When I landed my first job, I thought there would be a salary after which I could finally stop worrying about money.
But over time the worries just shifted. First it was paying the bills, then saving more, buying a house, planning for retirement, or just keeping up with rising costs.
For those whose income has grown over the years, have you ever reached a point where you felt financially comfortable, or did the goalpost keep moving?
I'm earning a 1.8 cr salary now, and I worry about money more than before. It's not the salary that matters, it's the net worth.
Or did the goalpost keep moving?
Yeah, that's what happened. Between 2010 and 2026 my salary grew 50× and then dropped to zero. Still feel insecure and am job‑hunting aggressively.
Only if you get a sudden jump. When your salary rises gradually, lifestyle inflation keeps pace. If you go from 40 L to 80 L, unless you buy a house, your lifestyle won't change drastically and you'll feel very comfortable. For a younger single bachelor, a jump from 10 L to 20‑25 L feels pretty much the same.
It depends more on your relationship with money than on the paycheck itself. I've seen people earning 50 L a month who are miserable, while someone making 2 L a month is far more content.
I think 2 LPM (post‑tax) was the sweet spot for me. That was during Covid and I was saving almost 100 % of it, didn't know what to do with the cash, so I bought a flat.
When Covid ended the EMIs started, and a few months later I switched jobs for a better hike, earning more than 3 LPM yet still not satisfied.
Now, including RSUs, I'm making 4.5‑5 LPM post‑tax, have liquid savings almost equal to the remaining loan balance, and that gives me a lot of peace.
Last year my wife and I earned ₹3.95 Cr. We're still aiming for a healthy 30‑35 % yearly growth. We're financially comfortable, but that doesn't mean we'll stop pushing forward.
Find peace in the present moment once your basic needs are covered. There's no point where money completely disappears from a responsible adult's life.
Even the ultra‑rich keep trying to grow and preserve their net worth.
For me, there's no final end goal.
Right now I earn about 90 L, and I can add roughly half of that to my net worth as savings.
I don't have to worry about small things at this income, honestly. If I wake up wanting a new phone or a PlayStation, I just buy it. If a washing machine at my parents' place breaks, I order a replacement straight away. I shop for veggies and fruits without fretting over price, and I can splurge a few thousand rupees on random gifts for my girlfriend.
I stay comfortable as long as I'm saving around 50 %.
The biggest lesson is that you stop tracking salary and start looking at net worth.
When you focus on net worth, you realise it's a whole different game. Whether it's 3×, 4× or 10× your base, the target keeps shifting and is almost never enough.
Terms like FU money, Lean FIRE, Fat FIRE bring new goals.
It changes from a monthly figure hitting your bank to an annual metric you monitor over longer periods.
So yes, you'll still worry, but it will be about your net worth, not your salary.
Because real‑estate prices keep soaring, no salary feels enough.
I come from a lower‑middle‑class background but now earn a decent 1.5 L per month. It's a dream amount, yet I can't buy a home. We don't own any property; we've lived in rented places most of our lives and still do.
1.5 L would be plenty if the house were already paid off.