Why Most Indians Struggle With Wealth Despite Income
Why Most Indians Struggle with Wealth The Truth Hidden Behind Pay Slips: In India, even high-income professionals often feel financially stressed. Individuals earning ₹15–20 lakhs a year report feeling broke mid-month. Despite strong salaries, they’re caught in debt cycles, under-saving, and constantly firefighting financial issues. This disconnect between income and financial well-being isn’t rare. It’s widespread and solvable. Income ≠ Wealth A high salary is not the same as financial freedom. Think of income as water from a tap and wealth as the water collected in a tank. If the tank has holes—like poor financial habits, emotional spending, and lifestyle pressure—the tank never fills. Wealth isn’t about how much you earn. It’s about how much you keep, grow, and protect. Seven Reasons Why High Earners in India Stay Broke 1. Lifestyle Inflation With every raise, people upgrade their lifestyle: Bigger car Larger home with higher EMIs Expensive gadgets Fine dining, more frequent vacations This upgrade feels deserved, but it consumes the extra income and prevents wealth accumulation. Expenses grow at the same rate—or faster—than income. 2. Lack of Financial Education Schools and colleges don’t teach personal finance. Most people learn about money through trial and error or from friends and family. This leads to: Poor savings discipline Wrong insurance products Overexposure to risky investments No budgeting or cash flow planning Without knowledge, even high earners make beginner-level financial mistakes. 3. Overdependence on Parents’ Advice Many working professionals rely on their parents for financial decisions. While well-intentioned, older generations often recommend outdated products like endowment plans or FDs. Today’s financial landscape requires updated thinking—SIPs, term plans, asset allocation, and tax efficiency. Financial independence includes independent financial decision-making. 4. Absence of Financial Goals Most professionals do not have clear, written financial goals. Without goals, investments are reactive: Random SIPs Last-minute ELSS purchases for tax Taking advice from unqualified sources Clear goals bring purpose to every rupee saved and invested. 5. Blind Faith in Corporate Benefits Health insurance, EPF, and group term cover are helpful, but not enough. These benefits disappear if you switch jobs, take a break, or retire early. Relying solely on corporate perks leaves you underprepared for emergencies and long-term security. 6. Peer Pressure & Social Comparison Comparison drives unnecessary financial decisions: Buying a car because a friend did Signing up for premium club memberships Borrowing to fund lifestyle choices This leads to stress, low savings, and poor asset growth. Matching others’ lifestyles doesn’t help you reach your personal wealth goals. 7. Lack of Financial Communication In many households, couples avoid talking about money. Parents don’t involve children in financial decisions. Professionals don’t seek advice or clarity. Avoidance leads to financial misalignment within families and missed opportunities for smarter planning. Shift from Income-Based Living to Wealth-Based Living The solution lies in shifting focus: From earning more → to managing better From spending emotionally → to spending intentionally From hoping → to planning High income is a strong start. But sustainable wealth requires discipline, structure, and action. Seven Habits That Build Real Wealth 1. Pay Yourself First Before spending on anything, save a fixed percentage of your income. Automate investments. Build the habit. This one move ensures consistent wealth growth. 2. Live Below Your Means Wealthy people don’t overspend—even when they can. Choose peace over pressure. Choose future freedom over present comparison. Spend less than you earn. Always. 3. Have Written Financial Goals Goals give direction to money. Set clear goals for: Emergency fund Retirement Children’s education Home purchase Passive income Break them down into amounts, timelines, and monthly contributions. 4. Start Investing Early The earlier you start, the more compounding works in your favor. Even small SIPs, when started early, grow into crores over 20–30 years. Don’t wait for perfection. Start with what you have. 5. Get Insured the Right Way Take term insurance to protect your family. Have personal health insurance outside your job. Avoid mixing investment and insurance. Financial security comes from being prepared for life’s uncertainties. 6. Track and Review Finances Monthly Use a spreadsheet, app, or pen and paper—just track. Check: Income vs. expenses Net worth growth Savings rate Investment performance Monthly reviews help you course-correct before problems arise. 7. Keep Learning Read. Attend webinars. Ask questions. Learn about: Mutual funds Tax planning Debt management Retirement strategies Financial literacy compounds just like money. Reflect on These Questions Use these to assess your financial health: Do I save before spending—or save what’s left over? How many months of expenses can I survive without income? Have I calculated my retirement number? What financial habits do I want to pass on to my children? Am I building assets—or just collecting liabilities? Conclusion: Wealth Is Built, Not Earned India is full of salaried professionals and business owners with strong incomes but low wealth. The difference-maker isn’t how much they earn. It’s how they think and behave with money. Wealth is built through intention, discipline, and a repeatable system. No matter your background, degree, or city—you can start building peaceful wealth today. The goal isn’t to look rich. The goal is to live free. And the journey begins with the decision to take control.
The 5 Common Reasons Why Most People Fail at Budgeting (And How to Succeed)
💡 Budgeting is one of the most Googled financial terms, but also one of the most abandoned resolutions. Everyone starts with energy. Few stay with discipline. Most quietly quit by Week 2. But why? Why is it that despite knowing we should budget, we don’t? That’s exactly what we’ll unpack today — in real talk, Indian life context, and with solutions that stick. Why Budgeting Sounds Good but Fails Fast Let’s be honest. “Budgeting” feels like: No one likes that energy. We think budgeting = restriction. But the truth is… 🚫 The 5 Common Reasons People Fail at Budgeting ❌ 1. They Overcomplicate It Spreadsheets with 28 categories. Colour-coded apps. Daily logging. It starts to feel like managing a company’s accounts, not your own life. Budgeting shouldn’t feel like homework. It should feel like clarity. ❌ 2. They Budget Based on Ideal Life, Not Real Life “From now, I’ll eat out only once a month.” “My fuel cost will be ₹1000 max.” “I’ll save ₹30,000 every month.” 🙄 This is budgeting based on motivation — not behaviour. When reality hits, you overspend, feel guilty, and drop the whole thing. ❌ 3. They Track After, Not Before Most people react to expenses. “Let’s see how much I spent last month.” That’s called expense tracking, not budgeting. Budgeting is a plan for your money before the month starts, not a post-mortem. ❌ 4. They Don’t Include Joy Here’s a controversial truth: Any budget that doesn’t include fun… will fail. You need a guilt-free “fun allowance.” Even if it’s ₹1,000 a month for pani puri, chai, or a date night. ❌ 5. They Budget Alone in a Family System Especially in Indian homes, we often budget individually, but spend money collectively — spouse, kids, parents, relatives. If your partner doesn’t know the plan, If your family doesn’t align with goals… You’ll constantly feel off-track. 💥 The Big Mindset Shift: Budgeting = Buying Freedom Budgeting is not about punishment. It’s not about becoming “cheap.” It’s about this: “I tell my money where to go — instead of wondering where it went.” Budgeting is like giving your money a job. Every rupee should have a role: Suddenly, money becomes your team. You’re the CEO. The rupees are your employees. You assign. They perform. 🧠 The Shiv Budgeting Method: Freedom Budget Blueprint™ Let’s simplify your life, Shiv-style. Here’s a simple, 3-part budgeting system I use with my students: ✅ Step 1: Split Into 3 Broad Buckets Forget 25 categories. Use this clean formula: 🧾 Essentials (50%) 💸 Wealth (30%) 🎉 Joy & Growth (20%) Why this works: ✅ Step 2: Plan Monthly — Not Daily Budgeting is like a diet. If you track calories every 3 minutes, you’ll quit in 3 days. Plan monthly. Check weekly. Track broadly. Use tools like: ✅ Step 3: Automate the Wealth Bucket This is non-negotiable. Set standing instructions so that: Because discipline is best when it’s automated. 🔁 Budgeting as a Couple (or Family) If you live with a spouse or parents — budgeting is not a solo game. 🫱🏽🫲🏽 Here’s how to align: Make it collaborative, not controlling. 🧘♂️ What Budgeting Actually Gives You Let’s move beyond rupees. What budgeting gives you is: 🌿 Peace — no more wondering “where did it all go?” 🤝 Trust — between you and your partner 🚀 Momentum — because small wins feel powerful 📊 Data — so you know exactly what to fix 💰 Surplus — that’s where true wealth begins 📍 Reflective Journal Prompts (Try Tonight) Here’s how to go deeper. Take 10 quiet minutes. Ask yourself: These aren’t accounting questions. They’re healing ones. 🧱 Brick by Brick: How to Succeed at Budgeting If you take away one thing from this blog, let it be this: Budgeting is not a numbers game. It’s a habits game. And habits are not built in one day. They’re built by showing up again and again. ✅ You’ll mess up a few months. ✅ You’ll overspend sometimes. ✅ You’ll forget to track for a week. But don’t quit. The goal is not perfect budgeting. The goal is peaceful progress. And if you keep showing up, one habit at a time — You’ll become that person who doesn’t just earn money… But directs it like a leader. ✨ Final Word: Your Money Wants Leadership, Not Luck You don’t need to be a finance expert. You don’t need to say no to life. You just need to own your money story. Budgeting is your way of saying: Your ₹50,000/month can create more peace than someone earning ₹2 lakhs — if you lead it well. So start. Start small. Start messy if you have to. Because financial freedom doesn’t start with income. It starts with intentional budgeting.
💑 Money & Marriage: How Indian Couples Can Build Financial Peace Together
Financial peace is not built in one conversation—it’s built over consistent, courageous conversations. ☕ 1. The Silent Stress in Indian Homes The other day, during a 1-on-1 session, a client of mine said something that stuck with me: “Shiv bhai, I earn well. My wife earns too. But when it comes to money… there’s tension. Silence. And sometimes, cold wars.” And it hit me: So many Indian homes are filled with unspoken money stress. From EMI pressures to in-law expectations, from “who earns more” to “why did you spend that much”—Money, though silent, often screams the loudest in relationships. And yet… we rarely talk about it. Not in schools.Not before marriage.Not even during it—unless there’s a crisis. 🧠 2. Why Couples Must Talk Money — Together Marriage isn’t just a union of hearts—It’s also a merging of financial energies. But here’s the truth most couples don’t admit: Love is emotional. But peace in marriage is often financial. You may love your partner dearly,but if you constantly feel unsafe, unheard, or unclear about your shared financial path… That love starts to feel heavy. Because money is not about rupees—it’s about security. It’s about: When that’s missing, even a small money issue becomes a big marital fight. 🛑 3. The Indian Reality: Cultural Silence Around Couple Finance Let’s acknowledge this:In Indian families, money has always been… a little taboo. Your parents never sat and taught you how to manage finances together. Especially in traditional setups: But we’re in a new India. Dual-income households. Aspirational lifestyles. Rising EMIs.And yes—growing emotional distance if money is not handled well. So let’s learn how to shift that. 🛠️ 4. 5 Toxic Patterns That Destroy Financial Peace in Couples Before we build peace, we must identify the patterns that sabotage it. Here are five I’ve seen (again and again): ❌ Pattern 1: One Partner Controls Everything Usually the higher earner. They take all decisions. The other just adapts.This leads to resentment and silent disconnection. ❌ Pattern 2: “I’ll Handle My Money, You Handle Yours” Sounds independent. But in a marriage, it creates parallel lives—not partnership. ❌ Pattern 3: Hiding Expenses “I’ll just buy this and not tell.”This financial infidelity starts small. But erodes trust. ❌ Pattern 4: No Shared Goals You’re rowing the same boat—but in different directions.One wants to save for a home, the other wants to travel. Chaos. ❌ Pattern 5: Money Talks = Only During Crises You only talk money when there’s a problem. That talk is tense, reactive, and defensive. No peace. 🌱 5. The Mindset Shift: From “Me & You” to “Us” The biggest upgrade a couple can make is this: “It’s not YOUR salary or MY loan.It’s OUR financial life.” You’re building a shared journey.That means shared decisions, shared dreams, and yes—shared discipline. Not “who earns more.”But “how can we grow together.” ❤️ 6. How to Start the Money Conversation with Your Spouse Let’s make it practical. Here’s how to gently open this conversation—even if money has never been discussed openly before. 🕯️ Step 1: Choose the Right Mood & Moment Not during a fight. Not when bills are pending.Do it on a calm Sunday, after dinner, with soft music and chai. Start with: “I’ve been thinking about our dreams… and how we can achieve them together.” 🗣️ Step 2: Be Honest About Where You Are Share your income, savings, debts.Ask your partner to do the same.Use a Google Sheet or a notebook. Get real. 🧭 Step 3: Dream Together Ask: Let it be a vision exercise—not a pressure talk. 🤝 Step 4: Decide Roles, Not Hierarchies Decide who manages what—based on strength, not gender. 🧘♂️ Step 5: Create a Peace Plan Agree on: And revisit it once a month, calmly. 📈 7. How to Structure Couple Finances in India (Practically) Here’s a hybrid system I often recommend to couples in coaching: ✅ 1. Three Accounts System: ✅ 2. Income Contribution Based on Ratio: If Partner A earns ₹80,000 and Partner B earns ₹40,000,then for joint expenses, A contributes 66%, B contributes 33%. ✅ 3. Monthly Review Ritual: Pick 1 Sunday/month. Sit together. Review your: Make it fun—snacks, light music, even a reward if you stayed on track! 💎 8. 7 Couple Money Habits That Lead to Peace Let’s go from theory to transformation. Here are daily/weekly habits that lead to long-term financial peace: ✅ 1. Set a Monthly “Money Date” A non-negotiable calendar event. You discuss dreams, not just bills. ✅ 2. Decide Big Purchases Together Set a ₹ threshold. “Above ₹5,000, we decide together.” ✅ 3. Talk About Emotions, Not Just Numbers Ask: ✅ 4. Automate Your Savings & SIPs Let the system work for you. Less stress. More progress. ✅ 5. Build an Emergency Fund Together Start small—₹5,000/month is fine. It’s not just a fund; it’s emotional security. ✅ 6. Use Apps to Track Joint Expenses Use Splitwise, Walnut, or YNAB (You Need A Budget). Make it visual, not vague. ✅ 7. Celebrate Financial Wins Together Saved more this month? Did your first SIP? Hit a debt-free milestone? Celebrate! Go for a dinner. Acknowledge growth. 🧠 9. Reflective Questions Every Couple Must Ask Use these prompts in your next money talk: These questions go deeper than numbers.They touch the heart. They build safety. 🌿 10. Final Thought: Money Is Not a Taboo. It’s a Tool for Togetherness. Dear reader, If you’ve ever avoided talking money with your partner because of fear, guilt, or confusion… Let this blog be your starting point. Because financial peace is not built in one conversation—it’s built over consistent, courageous conversations. You don’t need to be perfect.You just need to be present, honest, and willing. Build a life where: Because a couple that talks money, walks life better—together.