A BENGALURU FAMILY OF SIX, THAT LIVES HAPPILY ON LESS THAN ₹ 10,000 PER MONTH
- Madhukar Dama
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
INTRODUCTION
In a city known for traffic jams, app addiction, and EMI-induced stress, lives a family of six who chose a different path.
The Raghunath family, once as ordinary as their neighbors, now lives a life so deliberate, so low-cost, and so deeply free — it mocks the very idea of modern "success."
Father Raghunath (42), ex-graphic designer.
Mother Meera (40), former primary school teacher.
Daughters Tara (14) and Sahana (11), and grandparents Gopal (74) and Uma (69).
They live in a modest 900 sq ft home in Jayanagar, with a garden-covered terrace, homemade systems for almost everything, and zero debts.
Every decision they’ve made, from food to finances, is a slap on the face of the mainstream system.
They follow 100 clear steps across all life domains — each backed with realistic financial comparisons that show how much the average household spends and how little they spend by making, growing, or doing it themselves.
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SECTION 1: FOOD & KITCHEN (20 STEPS)
1. Grow 75% of vegetables on terrace.
Usual: Rs. 3,000/month. Theirs: Rs. 300
2. Compost all kitchen waste.
Usual: Rs. 2,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 0
3. Use traditional stone grinder (ammikal).
Usual: Rs. 1,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 0
4. Make buttermilk, curd, paneer at home.
Usual: Rs. 600/month. Theirs: Rs. 150
5. Sun-dry papads, pickles, powders.
Usual: Rs. 500/month. Theirs: Rs. 50
6. Use homemade cleaning powder.
Usual: Rs. 300/month. Theirs: Rs. 10
7. Cook on solar cooker + firewood chulha.
Usual: Rs. 500/month. Theirs: Rs. 80
8. Bulk-buy grains from village cooperative.
Usual: Rs. 1,500/month. Theirs: Rs. 900
9. Eat millets 4x a week.
Usual: Rs. 1,200. Theirs: Rs. 700
10. No outside food, no Zomato.
Usual: Rs. 2,000–5,000/month. Theirs: Rs. 0
11. Reused spice jars, bottles, boxes.
Usual: Rs. 2,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 0
12. Boil water in copper vessel, no RO filter.
Usual: Rs. 5,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 100
13. Sun-dry all masalas and grains.
Usual: Rs. 300/month. Theirs: Rs. 0
14. Use banana leaves on festivals.
Usual: Rs. 600/year. Theirs: Rs. 100
15. Cloth napkins, no tissues.
Usual: Rs. 150/month. Theirs: Rs. 0
16. Grow curry leaves, coriander, pudina.
Usual: Rs. 250/month. Theirs: Rs. 0
17. Terracotta water pot instead of fridge.
Usual: Rs. 300/month. Theirs: Rs. 0
18. Reuse rice water for hair and plants.
Usual: Rs. 1,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 0
19. Make ghee at home.
Usual: Rs. 600/litre. Theirs: Rs. 100
20. One-pot dinner cooking.
Usual: Rs. 200/month. Theirs: Rs. 0
Subtotal Saving: Rs. 6,000–8,000/month
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SECTION 2: HEALTH & BODYCARE (15 STEPS)
21. Oil pulling with coconut oil.
Usual: Rs. 250/month. Theirs: Rs. 80
22. Barefoot walking on terrace.
Usual: Rs. 600/month. Theirs: Rs. 0
23. Sunbathing + clay packs.
Usual: Rs. 500/month. Theirs: Rs. 50
24. Guava, neem, tulsi leaves daily.
Usual: Rs. 1,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 0
25. Steam inhalation with herbs.
Usual: Rs. 300/month. Theirs: Rs. 0
26. Homemade tooth powder.
Usual: Rs. 100/tube. Theirs: Rs. 10/month
27. Massage with sesame oil.
Usual: Rs. 1,000/month. Theirs: Rs. 50
28. Tulsi & ginger decoction.
Usual: Rs. 500/month. Theirs: Rs. 50
29. Neem curtains, no AC.
Usual: Rs. 1,000/month. Theirs: Rs. 150
30. Hair wash: reetha + curd.
Usual: Rs. 250/month. Theirs: Rs. 20
31. Earthing daily.
Usual: Rs. 5,000/year therapy. Theirs: Rs. 0
32. No pills, only natural rest.
Usual: Rs. 12,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 800
33. Seasonal fasting.
Usual: Rs. 5,000/year detox. Theirs: Rs. 0
34. Home remedies from elders.
Usual: Rs. 3,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 200
35. Midday body rest.
Usual: Rs. 2,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 0
Subtotal Saving: Rs. 2,000–3,000/month
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SECTION 3: CLOTHING & LAUNDRY (10 STEPS)
36. Buy clothes once in 2 years.
Usual: Rs. 20,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 3,000
37. Repurpose torn clothes.
Usual: Rs. 2,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 0
38. Hand-wash with soapnut.
Usual: Rs. 250/month. Theirs: Rs. 50
39. Stitch at home.
Usual: Rs. 2,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 0
40. Sun-dry clothes.
Usual: Rs. 1,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 0
41. Uniforms passed between kids.
Usual: Rs. 2,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 0
42. Dye clothes with turmeric/beet.
Usual: Rs. 1,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 50
43. No fashion shopping.
Usual: Rs. 1,000/month. Theirs: Rs. 0
44. Quilts from sarees.
Usual: Rs. 2,000. Theirs: Rs. 0
45. Local tailor.
Usual: Rs. 500/month. Theirs: Rs. 100/year
Subtotal Saving: Rs. 1,500–2,000/month
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SECTION 4: HOME DESIGN & UTILITIES (15 STEPS)
46. Terrace garden for insulation.
Usual: Rs. 1,200/month. Theirs: Rs. 0
47. Creepers cool walls.
Usual: Rs. 20,000/year paint. Theirs: Rs. 200
48. Rainwater harvesting.
Usual: Rs. 2,000/month. Theirs: Rs. 200
49. Greywater reused.
Usual: Rs. 1,000/month. Theirs: Rs. 0
50. Mud flooring verandah.
Usual: Rs. 10,000 tiles. Theirs: Rs. 300
51. Solar water bags.
Usual: Rs. 400/month geyser. Theirs: Rs. 0
52. Cross-ventilated design.
Usual: Rs. 800/month. Theirs: Rs. 100
53. No false ceilings.
Usual: Rs. 1 lakh. Theirs: Rs. 5,000
54. Clay tiled roof.
Usual: Rs. 40,000. Theirs: Rs. 12,000
55. Solar-powered lights.
Usual: Rs. 800/month. Theirs: Rs. 50
56. Gas used rarely.
Usual: Rs. 700/month. Theirs: Rs. 100
57. DIY coconut insulation.
Usual: Rs. 5,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 0
58. Furniture from salvaged wood.
Usual: Rs. 50,000. Theirs: Rs. 5,000
59. Only 2 gadgets total.
Usual: Rs. 1 lakh. Theirs: Rs. 15,000
60. No fridge. Earthen pots used.
Usual: Rs. 1,000/month. Theirs: Rs. 0
Subtotal Saving: Rs. 4,000–6,000/month
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SECTION 5: EDUCATION & CAREER (10 STEPS)
61. Homeschooling.
Usual: Rs. 50,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 2,000
62. Learn crafts, skills.
Usual: Rs. 2,000/month. Theirs: Rs. 0
63. No school buses/donations.
Usual: Rs. 10,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 0
64. Kids teach kids locally.
Usual: Rs. 1,000/month. Theirs: Rs. 0
65. Learning from daily life.
Usual: Rs. 500/month. Theirs: Rs. 50
66. No coaching classes.
Usual: Rs. 15,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 0
67. Career = purpose, not package.
Usual: Rs. 50,000/year stress. Theirs: Peace
68. Internships with artisans.
Usual: Rs. 10,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 0
69. Oral learning of languages.
Usual: Rs. 500/month. Theirs: Rs. 0
70. No marks obsession.
Usual: Rs. 1 lakh/year pressure. Theirs: Rs. 0
Subtotal Saving: Rs. 3,000–5,000/month
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SECTION 6: TRANSPORT & MOBILITY (10 STEPS)
71. Cycles used.
Usual: Rs. 3,000/month. Theirs: Rs. 0
72. Rare bus use.
Usual: Rs. 1,000/month. Theirs: Rs. 100
73. One scooter, no car.
Usual: Rs. 10,000/month. Theirs: Rs. 500
74. Shared car with neighbor.
Usual: Rs. 1 lakh. Theirs: Rs. 10,000
75. Market walks.
Usual: Rs. 400/month. Theirs: Rs. 0
76. Nature walks = vacations.
Usual: Rs. 5,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 0
77. Raincoats, no cabs.
Usual: Rs. 600/month. Theirs: Rs. 0
78. Kids repair bicycles.
Usual: Rs. 2,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 200
79. No delivery apps.
Usual: Rs. 1,000/month. Theirs: Rs. 0
80. No vehicle loans.
Usual: Rs. 40,000 interest. Theirs: Rs. 0
Subtotal Saving: Rs. 3,000–4,000/month
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SECTION 7: ENTERTAINMENT, RELATIONSHIPS & MINDSET (20 STEPS)
81. Storytelling nights.
Usual: Rs. 500/month. Theirs: Rs. 0
82. Homemade music.
Usual: Rs. 1,000/month. Theirs: Rs. 0
83. No kids' smartphones.
Usual: Rs. 10,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 0
84. Handcrafted games.
Usual: Rs. 2,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 0
85. No screen Sundays.
Usual: Rs. 200/month. Theirs: Rs. 0
86. Community festivals.
Usual: Rs. 5,000/event. Theirs: Rs. 500
87. Letters to relatives.
Usual: Rs. 1,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 50
88. Potluck gatherings.
Usual: Rs. 2,000/month. Theirs: Rs. 0
89. Repair gadgets.
Usual: Rs. 5,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 500
90. Play barefoot games.
Usual: Rs. 1,500/year. Theirs: Rs. 0
91. Silent Sundays.
Usual: Rs. 500/year. Theirs: Rs. 0
92. Grandmother’s meditation.
Usual: Rs. 2,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 0
93. No social media.
Usual: Rs. 3,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 0
94. Homemade birthday decor.
Usual: Rs. 2,000/event. Theirs: Rs. 100
95. Gifts = food or letters.
Usual: Rs. 5,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 200
96. Gratitude journaling.
Usual: Rs. 1,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 20
97. Weekly clean-up walk.
Usual: Rs. 2,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 0
98. Debates replace Netflix.
Usual: Rs. 500/month. Theirs: Rs. 0
99. Homemade art + poetry.
Usual: Rs. 1,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 50
100. End each day under stars.
Usual: Rs. 5,000/year. Theirs: Rs. 0
Subtotal Saving: Rs. 3,000–4,000/month
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GRAND TOTAL IMPACT
Conventional Family Monthly Cost: Rs. 40,000–60,000
Raghunath Family Monthly Cost: Rs. 6,000–9,000
Yearly Savings: Rs. 4–6 lakhs
Debt: Zero
Peace of Mind: Infinite
Moral: This is not poverty.
This is intelligent, joyful resistance.
Not running away from life.
But running toward what’s real.
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