43. The Budgeting Exercise

"Dad! Our household expenses are quite high. I want to control the expenses. I think, hereafter, we should prepare a budget and spend. Let us do it from the next month onwards" said Mukundhan.

"Thank goodness! When you began to say that the expenses are high, for a moment, I was scared, thinking that you were going to suggest that we all cut down our food consumption!" said Ramaswamy.

"Dad! You have been complaining that my mother has brought me up as a gourmand. So, how will I ever suggest cutting down our food consumption?"

Mukundhan and his father often conversed freely like friends, rather than like a son and a father.

"Today is the first of the month. We may as well implement the budget system from this month onwards" suggested Ramaswamy.

"No, dad. Before preparing a budget, we need to find out how much we are spending for different needs. Once we know these figures, we can devise a plan to cut down expenses under specific categories and then prepare a budget accordingly from the next month onwards. Starting from today, will you please note down each and every expense we incur?"

"My dear son! For the past several years I have been exhorting you to note down your expenses. You didn't pay heed to my advice. Now, you are throwing the ball at me!" said Ramaswamy, in mock anger.

"Please, dad!" pleaded Mukundhan, knowing that he could always count on his father to help and guide him.

"Ok. I need to record the expenditure incurred by every one in our house, don't I?"

"Yes, dad. Every night, all of us will report to you the expenses incurred by us for the day. You can then record them in a notebook. You are an expert in keeping records!"

"Ok. Give me a notebook!" demanded Ramaswamy. Mukundhan gave him an unused notebook.

At the end of the month, Mukundhan asked Ramaswamy, "Dad! Please show me the notebook in which you have recorded the expenses."

Ramaswamy who was busy doing something on his laptop said, "Just wait!"

"You can give me the notebook and then continue with your work on the laptop!" said Mukundhan, impatiently.

Ramaswamy turned the laptop towards Mukundhan and showed him the Excel sheet he was working on. Mukundhan noticed that his father had categorized the expenses using different columns in the Excel sheet. The column totals showed the expenses under each category.

"Oh, you have done this on Excel. Then, why did you ask for a notebook?" asked Mukundhan.

"For writing Sriramajayam*!" said Ramaswamy, with a smile.

After quickly going through the Excel sheet, Mukundhan asked, "What is this, dad? You have shown five hundred rupees towards 'contribution for the festival at our family deity's temple!'"

"Normally, all of us should have gone to our native village and participated in the temple festival. That would have cost at least five thousand rupees. Since, we are not in a position to spend so much money, I sent five hundred rupees to the temple as a small contribution from our family."

"Dad, we are living in a modern world. You are talking about the concept of family deity and contributing money to temple festivals!"

"Mukundhan! Just because the world has changed, have the Sun, the Moon and the Stars have changed their orbits or their pace? The duties we have to perform also remain unchanged with time."

"Well, is it our duty to contribute money to the temple, where God is believed to dwell? Will it not suffice if we just pray to him from our home?"

"Maybe, it will suffice. But temples can be maintained only if people contribute some money in accordance with their financial status. Paying five hundred rupees once in a year should not be a burden on us, given our financial status."

Ok, dad. I understand. Are there other such duties?"

"Yes, they are. A man who leads a family life has to perform five righteous deeds. The first is to perform the ceremonial rites to his deceased forefathers, the second to worship God, the third to entertain the guests who visit him, the fourth to help his relatives and the fifth is to take care of his family. Just as human beings have five senses, our life in this world as a human being is also marked by these five duties. These duties are prescribed by our ancestors. It is said that performing these five duties will lead us to the path of righteousness. If you look at the order of these five duties, you will notice that our obligation to our forefathers comes first. The duty to our family is at the last place."

"I understand, daddy. Hereafter, when we prepare the budget for every month, we will first see whether any of the first four duties are to be performed during that month, allocate funds for them and then go about allocating funds for our family expenses" said Mukundhan.

"You are right. Next month, the annual ceremonial rites have to be performed for my father, that is your grandfather. We should first allocate funds for that" Said Ramaswamy.

"Sure, dad. I will write the amount needed to perform grandpa's ceremony as the first item of expenditure for the coming month" said Mukundhan.

* The practice of writing the name of Lord Rama several times.

Thirukkural

Section 1
The Path of Virtue

Chapter 5
Family Life

Verse 43 (In Tamil)

thenpulaththAr dheyvam virundhokkal thAnenRAngu
aimpulatthARu Ombudhal thalai.

Meaning:

It is one's primary duty to support the five categories of people comprising one's deceased forefathers, God, guests, relatives and one's family.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'aindhil adangum ARu' by the same author)

Verse 44

Verse 42