💬Money Talks! – Vol.4

By Paisa Pyaar Portfolio

Let’s be honest:
It’s tempting to blame our salary for everything.
“Once I earn more, I’ll save more.”
“Once I get that raise, I’ll finally start investing.”
“Once I hit 6 figures, life will be sorted.”

But here’s the uncomfortable truth:
More money won’t fix money problems—unless habits change too.

💭 “I Don’t Make Enough” or “I Don’t Know Where It Goes”?

Before checking your bank balance or credit card bill next time, pause.
Is it really an income issue… or is it an awareness issue?

If ₹30,000 enters your account but vanishes by the 20th, there’s probably a budget leak, not a salary crisis.

Because without clarity, even a ₹1 lakh paycheck can feel like nothing.

🔍 A Mini Reality Check You Can Do Today

Pull up your last 7 days of spending. Now sort every expense into 3 categories:

🛒 Needs – Essentials like rent, groceries, bills
🎉 Wants – Swiggy, fashion, Netflix, Uber
💤 Numbness Purchases – Random online orders, doomscroll-fueled spending, peer pressure buys

👉 Just looking at this list is more powerful than any financial advice reel.

🚨 More Income, Same Mistakes

Here’s what happens when income goes up:

You “upgrade” everything
Spend without thinking
Say “YOLO” more than “SIP”
Feel busier, so convenience spending shoots up
Guilt purchases replace mindful ones

Result? The numbers change. The struggle doesn’t.
That’s called lifestyle inflation — when income increases, but so do unnecessary expenses.

🛠️ Fix the Leaks Before Chasing the Raise

Before manifesting a salary jump or side hustle, try managing the money already in hand.

A few solid starting points:

Auto-transfer savings (start with 20%) as soon as salary hits
Weekly expense check-ins instead of waiting till the end of the month
Create a “fun budget” so joy and discipline can coexist
Unsubscribe from “you deserve this” marketing emails 😅

It’s not about restriction — it’s about direction.

💬 When Earning More Is the Right Move

To be fair, sometimes under-earning is the real issue.

Especially when:

Basic needs aren’t being met
The job doesn’t offer growth
You’re supporting dependents on a single income

In such cases, increasing income is necessary.
But even then, without better systems, higher income just becomes higher stress.

🎯 The Takeaway

If your habits don’t change, a bigger paycheck won’t either.
More money = more chaos without structure.
More awareness = more peace with the same amount.

So maybe it’s not a raise you need right now.
Just a reset.

✅ Your Tiny Task:

Try a 7-day spending audit using the 3 categories:
Needs / Wants / Numbness
→ Take 15 minutes.
→ No guilt, just patterns.

Share one insight with a friend or reflect in your journal. You’ll be surprised what comes up.

This content is original and created exclusively for educational purposes. Unauthorized copying or reproduction is prohibited.

This article has been written with original insights and tailored content by Paisa Pyaar Portfolio. All information is meant for educational use only and has not been copied from any external source.

Category: Money Talks

“You Don’t Need a Raise. You Need a Reality Check!”