Ofaira Ateeq Husain and Sumaira
Dada spoke to some people to find out how they are managing the price
hike.
It may be
quite hard to believe, but it is only when my mother-in-law goes for a vacation
that I get a glimpse of house management. Now that she is visiting her daughter
in Canada, I am looking after the house. This time around everything seems to be
different because of the price hike. I cannot help but wonder how everyone else
is managing. Along with a colleague, I decided to speak to a couple of people on
how they are coping with the spiraling prices.
What They are
Saying
Sharifa,
a Quran teacher and a grandmother of three, manages the budget strictly. She
records her daily expenses and trims down what she believes are unnecessary
expenses. Instead of getting her clothes made by the tailor, she sews her own
clothes and sometimes also those of her two daughters-in-law. Food expenses are
also kept under control. The entire family eats together, and whenever possible,
the food is cooked without a lot of oil. Instead of consuming high quality
basmati rice, the family eats the cheaper broken rice.
Nausheen,
also a Quran teacher, prioritizes while managing the household budget. Hers is
education; therefore, she is willing to keep her children in good schools,
despite the increase in fees. She says that the family has limited eating out to
once a month. Her advice for mothers is to stop children from consuming junk
food, which is not only of low nutritional value but also heavy on the
pocket.
Maria, a
lecturer at a business school, feels that the car pool arrangement for her
school-going children has helped cut expenses. Moreover, she has been thinking
of having the petrol-driven car finally converted to CNG, to save on fuel cost.
Dr. Saba,
a sonologist and a mother of two, has been doing grocery shopping more
carefully, refraining from impulsive buying. However, she continues to buy
well-known brands for essential items as milk and cooking oil.
Zahida, a
government school teacher and a mother of two, has tried to bring food expenses
under control by preparing dessert twice a month. She has also cut down
travelling expenses by going shopping only on the weekends and that too in the
family car.
Amna, a
baby sitter, is trying to cut down her travel cost by commuting on foot whenever
possible.
Simplicity is Part of
Faith
Instead
of whining and complaining all the time, we should take this as an opportunity
to follow the footsteps of the Prophet (sa) and his companions. From Aisha
(rtaf) we know that the Prophet (sa) used to repair his shoes and mend his
dresses. He used to check his own clothing and, milking the sheep and catering
for himself were some of his normal jobs. (Mishkatul-Masabih 2/520)
The
Prophet (sa) has also said: “Will you not listen? Will you not listen? Will you
not listen?
Verily, simplicity is a part of Iman (faith). Verily, simplicity is
a part of Imaan. Verily, simplicity is a part of Iman.” (Abu Dawood)
Rapidly
rising prices is a phenomenon, which the authorities are duty-bound to control.
Nevertheless, keeping an attitude of gratefulness despite the decrease in the
number of tasty foods and less desserts to savour will, Insha’Allah, yield
benefits in this world and in the Hereafter. After all, Allah (swt) says in the
Quran: “And
indeed We bestowed upon Luqman Al Hikmah (wisdom and religious understanding,
etc) saying: ‘Give thanks to Allah.’ And whoever gives thanks, he gives thanks
for (the good of) his ownself. And whoever is unthankful, then verily, Allah is
All-Rich (Free of all wants), Worthy of all praise.” (Luqman 31:12)
A
Penny Saved is a Penny Gained
Regardless of what our salary is,
we must strive to save a certain percentage of it for the rainy days. It is sad
but true that even if earn more than what we need, we generally end up spending
that entire extra amount, believing citing our luxuries as our needs. Remember
there will never be an end to the wish list, but the bucks saved today will come
in handy tomorrow.
Never Stop
Sharing
When we
are required to tighten our own belts, the first causality is our sense of
generosity and giving. Sadaqah and Zakat always bring Barakah in our earnings –
this is Allah's (swt) promise to the believers. We may lessen our contribution
to charity in accordance with our revised budget but we must not deprive our
less-privileged servants and relatives of our patronage. You will discover that
the more Sadaqah you give, the more bounties of Allah (swt) will come to you
from unimaginable sources.
Avoid Wastage
In
general, Islam highly discourages wastage of any kind, but it is decidedly even
worse to indulge in the wastage of already-scarce resources. It also results in
Allah's (swt) anger. At all times, make a conscious effort to utilize your
blessings effectively and help your children realize it too.
Home Economics
(Compiled by Umm
Isam)
(1) In the
Kitchen:
- Buy your groceries on a weekly basis to avoid wastage which may incur due to monthly stocks.
- Supervise your servants to ensure they don't waste your valuable stocks.
- Use your meal leftovers to prepare tasty dishes.
- Buy local food products instead of imported ones – this will support the economy too.
- Cook food for your dinners instead of getting it catered.
(2) Using Electrical
Appliances:
- Never keep any appliance on a stand-by mode.
- Switch to energy-saving bulbs.
- Irons use maximum electricity in the first ten minutes – iron a maximum number of outfits in one go.
- Use sunlight instead of dryers to dry your clothes.
- Switch to split air conditioners for an economical electricity bill.
- Use air conditioners with timers.
(3) Credit and
Banking:
- Avoid credit cards altogether.
- Be wary of bank charges on ATM withdrawals.
(4) Shopping Cautions:
- Always shop on a full stomach to avoid purchasing unnecessary eatables.
- Make a list and shop according to that.
- Be wary of sales – only buy what you genuinely need.
- Make less trips to the market to avoid temptation.
- Whenever you think of buying something, rate it on a scale of one to ten. If the rating is below 5, consider it as a luxury and not a necessity.
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