If I could sit across from my 20-year-old self in a noisy chai tapri in Pune or a college hostel in Delhi, I wouldn’t just talk about money.
I’d talk about mindset, mistakes, and what no one teaches you in school — especially when it comes to money in India.
So here’s the financial wisdom I wish someone had drilled into my head, years before the EMIs and rent cheques started showing up.
1. 🧾 Budgeting Isn’t Boring — It’s Survival
“Don’t treat your income like a prize. Treat it like oxygen.”
Back then, I thought budgeting was for misers.
But truth is — every rupee needs a role, or it’ll just disappear.
If I had to do it over:
- 50% of income → Essentials
- 30% → Wants
- 20% → Investments/Savings (non-negotiable)
Even a ₹500 monthly SIP at 21 would’ve been a gift to my future self.
2. 📉 Stop Chasing Credit Cards and Start Earning Interest
“If you’re in your 20s and chasing cashback, you’re playing the wrong game.”
The banks love when we’re young, clueless, and excited by shiny plastic.
I wish I had learned how compound interest could work for me — instead of against me.
Now I know:
- Credit is useful — but only when you’re already disciplined
- Emergency funds are sexier than shopping
- Interest earned > Interest paid
3. 📈 Start Investing, Even If You Don’t Know It All
You’ll never “feel ready.”
But you’re better off being 90% in and 10% uncertain, than 100% on the sidelines.
What I wish I knew:
- Start with index funds (Nifty 50 or Sensex ETFs)
- Use SIPs, even if it’s just ₹100/week
- You don’t need to time the market — you just need time in the market
4. 🛒 Don’t Let Lifestyle Inflation Fool You
“Got a raise? Congrats. Keep living like you didn’t.”
The moment you get that first real paycheck, your brain tricks you into feeling rich.
I wish someone had told me:
- New phones can wait
- 3 streaming apps = 3 distractions
- Status isn’t wealth
- Real flex = owning assets, not buying liabilities
5. 🧠 Learn Personal Finance Before Crypto
Forget the FOMO.
Before you dive into Bitcoin, NFTs, or options trading, learn:
- What’s a mutual fund
- How taxes work
- What “emergency fund” really means
- Why insurance isn’t an investment
Once your base is strong, then you can dabble.
6. 🧘 Money Is Emotional — Stay Mindful
Money fights in families. Regret over loans. Anxiety about retirement.
These aren’t just financial issues — they’re emotional realities.
I wish I had treated money like:
- A long-term partner, not a weekend fling
- A discipline, not just a tool
- A source of peace, not pressure
✍️ Final Thoughts from My Older Self
To my younger self (and to any young Indian reading this):
You don’t need to get rich fast.
You need to get wise early.
Learn money. Respect money. Let it work while you sleep.
Because 10 years from now, your future self is either thanking you — or wishing they could rewrite your story.
