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. The investment equivalent of "Shaadi kar lo, sab theek ho jayega."

But what happens when things change?

Let's say:

• Your fund starts underperforming.
  
• The category you bet on is no longer in favour.
  
• Your own goals, asset allocation, or income profile have evolved.

Then what? Keep investing blindly in the name of "discipline"? That's not smart. That's lazy. We're not lazy. We're fabulous and financially aware.

Now, before the Delhi darlings roll their eyes and accuse me of being "too Bombay," let me logically back this up.

Let's see what's the need to know when to stop your SIPs.

Not all funds age well

Some mutual funds shine for a while and then quietly slide into mediocrity. Why? Fund manager exits, poor stock picks, etc. If your fund consistently underperforms its benchmark or peers over rolling three- or five-year periods, it's a red flag. Not a 'let's wait and hope' situation.

Your asset allocation needs may change

Say you started with an 80:20 equity-debt mix in your twenties. Now, you're closer to your financial goal and need to de-risk. Should you still pour Rs 10,000 monthly into an aggressive mid-cap fund? Definitely not.

You're not 24 and reckless anymore. Adjust.

Sectoral bets can go sideways

Your SIP in a pharma or tech fund might've made tactical sense in 2020. But if that sector is now stagnating or facing regulatory headwinds, it may be time to re-evaluate. SIPs aren't meant to be emotional. They're meant to be effective.

Too many SIPs might just amount to chaos

Many investors keep adding SIPs like they're collecting FabIndia kurtas—one for every occasion. What they're really doing is building a cluttered, inefficient portfolio with overlapping exposure and no real strategy. Sometimes, stopping a few SIPs can do more for your returns than adding new ones.

That's why I showed Masi my secret weapon: The Portfolio Tool—stylish, smart, and savage.

Performance, no drama

We're not just checking annualised returns. We're talking relative performance—against benchmarks, indices, and yes, even that obscure fund her friend from Sainik Farms swears by.

The tool showed what's actually pulling its weight and what's just flexing.

Declutter the chaos

Half her funds haven't outperformed anything since demonetisation. Why's she holding onto them like it's emotional baggage from a past life?

The tool made it brutally clear: that underperformers should be out.

Portfolio health check

Turns out, her portfolio was more overexposed than a Delhi socialite at an Ambani pre-wedding. Pharma here, small caps there, no rhyme, no reason.

The tool helped rebalance and bring some actual structure to the chaos.

Small bets, big problems

She had multiple funds with such tiny invested amounts, they weren't making any real difference to her returns. Yet they cluttered her dashboard and added zero to her returns.

Meanwhile, one fund gobbled up 50 per cent of her portfolio value—an equally rude imbalance. The Portfolio Tool flags both extremes at a glance: those tiny holdings that are just noise, and the overgrown giants that leave you overexposed. Whether it's too little or too much in one fund, it's a sign your portfolio isn't working as efficiently as it should. Because in investing, it's not the number of SIPs you hold, it's the weight each one carries. Quality and balance always win.

Because staying invested is smart, but staying invested well is iconic.

By the time I left GK, my Masi had bookmarked the Portfolio tool and whispered,

"Beta, this is better than that Chandigarh CA who handles our taxes."

Bye bye GK!

Whether you're an Indian Accent kinda person or an Olive Qutub boy, this is useful advice for both:

• Starting an SIP is smart.
  
• Continuing it blindly? Not so much.
  
• Stopping it at the right time? Iconic.

Use your brains. Use the Portfolio Tool.

Review. Reflect. Redeem—when it makes sense. Because loyalty belongs in love stories, not in lagging funds.

Click. Think. Exit, if you must.

Even your GK relatives will thank you.

Set up your Portfolio

Also read: Aaryam Mathur had a portfolio but he didn't have a clue

This article was originally published on May 22, 2025.