THE VALUE OF SPENDING WISELY

Something very interesting happened to me yesterday. And I think it is very important for me write this down and remember.

It would not be easy for me to forget as well. The reason-21^st of December is my younger brother’s birthday and that was why it happened.

Although I wanted to buy him a gift, but as always I was broke. Luckily I had Nu 500 in my ATM and I was thinking that I would go to Swiss bakery and buy him cakes-(It could not have been whole anyways). And as I was packing to go home, my mom calls and say- “Bring refine oil and sugar” what do I do now?

If I tell her I do not have enough money to buy the 5 litre refine oil and the sugar, It would be my bad. I was tensed. However I managed to say, “I was not carrying my ATM, and mom insisted that I should buy a one litre jar. Hmmm…

And I needed to buy a voucher as well!!

As I climbed down my office stairs, I realized that Swiss Bakery is closed on Tuesday’s but no matter what I need to buy some pastries. Till I reached the PNB ATM, I was trying to figure out if the money would be sufficient.

With the last of my salary, as I crossed the zebra crossing towards the Plums Café, I got an idea. I walked in the bakery at the edge and saw a perfect birthday cake. I asked, “Azim, How much is it?

The reply came, “500.”

As I stood there confused, pressing the notes thinking hard if I should buy it or get scolding back home. For a moment, I wished I had a genie.

Then I used a bit of Marwari ( or say Lamsang) inside me. I decided to take six pieces of pastries instead (We were 5 at home so why waste and two pieces of black forest would make my brother happy).

Stingy me, I never felt so bad being broke.

Next, I walked into a grocery and bought the oil and the sugar with a hundred and some changes left. (This is good, I thought to myself).

As I walked past strangers carrying my load and my mini laptop bag over my shoulders, I thought, “Shame on you.” “Why can’t you save? I always felt, it was okay to be broke by the first week of the month but with this experience,

I, Saraswati Sundas genuinely feel that it is about time, I do some serious thinking about how to manage money.

P: S –Guys, I did promise a gift for my brother, once I get my salary J