From Hotel Helper to a Rs 32 Lakh Portfolio

In this edition of the reader story, we feature a 38-year-old who started his career as a hotel helper at the age of 10!

About this series: I am grateful to readers for sharing intimate details about their financial lives, which benefits us all. Some of the previous editions are linked at the bottom of this article. You can also access the full reader story archive.

Opinions expressed in reader stories do not necessarily represent the views of freefincal or its editors. We must appreciate multiple solutions to the money management puzzle and empathise with diverse views. Articles are typically not checked for grammar unless it is necessary to convey the right meaning and preserve the tone and emotions of the writers.

If you would like to contribute to the DIY community in this manner, send your audits to freefincal AT Gmail dot com. You can publish them anonymously if you wish.

Please note: We welcome articles like this from young earners who have just started investing. See, for example, this piece by a 29-year-old: How I track financial goals without worrying about returns. We also have a “mutual fund success stories” series. For example, see how mutual funds helped me achieve financial independence. Now, over to the reader.

Background:

Currently 38 years old.
Living in Dombivli near Mumbai.
I didn’t attend any college.
I didn’t attend school after 5th standard.
I lost my father when I was 10years old. And my mother at the age of 22. I have younger brothers.

I started working at the age of 10. First in a hotel, then at a printing press.

Since February 2003, I have worked at a small proprietorship firm called NEEDS. The firm works in civil building repair, waterproofing, interior and maintenance work at factories (vendor registration at Mukand LTD.), and also in housing societies near Mumbai and Suburban areas.

I started working there at age 15 as a helper and did whatever the supervisor told me to do. I had nothing saved till March 2010 because my mother had TB, and she was always in bed. So I had responsibilities for my 2 brothers and another 2 adopted children by my father when he was alive.

I had some debt when my mother passed away. Slowly after 2010 i started learning, reading by my own capacity and also able to save money for books and for my brothers education.

I started to invest in financial markets in May 2017. By opening a brokerage account at one of our clients, RR Nabar Brokerage Ltd., I also started Rs. 1,500/- and 5,000/- SIPs in Birla Frontline Equity Large Cap Fund and Franklin India Prima Fund. And in January 2018, I started a 5,000/- SIP in Principal Tax Savings Fund.(* But stopped after 25 instalments; the amount is nearly 1,25,000/-).

Other 2 SIP I continued 5 years till june and July 2022. Actually, my salary has been 30,000/- per month since January 2016. My boss has been giving additional time off whenever he feels like it as appreciation since 2016.

By then, I also invested in direct equity stocks. Till 2023. I’ve invested in blue chips around 25 stocks also whatever dividend i received I reinvested in stocks.

Actually, I don’t put much effort, but I have never lost a single rupee in stocks except Yes Bank ( but holding too small a quantity)

In February 2023 i started process to purchase 2bhk flat Near Dombivli railway station the price 60,00,000/- (+ 4,61,000 stamp duty and registration fees).

For purchasing this flat i started to sell my equity portfolio in june 2023 to October 2024. I completed the flat purchase process in October 2024. (I consider it my biggest mistake, as I’m single; I didn’t need a house at that time and liquidated my portfolio of more than 60 lakhs)

After that, I learned that the building was constructed on collector land.

And some paperwork issues. I was cheated by someone who has known me since my childhood. He sold me the wrong property. He’s also in the financial field, a sub-broker and tax consultant and extremely well off (but he didn’t know about my portfolio, and I never discussed financial markets or anything with him). But one thing is, today or tomorrow, the building goes into the redevelopment process. It’s my mistake I did not research or i felt emotional to purchase the flat.

I came to understand about freefincal and Dr Pattabhiramam Sir in May 2024. I started watching every video and reading the articles. Around July 2024, I started a fresh investment in HDFC Nifty 50 (the flat purchase process is still ongoing) from Rs. 5,000/-.

After that, I invest regularly in equity mutual funds and the debt portion. Till date, I have invested in some 17 funds

My current mutual fund investments are following ( direct plan)

*Equity Mutual funds

1) UTI Nifty 50 index fund= 4,75,000/-

2) HDFC Nifty 50 index fund=2,46,000/-

3) Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund = 2,36,000/-

4) HDFC Flexi Cap Fund = 80,000/-

5) HDFC Nifty Next 50 index fund=1,35,000/-

6) nippon nifty 500 momentum 50 index fund = 40,000/-

7) HDFC Nifty Midcap 150 Index Fund = 45,000/-

8) Axis small-cap fund = 18,000/-

BAF

9) UTI Balance Advantage Fund = 1,02,000/-

*Debt mutual funds

1) HDFC Liquid Fund = 1,51,458/-

2) Mirae liquid fund= 1,05,000/-

3) UTI Short Duration Fund = 74,500/-

4) HDFC short-term fund = 39,000/-

5) UTI Arbitrage Fund = 25,000/-

6) PPF= 3,73,800/-

*Recently, in June 2026, I started investing in ICICI AMC

1) ICICI flexi cap fund= 87,000/-

2) ICICI liquid fund=58,000/-

I know I’ve invested in the same category fund. I’m not a fan of chasing returns.

And same time I don’t want to put all my hard earned money in same AMC i don’t want to stuck money by any means.No one knows what happened with any AMC in the future. Technical glitches or freezes by regulators anything can happen.

For the last six months, I haven’t invested in duplicate funds, but I don’t want to redeem or sell any of these schemes (except for rebalancing)

So currently I’m following a 60:35:5 strategy.

60% in equity, 35% in debt, and 5% in a balanced advantage fund.

In 60% equity

Nifty -50 index funds= 50%

Flexi cap= 30%

20% in nifty next 50( in other categories like mid150, momentum and small cap I stopped to invest more than 1 year ago)

I have some remaining holdings after the flat purchase, like Bajaj Finance (before the bonus announcement) and Asian Paints, respectively; quantity: 101 BF and 15 AP.

Bajaj Finance: I couldn’t sell the shares because, at the time, the company’s share was underperforming and not trading near my buying price; in 2025, the company announced a bonus and split, and the share moved upward.

After that, I also purchased some direct equity. But not too much.

Currently, I have invested around 7,13,818/- in direct equity around 7,13,818/- (with 2 units of SGB purchased in Nov 2020) currently valued at nearly 9,17,842/-

I invested in ICICI flexicap and liquid funds in a ratio of 60:40 for a goal of higher education for my younger brother’s daughter (without his knowledge).

I don’t receive a monthly salary.I receive a salary after 2 or 3 months. There’s no regularity.

Currently, portfolio investments.

Equity= 72.49%

Debt= 27.61%

*(Recently I’d add my direct stock portfolio in my Google sheet otherwise asset allocation is following equity= 63.91%. Debt= 36.09%)

1)Nifty -50 index fund = 24.1%

2)Next-50= 4.5%

3)Flexi cap= 13.50%

4)Momentum, mid150 & small cap fund= 3.4%

5) Direct equity stock= 23.5%

6) BAF = 3.4%

Debt:

1) Liquid fund= 10.5%

2) Short-term fund = 3.8%

3) Arbitrage fund = 0.8%

4) PPF= 12.5%

Lessons:

1) Don’t buy a house without proper research. And at an early stage if you don’t need it.

2) Focus on earnings.

3) Create a big corpus by asset allocation and focus on earnings, not by chasing returns.

4) Follow Goal-Based Investing.

I thanks for my parents, My Boss Mr. Ashok C. Patel. And of course, thank you, Dr Pattabhiramam Sir and Subra Sir. You both shaped my life. The journey continues.

Read more stories: reader story archive.

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About The Author

Dr M Pattabiraman giving a lecture

Dr M. Pattabiraman (PhD) is the founder, managing editor and primary author of freefincal. He is an associate professor at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. He has over 14 years of experience publishing news analysis, research and financial product development. He is a patron and co-founder of “Fee-only India,” an organisation promoting unbiased, commission-free, AUM-independent investment advice.

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Pattabiraman has co-authored three print books: (1) You can be rich too with goal-based investing (Published by CNBC TV18) for DIY investors.

This book helps you ask the right questions and find the right answers. It also includes nine online calculators to create custom solutions.

(2) Gamechanger: Forget Startups, Join Corporate & Still Live the Rich Life You Want.

This book helps young earners get the basics right from the start! It will also help you travel to exotic places at a low cost!

(3) Chinchu Gets a Superpower! for kids.

Both the boy and girl versions of "Chinchu Gets a Superpower".

Most investor problems stem from a lack of poor decision-making. We made bad decisions and money mistakes when we started earning, and we spent years undoing them. Why should our children go through the same pain?

What is this book about? As parents, what if we had to groom one ability in our children that matters not only for money management and investing but for every aspect of life? My answer: Sound decision-making. So, in this book, we meet Chinchu, who is about to turn 10. The story follows what he wants for his birthday and how his parents plan it, while also teaching him key ideas about decision-making and money management.

What readers say!

Feedback from a young reader after reading Chinchu Gets a Superpower!

Must-read book even for adults! This is something that every parent should teach their kids right from a young age. The importance of money management and decision-making based on their wants and needs. Very nicely written in simple terms. - Arun.

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