Hello, budget-savvy shoppers and challenge lovers! đď¸đ¸
I recently embarked on a shopping challenge that sounded deceptively simple: the A to Z Shopping Challenge with a budget of just Rs 1000. Yes, you read that rightâRs 1000. My task? To buy an item for every letter of the alphabet. Thatâs 26 items with only Rs 1000 in my pocket. Spoiler alert: Itâs not as easy as it sounds. But hey, I like a good challenge, so I was ready to dive in headfirstâwhile praying my bank balance wouldnât cry.
So, letâs go on this ridiculous (and wildly entertaining) journey of how I tackled this challenge without breaking the bankâor my sanity.
A â Apple (The Fruit, Not the Tech)
I kicked off the challenge with a basic, healthy choice: an apple. One small apple. Thatâs all I could afford. At Rs 20, it was either this or an avocado, and we all know what a luxury those are. I bit into it and immediately felt the pang of excitement⌠because I still had money left!
B â Biscuit
To keep the vibes rolling, I grabbed a packet of biscuits. A classic choice. The packet cost Rs 15, and it lasted exactly 10 minutes before I devoured half of it. I could feel my budget slipping away, but hey, at least I had a snack. #Priorities
C â Candle
I couldnât resist getting a cute scented candle. After all, weâre all about setting the mood, right? The candle set me back by Rs 30, but at least now my room smelled like lavender, which was a small win.
D â Dosa Batter (Because Why Not?)
I swung by the local store, and for Rs 40, I picked up some dosa batter. I mean, itâs D, and dosa batter was a steal at that price! Now, I had to figure out how to actually make dosa with no cooking skills. But whoâs judging?
E â Eraser
Itâs not easy finding anything beginning with E in a budget shopping spree, but I found an eraser for Rs 5. I donât even need to erase anything, but hey, itâs an essential, right? I might start erasing my regrets from this shopping spree later.
F â Fork
A plastic fork for Rs 10. Why? Because I needed it. Itâs functional, and sometimes, you just have to eat your dosa with a fork (even if itâs going to be messy).
G â Gum
Chewing gum â Rs 5. No, I wasnât trying to freshen my breath. Itâs just that the alphabet gods demand it. Plus, I had nothing better to spend that leftover Rs 5 on, so why not?
H â Hairpin
Next on the list: A hairpin for Rs 10. Not exactly the most exciting purchase, but hey, itâs a necessity. I used it immediately to pin back a stray hair that had started to resemble a wild animal.
I â Ice Cream (A Small One)
At this point, I needed a treat to keep the spirits high, so I bought a tiny Rs 20 ice cream. It was more of a tiny spoonful than an actual ice cream, but it was still a win. I savored every micro bite of it, like I had just purchased the worldâs most expensive dessert.
J â Jalebi (Mini Pack)
At Rs 25, I managed to buy a small pack of jalebi. The crispy, syrupy sweetness was an absolute mood lifter. I felt like a king, albeit a very poor one, but stillâking status achieved.
K â Keychain
I needed a âKâ item, so I bought a keychain for Rs 15. It wasnât fancy, but it got the job done. And who doesnât need a random keychain to hang on a random key? I didnât have keys yet, but Iâm sure theyâre coming.
L â Lip Balm
Lip balm for Rs 30. Because, in the middle of my shopping spree, my lips felt like they were about to fall off. Dry lips are no joke!
M â Mango (The Dried Version)
Mango is expensive in its fresh form, so I opted for dried mango chips at Rs 40. Healthy? Maybe. Sweet? Definitely. So, it was a win for my taste buds.
N â Notepad
I found a notepad for Rs 25. It wasnât anything special, but hey, I could use it to write down my regrets from this challengeâor maybe jot down a few grocery lists. You know, productive things.
O â Orange Juice (Small Pack)
For Rs 20, I grabbed a small tetra pack of orange juice. Finally, some liquid refreshment! Of course, it was more of an âorange-flavored drink,â but letâs not be picky.
P â Pencil
A pencil for Rs 5. It was super basic, but it served the purpose. If I ever need to write, this pencil is my MVP. If I need to erase my mistakes from this shopping spree, Iâve got the eraser for that too!
Q â Quirky Sticker
At Rs 10, I bought a quirky sticker that said, âYou got this!â Because honestly, at this point in the challenge, I really needed some encouragement.
R â Rubikâs Cube Keychain
Rs 20 for a small Rubikâs cube keychain. It might not have been the full-sized cube, but it was fun, and it fit into my tiny budget. Plus, I could impress people with my skills… once I figure out how to solve it.
S â Soap
I found a soap bar for Rs 20. Because, apparently, even while shopping on a budget, hygiene must come first.
T â Tea Bags
I snagged a pack of tea bags for Rs 15. If I was going to survive this shopping spree, I needed tea breaks. My body demanded them.
U â Unicyclist Keychain
I found an oddly specific keychain shaped like a unicyclist. It cost Rs 15, and honestly, I was just so glad I found something that fit the letter “U” that I didnât even care.
V â Vegetable Chips
At Rs 30, I bought a small bag of vegetable chips. Healthy-ish? Sure. But more importantly, they were green, and I was out of time to find a vegetable.
W â Wallet
I bought a tiny, cheap wallet for Rs 30. It didnât fit much, but it fit my hopes and dreams for this challenge.
X â Xylophone (Mini)
It was a mini xylophone for Rs 30. Did I need it? No. Did it make a sound when I hit it? Absolutely not. But it was technically a âmusical instrumentâ starting with X, so… check!
Y â Yellow Pen
Yup, I ended up with a yellow pen for Rs 5. It wasnât green or red or any other color that would be cool, but I needed to fill the âYâ gap.
Z â Zipper Pouch
Last but not least, I grabbed a zipper pouch for Rs 30. It was small, it was practical, and it completed my challenge.
The Final Verdict:
After completing the A to Z shopping challenge with just Rs 1000, I was left with a bunch of random items and a very confused look from the shopkeeper. The total was around Rs 950, but the real cost? My sanity.
Was it worth it? Absolutely.
Will I do it again? Absolutely not.
But hey, I learned two things: 1) You can buy a lot of bizarre things with Rs 1000 if you try hard enough, and 2) Always check the price before committing to a challenge like this.
Thanks for joining me on this wild ride, and don’t forget to check out more quirky adventures here at Learn with Pari!
