By News18,Sahas Mahapatra

Copyright news18

It is not every day that you hear about someone in their early 20s achieving a major financial milestone. But the story of a 23-year-old professional, widely discussed online, has inspired thousands. Coming from a Tier-3 college background, he secured a high-paying job, practised smart savings, and learned from a few mistakes along the way. His journey offers several relatable lessons.
In a now-deleted Reddit post, the young man shared how he reached the impressive “financial milestone of Rs 50 lakh.” He explained that his current portfolio includes about Rs 12.15 lakh in bank savings, Rs 11 lakh locked in fixed deposits, and another Rs 6 lakh expected to mature by the end of this year.
He has also invested Rs 2 lakh in a ULIP, which he plans to hold for another 2.2 years until maturity. His provident funds, EPF and PPF, together stand at Rs 3.32 lakh, with him contributing Rs 10,000 every month. On the investment side, he has Rs 6 lakh in mutual funds and another Rs 6 lakh in debt bonds. To top it off, he also holds Rs 10 lakh worth of vested company stocks, which he says he doesn’t plan to sell anytime soon.
From Tier-3 College To A Rs 35 LPA package
A 2023 graduate from a Tier-3 college, he recalled how his career began immediately after graduation. He started with an off-campus offer of Rs 12 LPA, before quickly advancing to a Rs 35 lakh package that also included stock options. Inspired by the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement, he said it fueled his entrepreneurial spirit and taught him valuable lessons along the way.
Milestone Check: Reached 50L at 23M (Health, Lifestyle Changes & Financial Growth) by inpersonalfinanceindia

He wrote, “I started working on some AI-based products, but unfortunately, they didn’t take off. I’m still very curious about tech, though, and will keep exploring side projects since that’s something I really enjoy.”
The Cost Of Working From Home
According to the person, shifting to work-from-home seemed like the perfect financial decision in the beginning. While it helped him save on rent and commuting expenses, it cost him his health and fitness. “With time, I stopped going out of the house, and I started to eat junk (I spent around 1 lakh on food in the last FY). Got into health issues, a dozen hospital visits and ignored fitness,” he admitted.
One major lifestyle change he embraced was buying his first bike worth Rs 3 lakh. Initially, he felt guilty, thinking of it as an unnecessary luxury, but over time, it became much more. In his post, he also shared, “Over time, riding became more than just transport as it gave me a sense of freedom, joy, and a much-needed break.”
Candid about the mistakes he made in investing, the man admitted that he began investing through SIPs in mutual funds and IPOs, but suffered a loss by letting a local finance firm manage his portfolio. They invested in regular mutual funds instead of direct plans, leading to higher expense ratios and lower returns.
In his words, “I understand the ULIP I made was a bad investment, but it’s giving me around 7-8% returns and only 2.2 years time left for maturity.”
What’s Next
Looking ahead, the man said he plans to buy a plot worth Rs 20–30 lakh while increasing his SIP contributions from Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000 per month. “My savings are around 1.2LPM, I’m planning to increase my SIP… I’ve got about 12L to rebalance and reinvest,” he revealed.
At just 23, the man’s story stands as proof that financial journeys aren’t always perfect, but it is important to consider investing.