That afternoon, golden sunlight streamed in through the half-open living room window. The warm light danced across the surface of the coffee table, where a few shopping receipts, a pen, and a navy-blue notebook lay scattered. Across from it, Adi sat cross-legged on the carpet, phone in hand, scrolling through a banking app, occasionally furrowing his brow. Maya sat calmly, carefully jotting down this week's expenses.
The atmosphere between them felt quiet but tense. Not because of an argument, but because the conversation they were about to have was far from easy: household finances.
"I've added up all our expenses for this week." Maya said softly. "Groceries cost three hundred thousand. Then the monthly internet subscription is one hundred fifty thousand, and electricity is around four hundred. That's almost a million in total."
Adi nodded slowly, then leaned forward to look at the numbers Maya had written. "Three hundred thousand for groceries? That's quite a bit… and that's not even including gas for the motorbike or our monthly installments."
He rubbed his forehead with his palm, trying to hold back the anxiety bubbling up. He hadn't realized that living together in the little house they bought just a few months ago would be this complex.
Maya looked at her husband with understanding. "That's why I think we need to be more disciplined with our budgeting. For example, maybe we could start buying vegetables at the traditional market instead of the supermarket. And maybe… cut back on buying coffee outside. We could just make coffee at home, right?"
Adi tilted his head with a faint smile. "I agree… and also don't."
Maya raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"On one hand, I know we need to save. But on the other… I still want us to have space for the little things that make life enjoyable. Like having coffee together at a café, or watching a movie at the cinema now and then. If we cut everything out, life might feel too rigid, don't you think?"
Maya smiled. She put down her pen and leaned back against the sofa. "I get it. I don't want us to stop enjoying life either. What I'm suggesting is just about priorities. How about we still set aside a specific amount, like two hundred thousand a month, for little things that bring us joy?"
Adi's smile widened with relief. "Now that I can totally agree on! Two hundred thousand for our small joys. When was the last time we watched a movie at the cinema?"
"Two months ago, when we saw that Korean romantic comedy." Maya replied with a giggle. "And we ended up talking more at the café afterward than about the movie itself."
Adi laughed. "Yeah, and back then we said we should do that more often."
Maya picked up the pen again and wrote under the previous budget notes: "Rp 200,000 – Entertainment and small joys."
"So!" she continued, "we'll allocate a million for basic needs like food, electricity, internet and transportation. Then two hundred thousand for entertainment. The rest we save. I also want to start putting aside money for house improvements, like getting a new bookshelf or flower pots for the balcony."
Adi reached for Maya's hand and looked at her sincerely. "I promise I'll be more careful with spending. I want us to feel secure in this house, not anxious at the end of each month."
Maya returned his grip with a warm smile. "I also promise to be firm about the budget, but gentle with our hearts. If we slip up one month, it's okay. We'll fix it the next. We're a team, right?"
They both turned back to the notebook, rearranging the budget plan:
Rp 500,000 – Groceries
Rp 150,000 – Internet
Rp 100,000 – Electricity
Rp 150,000 – Transportation and other needs
Rp 200,000 – Entertainment
Rp 300,000 – Savings
Those numbers finally formed a solid structure, like a small foundation for the future they were slowly building. Though simple, the figures were filled with hope: a balcony with hanging lights, a tidy little kitchen, and maybe someday… a vacation out of town.
After noting everything down, they rested for a while. The afternoon breeze drifted in, carrying the scent of jasmine from the neighbor's garden. Outside the window, the sky turned a soft purple-orange.
"If we stay consistent, I believe we can start saving for a trip. Maybe to the mountains or the beach." Adi said, gazing at the sky.
Maya followed his gaze. "I'd love that. Let's start a vacation fund. Every month, we can set aside a little from what's left."
Adi flipped to a new page in the notebook and wrote at the top: "Vacation Fund – Start: Rp 100,000." Then he looked at Maya. "We'll start from here."
Maya smiled. "If we make it, I want to go to Bromo. Watch the sunrise with you."
Adi looked at his wife with deep affection. "Bromo, huh? Sounds perfect. Let's make that our first goal."
Night fell. They prepared a simple dinner: stir-fried vegetables, an omelet, and slices of sweet mango. At the dinner table, they laughed together, recalling the early days of their marriage, when things were tougher but their spirit burned brighter.
After dinner, they sat side by side on the sofa, watching travel videos on YouTube, people who saved little by little and ended up exploring all corners of Indonesia. From time to time, Maya leaned on Adi's shoulder, feeling safe and at peace.
"I'm glad we could talk openly like that." Maya whispered.
"Yeah. I used to think talking about money would lead to fights. But actually… it brought us closer."
Maya nodded. "Because we didn't blame each other. We found solutions together."
That night, before bed, they turned on the small lamp in the bedroom and opened the window wide. The night air flowed in, cool and calming. From their bed, they could see little stars scattered across the sky.
Before falling asleep, Maya whispered, "Thank you for being my life partner, not just in love, but in things like finances too."
Adi held her hand and replied softly, "As long as we're together, we can face anything."