How This Couple In Their 30s Cleared Rs 1.2-Crore Debt And Built Rs 5-Crore Net Worth

Retirement planning is an integral part of financial strategy and it needs consistent investment over the years. As early retirement is gaining popularity among young professionals, building a sizable corpus is essential to achieve the goal of FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early).

A recent Reddit post by an Indian couple in their mid-30s on their investment journey towards the early retirement goal has caught the attention of social media users.

The couple has now built a net worth of Rs 5 crore after clearing a debt of Rs 1.2 crore. They have credited disciplined savings, investments and lifestyle adjustments inspired by the FIRE philosophy.

In a long Reddit post, the husband, a 36-year-old engineer with an MBA degree, said that he and his wife began their married life burdened with about Rs 1.2 crore in loans.

“After marriage, we started our life with about 1.2 Cr loan (education loans and housing loans for parents’ houses),” he wrote. “Started reading about FIRE during COVID, amidst a stressful job. Learned the techniques, although not an expert.”

Before that, he admitted to financial missteps, such as overspending after completing his MBA. “Didn’t understand loans need to be closed fast and ended up living lavishly after MBA, ended up doing a lavish wedding (regret it now, because I did it just to impress relatives),” he said.

The turning point came during the pandemic, when he began to seriously study the principles of financial independence. By 2021, the couple had cleared their debts and started investing systematically. Over the past four years, they built a portfolio across asset classes.

“Current assets (both mine and wife): real estate – land, apartment and commercial units, worth about Rs 3.5 crore (not primary house), stocks – current worth 1 Cr, mutual funds – 25 lakhs, PPF/NPS/PF/SSY – 40 lakhs,” he wrote.

They have a combined pre-tax income of Rs 2.5 crore annually, but say their financial goals are not driven by promotions or steep salary hikes. Instead, they have focused on stability and family life.

“We decided against going abroad to stay near parents and financially, I am targeting 10 CR (for my retirement), home for personal use and Rs 2 Cr per kid,” he said. “So, it’s going to take a few more years to reach there as we have also allowed our career to take a back seat… just keep doing what we are doing and focus on kids.”

Reflecting on their journey, he expressed regret that financial literacy came late. “Even after studying well at top-tier colleges and doing an MBA, I was clueless about personal finance,” he said. “Started my journey very late. I wish we were all taught or introduced to these things sooner in life.”

For the couple, however, the focus is not only on wealth but also on family. With two young children, aged four and three months, they say they are determined to balance financial discipline with enjoying life. “Had my second kid despite friends and family saying that the kid would add to the financial burden,” he wrote. “We love kids and need to enjoy life too.”

Here’s the complete Reddit post:

The post shows that financial discipline, along with clear goals, can transform even a debt-laden beginning into long-term security.