Hi Sir
I have Purchased a Home which is Around 25L with all my Savings,M.funds.
My Inhand Salary is 60,000/-,
And Debt details are as follows
Personal Loan- 2Lac
Gold Loan - 2.25Lac
From Relatives - 4.5Lac.(1yrear time taken)
Now I am finding very difficulty to Save the money and tracking every Single Penny..
Kindly suggest me in this Case what to do.
Ans: Let’s carefully understand your financial position and work step-by-step to improve it. The current situation seems tight, but with the right planning, things can be managed well.
? Current Financial Snapshot
– Home purchased for Rs 25 lakh with your entire savings and mutual funds.
– No home loan, which is a good point. Property is fully owned.
– In-hand monthly salary is Rs 60,000.
– Existing debts include:
Rs 2 lakh personal loan
Rs 2.25 lakh gold loan
Rs 4.5 lakh borrowed from relatives
– You mentioned that you are struggling to save or track money.
This is a very common challenge in the early years of home ownership. Let’s take one step at a time.
? Cash Flow Stress Analysis
– Your monthly income is not matching with outflow due to EMI and regular expenses.
– Personal loan and gold loan EMIs may be high due to short repayment terms.
– You also have a moral obligation to return the amount to your relatives in 1 year.
– Your current cash outflows may be above 70% of your income.
This gap creates financial stress. We need to balance it.
? Immediate Focus: Create a Monthly Budget
– Write down every expense, even the smallest one.
– Break expenses into 3 parts: Must-Have, Flexible, and Avoidable.
– Must-Have: Rent (if any), groceries, child school fees, transport.
– Flexible: DTH, OTT, eating outside, non-essential shopping.
– Avoidable: Unused subscriptions, unplanned EMI purchases, gadgets.
– First target is to reduce the flexible and avoidable categories.
You must review this every 15 days. It will give clear spending awareness.
? Debt Prioritisation Strategy
– Start with the costliest loan: usually personal loans and gold loans.
– Try to close the personal loan first. Interest is normally very high.
– Next focus on gold loan, since delay may lead to loss of gold asset.
– Relative loan is at zero or low interest, repay slowly.
– Talk to relatives honestly and request 6 more months for comfort.
It’s okay to request this. Most families do understand.
? Use a Debt Avalanche Method (Without Calculation)
– Pay minimum EMI on all loans.
– Use any surplus to close highest-interest loan first.
– Then move to next high-interest loan.
– Do not try to repay all equally. That will not reduce total interest much.
Focused repayment brings mental peace.
? Emergency Fund Creation
– Right now, you don’t have any savings left.
– Without an emergency fund, any small expense will push you to borrow again.
– Start building a fund of at least Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000 in a savings account.
– Set small goals like saving Rs 2,000 a month.
– Emergency fund is not for investments. It is for protection.
This step avoids future personal loan traps.
? Investments Can Wait – But Not Planning
– Do not start any SIP or investment now. Focus only on debt clearing and emergency fund.
– But track your expenses and income as if you are planning for a SIP.
– This mental discipline will help when you are actually ready to invest.
– Planning must begin today, investing can wait 6–9 months.
Clarity in numbers always comes before wealth creation.
? Role of Mutual Funds Later
– Once debts are cleared and emergency fund is ready, only then start investing.
– Go for actively managed mutual funds through Certified Financial Planner and MFD.
– Regular plans allow you to get guided review and handholding.
– Avoid direct plans unless you are trained in market analysis.
– Regular plans offer rebalancing, portfolio review and behavioural support.
Guided approach helps in emotional control during market changes.
? Why Not Index Funds
– Index funds may seem cheaper, but carry hidden risks.
– They cannot protect you during market crash.
– They blindly follow the index without risk filters.
– No scope for active management or downside protection.
– Actively managed funds give better returns in uncertain markets.
Safety with growth is key for salaried individuals like you.
? Income Expansion Attempts
– If possible, take small freelance work in weekends or evenings.
– Tutoring, online assistance, delivery work, or any skill-based work helps.
– Even Rs 3,000 extra income can fast-track loan closure.
– Don’t ignore small side income. Every rupee counts in debt management.
This step adds strength to your plan.
? Lifestyle Adjustments – Temporarily
– Pause all unnecessary spending like dining out, movies, and clothing for now.
– Stick to basic lifestyle until all high-interest debts are cleared.
– Use old phone, avoid gadgets, reuse clothes and accessories.
– Don’t feel bad. This phase is temporary and purposeful.
Short-term sacrifice brings long-term peace.
? Avoid These Mistakes
– Do not take another loan to repay existing loans.
– Don’t swipe credit cards for regular expenses.
– Avoid BNPL or EMI traps on online shopping.
– Don’t invest in gold or crypto now.
– Avoid insurance policies that combine investment and life cover.
Focus only on liquidity and debt reduction now.
? Family Support and Communication
– Speak with your spouse or parents honestly about current situation.
– Assign small responsibility to each family member.
– Even saving Rs 200 in electricity or food matters.
– Emotional support from family boosts financial discipline.
Unity brings faster solutions.
? Future Planning – Once Stable
– After debt closure, build 3 months' salary as emergency corpus.
– Then, set financial goals like retirement, children education, and vacations.
– Start SIP in 2-3 mutual funds under regular plan with guidance.
– Choose goals-based investing, not trend-based investing.
– Review goals every 6 months with a Certified Financial Planner.
Future planning needs structure, not trial and error.
? Insurance Check
– Ensure you have term life cover equal to at least 10x of your annual income.
– If you have ULIPs or traditional endowment plans, review them with a CFP.
– Surrender if needed and shift to mutual funds for long-term wealth.
– For health, minimum Rs 5 lakh cover is needed for family.
Insurance is protection, not investment.
? Mental Framing for Money Success
– Stop comparing lifestyle with others.
– Avoid social media-based spending urges.
– Be content and frugal for next 1–2 years.
– Celebrate small financial wins – like repaying one EMI early.
– Keep reminding yourself – this is a phase, not forever.
Discipline is more powerful than any investment plan.
? Finally
– You have already done one good thing – bought a house without a home loan.
– This is your foundation. Now your job is to build peace and liquidity.
– Cut expenses, increase income, repay loans smartly.
– Say no to lifestyle pressure and wrong investment traps.
– Once you are stable, mutual fund investment under regular plan will guide your growth.
Keep moving step by step. You are already on the path.
Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment
Question by kirti on Jul 18, 2024Hindi
