Rs 4,200 Salary To Rs 1,00,00,000: Zero-Debt, FDs & Small Investments, How This Bengaluru Man Made Rs 1 Crore

'Start your investment early' is a simple mantra but very true to its words. There are many perks to starting savings early. For starters, there is room for better long-term wealth creation, while past data have shown early-stage investment has given fruitful and multi-fold gains. But for a middle-class citizen, starting investment early for a better future is not a luxury; there is always a battle between expenses, including debts and financial planning.

But a common man from Bengaluru has mastered the art of savings with zero debts and a humble nature. Born in a small village in South India, this man did not hold a prestigious degree. He is just an HSC pass. But what kept him going is his never-ending chase for knowledge and intelligence, all while maintaining health, patience and discipline.

Now, at 53, he sits with Rs 1 crore in wealth. From his first salary of Rs 4,200, his last aid income was Rs 63,000. Despite having his own ancestral home in his village, he and his wife along with his daughter, have stayed in a rented apartment in Bengaluru, shifting their locations four times since 2000.

In the past 25 years, this Bengaluru man, although earning small, harboured the zeal for savings. From fixed deposits to small amount investment to grabbing the opportunities, this Bengaluru man shares his story of how, with patience, discipline and a minimal amount, one can make it big.

The man shared his story on Reddit. Click Here

"This is something I'm sharing with others for the first time," he began. At age 53, he is holding Rs 1 crore and Rs 10,000 in deposits at different banks, alongside Rs 65,000 in equity.

He explained that he opens new deposits practically every month. His FDs are non-cumulative, for which he added, "I get all the interest on a monthly basis and add it to the new deposits I open every month."

"It's easier to accumulate wealth if you don't live in a high-status neighborhood," he said.

"Never borrowed. Have never had a credit card. Had a scooter which I sold around 2015. Can't drive because of my low vision. Used to walking everywhere. Still can walk/jog a 5K without needing a sip of water," he said.

But his passive income is Rs 60,000 per month. He had stopped working just a month before the COVID-19 pandemic due to high myopia. He said, "I believe in 'quitting while you are ahead." I'm content with what I have. Worked like crazy."

Then the man goes on to share his qualification, surprisingly, even the netizens under his feed. With just an HSC qualification, he worked as a proofreader or printed pieces of writing. This was his sole source of income and only job.

"I come (originally) from a small village in South India. Having learned English grammar on my own, I came to Bangalore in 2000; I was 27 and all the money I had in my pocket was ~5K. Never again did I ask my parents for more. We were very poor. My first salary was ~4,200. My last paid salary was ~63K," he said.

"After college, my child started working recently, and so far her contribution to the above pool of money is ~200K," he added.

Furthermore, this Bengaluru man said, "We're three in our family. My wife has never worked. Our monthly living expense is ~25K. We live on the outskirts of Bangalore, rent a decent 1BHK, and the rent is Rs. 6,500, was 6K until very recently. We never move unless it's absolutely necessary. I make sure the landlords and we are always on good terms, have never had an issue. Even if we move, we keep in touch with our previous landlords, and if needed, help each other. In the last 25 years, we have moved four times. We always pay the rent on the 30th or the 31st of every month. The landlords never look down on us. Instead, they treat us well. They think I'm trying to make ends meet, never lend, never borrow."

Apart from hard work and perseverance, he started learning more about personal finance. He said, "Started learning about personal finance and investing in 2024. Will invest small amounts when a really good opportunity arises and will do this for my child."

"We have our ancestral home in the village where we'll eventually go live the rest of our lives," he added, "We have always been very frugal because we have had no one to look to for help. Luckily, we have never had a major illness or hardship. We're good at taking care of our health, but we rarely go see a doctor."

In his concluding remark, he said, "I conclude from my experience that education, intelligence, health and time are one's big assets. Also, patience and discipline are essential for achieving long-term goals."