- A software engineer couple earns Rs 5 lakh monthly but consider themselves not rich yet
- They describe themselves as cash flow rich but asset poor with Rs 25 lakh in liquid assets
- They plan to build a Rs 3-4 crore financial safety net in 5-6 years due to AI job risks
A 27-year-old software engineer and his wife earn a combined salary of Rs 5 lakh per month working remote jobs from a small Indian town, yet they claim they are "not rich yet". In a Reddit post, the man shared details of their financial situation, describing themselves as "cash flow rich but asset poor". He expressed concern that their high income could disappear within a few years due to advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Because of the risk, the couple aims to build a Rs 3 crore to Rs 4 crore financial safety net over the next 5 to 6 years. Their current liquid assets include Rs 15 lakh in gold coins, Rs 7 lakh in US equities, and Rs 3 lakh in fixed deposits (FDs). They also hold health insurance policies and term insurance.
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"We have 15L worth of gold coins, 7L worth of US Stocks, 3L worth of FDs (No loans, parents' home, own car), excluding 70L worth of gold jewellery. Health insurance personal 10L each, term insurance 3 Cr each," he revealed.
"I want to build long-term wealth. The market is too brutal; I am a power AI user, and I know within 5-6 years most mainstream jobs will be obsolete."
He also outlined a plan, which includes purchasing 10 grammes of gold, depositing Rs 2 lakh into FDs, and investing around Rs 1.25 lakh into US stocks.
"I know we're in an elite bracket of monthly net earners, but what's concerning for me is sustainability. We both are software engineers, and the roles are truly changing. Trust me, all big consultancy firms and service-based IT companies are going to collapse-even SaaS won't sustain for long," he added.
High earner but not rich yet
by u/bombolistan in IndiaFinance
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Social media reaction
The post sparked widespread discussion, with many users offering strategic advice. "Where does the Rs 5L each month go? Buy a house if you don't have one. Unless you have 2-3 kids, spending more than Rs 1L per month in a small town is frivolous. The remaining Rs 4L should go directly into building your net worth via aggressive SIPs," one user asked.
"Save at least Rs 3 lakh per month. Hire a SEBI-registered fee-only financial advisor (costs Rs 20k/year). It will take about 8-10 years of disciplined investing to reach true financial independence," another user wrote.
"You realise most of your current net worth is tied up in gold? You're young-you need higher exposure to equity mutual funds for real compounding rather than over-allocating to FDs and physical gold," a third user said.
