For many working professionals, payday comes with a familiar question: Where did all the money go? Between rent, groceries, travel, bills, and everyday spending, monthly expenses can pile up faster than expected. That is exactly what one Bengaluru-based corporate employee realized after she sat down to calculate her budget.Sharing the breakdown on Instagram, Vaasavi Pasupulati admitted that the exercise did not go the way she had expected.“I calculated how much I spend every month as a corporate girl living in Bangalore… Now I’m scared to open my banking app,” she wrote.She added, “This was supposed to help me budget. Instead, it gave me a reality check. But honestly, am I overspending!?”
A detailed look at her monthly budget
Pasupulati shared that her monthly spending comes to around ₹45,000 and explained how the amount is divided across different categories.Her fixed household expenses total ₹19,533. This includes rent, maintenance, a cook, a cleaning woman, and miscellaneous expenses. She also mentioned that she lives in a shared 3 BHK apartment with roommates.Groceries account for another ₹8,000 every month.“Groceries: ₹8,000. This includes: Fruits, Vegetables, Spices, Milk, Snacks, Coffee, Eggs, Pasta nights, Avocado toast ingredients,” she wrote.She also spends ₹6,000 on skincare, makeup and miscellaneous shopping. Along with that, she keeps money aside for café visits and Sunday food orders.“Skincare + Makeup + Misc Shopping: ₹6,000. Going out to explore a new cafe or Sunday food orders (considering at least twice a week): ₹3000. Because somehow… there’s always something to buy.”Her monthly bills and subscriptions, including phone recharge, cloud storage and WiFi, add up to ₹1,400. She also spends more than ₹7,300 on travel and commuting.Sharing the final calculation, she wrote: “Grand Total. Home: ₹19,533. Groceries: ₹8,000. Travel + Outings: ₹7,300. Personal: ₹9,000. Bills & Subscriptions: ₹1,400. Total Monthly Spend is approximately 45,000 per Month.”
Social media users shared different views
The post soon received several reactions from users, with many discussing whether the spending felt reasonable.One user commented, “We are spending this much?”Another wrote, “Enjoy to the fullest at this phase of your life.”A third suggested, “Take home to a nearby office… And don’t use cabs all the time… Use AC buses… Save Earth, save fuel, use a bike.”Another person wrote, “Here I am earning less than your room rent and still saving ₹10,000.”
She had earlier spoken about settling into life in Bengaluru
In an earlier Instagram post, Pasupulati had also shared her experience of moving to Bengaluru and adjusting to the city’s lifestyle.“What did I miss. Nobody warns you that moving to Bangalore comes with a starter pack. You’ll learn that getting an auto is a team sport. You’ll develop strong opinions on filter coffee and dosa. You’ll spend weekends chasing brunch spots and weekdays stuck in traffic. You’ll realize your mood depends on your cook didi’s mood.”She also wrote, “And every time you think you’ve finally made it, a Porsche at the next signal humbles you. Bangalore will test your patience, empty your wallet, make you question your life choices and somehow still convince you to stay. And despite all the traffic, rent, auto cancellations and Sunday evening anxiety, you’ll end up defending Bangalore like a local.”Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is based on publicly available content and is intended for informational purposes only.Thumb image: Instagram/@the_curly_diaries