Ritesh Sabharwal CFP® W.M.W #54: Which is better: 70-20-10 vs 50-30-20? Reading time: 5 minutes - June 27, 2026 ↓ Hey Reader One of the defining financial challenges for Indian households in 2026 is not a lack of income, but a lack of financial visibility and control. Rising living expenses, combined with unprecedented access to consumer credit through EMIs, BNPL platforms, and credit cards, have normalized spending patterns that often outpace financial priorities. Millions of Indians follow...
28 days ago • 5 min read
Ritesh Sabharwal CFP® W.M.W #53: Decode the Home Affordability Formula (3 / 20 / 30 / 40) Reading time: 5 minutes - June 20, 2026 ↓ Hey Reader Reserve Bank of India data shows housing dominates borrowing in India like no other category.Half of India's loans go to one thing: Homes. Home loans: 49%, Everything else combined: 51%. And yet, most Indians are clueless to determine if they can truly afford what they're buying. They walk into a bank. Get told they're "eligible" for X amount of loan....
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Ritesh Sabharwal CFP® W.M.W #52: Create ₹1 Crore portfolio with the 8-4-3 Rule Reading time: 5 minutes - June 13, 2026 ↓ Hey Reader Ask any seasoned investor - the first ₹1 crore is always the hardest. Why? Because in the early years, your wealth is driven more by your savings than your returns. Compounding is still warming up. Think of it like pushing a heavy flywheel: the first few turns take maximum effort. But once it starts moving, momentum takes over. So question arises: How to get this...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Ritesh Sabharwal CFP® W.M.W #51: Is Your CUR Too High? Find Out Now Reading time: 4 minutes - June 6, 2026 ↓ Hey Reader Vikram has never missed a credit card payment. Not once in 4 years. Yet last month, his bank rejected his personal loan application.One of many reasons: "Credit profile not strong enough." He was confused. Angry. Called me immediately. "I have high income and pay everything on time. What am I doing wrong?"I asked him one question: "What's your credit card outstanding balance...
about 2 months ago • 5 min read
Ritesh Sabharwal CFP® W.M.W #50: Your Debit Card EMI can be a Loan (And It's Tracking Your Credit Score) Reading time: 5 minutes - May 30, 2026 ↓ Hey Reader Before we dive into today's topic, I want to pause and say thank you. This is the 50th newsletter in this series. When I started writing these almost a year ago, I had no idea if anyone would read them. Today, 2,500+ of you open these emails every week. You've trusted me with your Saturday mornings. You've replied with your financial...
about 2 months ago • 5 min read
Ritesh Sabharwal CFP® W.M.W #49: The ₹84k Mistake Hidden in Your Personal Loan Agreement Reading time: 5 minutes - May 23, 2026 ↓ Hey Reader Arun called me last week. Sounded so excited."I'm closing my personal loan in 6 months. I'll save interest!" His plan: Personal loan: ₹23 lakhs at 11% for 5 years Got a bonus at work Wants to prepay and close the loan early Calculate savings: Lakhs in interest saved Seemed like a good decision. I asked him one question: "Did you check the prepayment...
2 months ago • 4 min read
Ritesh Sabharwal CFP® W.M.W #48: What should you choose: DIY vs Professional Help? Reading time: 5 minutes - May 16, 2026 ↓ Hey Reader Raj is 32. Software engineer. Earns ₹18 lakhs/year.He's been investing on his own for 5 years using Zerodha and Groww. Direct mutual funds. A few stocks. PPF. Total portfolio: ₹22 lakhs. Last month, a wealth manager pitched him: "We'll manage your portfolio for 1.5% AUM fee. Tax optimization. Estate planning. Comprehensive financial plan." Raj's calculation:...
2 months ago • 5 min read
Ritesh Sabharwal CFP® W.M.W #47: India's BNPL Phantom Debt Crisis Reading time: 5 minutes - May 9, 2026 ↓ Hey Reader Rahul is 23. Earns ₹35,000/month. 2 months back, he bought wireless earbuds (₹2,500), a weekend trip (₹4,200), sneakers (₹3,800), food deliveries (₹2,100), and an OTT subscription (₹1,500). Total: ₹14,400; Paid upfront: ₹0He used Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) across 3 different apps. By month end, when he checked his bank statement with ₹12,000 left. He feels comfortable. Then the...
3 months ago • 4 min read
Ritesh Sabharwal CFP® W.M.W #46: Own a Piece of a ₹500 Crore Office/Mall for ₹10,000 Reading time: 5 minutes - May 2, 2026 ↓ Hey Reader For decades, real estate was India's wealth-building machine. Your parents bought a flat in the 1990s for ₹8 lakhs. Today it's worth ₹2.5 crores. The formula was simple: Buy property. Wait. Get rich. But here's the problem in 2026: To invest in commercial real estate today, you need: ₹2-10 crore minimum capital Years of waiting to find the right property...
3 months ago • 5 min read