Now, Look at that kink in the graph.

It is your own growth, Mittu. You’ll be surprised to know that it has been on a downward trajectory.

You are, as of now, between jobs. And your wife’s increment has been inordinately delayed owing to her company’s mediocre performance.

Here, the graph runs a tad flat for a while, you see.

A weak monsoon forecast as well as the Country’s GDP growth does not augur well for the common man.

The spiralling price of essential commodities coupled with that of petrol has surely begun taking a toll on your domestic budget.

Gold continues to be dearer relentlessly. You are pretty well aware that your sister’s marriage is around the corner, and you could not avoid making a generous contribution towards this cause.

Things are looking bleak, at least this fiscal.

You have a car loan to pay up and the house rent was recently hiked by the owner

Can you, Mittu, forget about your son’s Kinder Garten admission? Do you know how much it costs to have your kid secure a seat in any of the prestigious play schools in the city?

The insurance premiums are already overdue if you have overlooked them.

Lo and behold! The places where the line nosedives are truly indicative of your state of affairs six months hence.

Your long-cherished goal of buying a property on the outskirts of the city would have to be put on the back burner, given the current fiscal scenario.

The only possible way out is strict adherence to some degree of economic austerity. And that means fewer shopping and dining- out.

In the aftermath of the overall recession, the chances of external borrowing are limited.

Downsize yourself. You cannot retain a housemaid for rupees 4000 a month anymore.

Outsourcing is a strict no-no. And that means you have to be careful about buying milk, meat and vegetables. You can always grow spinach, cabbage, celery, beetroot, potato, onion and the like in the small kitchen garden, can’t you?

(You can ill-afford to tend a cow or hatch a few chickens here as your folks do in your village.)