wealth takes stock of how much moolah, working professionals splurge on eating out.

THE only meal Abhishek Karnad, 23, eats at home (in Bangalore) is breakfast. He eats lunch, dinner and mid-day snacks, out. A typical conversation between Abhishek, a game tester by profession, and his mother:

"I like to eat hot food"

"But you have a microwave at work."

"Mom, there's a huge difference between the food cooked in the morning and when I have to eat it at lunchtime. I prefer something that's fresh and served hot, at a restaurant near office."

"But Abhishek you are spending half you salary, eating out!?"

"That's what I earn for!"

This is his justification. "I don't eat for my stomach. I eat for my tongue," he says. His office timings are from 2 pm to 11 pm, because he works for a company based in the UK. "Due to my odd working hours, I eat out most of the time. And that is how I like it," he asserts.

It's no surprise that more than half of his salary is spent on eating out.

Brunch (12 noon): Rs 50
Lunch (3 pm) : Rs 100
Snacks (6 pm) : Rs 50
Dinner (9 pm) : Rs 100

Total amount spent on eating out, per day: Rs 300

Since he has a five-day week, he spends Rs 1,500 per week and Rs 6,000 per month! That's not all. Abhishek also likes to eat out on the weekend.

"I spend around Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 on alcohol and dinner, on the weekend. So, approximately Rs 3,000, per month."

Total amount: Rs 9,000

Does he feel guilty about it? "I know it's a waste of money but to be honest, I prefer hot bread over hard chapattis, which are difficult to swallow." he says.

He confesses he upsets his stomach often and gets sick of the outside food, "And then I only eat home made food," which was obviously followed by a questions, "So, how do you manage home made food when you are sick?" He replies, "Then I don't have a choice but of course I feel far more healthy when I eat home rather mom-made food."

There is nothing that is impossible. So it is not by compulsion but by choice that Abhishek prefers outside food and eventually fritters away half of his salary.

Abhishek could learn a few things about money management from his colleague Ajosh Chatterjee, 26, a game tester by profession, who works the same shifts as him.

Cover photo: Getty Images

In the photograph: A Beatles lunchbox
(Photograph used for illustrative purposes, only.)

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e-mail: Kamiya Jani

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