On this version of the reader story, “Two years in the past, I decided that reshaped my relationship with cash, danger, and peace of thoughts. Final yr, I shared how after dropping six months’ price of earnings in futures and choices (F&O) buying and selling, I stepped away from the chaos and adopted systematic investing. It wasn’t a straightforward shift, however it was obligatory. That part taught me extra about how not to take a position than any e book or course ever might.” That is what occurred since then.
Opinions expressed in reader tales don’t essentially signify the views of freefincal or its editors. We should recognize a number of options to the cash administration puzzle and empathise with various views. Articles are sometimes not checked for grammar except it’s essential to convey the appropriate which means and protect the tone and feelings of the writers.
If you want to contribute to the DIY neighborhood on this method, ship your audits to freefincal AT Gmail dot com. You possibly can publish them anonymously if you want.
Since then, I’ve stayed away from F&O totally—besides for two–3 remoted cases the place I exited with no revenue and no loss. These moments have been pushed extra by curiosity than conviction, and so they shortly jogged my memory why I selected to stroll away within the first place.
Way of life Evolution and Monetary Self-discipline
Over the previous two years, life has grow to be extra vibrant—and sure, a bit costlier. Common get-togethers, quarterly journey, and frequent badminton classes have quietly nudged my month-to-month bills up by round 10–15% of my in-hand wage. However these are aware selections—investments in experiences, well being, and happiness. Regardless of this way of life inflation, I’ve managed to maintain my liabilities at zero, and that’s one thing I take pleasure in.
I additionally acquired an inheritance of ₹20 lakh, of which I’ve invested ₹7.5 lakh. The remaining is being held in liquid kind, earmarked for future marriage bills. Apparently, my partner-to-be shares an analogous funding mindset—and we’re already trying ahead to co-authoring the following version of this journey collectively.
Insurance coverage & Emergency Preparedness
- Time period Insurance coverage: ₹3.25 crore (₹2.5 crore from Max Life + ₹75 lakh from Kotak). I plan to double this post-marriage.
- Well being Insurance coverage: ₹8 lakh through my employer. I missed renewing my private coverage this yr however plan to boost protection after marriage.
- Private Accident Insurance coverage: Presently not in place.
- Emergency Fund: Nonetheless untouched and intact—my monetary security internet stays robust.
My Funding Technique: Balanced, Disciplined, and Evolving
Fairness
- I proceed to put money into the identical 3 shares through SIP each 15 days, specializing in massive and mid-cap corporations.
- Minor changes have been made alongside the way in which, however the core stays steady.
Mutual Funds
- Month-to-month SIPs proceed in 4 funds:
- 1 Index Fund
- 1 Expertise Fund
- 1 Centered Fund
- 1 ELSS
- I additionally put money into a Balanced Benefit Fund both quarterly or when its NAV rises by 5%, whichever comes first.
- Lately invested ₹5 lakh in a new Mid Cap Fund.
Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGB)
- Elevated holdings from 50 to 75 items.
EPF & VPF
- Employer contributes to EPF.
- I’ve opted for 10% of my primary wage to enter VPF.
ESPP (Worker Inventory Buy Plan)
- Contribute 25% of primary wage month-to-month, with inventory purchases each six months at a 15% low cost (US-based inventory).
Bodily Gold
- No further buy. Nonetheless had bought earlier a 100g gold bar as a long-term asset.
Mounted Deposits
- Maintained an FD overlaying 24 months of bills.
- Discontinued the IndMoney FD pot.
NPS
- Persevering with contributions through employer (10% of primary wage).
US Shares
- Simplified my method on account of geopolitical considerations, IndMoney points, and 20% TCS/LRS problems.
- Now investing in 1 US inventory per thirty days, with dividends reinvested.


Closing Ideas: The Energy of Steadiness
This journey has taught me that investing isn’t about chasing returns—it’s about constructing a lifetime of stability, flexibility, and objective. Balanced investing has allowed me to take pleasure in life immediately whereas getting ready for tomorrow. I’m not aiming to beat the market; I’m aiming to remain within the sport, calm, constant, and clear-headed.
See you once more in July 2027. Till then, as normal, I’ll depart you with a timeless reminder from Robert Kiyosaki:
It’s not how a lot cash you make, however how a lot cash you retain, how arduous it really works for you, and what number of generations you retain it for.
Reader tales printed earlier:
As common readers could know, we publish a private monetary audit every December – that is the 2024 version: Portfolio Audit 2024: The Annual Evaluate of My Purpose-Based mostly Investments. We requested common readers to share how they assessment their investments and observe monetary objectives.
- First audit: How Suhas tracks his MF investments and critiques monetary objectives.
- Second audit: How Avadhoot Joshi evaluates his funding portfolio.
- Third audit: How a single mother is on observe to monetary freedom
- Fourth audit: How Gowtham began goal-based investing & took management of his cash
- Fifth audit: Why my monetary independence & early retirement plans have been postponed by 4 years
- Sixth audit: How Abhisek funded his marriage & is on observe to monetary freedom.
- Seventh audit: How Rohit’s early struggles outlined his funding journey
- Eighth audit: Why my investments are nonetheless on observe regardless of job loss and decrease earnings.
- Ninth audit: How a retirement planning calculation scared me to take motion
- Tenth audit: I made a number of funding errors however have turned my life round.
- Eleventh audit: My internet price doubled within the final monetary yr, due to affected person investing!
- Twelveth audit: My monetary journey: from novice to goal-based investor.
- Thirteenth audit: My journey: from a adverse internet price to goal-based investing.
- Fourteenth audit: From Mounted Deposits to Purpose-based investing in MFs.
- Fifteenth audit: My 10-year monetary journey – errors made and classes learnt.
- Sixteenth audit (half 1): How I achieved monetary independence with out mutual funds or shares.
- Sixteenth audit (half 2): Classes from my monetary independence journey and future funding plans.
- Seventeenth audit: How I plan to realize monetary independence and transfer to my native place
- Eighteenth audit: I used the present bull run to cut back my mutual funds from 14 to 4!
- Nineteenth audit: How a conservative investor created his monetary plan
- Twentieth audit: I plan to realize monetary independence by 46; that is my grasp plan
- Twenty-first audit: I’ve made many funding errors however am on the right track to monetary independence by 45.
- Twenty-second audit: I felt nugatory six years in the past however have achieved monetary stability immediately
- Twenty-third audit: My monetary journey was directionless till age 40: that is how I made up for misplaced time
- Twenty-fourth audit: Why I elevated fairness MF investments by 275% and decreased PPF contributions.
- Twenty-fifth audit: How I observe monetary objectives with out worrying about returns
- Twenty-sixth audit: I’m 24 and began investing 1Y in the past, however what am I investing for?
- Twenty-seventh audit: How we plan to realize a retirement corpus 50 instances our annual bills.
- Twenty-eighth audit: I assumed fairness investing was of venture, however now I purpose to carry 60% fairness for retirement
- Twenty-ninth audit: My journey: From 5 lakhs in debt to constructing a corpus price six years in retirement
- Thirtieth audit: My funding journey: From random purchases to a goal-based portfolio
- Thirty-first audit: My funding journey: from product-driven to process-driven
- Thirty-second audit: How a younger couple is attempting to steadiness travelling and investing
- Thirty-third audit: My journey: From Rs. 30 financial institution steadiness to monetary independence
- Thirty-fourth audit: Our journey: From scratch to a internet price of 18 instances annual bills.
- Thirty-fifth audit: From a internet price of Rs. 6000 to auto-pilot goal-based investing
- Thirty-sixth audit: How I retired from company bondage at 46, two years in the past!
- Thirty-seventh audit: How I learnt to maintain it easy and construct a internet price 19 instances my annual bills
- Thirty-eighth audit: How Abhineeth plans to realize monetary independence and construct a home.
- Thirty-ninth audit: How Sahil plans to realize monetary independence by environment friendly monitoring
- Fortieth audit: My Journey to a Ten Crore Portfolio
- Forty-first audit: Burdened with debt for a number of years, I’m now aggressively investing in fairness
- Forty-second audit: From Engineer to Librarian after Monetary Independence and Early Retirement (FIRE)
- Forty-third audit: I misplaced six months’ earnings in F&O and ditched it for systematic investing
- Forty-fourth audit: My retirement plan to deal with the tough realities of the IT trade
- Forty-fifth audit: My funding journey: errors, 10 years of MF investing and restoration
- Forty-sixth audit: My MF portfolio is price six crores regardless of a number of errors
- Forty-seventh audit: Saving, Investing, and Operating Marathons: My 25-year Journey to Monetary Independence
- Forty-eighth audit: By no means Too Late to Begin: How I Grew to become Financially Savvy at 40
- Forty-ninth audit: My Funding Journey to a internet price 29 instances my annual bills
- Fiftieth audit: How I audit my portfolio with out monitoring returns
- Fifty-first audit: Monetary Classes Discovered Throughout and After a PhD
- Fifty-second audit: Funding & Monetary journey of a 23 yr outdated
- Fifty-third audit: The system I exploit to attract earnings and spend after retirement securely
- Fifty-fourth audit: From Begin-Up Worker to Millionaire: A Success Story of Resilience and Sensible Investing
- Fifty-fifth audit: 25-Yr-Previous Software program Engineer’s Funding Journey: From Shares to Mutual Funds and Past
- Fifty-sixth audit: Crossing the Million Mark: Our Journey to the First Crore
- Fifty-seventh audit: Navigating Market Volatility: How an IT Skilled Reworked His Funding Method for Retirement
- Fifty-eighth audit: How Sahil achieved a 10X retirement corpus by environment friendly portfolio monitoring
- FIfty-ninth audit: How I achieved monetary freedom by 45 with out onsite assignments or ESOPs
- Sixtieth audit: Constructing Wealth on a Authorities Wage: Classes Discovered
- Sixty-first audit: Minimalism, Index Funds, and Staying Calm: My Investing Journey at 28
- Sixty-second audit: Constructing Wealth and Breaking Obstacles: How Swati Took Management of Her Monetary Future
- Sixty-third audit: My monetary journey: How I missed the Compounding Bus!
- Sixty-fourth audit: My MF funding journey: From thematic funds to a 3-fund portfolio
These printed audits have had a compounding impact on readers. If you want to contribute to the DIY neighborhood on this method, ship your audits to freefincal AT Gmail. It’s also possible to publish them anonymously.
Do share this text with your pals utilizing the buttons beneath.
🔥Take pleasure in huge reductions on our programs, robo-advisory software and unique investor circle! 🔥& be a part of our neighborhood of 7000+ customers!
Use our Robo-advisory Instrument for a start-to-finish monetary plan! ⇐ Greater than 2,500 buyers and advisors use this!
Observe your mutual funds and inventory investments with this Google Sheet!
We additionally publish month-to-month fairness mutual funds, debt and hybrid mutual funds, index funds and ETF screeners and momentum, low-volatility inventory screeners.






Podcast: Let’s Get RICH With PATTU! Each single Indian CAN develop their wealth!


You possibly can watch podcast episodes on the OfSpin Media Associates YouTube Channel.


🔥Now Watch Let’s Get Wealthy With Pattu தமிழில் (in Tamil)! 🔥
- Do you will have a remark concerning the above article? Attain out to us on Twitter: @freefincal or @pattufreefincal
- Have a query? Subscribe to our e-newsletter utilizing the shape beneath.
- Hit ‘reply’ to any electronic mail from us! We don’t provide customized funding recommendation. We will write an in depth article with out mentioning your identify when you’ve got a generic query.
Be a part of 32,000+ readers and get free cash administration options delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to get posts through electronic mail! (Hyperlink takes you to our electronic mail sign-up kind)
About The Creator
Dr M. Pattabiraman(PhD) is the founder, managing editor and first writer of freefincal. He’s an affiliate professor on the Indian Institute of Expertise, Madras. He has over ten years of expertise publishing information evaluation, analysis and monetary product growth. Join with him through Twitter(X), Linkedin, or YouTube. Pattabiraman has co-authored three print books: (1) You could be wealthy too with goal-based investing (CNBC TV18) for DIY buyers. (2) Gamechanger for younger earners. (3) Chinchu Will get a Superpower! for youths. He has additionally written seven different free e-books on numerous cash administration matters. He’s a patron and co-founder of “Charge-only India,” an organisation selling unbiased, commission-free funding recommendation.
Our flagship course! Study to handle your portfolio like a professional to realize your objectives no matter market situations! ⇐ Greater than 3,000 buyers and advisors are a part of our unique neighborhood! Get readability on easy methods to plan in your objectives and obtain the mandatory corpus irrespective of the market situation is!! Watch the primary lecture at no cost! One-time fee! No recurring charges! Life-long entry to movies! Scale back worry, uncertainty and doubt whereas investing! Learn to plan in your objectives earlier than and after retirement with confidence.
Our new course! Improve your earnings by getting folks to pay in your abilities! ⇐ Greater than 700 salaried workers, entrepreneurs and monetary advisors are a part of our unique neighborhood! Learn to get folks to pay in your abilities! Whether or not you’re a skilled or small enterprise proprietor who needs extra purchasers through on-line visibility or a salaried individual wanting a aspect earnings or passive earnings, we are going to present you easy methods to obtain this by showcasing your abilities and constructing a neighborhood that trusts and pays you! (watch 1st lecture at no cost). One-time fee! No recurring charges! Life-long entry to movies!
Our new e book for youths: “Chinchu Will get a Superpower!” is now accessible!


Most investor issues could be traced to a scarcity of knowledgeable decision-making. We made dangerous selections and cash errors once we began incomes and spent years undoing these errors. Why ought to our youngsters undergo the identical ache? What is that this e book about? As dad and mom, what would it not be if we needed to groom one means in our youngsters that’s key not solely to cash administration and investing however to any side of life? My reply: Sound Determination Making. So, on this e book, we meet Chinchu, who’s about to show 10. What he needs for his birthday and the way his dad and mom plan for it, in addition to instructing him a number of key concepts of decision-making and cash administration, is the narrative. What readers say!


Should-read e book even for adults! That is one thing that each mum or dad ought to train their children proper from their younger age. The significance of cash administration and resolution making based mostly on their needs and wishes. Very properly written in easy phrases. – Arun.
Purchase the e book: Chinchu will get a superpower in your baby!
How one can revenue from content material writing: Our new e-book is for these desirous about getting aspect earnings through content material writing. It’s accessible at a 50% low cost for Rs. 500 solely!
Do you need to test if the market is overvalued or undervalued? Use our market valuation software (it would work with any index!), or get the Tactical Purchase/Promote timing software!
We publish month-to-month mutual fund screeners and momentum, low-volatility inventory screeners.
About freefincal & its content material coverage. Freefincal is a Information Media Group devoted to offering unique evaluation, experiences, critiques and insights on mutual funds, shares, investing, retirement and private finance developments. We accomplish that with out battle of curiosity and bias. Observe us on Google Information. Freefincal serves greater than three million readers a yr (5 million web page views) with articles based mostly solely on factual info and detailed evaluation by its authors. All statements made can be verified with credible and educated sources earlier than publication. Freefincal doesn’t publish paid articles, promotions, PR, satire or opinions with out information. All opinions can be inferences backed by verifiable, reproducible proof/information. Contact info: To get in contact, use this contact kind. (Sponsored posts or paid collaborations is not going to be entertained.)
Join with us on social media
Our publications
You Can Be Wealthy Too with Purpose-Based mostly Investing
Printed by CNBC TV18, this e book is supposed that will help you ask the appropriate questions and search the right solutions, and because it comes with 9 on-line calculators, you too can create customized options in your way of life! Get it now.
Gamechanger: Neglect Startups, Be a part of Company & Nonetheless Dwell the Wealthy Life You Need


Your Final Information to Journey
That is an in-depth dive into trip planning, discovering low-cost flights, funds lodging, what to do when travelling, and the way travelling slowly is best financially and psychologically, with hyperlinks to the online pages and hand-holding at each step. Get the pdf for Rs 300 (prompt obtain)