What’s your money worth? A series from the front line of the cost of living crisis, where people who have been hit hard share their monthly expenses.
Name: Haleema Jan*
Age: 37
Occupation: Cleaner at a bank
Lives with: Her daughter Sania Haleem*, 12
Lives in: A wooden shanty with cement floors in Srinagar, the largest city in Indian-administered Kashmir. Haleema’s home is located about 4.8km (3 miles) from the city’s main commercial area, where government offices and busy marketplaces can be found. It sits on a 450-square-foot (42 square metres) piece of land that she bought eight years ago.
A plywood board partitions her home into two rooms. One room serves as the kitchen, and the other doubles up as the bedroom and dining area. There is also an outdoor toilet with a tin door.
Monthly household income: Haleema’s monthly income is 8,000 rupees ($97).
Total family expenses for the month: 6,988 rupees ($85). In February, Haleema’s expenses were higher than usual due to Sania starting a new grade at school and Haleema having to pay for her school supplies and fees.
*These are pseudonyms to maintain privacy
