A deeply honest Indian money lesson — the biggest financial regret I made, how it cost me years of progress, and how you can avoid the same mistakes. Includes practical steps, real stories, tips & internal links.
💡 Strong Intro
Every Indian has at least one money regret that follows them for years — a mistake they wish they could undo, a habit they wish they started earlier, or a decision that changed their entire financial journey.
Some regret not saving,
some regret taking loans,
some regret trusting the wrong people,
and some regret waiting too long.
This is my honest, painful, but important confession:
My biggest regret about money — and the lessons I learned the hard way.
And I’m sharing it because I want you to avoid the same mistake.
Learn from my scars instead of getting your own.
⭐ Key Takeaways
- Small money mistakes can cost you years of progress
- Not tracking expenses is one of the biggest regrets
- Avoiding investments leads to long-term loss
- Emergency fund is non-negotiable
- Starting early beats earning more
- Money regret often comes from fear, laziness, or misinformation
📘 Table of Contents
- 💔 My Biggest Money Regret
- ⏳ How This One Mistake Cost Me Years
- 🧠 Why So Many Indians Make the Same Mistake
- Real Indian Stories
- 🔍 Hidden Financial Mistakes Most Indians Ignore
- 📊 What I Should Have Done Instead
- 🛠️ Tools & Habits That Would Have Saved Me
- ⚠️ Mistakes Indians Must Avoid in 2025
- 🔗 Helpful Internal Links
- 🎯 Who Needs to Read This?
- 📋 Quick Checklist
- ❓ FAQs
- 🧾 Final Summary
💔 My Biggest Money Regret
My biggest regret?
Not taking my money seriously in my early 20s.
I didn’t track expenses.
I didn’t save properly.
I bought things to impress others.
I didn’t build an emergency fund.
I feared investing.
I thought “I will start later.”
But “later” never comes.
This one habit — delaying — cost me years of wealth-building.
If I had simply invested ₹500–₹1000 monthly back then, today I would have had lakhs more.
Want to avoid this?
👉 How to Save ₹5000 Every Month Without Sacrifice
https://savewithrupee.com/how-to-save-₹5000-every-month-without-sacrifice/
⏳ How This One Mistake Cost Me Years
Because I didn’t start early:
- I lost the power of compounding
- I stayed stuck in paycheck-to-paycheck loop
- I had no savings for emergencies
- I had to borrow money during tough times
- I delayed big goals: house, travel, investments
- My anxiety increased
- My financial confidence dropped
One simple truth:
Money grows only when you give it time.
Time is the fertilizer.
I wasted mine.
🧠 Why So Many Indians Make the Same Mistake
Most Indians don’t start financial planning because:
- “I don’t earn enough.”
- “I’m too young.”
- “Investing is risky.”
- “I’ll save when salary increases.”
- “Expenses are too high.”
- “I don’t know anything about money.”
But reality is:
People don’t get rich when they start earning more;
they get rich when they start saving more.
For beginners unsure where to start:
👉 50-30-20 Rule of Budgeting for Indians
https://savewithrupee.com/50-30-20-rule-of-budgeting-explained-for-indians/
Real Indian Stories
Story 1: Deepak – “If only I had started SIP early…”
Deepak wasted his entire 20s on buying gadgets & outings.
Started SIP only at 32.
Today, he regrets how much wealth he lost by delaying.
For SIP beginners:
👉 https://savewithrupee.com/sip-for-beginners-start-with-₹500/
Story 2: Asha – Homemaker Who Regretted depending on others
Asha never saved a rupee separately.
A sudden medical emergency made her realise the importance of an emergency fund.
Her recovery journey started here:
👉 https://savewithrupee.com/emergency-fund-how-much-should-an-indian-household-keep-practical-guide-2025/
Story 3: Rohan – Student Who Thought “Savings are for later”
He ignored budgeting.
Ended up in credit card debt at 23.
Now rebuilding slowly with discipline.
Story 4: Priyanka – “I trusted wrong people with money.”
She lent money without written proof.
Lost ₹40,000 — her entire savings.
Now she builds wealth slowly and safely.
Story 5: Nishant – Overspent on lifestyle to impress friends
Weekend trips, Zomato orders, gadgets.
Regret?
Nothing saved, everything wasted.
He fixed it by tracking expenses daily:
👉 https://savewithrupee.com/how-my-life-changed-after-tracking-my-expenses-my-real-indian-transformation-story/
🔍 Hidden Financial Mistakes Most Indians Ignore
❌ 1. Spending everything they earn
❌ 2. Having no emergency fund
❌ 3. Not understanding credit card interest
❌ 4. Saving only during crisis
❌ 5. Thinking small savings don’t matter
❌ 6. Relying on loans
❌ 7. Depending on children or future luck
❌ 8. Investing without learning basics
If you want slow & steady success:
👉 How to Build Wealth Slowly in India
https://savewithrupee.com/how-to-build-wealth-slowly-in-india/
📊 What I Should Have Done Instead
✔ Built an emergency fund
✔ Started a ₹500 SIP
✔ Saved 10–20% of income
✔ Used a monthly budget
✔ Avoided unnecessary EMI purchases
✔ Increased savings every year
✔ Focused on real financial goals
✔ Learnt money basics early
Even if you earn less, try this:
👉 How to Save on a Small Salary ₹10,000–₹20,000
https://savewithrupee.com/how-to-save-money-on-a-small-salary-₹10000-₹20000-full-practical-indian-guide-2025/
🛠️ Tools & Habits That Would Have Saved Me
- Money Manager app
- Google Sheets budgeting
- SIP auto-debit
- RD for disciplined saving
- FD for safe short-term goals
- Expense tracking
- Setting monthly limits
- Using UPI Lite for small payments
👉 https://savewithrupee.com/upi-lite-explained-save-while-you-pay-small/
⚠️ Mistakes Indians Must Avoid in 2025
- Don’t delay saving
- Don’t rely only on one income
- Don’t buy things to impress people
- Don’t skip building emergency fund
- Don’t invest without basics
- Don’t fall for “quick profit” schemes
- Don’t use credit cards blindly
Related read:
👉 5 Money Mistakes Indians Make in Their 20s
https://savewithrupee.com/5-money-mistakes-indians-make-in-their-20s/
🔗 Read My Other Articles
- Wealth building:
https://savewithrupee.com/how-to-build-wealth-slowly-in-india/ - Passive income:
https://savewithrupee.com/passive-income-ideas-in-india-2025-edition/ - Best low-cost saving schemes:
https://savewithrupee.com/best-low-cost-saving-schemes-in-india-2025-for-beginners-start-small-save-smart/ - Budgeting for couples:
https://savewithrupee.com/how-couples-can-budget-without-fights/ - Online shopping savings:
https://savewithrupee.com/best-online-shopping-tricks-to-save-money/
🎯 Who Needs to Read This?
- Students
- Young professionals
- Newly married couples
- Middle-class families
- Anyone who regrets past money mistakes
- People restarting their financial journey
- Anyone wanting to avoid future financial stress
📋 Quick Checklist
✔ Build emergency fund
✔ Track expenses
✔ Save 10–20% consistently
✔ Start at least one SIP
✔ Avoid lifestyle pressure
✔ Learn basic finance
✔ Avoid loans unless necessary
✔ Increase savings yearly
❓ FAQs
1. What is the most common money regret among Indians?
Not starting early — whether savings or investments.
2. Is it too late to start fixing money mistakes?
Never. Start today, even small steps.
3. Can small habits really build wealth?
Yes — ₹10–₹30/day can create lakhs over time.
4. How do I avoid repeating my past mistakes?
Use budgets, automate savings, track expenses, learn basics.
5. What is the safest first step?
Start an emergency fund + a ₹500 SIP.
🧾 Final Summary
My biggest regret about money wasn’t losing money —
it was losing time.
Time is the only thing you cannot get back.
But you can still start today.
Start small.
Start consistently.
Start mindfully.
Your future self will thank you for not repeating the same mistake.
Disclaimer: This article is based on personal experience and is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Readers are advised to do their own research or consult a qualified professional before making any financial decisions.
