Assalamualaikum and hello to my #weekendexperiences community. Welcome to another entry in Week 303 of Weekend Engagement. I have gone through all the topics. All of them are interesting, but I will go with the 4th one: “How do you minimize your weekly living costs? Explain.”
I believe our young generation should be taught money management as a subject at the school, college, and university levels. Money management is both a science and an art. Unfortunately, many people do not know how to properly utilize their money. They work day and night, yet they are unable to become financially stable because they have never been taught this crucial skill of managing and saving money.
True saving means saving before spending, not what is left after spending.
In a country like Pakistan, where inflation is constantly rising, the situation is becoming difficult. Due to tensions and conflicts among Iran, Israel, and America, fuel prices are increasing in Pakistan as well. As fuel prices rise, inflation also increases day by day.
The recent surge in petrol and diesel prices has compelled every middle- and lower-middle-class family to reduce their expenses. When fuel prices increase, it brings a wave of inflation, and people are forced to re-evaluate and reorganize their living expenses.
Now coming to the topic: how do I minimize my weekly living costs?
First and foremost, I prepare a proper list of essential commodities before going shopping. I purchase groceries and other necessary items in bulk and store them in my fridge. I also avoid keeping too much cash in my pocket. I only carry the amount of money that I actually need. I believe that when we carry extra cash, we tend to spend it on unnecessary things because our mind gives us a signal that we have money to spend.
I am never influenced by sale offers from clothing and shoe companies. I believe these offers often trap us into buying things we don’t really need. No matter what happens, I only buy items that are truly necessary.
I don’t run after desires because desires can never be fully satisfied, even by the richest people in the world. We should focus on our needs rather than our wants. I always try to buy only those things that I genuinely need.
I have two daughters and a son. My family and I try to live a simple life. I don’t buy expensive clothes or shoes just to impress others. My point of view is very clear: clothes and shoes should be neat and clean. We should not buy branded items just to show off. This is a kind of inferiority complex. A person is judged by their character, not by their appearance. Branded clothes cannot build a strong character; they only create a false impression. Therefore, I prefer to live a simple and balanced life, and I encourage others to do the same.
I use an electric bike instead of a petrol bike. It is very convenient, and I can travel within the city at almost no cost because it consumes very little electricity. By using this bike, I save around 500 to 1000 PKR every day. It is truly a wonderful option.
Nowadays, many people are criticizing the government due to the increase in petrol prices, as they now have to buy expensive fuel. However, I feel quite relaxed and satisfied because I do not use a petrol bike.
Another way I reduce my weekly expenses is by avoiding eating at restaurants. This doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy outings. We do go on picnics, but we prefer to cook food at home and take it with us. This helps us avoid spending money on expensive and often low-quality food outside.
One unique method I use to manage expenses is giving my children small amounts of money. I keep 10 PKR notes in my pocket and give them whenever they ask for money to buy sweets or small items. If one child asks three times a day, it costs only 30 PKR. However, if I start giving them 50 or 100 PKR each time, it could easily reach 500–600 PKR per day.
These small habits bring big changes in my life. I am continuously working on improving them, and I would suggest others adopt these simple practices as well.
I only corrected Grammer mistakes using Chatgpt. Content is purely my own.