Money, explained so you can act on it
Plain-English articles on budgeting, saving, debt, investing and financial health in India — written to help you decide what to do with your money next.
All articles (20)
How much do you need to retire in India?
Start from your annual spending, not from a round number someone quoted on the internet.
3 September 2026 · 7 min read
Financial goalsSaving for a house down payment in India
The down payment is only part of the bill. Here is the full number and a way to reach it without derailing everything else.
2 September 2026 · 6 min read
Financial goalsHow to set financial goals that actually get funded
A goal without an amount, a date and a monthly transfer is a wish with better vocabulary.
1 September 2026 · 5 min read
Financial healthThe eight-point financial health check
A short diagnostic you can run in fifteen minutes, twice a year.
31 August 2026 · 5 min read
Financial healthWhat is a good savings rate in India?
Not a moral target — a ratio that tells you how fast your options are expanding.
30 August 2026 · 6 min read
Financial healthHow to calculate your net worth (and what the number actually tells you)
One subtraction, done honestly, replaces a dozen vague feelings about how you are doing.
29 August 2026 · 6 min read
InvestingCompounding, explained without the motivational poster
Compounding is arithmetic, not magic. Understanding the mechanism tells you which lever actually matters.
28 August 2026 · 5 min read
InvestingMutual funds vs fixed deposits: what you are actually choosing between
Certainty versus growth. Once you see it that way, the choice depends on the date you need the money.
27 August 2026 · 6 min read
InvestingSIP or lump sum: which one actually fits your money?
The honest answer depends on where the money is today, not on which method wins a backtest.
26 August 2026 · 6 min read
InvestingHow to start investing in India (a first-timer's order of operations)
Investing is the fourth step, not the first. Here is the order that keeps a beginner in India from investing money they will need back next month.
25 August 2026 · 7 min read
DebtShould you prepay your home loan or invest instead?
The comparison is not just rate versus return. Tenure, tax, risk tolerance and sleep all belong in the decision.
22 August 2026 · 5 min read
DebtPersonal loan vs credit card: which debt is cheaper?
Both are unsecured, but the cost, structure and psychology differ sharply. How to choose, and when neither is the right answer.
20 August 2026 · 4 min read
DebtHow to clear credit card debt in India
Card interest is the most expensive money most households borrow. The order of operations that clears it fastest, and the traps on the way.
18 August 2026 · 5 min read
SavingHow to increase your savings rate without living miserably
Savings rate is the one number that predicts your financial future. Five levers, ranked by how much they actually move it.
16 August 2026 · 4 min read
SavingWhere should you actually keep your emergency fund?
The trade-off is access versus return, and access wins. How savings accounts, sweep-in FDs and liquid funds compare for Indian emergency money.
14 August 2026 · 4 min read
SavingHow big should your emergency fund be in India?
Three months is the floor, not the answer. Sizing your buffer by job type, dependants, health cover and income stability.
12 August 2026 · 4 min read
BudgetingZero-based budgeting, explained without the spreadsheet worship
Give every rupee a job before the month starts. What zero-based budgeting is, who it suits, and where it becomes exhausting.
10 August 2026 · 4 min read
BudgetingHow to track expenses when everything is UPI
UPI made spending frictionless and tracking messy. A weekly category-level method that takes ten minutes and actually changes decisions.
8 August 2026 · 4 min read
BudgetingDoes the 50/30/20 rule actually work in India?
The 50/30/20 split is a useful starting point, but Indian rents, family support and EMI loads often break it. Here is how to adapt it honestly.
6 August 2026 · 4 min read
BudgetingHow to budget your salary in India (a system that survives real months)
A month-by-month budgeting system built around Indian salary patterns: EMIs, rent, family support, UPI spending and irregular festival months.
4 August 2026 · 5 min read