Live within your means

“Dad, this demand now that I am Eighteen, I want a car and a credit card”, Karan excitedly said.

Karan was academically not brilliant but his excellence in sports had brought accolades. His family was socially and economically well placed. Karan’s father held a prime position in a multinational. So Karan had been leading a good lifestyle. 

On his eighteenth birthday, Karan made this demand. He had classmates who travelled in flashy cars, had credit cards in their wallets and led an extravagant life.

Karan’s father had a modest car which his company had allotted to him as part of his perks. He was always well dressed but never used expensive clothes or accessories.

When Karan made that demand on his birthday, his father remained very calm.

He lovingly put his arm around Karan’s shoulders and said,”You see Karan, I could drive around in a fancy car, I could have bought a big house in a high rise and I could have gone on expensive cruises ,led a lavish lifestyle. But I get immense satisfaction in living within my means”.

“I don’t have people chasing me to recover debts. I sleep peacefully at night and work tension free by day. I don’t carry any financial burden,I don’t have to worry about providing for the present. I have saved enough to cater to any medical emergency or any exigency.”

“I have the freedom to use my excess income. Moreover,I know that my expenses don’t exceed my income.” 

“I am living within my means”.

He held Karan’s hand and led him to the window. From there he could see the nearby slum. Outside one shanty he could see two little children sitting in front of a bonfire. 

“They don’t have a protected life like yours. But they are living within their means”