Writer’s Circle Writing Challenge

Spending Rs. 100/$1 a Day

₹100 and My Ego: A Day Where My Wallet Led My Life.

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सुबह 8 बजे।

I woke up hungry.

Not the poetic kind of hunger. The real one. The kind that asks questions like, “What’s for breakfast?” before your eyes are fully open.

Then I remembered the challenge.

₹100. One day. Everything included.

Suddenly, hunger became a budgeting problem.

सुबह 9 बजे।

After eight hours of sleep, my body expected something decent.

My budget disagreed.

I stood there calculating emotions against expenses and finally settled for ₹20 khaman.

It was soft, light, and surprisingly satisfying for something chosen under pressure.

Remaining budget: ₹80

I did look at idli-vada sambhar. It looked back with confidence. ₹30 for a plate. I respected it… and walked away.

Not every battle needs to be fought in the morning.

दिन के 1:30 बजे।

Lunch came with unfinished business.

The same idli-vada sambhar from the morning reappeared like it had been waiting for me to give in.

And this time, I did.

₹30 spent without overthinking. Some cravings deserve closure.

Remaining budget: ₹50

There was no regret. Only relief.

शाम के 6:30 बजे।

By evening, I had transformed.

From a hungry person to a calculated spender.

Dinner had to be light. My stomach wasn’t in charge anymore.

₹25 misal pav.

Spicy enough to feel like a proper meal. Filling enough to justify the cost.

Remaining budget: ₹25

I started respecting my own decisions. Not because they were perfect, but because they were controlled.

रात के 8:30 बजे।

I don’t chase sweets.

But ice cream? That’s different.

So I allowed myself one moment of comfort. ₹20 for an Amul coffee bar.

Cold, familiar, and oddly satisfying after a day of constant thinking.

Remaining budget: ₹5

And standing there, with five rupees left, I had one clear thought,

How economical I am, na?

रात के 10:00 बजे।

This wasn’t easy.

Not because ₹100 is impossible. But because saying no, again and again, takes effort.

Every decision came with a pause.

Do I need this? Can I afford this? Is this worth it?

Questions we avoid when money isn’t a concern suddenly became unavoidable.

What surprised me was how quickly I adapted. Once I accepted the limit, my mind stopped resisting it. It started working with it.

Finding balance. Adjusting expectations. Making peace with less.

This challenge was never about food.

It was about control.

About understanding how often we spend without thinking, and how different things feel when every rupee has a role.

Would I live like this every day?

No.

But I won’t forget how it felt.

Because for one day, I didn’t spend freely.

I spent carefully.

And that made all the difference.

And yes, I still have ₹5 left.

Not enough to spend.

But enough to remind me,

I did more than survive.

I managed.

This is my write-up for this challenge, as I mentioned earlier that I would take part in it too.

🌸Preeti Pathak🌸, Parvathi J, Monika Mahadev, Priyanshu Jha, Parul Bishnoi ⭑, Arpita Srivastava

This is part of May's monthly writing challenge from the Writer’s Circle publication. Read the prompt below.

[embed]Spending ₹100 / $1 for a Day, A Writing Challenge What happens when your choices are limited, but your awareness isn’t?medium.com

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