The Purse

Tasha was a perfect woman. She did a great job at home and at work. Everyone in her family loved her. One day her mother-in-law said to her "My friend's bahu gives her salary in her hand every month. You are a great person but you are creating a partition in the house by keeping a separate bank account and not giving your salary to me. From next month I want you to give your complete salary to me as I am the head of the family." Tasha didn't say anything. When her salary was transferred to her account, her mother-in-law demanded the amount. Tasha smiled at her and gave her a purse. The mother-in-law was very excited and opened the purse. The purse was empty. She was very upset and said to Tasha "Yeh kya majak hai? Salary ke paise kaha hai? Sab ek hi din me uda diye?"

Tasha replied "Please open the zip pocket in the purse. There is a paper inside which has a list of expenses. Every month the EMI of the house loan which your son has taken gets deducted from my account. Then comes the ECS payment for electricity. Half of my salary is over by the time these amounts get deducted. The half that is left is my savings. I am doing my bit in running this house by spending half of my salary. The remaining balance is for me to decide on how I should spend. I am your daughter-in-law, not your employee. Why should I hand over my salary in your hand? I am an independent woman emotionally and financially. This empty purse will remind you that I am equal in status to your son. His wallet and my purse are almost empty by the end of the month so we can maintain a good lifesty6for ourselves and for you. He pays the bills and takes care of other expenses while I make sure that this house remains ours by paying the House Loan EMI."

After that day, Tasha's mother-in-law never interfered with her finance. She accepted that Tasha had an equal right to be financially independent as her son did.