I don't relate to most of the posts on this sub. I’m just a middle class guy with 30k in a MF.
I am a 27M from BLR working as a student psychologist in a school. I just finished my first year of work at this school and I like it so far, prior to this I worked for one year in another similar school(earned 40k gross a month, 38.5k in hand after PF deduction) from where I was fired due to differences with the management. I was unemployed for a year, and it was really tough finding another similar role cause I was young and a man(one of the few domains where there’s some female bias), until I found this job. I was foolish to not save from that previous role, so I had to earn some money while unemployed on side hustles, had about 30k saved from them. Then my parents tried to set up their business as their retirement plan, and I helped them with my money and working for them until I found this current role.
I now earn 45k gross a month, 40.5k in hand after TDS deduction. I took the first year to clear off debts I owed to people who helped pay for some upskilling courses I did before I started the role. I supported my parents with 15k, which I reduced to 10k after the first 7 months(I owed them my CC bill payments) to start building my own financial foundation. Since I live with my parents(we live in a rented house), I don’t have the headache of rent and household expenses. But I want to now move out as I prepare to get married and start a family. But I’m frozen at whether I should invest or save money to move out and live independently. Investing options honestly drive me nuts, and I just went ahead and parked 30k in Invesco Mutual Fund because I wanted to do something with my money. I have about 60k cash lying around and my personal expenses only come to 10-15k.
I lurk around on this sub but I almost always see posts of individuals who are in entirely different salary brackets, ones that I may never reach in life because of the career path I’ve chosen. That being said, I wouldn’t give up being a student psychologist for anything, I find it to be meaningful and fulfilling. But I also want to give my kids a shot at living a life of financial safety that I never had, and be capable of doing nice things for the person I will marry without having to worry too much about money. But for now, I don’t know what goals I can achieve with the salary trajectory I have (max 12-14L down the line). I wanna pay for my own wedding, buy my own car. I’ve even given up on the prospect of buying a house in BLR. I have no support from my parents, and honestly want them to just take care of each other and not have my burdens anymore. While I also know that getting married brings my wife’s income to the table, I want her to always have the choice to not work and lean on me if she wants to. I don’t know if I should get a financial advisor or put my head in this finance game and figure it out. I’m frozen, and feeling really guilty of the money I’m already spending, even when it’s in my budget, cause I always think I can save more. Thankfully, my current school is well established with a good hope of me building experience and credibility here. I wish there were financial therapists.