Family expenses go up during Ramadhan

Annastashya Emmanuelle, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The outlay of many Muslim families surprisingly actually increases during the Ramadhan fasting month as breaking the fast is a major family event that requires something a little out of the ordinary.

During this time, the whole family gathers together to pray and dine on special appetizers and deserts so as to celebrate the keeping of worldly pleasures at bay from dawn to dusk for another day.

This is why, according to many housewives, their expenditure on food increases during Ramadhan.

Sri Rani, a housewife who lives in Cipinang Jaya, East Jakarta, said that during Ramadhan, her large, extended household spent between Rp 200,000 (about US$20) and Rp 300,000 per day on food. Even though her household consists of three families, it is still considered a lot, she said. On normal days, they usually spent about Rp 100,000 per day.

"To gather with the whole family for each of the Ramadhan meals is so meaningful for us ... we are ready to spend a bit extra," she explained.

It has become a tradition for some families to serve Ramadhan specialties, such as kolak (a sweet appetizer consisting of coconut milk and palm sugar), and other sweet tidbits. Many consider that it would be incomplete to break the fast without such traditional treats.

Another housewife, Lili Rohili, said that she usually set aside Rp 25,000 per day to buy food during Ramadhan, compared to the Rp 15,000 she normally spent.

She would be off shopping for groceries with her daughters at the traditional market near their home on Friday afternoon.

"Even the shopping is like a family event," she said, "Buying and preparing the Ramadhan meals with my children has a different feel." Lili said. It is virtually compulsory for her children to break their fast at home with the family.

However, there are also many families who treat the Ramadhan days like any other.

"I like my children to be at home for fast breaking ... but we don't prepare special meals every day," Rusman Supardjo, a father of three told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

"We will have a feast at Lebaran to celebrate our victory over worldly pleasures," he said.

Since Thursday evening, supermarkets and traditional markets has been preparing to receive hordes of fasting-month shoppers.

"On Thursday night, we had an increase of between 10 percent and 20 percent in the number of shoppers as most thought the fast would begin on Friday," said Mulyana, the deputy manager of Hero supermarket on Jl. Cokroaminoto, Central Jakarta, adding that his store had handled about 1,700 shoppers on Thursday.

While prices have generally increased due to increased demand, some supermarkets have hung special "Ramadhan price" tags on some items offering discounts from the normal price.

The government announced on Thursday that the Ramadhan commenced on Saturday. However, some Muslims began fasting on Friday as the nation's largest Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah, stated that the first day of the holy fasting month fell on Friday.