Would you willingly part with a quarter of your monthly salary in the name of fitness?
For a growing tribe of urban professionals, that is no longer a hypothetical question. Gym memberships at premium chains, boutique Pilates and CrossFit classes, smart watches, protein powders, recovery gear and the latest “biohacking” fad can together swallow up as much as 20–25 percent of take-home pay. The promise is a leaner, stronger body. The risk is a thinner savings account.
The modern wellness industry has done a remarkable job of nudging Indians towards healthier lives. But orbiting that awareness is a powerful ecosystem that thrives on lifestyle upgrades. The conflict is not health versus money. It is health versus lifestyle creep.
Fitness experts say the sensible path is surprisingly simple: clarity and consistency. Narrow down your goal — weight loss, strength, stamina or mobility — and then choose the most cost-effective route to get there. Expensive paraphernalia is rarely a substitute for discipline. You need to get leaner, not your savings.
The same lifestyle inflation is visible on the roads. A new class of luxury car buyers is emerging across India — ambitious professionals, entrepreneurs from smaller cities and young tech executives eager to experience prestige on wheels. Car makers are lowering entry barriers through localisation and competitive pricing. The sticker price looks more accessible than ever.
But the real arithmetic begins after delivery.
Insurance premiums are hefty. Annual service contracts are steep. Spare parts are imported. A defective component can burn a hole in your pocket. One recent case in point: ₹95,000 to replace a faulty seatbelt spring in a German luxury car because the entire assembly had to be changed.
The lesson is timeless but often ignored — total cost of ownership matters. When running costs run high, both pride and finances quietly take a hit.
Lifestyle spending is being increasingly lubricated by plastic.
India’s credit card universe has expanded dramatically over the past few years. The number of active cards has more than doubled — from about 55 million in 2019-20 to over 111 million in 2024-25. Outstanding balances have surged even faster, rising from roughly ₹30,500 crore in 2014-15 to nearly ₹2.9 lakh crore by 2024-25.
More worrying than the growth is the usage pattern. Cards are no longer just a tool for convenience spending or reward points. They are increasingly financing everyday expenses and bridging cash-flow gaps.
In that scenario, the debt trap is not a distant theoretical risk. It is a very real threat.
Financial planners advise a few non-negotiables: know your outstanding balance at all times, prioritise high-interest repayments, avoid rolling over minimum dues and build disciplined habits that prevent the cycle from spiralling.
Not all spending is indulgent. Some is aspirational — and necessary.
Many mid-career professionals quietly contemplate taking a sabbatical. The reasons vary: upskilling, exploring a new career path, entrepreneurial ambitions, burnout recovery or personal circumstances.
There is nothing financially reckless about stepping away from work — provided it is planned.
Ideally, the preparation for a career break begins the day you start earning. Financial goals must be structured so that one does not cannibalise another. A sabbatical corpus should be built separately. Budgets must be stress-tested. EMIs and insurance premiums must be ring-fenced. Funds meant for near-term expenses should be parked in low-volatility instruments. And re-entry into the workforce must be planned before the cash buffer runs dry.
A break can rejuvenate your career — but only if it doesn’t derail your long-term wealth creation.
Lifestyle narratives influence investing too.
Take the debate between flexi-cap funds and dividend-yield mutual funds. Flexi-cap schemes invest at least 65 percent of their assets in equities, with the flexibility to allocate across large cap, mid cap and small cap stocks. Dividend-yield funds also invest a minimum 65 percent in equities but focus specifically on companies that pay dividends.
Over the past 3, 5 and 10 years, dividend-yield funds have outperformed flexi-cap funds. Does that mean investors should switch wholesale? Absolutely not.
Dividend-paying companies tend to be more stable, which can reduce volatility. That may help during market lulls. But in roaring bull markets, aggressive growth stocks — often found in flexi-cap portfolios — can outpace them.
Financial advisers reiterate a core principle: different strategies shine in different market cycles. What wins across cycles is disciplined asset allocation, not performance chasing.
Passive investing mirrors broader wealth-building logic — go broad, go diversified and anchor long-term portfolios around broad market indices rather than narrow thematic bets.
The threads running through these stories are deceptively simple. Spending on health is sensible. Buying a dream car can be rewarding. Credit cards are useful. Career breaks can be transformative. Investment strategies evolve.
But every choice has a cost — explicit or hidden.
A neat slice of income spent each month on lifestyle upgrades may feel justified in isolation. Taken together, they shape your financial trajectory. Physical fitness requires consistency and discipline. So does financial fitness.
In the end, the question is not whether you can afford the lifestyle you desire today. It is whether that lifestyle still makes sense when viewed through the lens of your long-term goals.
Because the true luxury is not a premium gym, a German sedan or a shiny credit card. It is the quiet confidence that your money is working as hard as you are.
(By arrangement with livemint.com)