Marriage season is approaching, and my credit card statement reads like a horror story. Three weddings in two months – all requiring new clothes, gifts, and travel. Coming from a joint family in Lucknow, attending these functions isn't optional. "Log kya kahenge" if we don't show up with proper gifts and attire?

My salary as a junior architect (₹42,000) barely covers my regular expenses and the money I contribute at home. Every time a wedding card arrives, my heart sinks. Last month, I bought a ₹15,000 lehenga for my cousin's wedding – on credit, of course. The EMI seems manageable at ₹2,800 per month, but these "manageable" EMIs are eating up half my salary.

The pressure to maintain appearances in our social circle is suffocating. When my cousin bought everyone iPhone covers as return gifts at her wedding, I felt compelled to match that standard at my sister's wedding. More credit card swipes, more EMIs.

I tried explaining to Ma why we should scale down our wedding expenses, but she doesn't understand. "Beta, these occasions come once in a lifetime." Meanwhile, my credit card debt has crossed ₹2 lakhs. The interest is crushing, but what options do I have? Breaking a fixed deposit would mean questions from Papa about my spending.

Sometimes I wonder if this is how everyone lives – putting up appearances on borrowed money. My married friends post photos from expensive restaurants and holiday destinations. Are they also drowning in credit card debt, or am I the only one failing at financial planning?

I've started doing freelance design work on weekends, trying to earn extra income. But with three more weddings lined up this year, including my brother's, I know my credit card will remain my unwanted best friend.