UPI can drain your wallet. How to budget and invest smartly.

UPI has made spending frictionless. A tap here, a scan there and before you know it, your salary has evaporated into a blur of chai runs, cab rides and cart checkouts. It’s convenient, sure, but also dangerous when your money feels like it’s just numbers on a screen. If you’ve ever checked your balance mid-month and wondered where it all went, you’re not alone. All you need is a simple, effective budgeting guide to save, spend and invest wisely. We have got one for you below: 1) Set a spending limit The easiest place to begin is by capping your monthly expenses. You don’t need to track every single chai and cab ride. Instead, work backwards from a broad budgeting rule: the 50-30-20 framework. 50 per cent of your monthly income should cover essentials: rent, groceries, utility bills, EMIs, etc. 30 per cent goes to discretionary spending—your OTT subscriptions, dining out, movies and other guilty pleasures. 20 per cent should go directly into saving and investing. But remember, this isn’t a law carved in granit

This article was originally published on June 24, 2025.