Before I was packed off to start my hostel life, I had this weakness for homemade sweets. By the time I had completed my eight-year stint living in hostels and on my own, I had lost my sweet tooth somewhere in my journey from school to college. I craved for spicy treats that make you sweat and set your tongue afire, and food so rich that water is made unnecessary by the liberal use of oil.<br><br>
However, with the next phase of my life staring squarely at me, I am forced to give serious thoughts to bring about another change in my culinary preferences.
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There is no other alternative but to confess that I am finding it harder everyday to afford my daily bread. Sounds rather melodramatic? Okay, it is stretching the situation to caricature-limits, but hyperbole is an effective figure of speech to get the point across.
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Rising prices are hitting me hard from all conceivable sides of my earthly dimensions and to be blunt, I am stumped.
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If I could not afford to buy sweets in my adolescence due to fears that they may spoils my looks (all that grease), now it is an ugly question of whether I can even afford it on my recession-hit-salary.
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Sweet or sour or spicy, any variety of edible good has become a major expenditure source. What is one to do? If I cut short on the dairy consumption, I might develop osteoporosis, if I cut back on non-vegetarian calories, I might develop protein deficiency. And then how will I manage the doctor’s bill or the medications and supplement pills? If I cut back on grains and pulses, what will I live on? Of course, I won’t borrow or ask my parents – I am yet to develop the taste of eating up my ego!
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Prices of food products are spiraling despite the official figures indicating deflation. Now, when fuel prices are hiked, one can cut consumption. But one can never stop eating, so this funda of consumption cut would never work with food items.
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I have started weaving fantastic plans of food-cost reduction in my budget. Watch movies without popcorn; go on ‘dry’ dates instead of visiting eating-joints with friends; invite friends over, or visit them and sit over pure-gossip instead of the usual ‘<i>chai-nashta</i>’; replace delicacies with decorations in festivities; meditate instead of snacking; oh hell! marry and serve grins on my reception! Why not go all the way and fast instead of the daily three-meal rituals!
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Since edible options are decreasing with such rapidity, let me calculate if I can live on supplements alone. The sum of the cost of water to be replaced by all beverages and the cost of all the major dietary supplements to be replaced by the original food should be less than the cost of food plus supplements, isn’t it?
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If the idea manages to remain in my budgetary limit by this month’s end, I will surely not dread Finance Minister’s speech this year. If not, it will be a match of what outgrows what – inflation or my ego.