Are you the fund manager of your goals and dreams?
Having a clear goal can be a key differentiator to managing our finances. A discussion
Continue reading →How should I plan for a comfortable retirement by 55?
A 35-year-old reader wants to know if he can retire comfortably by age 55 and what he should do to achieve this. He is married to a homemaker aged 30. When he reaches 55, his wife will be 50. So, we shall plan for retirement income until she (the younger spouse) reaches 90. Therefore, he…
Continue reading →How 13 years of tracking investments helped me build wealth
I have tracked the amount invested in my goal portfolio for over 13 years. It has been a life and game changer for my family. Whether you track your spending or not, tracking your investment amount is crucial. Today, I can invest more for retirement than my target investment. That was not the case when…
Continue reading →RIP: The golden rule if you cannot pay for it, you cannot afford it
My parents had a simple rule: If you cannot pay for it, you cannot afford it. This means avoiding debt at all costs. My father was 40 when he was urged to buy a two-wheeler on EMI. He reluctantly agreed because public transport to his workplace was a nightmare. That was the only item my…
Continue reading →My investment journey: From humble beginnings to financial resilience
I’m happy to share my financial journey on this platform and would like to thank Pattu Sir for giving me the opportunity. I have structured my journey into three sections: Family Background, Financial Mistakes, and Course Correction. About this series: I am grateful to readers for sharing intimate details about their financial lives for the benefit…
Continue reading →Handpicked List of Mutual Funds Jan-Mar 2025 (PlumbLine)
These are the freefincal handpicked list of mutual funds. New and old investors can use it according to their specific needs. The list is called “PlumbLine” and has been published since September 2017 for beginners to accompany the freefincal robo advisor tool. Most important! Plumbline is a mix of my opinions + skin in the…
Continue reading →Personal Finance Resolutions for 2025 to help you create wealth
Here are 16 personal finance resolutions and resources to help you start your wealth creation journey. In his 2013 Ted Talk, former Google search quality chief Matt Cutts discussed the power of trying something new for 30 days. He says if you try something new for 30 days or stop doing something for 30 days,…
Continue reading →How to invest without worrying about market conditions
We discuss an efficient investment strategy for our financial goals without worrying about market conditions. This simple strategy will help you achieve your financial goals independent of market conditions. We have extensively backtested different variable asset allocation strategies, and the results are available in our goal-based portfolio management course. Be clear about when you need…
Continue reading →How do you increase equity market participation in India?
I was recently asked to share my thoughts on “How do you increase equity/bond market participation in India?”. I figured the best way to collect my thoughts was to write an article about it. Financial inclusion typically means enhancing the reach and deliverability of financial services to reduce inequality. So, by aiming for enhanced capital…
Continue reading →My Stock Portfolio Analysis: Dec 2024
This article compares my stock portfolio with an equivalent investment in a Nifty index fund and the Nifty 100 Low Volatility 30 TR index. We post this comparison each month. Before we begin, new readers need to appreciate the context of these investments. Update: We recently added a new tool to the freefincal investor circle…
Continue reading →Whining won’t make wealth! Here is how you can get started
Each time a financially independent person is interviewed on YouTube or the media, many comments go, “Oh, this guy had a huge salary; she went on-site, that is why she can save so much. He says he is financially independent and retired, but his wife is still working so that does not count” and so…
Continue reading →Portfolio Audit 2024: The annual review of my goal-based investments
I evaluate the performance of my retirement portfolio and my son’s future portfolio each year in a personal finance audit. This is the 12th edition. Published from 2013 onwards, these audits provide a sense of accountability and ensure I do not fall prey to fear of missing out, preventing bad investment decisions. They also point…
Continue reading →Debt and hybrid mutual fund screener (Dec 2024) for selection, tracking, learning
This is a debt mutual fund screener for portfolio selection, tracking, and learning. It also includes hybrid funds that invest in bonds. It will satisfy investors who wish to invest in money market funds, banking PSU funds, etc. The credit quality of the bonds in the portfolio and the bond maturity profile can be tracked….
Continue reading →How to use the same investment portfolio for all our financial goals
In this article, SEBI-registered flat fee-only financial advisor Swapnil Kendhe discusses how we can implement a unified portfolio approach for all our long-term goals. About the author: Swapnil is a SEBI Registered Investment Advisor and is one of the sought-after advisors on the freefincal fee-only financial planners’ list. You can learn more about him and his…
Continue reading →Minimalism, Index Funds, and Staying Calm: My Investing Journey at 28
Back when I was still in college, I stumbled onto Freefincal. I’d open one article, and the next thing I knew, I’d have 20 tabs open—each leading me deeper into this endless maze of personal finance. It was a strange obsession for someone who had zero money to their name. I read, I learned, and…
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