{"id":535371,"date":"2026-03-14T06:46:17","date_gmt":"2026-03-14T06:46:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/535371\/"},"modified":"2026-03-14T06:46:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-14T06:46:17","slug":"from-%e2%82%b930-a-day-to-building-a-crore-a-quiet-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/535371\/","title":{"rendered":"From \u20b930 a Day to Building a Crore: A Quiet Journey"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this edition of the\u00a0reader story<\/a> \u2026 It all started in 2010. I wanted to pursue engineering. I had scored around 90%, yet I joined a tier-3 college for my B.E. in Computer Science. Even today, I don\u2019t fully know why \u2014 whether I failed to filter colleges well, or whether competition was already that brutal. What I do know is that this decision shaped the next decade of my life.<\/p>\n

About this series:\u00a0I am grateful to readers for sharing intimate details about their financial lives, which benefits us all. Some of the previous editions are linked at the bottom of this article. You can also access the full\u00a0reader story archive.<\/a><\/p>\n

Opinions expressed in reader stories do not necessarily represent the views of freefincal or its editors. We must appreciate multiple solutions to the money management puzzle and empathise with diverse views. Articles are typically not checked for grammar unless it is necessary to convey the right meaning and preserve the tone and emotions of the writers.<\/p>\n

If you would like to contribute to the DIY community in this manner, send your audits to freefincal AT Gmail dot com. You can publish them\u00a0anonymously\u00a0if you wish.<\/p>\n

As a first-year graduate, my tuition fee was reduced to \u20b920,000 per year. That helped \u2014 but not enough to make things easy. I still remember visiting Anna University to choose my college, walking past multiple bank stalls, enquiring about education loans like a grown-up long before I actually felt like one. Eventually, I got an education loan from the Central Bank of India and began my journey.<\/p>\n

For my parents, spending \u20b93,000 a year for our school education was manageable. Professional degrees were different. They were terrifying.<\/p>\n

My younger brother joined a near-tier-1 college in 2012 for B.Tech IT. Same dream, same hope \u2014 but no first-graduate benefit. His fees were significantly higher, fully loan-funded. Two sons. Two engineering degrees. One household income.<\/p>\n

That phase was the hardest.<\/p>\n

Both my parents worked as tailors. Every single day, they gave me \u20b930 and my brother \u20b9 30 for travel. We had yearly local train passes, but from the railway station, we still needed a shared auto or a bus to reach home. That \u20b960 a day wasn\u2019t pocket money \u2014 it was a sacrifice. I remember it vividly. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll ever forget it.<\/p>\n

First Job, First Salary \u2014 and My Biggest Financial Mistake<\/p>\n

In 2014, I joined my first company \u2014 a BIOS-related firm \u2014 with a salary of \u20b93 LPA. It felt unreal. One year later, I tried to close all my parents\u2019 smaller loans. Around the same time, my parents made a decision that most families like ours make when they see their children start earning.<\/p>\n

We had a small house in North Chennai, originally bought by my grandfather in the 1960s. My parents wanted to renovate it and add a second floor. Earlier, they had already taken two loans \u2014 \u20b93 lakhs and \u20b95 lakhs \u2014 to construct the first floor.<\/p>\n

This time, they took a \u20b910 lakh loan to renovate both floors.<\/p>\n

Financially, this was not a great decision. But I was young, inexperienced, and unaware. I didn\u2019t read the loan documents. I didn\u2019t question the interest rate. A year later, when I finally checked, the ROI was 11.9%. I was shocked \u2014 but by then, there was nothing meaningful I could do.<\/p>\n

That loan is still running. It will end in 2030.<\/p>\n

That mistake quietly rewired my thinking about money forever.<\/p>\n

Career Shifts and Learning to Bet on Myself<\/p>\n

I spent nearly four years as a backend engineer. In 2018, I switched companies with a salary of \u20b98.5 LPA. Over time, I worked mostly as a full-stack engineer and later moved internally to a different business unit with a \u20b915 LPA package, focusing primarily on cloud technologies.<\/p>\n

This was a voluntary shift. Not for money \u2014 but to learn.<\/p>\n

In hindsight, that decision changed everything.<\/p>\n

By 2021, discussions about marriage began at home. I had savings of around \u20b915 lakhs. My mother wanted to give 10 sovereigns of gold. I spent all my savings on my marriage. I borrowed \u20b92.5 lakhs from a close family friend. I even withdrew \u20b955,000 from my first company\u2019s PF.<\/p>\n

Financially, it looks reckless on paper.<\/p>\n

Emotionally, it was worth everything. I married my wife \u2014 and year after year, my love and respect for her only grew stronger. Around the same time, she switched jobs, and her salary grew to \u20b97 LPA.<\/p>\n

We were building life together \u2014 slowly, imperfectly, honestly.<\/p>\n

A Daughter, Two Job Offers, One Clear Choice<\/p>\n

In November 2022, we welcomed our daughter.<\/p>\n

At the same time, I was searching for a new job.<\/p>\n

In December, I received two offers:<\/p>\n

A Bangalore startup at \u20b933 LPAA Chennai-based company at \u20b938 LPA (excluding stocks)<\/p>\n

Comfort mattered. Family mattered. Chennai mattered.<\/p>\n

I chose the second offer.<\/p>\n

I went all-in on the cloud, worked harder than ever, and took on more responsibility.<\/p>\n

The AI Boom \u2014 and Being Ready When Luck Arrived<\/p>\n

When the AI wave hit, my company needed engineers who understood the intersection of cloud and AI. I was ready \u2014 not because I predicted the boom, but because I had invested years in fundamentals.<\/p>\n

I was fortunate to have a manager who trusted me and gave me meaningful, high-impact work. That trust changed my trajectory.<\/p>\n

Today, my salary is \u20b953 LPA (excluding stock options).<\/p>\n

Fixing My Relationship With Money (Slowly)<\/p>\n

That old 11.9% loan still runs. I pay the EMI every month. I haven\u2019t aggressively prepaid it \u2014 but it gave me a powerful rule:<\/p>\n

I will never take a long-tenure EMI lightly again.<\/p>\n

This was the only loan that was still running, and I closed my education loan.<\/p>\n

After marriage, I started consciously stabilising my finances. That\u2019s when I discovered Vijay Mohan\u2019s YouTube videos. His explanation of the four stages of financial life \u2014 Accumulation, Growth, Independence, Abundance \u2014 resonated deeply.<\/p>\n

So did the idea of delayed gratification.<\/p>\n

We still live in a \u20b920,000 rented house, the same one I moved into in 2021 before marriage. In 2023, instead of buying a new car, I bought a second-hand Honda Amaze from Spinny. Partly for financial sense, partly because I wanted to learn to drive without stress.<\/p>\n

No lifestyle inflation. No urgency to \u201clook successful\u201d.<\/p>\n

Where I Stand Today<\/p>\n

As of now, my portfolio is roughly \u20b91.03 crore:<\/p>\n

Mutual Funds: \u20b951 lakhs
95% in a single Flexi-cap fund
XIRR: ~15%
ESOPs: \u20b915 lakhs
PF: \u20b919 lakhs
PPF: \u20b92 lakhs<\/p>\n

My wife\u2019s savings:<\/p>\n

Mutual Funds: \u20b916 lakhs
100% in a single Multi-cap fund
XIRR: ~13%
Closing Thoughts<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t a story about becoming rich overnight.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s about parents who stretched \u20b960 a day,
about loans taken without understanding,
about learning the hard way,
and about quiet consistency, beating loud ambition.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re reading this while worrying about fees, EMIs, or whether you\u2019re \u201ctoo late\u201d \u2014 you\u2019re not. Sometimes, the journey doesn\u2019t look impressive while you\u2019re walking it. Only when you turn around do you realise how far you\u2019ve come.<\/p>\n

Reader stories published earlier:<\/p>\n

As regular readers may know, we publish a personal financial audit each December \u2013 this is the 2024 edition:\u00a0Portfolio Audit 2024: The Annual Review of My Goal-Based Investments<\/a>. We asked regular readers to share how they review their investments and track financial goals.<\/p>\n

First audit:\u00a0How Suhas tracks his MF investments and reviews financial goals<\/a>.Second audit:\u00a0\u00a0How Avadhoot Joshi evaluates his investment portfolio<\/a>.Third audit:\u00a0How a single mom is on track to financial freedom<\/a>Fourth audit:\u00a0How Gowtham started goal-based investing & took control of his money<\/a>Fifth audit:\u00a0Why my financial independence & early retirement plans were postponed by four years<\/a>Sixth audit:\u00a0\u00a0How Abhisek funded his marriage & is on track to financial freedom<\/a>.Seventh audit:\u00a0How Rohit\u2019s early struggles defined his investment journey<\/a>Eighth audit:\u00a0Why my investments are still on track despite job loss and lower income<\/a>.Ninth audit:\u00a0How a retirement planning calculation scared me to take action<\/a>Tenth audit:\u00a0I made several investment mistakes but have turned my life around.<\/a>Eleventh audit:\u00a0My net worth doubled in the last financial year, thanks to patient investing!<\/a>Twelfth audit:\u00a0My financial journey: from novice to goal-based investor<\/a>.Thirteenth audit:\u00a0My journey: from a negative net worth to goal-based investing<\/a>.Fourteenth audit:\u00a0From Fixed Deposits to Goal-based investing in MFs<\/a>.Fifteenth audit:\u00a0My 10-year financial journey \u2013 mistakes made and lessons learnt<\/a>.Sixteenth audit (part 1):\u00a0How I achieved financial independence without mutual funds or stocks<\/a>.Sixteenth audit (part 2):\u00a0Lessons from my financial independence journey and future investment plans<\/a>.Seventeenth audit:\u00a0How I plan to achieve financial independence and move to my native place<\/a>Eighteenth audit:\u00a0I used the current bull run to reduce my mutual funds from 14 to 4!<\/a>Nineteenth audit:\u00a0How a conservative investor created his financial plan<\/a>Twentieth audit:\u00a0I plan to achieve financial independence by 46; this is my master plan<\/a>Twenty-first audit:\u00a0\u00a0I have made many investment mistakes but am on course to financial independence by 45<\/a>.Twenty-second audit:\u00a0I felt worthless six years ago but have achieved financial stability today<\/a>Twenty-third audit:\u00a0My financial journey was directionless until age 40: this is how I made up for lost time<\/a>Twenty-fourth audit:\u00a0Why I increased equity MF investments by 275% and reduced PPF contributions<\/a>.Twenty-fifth audit:\u00a0How I track financial goals without worrying about returns<\/a>Twenty-sixth audit:\u00a0I am 24 and started investing 1Y ago, but what am I investing for?<\/a>Twenty-seventh audit:\u00a0How we plan to achieve a retirement corpus 50 times our annual expenses<\/a>.Twenty-eighth audit:\u00a0I thought equity investing was a gamble, but now I aim to hold 60% equity for retirement<\/a>Twenty-ninth audit:\u00a0My journey: From 5 lakhs in debt to building a corpus worth six years in retirement<\/a>Thirtieth audit:\u00a0My investment journey: From random purchases to a goal-based portfolio<\/a>Thirty-first audit:\u00a0My investment journey: from product-driven to process-driven<\/a>Thirty-second audit:\u00a0How a young couple is trying to balance travelling and investing<\/a>Thirty-third audit:\u00a0My journey: From Rs. 30 bank balance to financial independence<\/a>Thirty-fourth audit:\u00a0Our journey: From scratch to a net worth of 18 times annual expenses<\/a>.Thirty-fifth audit:\u00a0From a net worth of Rs. 6000 to auto-pilot goal-based investing<\/a>Thirty-sixth audit:\u00a0How I retired from corporate bondage at 46, two years ago!<\/a>Thirty-seventh audit:\u00a0How I learnt to keep it simple and build a net worth 19 times my annual expenses<\/a>Thirty-eighth audit:\u00a0\u00a0How Abhineeth plans to achieve financial independence and build a house<\/a>.Thirty-ninth audit:\u00a0How Sahil plans to achieve financial independence by efficient tracking<\/a>Fortieth audit:\u00a0My Journey to a Ten Crore Portfolio<\/a>Forty-first audit:\u00a0Burdened with debt for several years, I am now aggressively investing in equity<\/a>Forty-second audit:\u00a0From Engineer to Librarian after Financial Independence and Early Retirement (FIRE)<\/a>Forty-third audit:\u00a0I lost six months\u2019 income in F&O and ditched it for systematic investing<\/a>Forty-fourth audit:\u00a0My retirement plan to handle the harsh realities of the IT industry<\/a>Forty-fifth audit:\u00a0My investment journey: mistakes, 10 years of MF investing and recovery<\/a>Forty-sixth audit:\u00a0My MF portfolio is worth six crores despite multiple mistakes<\/a>Forty-seventh audit:\u00a0Saving, Investing, and Running Marathons: My 25-year Journey to Financial Independence<\/a>Forty-eighth audit:\u00a0Never Too Late to Start: How I Became Financially Savvy at 40<\/a>Forty-ninth audit:\u00a0My Investment Journey to a net worth 29 times my annual expenses<\/a>Fiftieth audit:\u00a0How I audit my portfolio without tracking returns<\/a>Fifty-first audit:\u00a0Financial Lessons Learned During and After a PhD<\/a>Fifty-second audit:\u00a0Investment & Financial journey of a 23 year old<\/a>Fifty-third audit:\u00a0The system I use to draw income and spend after retirement securely<\/a>Fifty-fourth audit:\u00a0From Start-Up Employee to Millionaire: A Success Story of Resilience and Smart Investing<\/a>Fifty-fifth audit:\u00a025-Year-Old Software Engineer\u2019s Investment Journey: From Stocks to Mutual Funds and Beyond<\/a>Fifty-sixth audit:\u00a0Crossing the Million Mark: Our Journey to the First Crore<\/a>Fifty-seventh\u00a0audit:\u00a0Navigating Market Volatility: How an IT Professional Transformed His Investment Approach for Retirement<\/a>Fifty-eighth audit:\u00a0How Sahil achieved a 10X retirement corpus by efficient portfolio tracking<\/a>Fifty-ninth\u00a0audit:\u00a0How I achieved financial freedom by 45 without onsite assignments or ESOPs<\/a>Sixtieth audit:\u00a0Building Wealth on a Government Salary: Lessons Learned<\/a>Sixty-first audit:\u00a0Minimalism, Index Funds, and Staying Calm: My Investing Journey at 28<\/a>Sixty-second audit:\u00a0Building Wealth and Breaking Barriers: How Swati Took Control of Her Financial Future<\/a>Sixty-third audit:\u00a0My financial journey: How I missed the Compounding Bus!<\/a>Sixty-fourth audit:\u00a0My MF investment journey: From thematic funds to a 3-fund portfolio<\/a>Sixty-fifth audit:\u00a0From Debt to \u20b91 Crore Liquid Net Worth: My Journey of Financial Awareness<\/a>.<\/p>\n

These published audits have had a compounding effect on readers. If you would like to contribute to the DIY community in this manner, send your audits to freefincal AT Gmail. You can also publish them anonymously.<\/p>\n

Do share this article with your friends using the buttons below.<\/p>\n

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About The Author \"Pattabiraman<\/a>Dr M. Pattabiraman<\/a> (PhD) is the founder, managing editor and primary author of freefincal. He is an associate professor at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras<\/a>. He has over 13 years of experience publishing news analysis, research and financial product development. Connect with him via Twitter(X)<\/a>, LinkedIn<\/a>, or YouTube<\/a>. Pattabiraman has co-authored three print books: (1) You can be rich too with goal-based investing<\/a> (CNBC TV18) for DIY investors. (2) Gamechanger<\/a> for young earners. (3) Chinchu Gets a Superpower!<\/a> for kids. He has also written seven other free e-books<\/a> on various money management topics. He is a patron and co-founder of \u201cFee-only India<\/a>,\u201d an organisation promoting unbiased, commission-free, AUM-independent investment advice. Our flagship course! Learn to manage your portfolio like a pro to achieve your goals regardless of market conditions!<\/a> \u21d0 More than 3,500 investors and advisors are part of our exclusive community! Get clarity on how to plan for your goals and achieve the necessary corpus no matter the market condition!! Watch the first lecture for free!\u00a0 One-time payment! No recurring fees! Life-long access to videos! Reduce fear, uncertainty and doubt while investing! Learn how to plan for your goals before and after retirement with confidence. Increase your income by getting people to pay for your skills!<\/a> \u21d0 More than 800 salaried employees, entrepreneurs and financial advisors are part of our exclusive community! Learn how to get people to pay for your skills! Whether you are a professional or small business owner seeking more clients through online visibility, or a salaried individual looking for a side income or passive income, we will show you how to achieve this by showcasing your skills and building a community that trusts and pays you. (watch 1st lecture for free). One-time payment! No recurring fees! Life-long access to videos!\u00a0 \u00a0 Our book for kids: \u201cChinchu Gets a Superpower!\u201d is now available!<\/a>\"Both<\/a>Both the boy and girl-version covers of “Chinchu Gets a superpower”. Most investor problems can be traced to a lack of informed decision-making. We made bad decisions and money mistakes when we started earning and spent years undoing these mistakes. Why should our children go through the same pain? What is this book about?\u00a0As parents, what would it be if we had to groom one ability in our children that is key not only to money management and investing but to any aspect of life? My answer: Sound Decision Making. So, in this book, we meet Chinchu, who is about to turn 10. The narrative revolves around what he wants for his birthday and how his parents plan for it, as well as teaching him several key ideas of decision-making and money management. What readers say!\"Feedback<\/a>Feedback from a young reader after reading Chinchu gets a Superpower!Must-read book even for adults! This is something that every parent should teach their kids right from their young age. The importance of money management and decision making based on their wants and needs. Very nicely written in simple terms. – Arun. Buy the book: Chinchu gets a superpower for your child!<\/a> How to profit from content writing<\/a>: Our new ebook is for those interested in getting a side income via content writing. It is available at a 50% discount for Rs. 500 only! Do you want to check if the market is overvalued or undervalued? Use our market valuation tool<\/a> (it will work with any index!), or get the Tactical Buy\/Sell timing tool<\/a>! We publish monthly mutual fund screeners <\/a>and momentum, low-volatility stock screeners<\/a>. About freefincal & its content policy. Freefincal is a News Media organisation dedicated to providing original analysis, reports, reviews and insights on mutual funds, stocks, investing, retirement and personal finance developments. We do so without conflict of interest and bias. Follow us on Google News<\/a>. Freefincal serves more than three million readers a year (5 million page views) with articles based only on factual information and detailed analysis by its authors. All statements made will be verified with credible and knowledgeable sources before publication. Freefincal does not publish paid articles, promotions, PR, satire or opinions without data. All opinions will be inferences backed by verifiable, reproducible evidence\/data. Contact Information: To get in touch, please use our\u00a0contact form<\/a>. (Sponsored posts or paid collaborations will not be entertained.) Connect with us on social media Our publications<\/p>\n

You Can Be Rich Too with Goal-Based Investing<\/p>\n

\"You<\/a>Published by CNBC TV18, this book is designed to help you ask the right questions and find the correct answers. Additionally, it comes with nine online calculators, allowing you to create custom solutions tailored to your lifestyle. Get it now<\/a>. Gamechanger: Forget Startups, Join Corporate & Still Live the Rich Life You Want \"Gamechanger:<\/a>This book is designed for young earners to get their basics right from the start! It will also help you travel to exotic places at a low cost! Get it or gift it to a young earner<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Your Ultimate Guide to Travel <\/p>\n

\"Travel-Training-Kit-Cover-new\"<\/a> This is an in-depth exploration of vacation planning, including finding affordable flights, budget accommodations, and practical travel tips. It also examines the benefits of travelling slowly, both financially and psychologically, with links to relevant web pages and guidance at every step. Get the PDF for Rs 300 (instant download)<\/a>