The Income Lab | Smart Money Tips for Middle-Class Indians

  Most people don’t go broke because of one big mistake — they go broke slowly, quietly, and unknowingly through small habits that feel harmless in the moment. The ₹30 tea that happens three times a day. The online subscriptions you forgot. The weekend food delivery that feels “just this once.” The EMI that was manageable… until you took another one. These tiny decisions, repeated daily, trap millions of middle-class Indians in the same loop every month: Salary in → Bills → Random spends → Zero savings → Regret → Repeat. If this feels painfully familiar, you’re not alone — but you also don’t have to stay stuck. The truth is simple: You don’t need a higher salary to grow wealthy. You need better habits. Here are five small but life-changing habits that can turn your entire financial life around — starting this month. 1. Track Every Rupee You Spend — For 30 Days Yes, every single rupee. Not in a fancy app. Not in a complicated Excel sheet. Just a simple notebook or ...

  💬 Introduction If you’ve read my last post — How I Doubled My Monthly Income Without a Second Job — you already know the power of the 5-Hour Rule : investing 1 hour daily in learning something valuable. But here’s the next step that truly changes the game: Instead of mastering one big skill, combine multiple small skills to create your own unique income engine . I call it The Skill Stack Strategy . 🧠 What Is the Skill Stack Strategy? In simple terms: “You don’t need to be the best at one thing — you just need to be good enough at a few things that together make you unbeatable.” For example: A designer who also knows marketing → can charge 3x more. A finance professional who knows Excel automation → saves hours for companies. A content writer who knows SEO → becomes a growth machine. Each new skill acts like a multiplier to your income. 🪜 Step-by-Step: Build Your Skill Stack 1️⃣ Start With Your Core Skill This is what you already know — your curren...

💬 Introduction Let’s be real — most of us are stuck in a cycle of working, earning, and spending, with barely enough left to save. But what if I told you there’s a simple habit that can help you double your income , even if you never take another job? It’s called the 5-Hour Rule , and it’s the single most underrated principle behind every financially successful person you know — from Warren Buffett to Elon Musk. 🚀 What Is the 5-Hour Rule? The 5-Hour Rule simply means investing at least one hour per weekday (5 hours per week) in deliberate learning — not entertainment, not scrolling, but learning that builds a new income skill. Think of it like compound interest — but for your mind. Here’s how it works: Day Activity Goal Monday Read or listen to finance podcasts Learn new ideas Tuesday Watch tutorials on a side-skill (Excel, stock analysis, coding) Build skill Wednesday Practice what you learned Apply knowledge Thursday Analyze results and improve Reflect Friday Share your ...

"Fake hai yaar." "Dikhao proof." "Scam lagta hai." These were the comments flooding my WhatsApp when I posted about making ₹8,50,000 in just 30 days using nothing but my smartphone. I totally understand the skepticism - we've all seen those "Ghar baithe paisa kamao" ads that promise the moon. But here's the thing: I have PhonePe screenshots, bank statements, and a detailed breakdown of exactly how I did it using completely legal methods that work specifically in India. And today, I'm sharing everything with you for free. The Mumbai Local Moment That Changed Everything Three months ago, I was squeezed in a packed Mumbai local during peak hours, scrolling through Instagram to distract myself from the chaos. I saw a post from someone my age showing off their new Royal Enfield. The caption read: "Phone se kamaya, dream bike kharida 🏍️💰" I was curious, frustrated, and honestly, a little jealous. Here I was, earning ₹35,00...