By buld_online 
It’s not how much you earn — it’s what you do with it. According to CA Abhishek Walia, Founder of Zactor Tech, even a modest income can outpace a hefty salary when your money is aligned to clear goals. In today’s environment of lifestyle inflation and FOMO-driven spending, clarity beats cash.
The Rs 90K vs Rs 2.5 lakh case study
Walia shared a compelling example from his practice. “We had a client earning ₹90,000/month. No extra income. But she had zero debt, a six-month emergency fund, and monthly SIPs locked in for her MBA dream three years down the line. Every rupee had a purpose.”
Now contrast that with a Rs 2.5 lakh/month client. “Always broke. No emergency corpus, no investments. She was stuck in a loop of lifestyle upgrades, peer pressure, and impulse spending,” Walia said.
The myth of high income = wealth
“People confuse a bigger paycheck with financial success,” Walia says. “But wealth is what you keep, not what you earn. Without a plan, even Rs 2 lakh a month can vanish by the 25th,” Walia noted.
According to him, this isn’t a cash flow issue — it’s a clarity issue. “The Rs 90K earner knew her why. The Rs 2.5 lakh earner didn’t.”
The lifestyle trap
One major culprit? Lifestyle inflation. As incomes rise, so do unnecessary expenses. “People scale their spending to match their earnings — the car, the gadgets, the nights out. But they forget to scale their savings and investments too,” Walia pointed out.
FOMO plays its part. “Social media makes it worse. You feel behind if you’re not spending like everyone else. That mindset burns wealth silently.”
The edge of intention
Walia’s advice: flip the script. “Instead of obsessing over how to earn more, first ask: ‘Am I using my current income effectively?’”
His philosophy is simple — money follows purpose. When you anchor your spending and investing to long-term goals, every rupee works harder.
“Financial planning isn’t about being rich today. It’s about building freedom tomorrow — with whatever you have right now,” he explained.
Intentional money management brings structure to your finances. It allows you to say no to distractions, filter out noise, and focus on decisions that align with your bigger picture. Over time, this habit compounds — turning small incomes into meaningful wealth.
Income is just the starting point. Without direction, it disappears. But when backed by goals, even ₹80,000 a month can build serious wealth. “The biggest wealth hack isn’t a raise,” Walia explained. “It’s clarity.”