Every first Sunday, Rohit called a household budget meeting. The agenda was printed. The attendees were two: him and his wife Meera. The chai was extra.
“Item one,” Rohit began. “Eating out. We spent ₹6,400 last month.” Meera nodded gravely. “Item two, online shopping, ₹9,200.” Meera nodded again, this time looking at the ceiling.
“Item three,” she said. “Rohit’s cricket subscription, ₹1,499, which he uses only when India loses.” Rohit objected. Meera said the motion was already passed.
They argued for an hour, then agreed on a plan: ₹5,000 for eating out, ₹6,000 for shopping, and ₹5,000 to a SIP that neither of them could touch, not even in an emergency, unless the emergency was real and not just a sale.
By month end, they had saved ₹7,300 more than usual. Rohit proudly announced the result. Meera announced that the saved money was now officially her Diwali shopping fund. Rohit asked for a recount. The motion failed, two to nil.