Interest is more important than alom-vilom!

To live comfortably depends on each individual. But there are certain basic things which every human need to survive right from the day of his birth as the survival depends on physical and intangible elements that feed your body as well as your mind.

Regardless of a society's currency or unit of trading, a source of income is vital to survival. In some countries, you may not need a significant amount of money to survive due to lower costs of living but you still need some way of paying your bills. Even if ill and unable to work, generous friends and relatives or governmental support is critical. Before the advent of cash, people around the world used goods and services to barter and trade.

Perhaps the most critical element to survival is oxygen that allows us to breathe. Whether your problem is lack of air, poor air quality or a physical condition that limits your lung capacity, you will likely suffer brain damage or die if your supply of oxygen is cut off for longer than three minutes.

I was happy when I retired as non-pensioner on getting handsome amount of interest on my deposits from the total dues received in lump-sum but with the passage of time, the bank rates have been reduced so low that income from interest has reduced to fifty percent. Now I feel that the pension to a retiree is more important and secured which increases from time to time. Not only has this, in the event of death of spouse, who too happens to be a pensioner retiree, additional pension income continued to add to your existing monthly pension.

When I discussed with one of my known banker as to how to increase the income, he plainly said either I should take a risk for investing in share market, mutual funds or reduce my necessities. There is no question of taking any risk in the sixty plus, I had no alternative except to opt for the later otherwise the principal amount would go on reducing years by years and one day will come when I will be having no money but still having ‘will and strength’ both ‘physically and mentally’ for another tens of years.

Frankly speaking, one of my old timer friend told to me that to live inhaling and exhaling – alom-vilom - of Baba Ram Dev, are more important but the other day when we were just gossiping to pass or kill the retired life, he was amazed with my instant reply to him, him that I being a non-pensioner, interest income of the deposits with the bankers is more important than your alom-vilom.