and figure out your own average. It might save time to call each dealer and ask for their face cord price and piece length measurement, rather than going to each one and taking your own measurements. You should still measure the average piece length of the face cord you plan to buy once you've made your decision, though, just to make sure that the dealer's measurements match your own. If the piece length offered by each dealer is the same, you can compare face cord costs. If the piece lengths vary, however, you need to calculate the full cord value of each and compare those values to one another. In the previous example, Bob sold firewood at a full cord value of $270. If Sally sold 12-inch (30.5-cm) long pieces of firewood at $70, the full cord value would be: 48 inches (122 cm) / 12 inches (30.5 cm) = 4 4 * $70 = $280. If Sam sells 8-inch (20-cm) long pieces of wood at $60, the full cord value would be: 48 inches (122 cm) / 8 inches (20 cm) = 6 6 * 60 = $360 Even though Bob has the highest face cord price, he has the lowest full cord value at $270. Sally's full cord value is close at $280, but Sam's full cord value is by far the most expensive at $360, even though Sam's face cord cost was cheapest ($60). As such, the best value for your money would be Bob's face cord. Even though full cord value is the best way to get the best deal, there are other factors to consider that usually increase the value and cost of wood. Shorter lengths usually cost more because of the cost of cutting and handling. Firewood cut into consistent lengths may cost more because more work went into maintaining that even length. Finely split pieces usually cost more because of the extra labor, as well. Dry wood can cost more because it has been stored under better conditions. Cleaner firewood is also more valuable because it is more pleasant to the consumer when it comes time to burn it.
A:
Calculate the full cord value. Shop around. Compare the value offered by each seller. Be aware of outside factors that can affect cost.