Money Habits I’m Learning as a Beginner

 Money Habits I’m Learning as a Beginner

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From Zero Savings to Building My Future: My Real Money Journey

Hi, I'm just a regular working person who went from saving absolutely nothing to actually having a financial plan. I don't have a rags-to-riches story to sell you—I'm still building. But maybe my small wins can help someone else who's also starting from scratch.

Real talk: I'm not a financial advisor or success guru. I'm sharing what I'm actually doing, not what I've mastered.

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Where I Started

I've been working for several years now, and like most people starting out, I made every money mistake in the book.

For the first two years, I did the classic earn-spend cycle: salary comes in, expenses go out, nothing left over. No investments, no emergency fund, no plan. I couldn't afford the bigger things I wanted (like a car), but I kept that dream alive. Still working toward it, actually.

The Turning Point

After two years of the earn-spend cycle, something clicked. I realized I needed to start somewhere, even if it was tiny.

So I started investing in different places—nothing huge, just whatever I could manage. But here's the thing that actually worked for me:

I set up automatic transfers on the 1st of every month.

Why? Because when insurance premiums or investment deadlines come up, I don't want to panic about where the money will come from. It's already sitting there, waiting.

My Current (Imperfect) System

Here's what my month looks like:

• Day 1: Auto-transfer to separate account for investments/premiums
• Rest of the month: Live on whatever's left, support my family, contribute where I can

Is it perfect? Nope. Am I rich yet? Definitely not. But am I better than Year 1 me? Absolutely.

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The 6 Things I'm Actually Doing (Not Just Preaching)

1. Pay Yourself First (Even When It Hurts)

That Day 1 transfer happens no matter what. Some months it's ₹1000, some months ₹5000. The amount doesn't matter—the habit does.

2. Emergency Fund (Building Slowly)

I put aside ₹2000 every month for emergencies. It sounds small, but it adds up. My goal is ₹25k-₹50k first, then eventually 3-6 months of expenses. The best part? When something unexpected comes up, I don't panic anymore.

3. Debt Strategy (Work in Progress)

I list my debts smallest to largest and attack the tiny ones first. Each one I clear gives me hope to tackle the next.

4. Automation is My Friend

• Auto-transfer on salary day
• Auto-invest where possible
• Auto-pay bills (learned this the hard way after late fees)

5. Simple Investing

I'm not picking stocks or following tips. Just putting small amounts in index funds and letting time do its thing. Boring? Yes. Effective? We'll see in 10 years.

6. Don't Upgrade Everything When Income Goes Up

When I get a raise or bonus, I don't immediately buy new stuff. Extra money goes to savings first, then I think about spending it. Simple rule that keeps me from lifestyle inflation.

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My 10-Minute Reality Check

If you're like me—not making tons of money but want to start somewhere:

1. Set up one auto-transfer for the 1st of every month
2. Write down your 3 biggest money worries and pick one to tackle first
3. Decide what you can live without this week and save that money instead

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What I'm Still Learning

• Sometimes I mess up and spend money I should have saved
• Progress is slower than I'd like (still no car)
• Family responsibilities make it hard to save more
• But I'm building something, even if it's small

The truth? I don't know if this will make me wealthy overnight.  But I know I'm not the same person who had zero savings plan just a few years ago.

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If You're Also Building Your Future

Maybe you're in a similar spot—working hard, making decent money, dreaming of something better. You don't need to have it all figured out to start building.

I'm still working toward that car. Still learning new things about money. Still making mistakes sometimes.

But I'm also not stressed about unexpected bills anymore. I have a plan that's actually working, even if progress feels slow.

What's your story? Drop a comment—let's figure this out together.

P.S. - If you're also building your financial future step by step, you're not alone. Small progress is still progress.

Thank you for being here.
— Prafull Ranjan | Stories that Speak to the Heart ❤️