SIP, Masi's advice & that CrossFit crush in Lajpat

So last week, I did something brave. I voluntarily flew to Delhi to spend time with my relatives in GK-II. Greater Kailash is that peculiar patch of South Delhi where every other aunty is on a first-name basis with their yoga instructor, and the turmeric is artisanal. "Beta, we just started a new SIP for Tanishq's Harvard fund," my Masi beamed, thinking she had just unlocked some kind of wealth secret. Everyone in that drawing room was acting like SIPs were the new Chanel Boy bags—collect them, show them off, never question them. And I, your friendly neighbourhood SoBo investor, freshly blow-dried and battle-scarred from the markets, just smiled and nodded. But then, after the second round of gluten-free dhokla, I asked the forbidden question: "Masi, when are you planning to stop the SIP?" Silence. Like I'd just suggested selling ancestral property in Nizamuddin. Because here's the truth: Everyone in South Delhi knows when to start an SIP. No one knows when to stop. And that's a problem. Starting an SIP is like signing up for CrossFit with your Lajpat Nagar gym crush: it feels good, looks good, and everyone claps. But when it stops serving you, you need to exit. Gracefully. Let's be clear. Starting an SIP is easy. Every finance blog and YouTube guru will tell you: Just start. Be disciplined. Don't stop.

This article was originally published on May 22, 2025.