Episode 64: The Widow’s Gold — When a Family Sells a Mother’s Jewellery to Clear a Son’s Credit Card Debt
Series: Broken by Burden: Financial Survival Strategies for the Troubled Mind
Date: 29 Aug 2025
🎭 A Lifetime in Bangles, Melted in Minutes
In a narrow alley of Lucknow’s old town, 62-year-old Kusum Devi, a widow, lives in a modest two-room home filled with memories and the scent of jasmine oil. Her husband, an LIC agent, passed away ten years ago, leaving behind not riches, but a reputation of honesty and a small pension. Kusum raised her two children—Ritesh, now 28, and Nandini, 24—with the dignity and discipline of a lioness with limited means.
Ritesh, the elder, was always a dreamer. He completed an MBA through distance learning but could never hold onto a job for more than a few months. When he finally landed a role in a fintech company in Delhi, hope returned to the household. He left with promises of sending money every month. But the months passed, and the money didn’t come.
At home, Kusum sold homemade pickles and stitched blouses to survive. Nandini, a schoolteacher in a local girls’ school, quietly chipped in to keep the gas running and Kusum’s medicines stocked.
One evening, Ritesh called with a trembling voice.
“Ma… I made a mistake. I’ve run up ₹2.8 lakh in credit card debt. I thought I’d be able to repay it… but I kept using one card to pay off another. The bank people are calling… they said they’ll come home. Ma, please… I’m scared.”
Kusum’s world slowed down.
She walked to the corner of her room, opened the locker, and took out the only box that glittered — her wedding jewellery.
She had worn those gold bangles for 35 years. Through all the Diwalis, funerals, ration queues, and school functions. It wasn’t just gold. It was memory. Her identity. Her pride.
🗣️ Conversation: What Is Love Meant to Pay For?
Kusum (softly, to her daughter):
“I saved these for your marriage. And now, I’ll sell them for his recklessness.”
Nandini (angrily):
“Ma, don’t! He lied to you. He hasn’t sent money for 7 months! And now this? He needs to face the consequence.”
Kusum (quietly):
“I’m his mother. If I don’t stand by him now, the world won’t either. But I’ll speak to him… this will not happen again.”
Later, she visits the jeweller alone.
The same man who once made her mangalsutra now weighs her bangles on cold steel.
Jeweller (gently):
“Didi, are you sure? These are hand-etched, traditional Lucknowi gold… they don’t make these anymore.”
Kusum (with tears):
“They were made for my dreams. Now they’ll melt for my reality.”
🧠 Character Contrast: Good vs. Bad Influences
- Nandini, the responsible younger daughter, voices reason and accountability. She urges discipline and emotional boundaries.
- Ritesh’s friend Shubham, in Delhi, had earlier encouraged him to use credit cards recklessly. “Swipe now, sort later,” he’d said. Shubham had no family to answer to. Ritesh did.
- The old neighbour Sharmaji, a retired teacher, told Kusum: “Forgive, but don’t forget. Saving a child doesn’t mean shielding him from the lesson.”
Ritesh, watching his mother pawn her gold through a video call, finally broke down.
“Ma… I never knew I was worth your entire past.”
💡 Reflections: What This Story Teaches Us
- Emotional blackmail often wears the mask of helplessness.
Love without accountability can become emotional exploitation. - Credit card misuse is not just financial — it’s psychological.
The trap begins with pride and ends in shame. - Saying ‘no’ is also a form of love.
Not everyone deserves a bailout. Sometimes, lessons must be paid in full. - Good advice is not always sweet.
Listen to the voice that challenges you — not the one that comforts your bad habits.
🛠️ Practical Financial Lessons
- Don’t use one card to pay off another. It only compounds your debt under higher interest rates.
- Educate all family members — even adult children — on the importance of credit discipline.
- Keep an emergency fund for genuine crises. Don’t liquidate memories for mismanagement.
- Use a debt snowball method. List your debts smallest to largest and pay them down one at a time for psychological wins.
- Track spending daily. Apps like Walnut, Money View, or even handwritten logs can help avoid the spiral.
Please refer to How to Get Rid of Credit Card
🌱 Where They Are Now
Kusum sold two bangles and kept the mangalsutra.
Ritesh returned home for three months. Every day, he went to the local bank, learned budgeting, and began a part-time data entry job.
He now runs workshops on “Financial Literacy for First-Time Earners” in Delhi, teaching others from his own failure.
“I wore branded shirts but I was emotionally bankrupt,” he once said.
“Now I wear clarity.”
Episode 65: The Cousin’s Car — When a Child Learns the Cost of Comparison Early
In the next story, a school-going boy is mocked by his cousins for coming in a second-hand cycle while they flaunt imported toys and fancy SUVs. What begins as shame turns into resilience — thanks to one teacher who changes how he sees himself.
⚠️ Disclaimer
This blog series is meant for emotional and financial reflection. It does not substitute for professional mental health or financial advice. If you or someone you know is experiencing distress, debt-related anxiety, or emotional crisis, please consult a licensed professional. Stories are fictionalized composites drawn from real-life scenarios to preserve identities and enhance relatability.
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