Job Interview & The Black Book of Expenditures

I've finally begun job hunting and recently went for my first interview here in Delhi (see photo above). It was with the digital version of a major English-language newspaper and it lasted 3 hours! Pictured below is the room I spent the majority of that time in:

My main take away from this interview (apart from meeting some really interesting people) was this: I have no concept about the value of money in India. For me, money in India means asking my grandfather for 21 Rs so I can buy a Nirula's Hot Chocolate Fudge Sunday, or bargaining with the booksellers at the neighborhood market to sell me two romance novels for the price of one. I still view this city through a child's eye, because that's how I've known it all these years. So ask me how much money goes into gas per month, or the average cost of groceries for a two-person household, or what salary I should be asking for at a job interview...and I'm at a total loss.

To remedy this situation I've decided to keep a little black notebook and write down everything nani and I spend, so I can get an idea of how much things cost and what we'll need to survive per month. Here are a few entries:

2/3/07-
* 580 Rs, to plumber for washing-machine fixing equipment
* 200 Rs, bribe to MTNL guys
* 200 Rs, bribe to electrician
* 15 Rs, for Internet surfing at cafe
* 100 Rs, Barista Coffee
* 18 Rs, 1 kilo low-fat milk

2/4/07-
*100 Rs, bribe to another MTNL guy
*358 Rs, Sohn Lal ki Puris (got some extra for Thoshi Dadi)
*95 Rs, green sandals for Sunita & Parachute hair oil
*650 Rs, 5 eyedrop medicines for nani
*410 Rs, various steel utensils (2 glasses, 2 bowls, juicer, small bowl for nani's prayers)
*350 Rs, huge crate of oranges and one papaya

2/5/07-
*230 Rs, 2 dish drains to keep cockroaches out, stool, nails
*100 Rs, dish rack
*22 Rs, 1 kilo full-fat milk
*23 Rs, cockroach killer, headache medicine
*1500 Rs, gas
*210 Rs, fruits and vegetables from stand
*450 Rs, miniature wooden temple for nani's room
*290 Rs, for polishing small silver statues of various Gods
*36 Rs, 2 almond milkshakes from Om Sweets