Raising emergency household fund !!!

I am working from last 7 years. During this time, I have taken some good financial moves, like buying own house (though with 33% mortgage).

When Ira has not been born, we were typically free birds. We were eating out a lot and  buying stuffs that we hardly used. But then also, we were able to save one salary and raise emergency fund.

 The finance blogs say that you should keep 6 month's salary as emergency fund. Now, be realistic!! You can save up to 6 months' household expenses as emergency fund...Here I am sharing my ways to save for raising emergency fund.

• Allocate some amount every month and keep it in one separate account.
• Don't use that money when you are tempted to buy fancy items.
• You can raise emergency fund by opening recurring deposit in bank. Keep it as an open ended account so that you can withdraw as and when needed.

Ok, now as your emergency fund is built up.. Will you stop saving money? No... Now do one thing... Keep saving at the same pattern.. You can use that parked money to buy stocks, mutual funds, gold or bonds and earn interest on this..

This is how I do.. How do you save for emergencies..Do share..

When Doctor has not time to see you !!!

Last Saturday, my baby was suffering from constipation. I was nursing her till now, but recently I have stopped it as she is 1 year old and this milk is not sufficient for her. She may take other food which may provide her more nutrition. 

The adverse effect of this was, baby was suffering constipation. I tried home remedies and some Ayurveda remedies, but she was crying when passing the stool. So, we have decided to take her to doctor. We called up the same doctor whom we were consulting from long for immunization and any illness of baby as well. He is an M.D. with gold medal. He used to be always busy and his clinic's phone is always engaged. I tried calling his clinic for an appointment. The phone was busy. I tried again!!! Busy again... and after 1 hour's trail and error, I was lucky to get connected. It was 11.00 AM that time.The receptionist gave us appointment of Monday evening ... Ohh God.. How can I leave my baby in pain for more  2.5 days.. I was screaming and complaining  to the receptionist out of frustration and anger... My baby was in pain and I can not do anything...

I called up my other friend and got contact details for her baby's pediatricians. She is equally qualified person. We got appointment for next hour and she has prescribed some medicines and food changes to baby. Baby is fine now.. But this incident, there are few questions come in my mind.

1.The doctors are for our health care? Doesn't it mean that he should be available at need. The health issue does not come with pre notice. And so, Doctor should be available on call. The appointment system is only applicable for immunization or for  the illness which can wait for some time.

2.Even if the doctor is busy, and he cant give time to your need just now, he should give appointment in next schedule. Not after 2 days or so.

3. When they are charging high amount, they should be also available at request.

I am surely going to change my baby's doctor. Have you face the same issue ever? Do share..

So much of Laundry to do...

From last few days, I am fighting with laundry task. So many cloths to wash, dry, fold, press and to put away. My laundry bag is always full. And I get tired to manage everyday washing and folding.

So, I tried to do root cause analysis on this. What takes laundry task too overwhelming?
What can I do to make it simple??

I discovered that washing cloths daily was the root cause. As due to rainy and humid climate, the cloths are not drying properly. When I am ready with new load to dry, previous load used to be half dry.. And that was increasing my stress and decreasing the beauty of my balcony.

So, I started washing cloths every alternate day, mostly at early part of morning. So that I can utilize sun when its available for few hours. Indeed, I wash Ira's cloths daily as if not washed, bacterias may settle and its not hygienic.

I am happy now with my new laundry routine...

Have you faces same problem? If yes, what was your solution??

A blogging vacation... Sick leaves indeed...

 I was not able to write any post in last 10 days due to cold and fever.  After I feel little better, I tried to mend up my house , which was big mess while I was not 'in action'.

I am planning to take 15 days vacation and go to my native.. So again, there will be blogging vacation...

Dont forget me !!

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9 years of togetherness!!

10th July, 2003.. Masters degree class commenced.. I was student at that time.. It was Masters in Computers.. I first time seen Anmol Singh along with other classmates.

10th July, 2012..After 9 years... We are happily married with a little bundle of joy, Ira..  Time flies with blink !

There were thick and thins in our life as well. But happy to inform you that we are now settled with own house, own car, good bank balance and at the top of it, good understanding..

Now, lesser the fights, more the conversation.. Lesser the ego, more the understanding..

Wish to spend more more years with you, hubby!! 

Shopping Incident - How local shopkeepers cheat ?

Every 1st to 5th , I shop for groceries, toiletries, washing needs, cloths and many more. I make a list of stuffs I wanted to buy thru out the month and buy most of items on first week of upcoming month.

I usually shop from nearby super market, mainly Star Bazaar or Dorabjee's. I love the discounts, deals and offers they provide. I also like the cozy environment over there.

In last few days, I was down with cough, cold and mild fever. The shopping was needed and so, I headed up to local grocery shop for grocery shopping. Local shops here are run by individuals as sole proprietorship and there is no use of computer, Barcode scanner or CCTV there. Also, no bargain, no offers, no deals, they sale everything on MRP (Maximum Retail Price) printed on the package.

I have no other option and so, given my list of shopping to the shopkeeper and he got what I have ordered. There were more than 30 things, in different pacing, different weights and different states.

At last, he filled all the groceries in a big plastic beg. He handed me a bill of roughly 2000 INR. I paid the bill and put the bag in my car.
After coming home, I re calculated the bill and seen the grocery. The shopkeeper looted me in 3 ways.

1. He calculated INR 17 more in the bill-- I went back next morning and got this money deducted from next purchase.
2. He did not give free gift, which was coming free with a washing supply I bought--  He denied about this miss and told me to recheck in my home.. I know he was lying.
3.I bought black grams. I paid for it. But it was not in my shopping beg. When asked, he lied again.

I have made up my mind not to visit that place again. There is no point to go to consumer court as I don't have sufficient proofs and its very much time taking .

By doing cheating, the local grocery shopkeeper has lost one recurring consumer.


Do you have similar experience? Waiting to hear from you...

My life, My home, My rules !!!

As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live.

~ Johann Von Gothe

Last month, I kicked my maid out of my home. I found her stealing grocery and so, I need to pink slip her ..  She was the one who used to come to my home at 10.00 AM (Or late, but never early) and leave my home at 5.00 PM(Or early, but never late). She used to babysit my little daughter and clean house and do dishes.  I am work from home mommy. Everything has an end and so her tenure too.

I take my baby to park every evening. Over there, I have few friends, who also are mommies of babies . We are friends and our kids are also friends. When I talked to them that I fired my maid, everyone was shocked.

"Why don't you happily give to your maid what she wants? Let her take whatever she wants from your home" ( I was giving her everything, from food to cloths, hair dryer , as I have 2 hair dryers, some of working cosmetics she liked , but her hunger was more)

"Its just grocery baby, not gold ornaments"

"Hetal, you need to compromise if you want to keep your maid"

"Getting a maid is so tough now a days. Just overlook"

But next morning, I fired her...

And now, I have one part time maid, who does dishes .

I do babysitting. My kid is very nice, She has proper nap times, which she never misses. She is not fussy about food. She can now signals potty.

Even my hubby is helping and shares some household work when I work late evenings.

Now, I have cleaner home, Better surroundings and everything in control. Yeah, some days, I don't clean my home in depth, but its always better than maid's cleaning.

And my monthly saving is about 5000 INR.

Domestic help is an essential part of Indian household. It symbolize the wealth of the household. The wealthier you are, the more maids you have. The more money you have, the less household work you do..

In that case, I am the poorer.

Please comment and motivate me, in my decision.