I don’t even know where to start. Honestly, I wasn’t planning to talk about this, but maybe someone out there needs to hear it. Or maybe I just need to get it out.
So, Varshith Goud — a guy I’ve known for a while — has been caught in this brutal mess. His small business tanked last year. Totally collapsed. One minute he was managing orders and smiling like life was sorted, and the next… boom. Nothing. Customers vanished. Suppliers ghosted him. Money just stopped flowing.
And since then? It’s been hell. Like, he can’t even pay rent anymore. Can’t cover his kids’ school fees. I heard his electricity got cut off last week — over 1,200 rupees unpaid. He had to borrow for groceries. Imagine that. Asking someone for milk and bread money while pretending everything’s “okay.”
He told me once, “Money stress is killing me.” And it wasn’t just a phrase. He looked wrecked. I mean, his eyes were hollow. His voice? Shaky. The guy used to be full of life, but now he’s fighting just to get out of bed. There’s trauma there — deep, nasty, stuck kind. The kind that doesn’t just fade because someone says “stay strong.”
And if you’re struggling with financial issues in India, you’re not alone. It’s not just Varshith. It’s so many of us. Drowning in bills, in guilt, in all those silent questions we’re too embarrassed to ask out loud.
But… there has to be a way out, right? Like — not some miracle fix, not some guru wisdom — but something real. Something doable.
That’s what I’m trying to figure out. That’s what this is about.
Not some polished list. Just real stuff. Steps that might help someone—maybe even you—start to overcome financial problems and, idk, live a little. Smile again without faking it.
Let’s try to make sense of it together.
2. Understand Your Money Mindset
Okay, so… I don’t know if it’s just me, but sometimes I’ll be brushing my teeth or whatever and suddenly get hit with this tight, awful panic about money. Like… outta nowhere. My brain goes, “you’re broke, you’re failing, everything’s gonna collapse,” and boom — full body stress. It’s wild.
I used to think I was just bad with money. Like, other people seem to just get it, right? Budgeting, investing, “building wealth” — they talk like they’re on some kind of financial spaceship while I’m stuck duct-taping my life together.
But after a few messy breakdowns (including one very loud phone call in the back of an Uber I wish I could erase), I started reading about this thing called a money mindset. And oh boy — that cracked open some stuff.
Apparently, this stress I kept blaming on “not earning enough” was also about how I thought about money. Like… deep down stuff. Childhood stuff. “Am I allowed to want more?” “Do I think rich people are selfish?” “Do I believe I’ll always be poor because that’s just who I am?”
I didn’t even realize I was walking around carrying all these weird beliefs in my head.
And it’s not just me. There’s this term — “money disorder” (sounds dramatic but kinda makes sense). It’s when your thoughts about money become so tangled that they start messing with your real life. Like avoiding bills because they scare you. Or spending way too much just to feel okay for five minutes. Or never letting yourself enjoy anything because you think you haven’t “earned” it yet.
Honestly, money stress is killing people. I saw something that said financial anxiety can feel the same as being chased — like legit survival mode. Your body doesn’t know the difference between a lion and an overdraft fee.
And yeah, sometimes it’s not about the paycheck. It’s about control. Safety. Feeling like you matter.
I still mess up. I still buy snacks I don’t need and cry over bills and open my bank app with one eye closed like I’m peeking into a horror movie. But I am trying to pay attention to what my brain’s whispering when I panic. I’m trying to rewire some of those old loops.
Because, idk, maybe success isn’t about being rich. Maybe it’s just about not being scared every time your phone buzzes with a transaction alert. Maybe it’s being able to breathe.
That’s it. Just… breathe.
(Also, pro tip: muting your banking app for a bit? Feels illegal but… peaceful.)
3. Identify & Prioritize Financial Stressors
Okay, so—this one hits close. Like actually close. I remember sitting in my room a few months back, lights off (because, yeah, unpaid electricity bill), just staring at my bank app like… what the hell happened?
I was in financial trouble. Big time.
And the worst part? It wasn’t one big thing. It was everything.
Little things piling up. Rent creeping up. That stupid EMI for a phone I didn’t need but convinced myself was “for work.” Groceries getting more expensive. My UPI app kept buzzing for ₹49 subscriptions I forgot about. Netflix, Spotify, some random app to learn French — seriously, why was I learning French when I couldn’t afford dal?
So yeah, I started writing down everything that made my stomach twist. Not like a proper adult with spreadsheets or whatever. Just messy scribbles on a paper torn from my old math notebook.
And once you see it all in front of you? It sucks. But also—something weird happens. It starts to make sense. You start realizing where the pain is actually coming from.
For me, it was:
- Rent that ate up 40% of my income
- EMIs I should never have taken
- Eating out way too much just to feel “normal”
- Random subscriptions (seriously, cancel them now)
- Borrowed money from a friend that I kept avoiding
Some people call this a “cash flow” issue. Or a “debt burden.” Or “cost of living crisis.” I just call it: too much going out, not enough coming in.
I read this thing on Life Sherpa (was googling at 2am, broke and spiraling) that said most people don’t even know what their biggest stressor is. They just feel overwhelmed. That’s exactly it. Like you’re drowning, but you don’t know what’s pulling you under.
So yeah, if you’re in serious financial problems right now, maybe start with that one messy list. No rules. Just write down every damn thing that’s stressing you out. Prioritize later. But first? See it. Face it. All of it.
I mean, you can’t fix what you’re pretending doesn’t exist, right?
4. Budgeting & Financial Planning
So… money. Yeah. I used to hate that word. Not in a dramatic way, just in a slow-burn, every-time-I-hear-it-I-want-to-disappear kinda way. Especially when I was in college, man. The number of times I opened my wallet and it was just vibes in there? Not even dust. Just nothing.
And budgeting? Pfft. I thought it was for people who had money to begin with. I was like, “How do you make a budget when your income is 0 and your expenses are constant anxiety and a pack of instant noodles?”
But here’s the thing — and I’m not even pretending to be some finance bro here — I didn’t start feeling slightly okay until I sat down one night (more like 2:37 AM, sleep-deprived and spiraling), grabbed a pen, and wrote down everything I was spending. Every damn chai, every “it’s just ₹40” rickshaw ride, every impulsive “YOLO” snack. It wasn’t pretty.
Like, I wasn’t eating gold-plated biryani or anything, but the leaks were tiny and everywhere.
So I started small. I made this super basic Google Sheet. Three columns: “What I Got” (which was mostly scholarship bits and random freelance), “What I Owe” (hello, hostel rent), and “What I Spent On Random Crap” (yep, that ₹150 milkshake was not spiritual enlightenment).
And dude — the second I saw it all laid out? I mean… I panicked first. But then I got mad. Not at myself really. Just mad that no one ever sat us down and explained this budgeting stuff like it was… survival. Because that’s what it is. Especially when you’re broke and pretending not to be.
Fast forward to now — I still mess up. Like, last week I forgot to track a payment and overdrafted my account. Yay adulting. But I’ve also started doing this thing my cousin taught me: make a mini “emergency fund.” Doesn’t have to be ₹10,000. Start with ₹100. Or ₹50. Just something.
Also, if you’re in a family situation? Please talk. I know, awkward. I’ve been there — sitting with parents, trying to say “We can’t afford this right now” without sounding like you’re being disrespectful. But joint budgeting helps. Even if it’s messy. Like, my mom literally keeps notes on the back of old notebooks, but we know where the money’s going.
Family budget tips I’ve picked up? Make food together, split bills, use cash for daily stuff so you feel it. Avoid those fake digital “I’m rich” moments on UPI.
If you’re a student — look, I know it sucks to say no to plans because of money. I did it too many times. But saying “I’m saving for my hostel fee” is cooler than pretending and then crying in the washroom after your card declines.
Anyway. I still don’t have it all figured out. But I swear, budgeting gave me this weird little sense of control — like the world could be on fire, but I know where my last ₹200 went.
And that kinda peace? It’s not nothing.
5. Reduce Expenses & Small Spending Wins
Okay so—honestly? Cutting down expenses sounds way easier than it actually is. People be like, “just stop spending on useless stuff,” and I’m like… okay but what if that useless stuff is the only thing keeping me sane right now? You ever been there? Yeah.
I remember this one month, I had like ₹1200 left and still needed groceries, travel money, and, stupidly, I’d already said yes to a birthday dinner. Couldn’t cancel. So I skipped lunch for three days straight and told people I was intermittent fasting. I wasn’t. I was broke. That’s the kind of money problem with solution nobody wants to talk about.
I used to think saving money meant doing something dramatic—like living with your parents forever or cutting out every coffee. But nah, it’s the tiny stuff that eats you alive. You don’t even see it until you’re drowning. Swiggy delivery fees. That one monthly subscription you swear you’ll cancel. The “I deserve this” ice cream tub. Oh man.
Here’s what actually helped me, just in case you’re like… spiraling right now:
- Auto-recharge OFF – I canceled literally every auto-renew. Netflix, Spotify, even Canva Pro (miss you).
- Walk if it’s under 2km – Sounds dumb, but I’ve saved so much Uber cash just sweating it out.
- Limit cash – I take out like ₹500 in notes per week. If it’s gone, it’s gone.
- Village tricks work – My grandma still uses one shampoo bottle for like 4 months. I tried it. It’s… humbling.
- One indulgence rule – Pick one guilty spend per week. Not three. Not five. One.
I don’t know if this counts as “frugal living India” or just desperation, but hey—it works. Maybe not overnight. But slowly, quietly, it starts to feel like you’re not losing anymore. You’re just… surviving smarter. And sometimes, that’s enough.
6. Increase Income
I’m just gonna say it — figuring out how to make extra money when you’re already broke feels like trying to put out a fire with a teaspoon. Like, cool, I need more income… but with what time? Or energy? Or even data?
Back when I was in college, I remember sitting on the floor — because I didn’t even have a proper chair — Googling “money problem with solution” like some miracle job would pop up and save me. Spoiler: it didn’t. But I did stumble across a YouTube video where some guy was earning 500 bucks an hour freelancing on Fiverr. I laughed. I had zero skills. Or at least I thought I did.
Turns out, I could write dumb little product descriptions and translate English into decent Hindi. That was enough to get me a gig. The first one paid ₹150. Not even enough for a Domino’s pizza. But it felt weirdly exciting. Like… maybe this was a way out?
Anyway, fast forward. I got into tutoring too — not even a formal setup. Just helping juniors in my hostel crack Java assignments. ₹300 an hour. In cash. No tax. Felt like a boss.
If you’re a student in India and broke (I mean, who isn’t?), you’ve gotta look into tutoring, freelancing, selling notes, running errands on Dunzo, or even voiceovers — yep, I know a guy with a raspy voice who does horror stories for podcasts. Gets paid real money.
Don’t fall for shiny “passive income ideas” unless you’re ready to put in work up front. Passive doesn’t mean lazy. It just means delayed pain.
I still get random 50-rupee commissions from a blog I started years ago. Not enough to retire. But enough to keep believing.
So yeah, there’s no perfect plan. Just weird, messy little steps. Try one. If it fails? Eh. At least you’re not waiting for a miracle.
“Solutions for financial problems of students” sometimes start with a Google search and a leap you weren’t ready for.
7. Use Tools & Professional Help
Okay, so… this is the part I didn’t wanna talk about, honestly. But let’s just get into it — tools and professional help. Not the most glamorous thing, right? Like, when I was broke and spiraling and couldn’t even sleep without thinking about how behind I was on bills… the last thing I wanted to hear was “get help.” Help from who? With what money?
But yeah. Eventually I hit that place where pretending I had it under control just made things worse. Family dinners were tense. I avoided calls. My mom straight up said “stop hiding.” So I started Googling stuff like “debt counseling India” and “how to overcome financial problems in family” — like maybe the internet could fix it.
And weirdly, it kinda did.
I found this FinTech app that broke my spending down into these little color-coded slices. I was embarrassed to even look at it — turns out I’d spent more on food delivery that month than rent. I mean… how?!
Then someone in a Reddit thread mentioned financial therapy. I laughed. Therapy for… money? Sounds fake. But then I read this story in Time about a woman who cried over checking her account balance, and I was like, oh. That’s me. It’s me.
So yeah, I caved. Found a financial advisor who charged per session, not some big monthly thing. He didn’t even talk about investments or stocks at first — he asked me why I felt scared to open emails from the bank. That session wrecked me in the best way.
And look, I’m still not rolling in cash. But I’ve got a little side gig now (I sell digital art — if that counts as earn money online lol). I follow some basic money saving tips that actually help — like making shopping lists instead of going rogue. And I finally started reading beginner investment tips — even though half of it still makes my brain melt.
Point is — you don’t have to figure this alone. There are people (and weird apps) that make it suck a little less. Just… don’t wait until you’re in that silent, panicky place where everything feels too late. It’s not. I swear.
8. Address Psychological Health
Okay, so I’m just gonna say it — money stress really messes with your head. Like, not just “ugh I’m broke” kind of stress, but that deep, chest-tightening, can’t-sleep, don’t-want-to-talk-to-anyone type of thing. You ever just stare at your bank app and feel your stomach drop like a rollercoaster? Yeah. That.
I remember one time I had ₹132 in my account and three days till salary. I was hungry, but not “let me eat” hungry — more like “let me try not to think about food” hungry. I kept refreshing the bank app like it was gonna magically change. It didn’t.
And during that week… I snapped at my mom, ignored my friends, skipped my shower more than once. Not because I didn’t care. I just didn’t have it in me. My brain was running math problems 24/7 — rent, recharge, rice — like a calculator on fire.
So I googled: how to cope with money anxiety and ended up on this podcast by George G — the guy sounds like he’s been through stuff. He talks about how money stress doesn’t always come from being poor — sometimes it’s just your whole identity tied to whether or not you’re “doing well.” And when you feel like you’re not, it feels like you’re failing at being…you.
Mindfulness sounded like BS to me at first, not gonna lie. But one day I just sat on the floor, phone on airplane mode, eyes closed, breathing in… out… and after like five minutes? Something eased. Just a bit. Enough.
So I started doing weird stuff. Walks without my phone. Writing “spent ₹70 on chai I didn’t need” in a notebook. That helped too. I mean, it’s not like I suddenly became a guru with all these money saving tips or investment tips or whatever, but… I stopped feeling like money owned me.
Anyway, I still stress. Of course I do. But now, when I feel that weight — that “money stress is killing me” loop? I pause. I breathe. And sometimes, I just say it out loud: “It’s bad, but I’m not alone in this.”
Oh and btw, if anyone says you can just “manifest wealth” without talking about your trauma around money — run.
Like, sprint.
9. Student-Focused Section
Ugh okay, let’s talk about money. Or… the lack of it.
I swear, being a student in India sometimes feels like juggling flaming knives while blindfolded. You’re supposed to study, maybe ace exams, smile at relatives asking “Beta, placement mila kya?”, and magically have money for food, recharge, rent, notes, some 3,000 lab printouts, and maybe a single pathetic dosa outside without guilt.
I’ve been there. Still kinda am there, to be honest.
My second year of college was brutal. Dad’s shop wasn’t doing great, fees were late, and I remember skipping meals just to keep my monthly bus pass active. I’d pretend I wasn’t hungry when my roommates ordered food, but really, I was just trying to save ₹70. That ₹70 could mean the difference between calling home or eating Maggi for dinner. Again.
You think about picking up a part-time thing, but then someone’s like, “Focus on your studies!” Bro I am trying, but the library doesn’t accept emotional payment.
I tried a bunch of weird stuff to earn money online — survey sites, data entry gigs that felt like scams, writing random reviews for ₹10 each — some were okay, most were a waste. Eventually, I found this small scholarship nobody talked about — some obscure NGO thing. It wasn’t much, but it paid my internet bill for 2 months. Huge win. So yeah — dig deep for scholarships, even the weird ones.
Also: make a budget. Not some Excel nonsense. Just scribble down what you actually spend. Tea, pens, snacks, leaks in your wallet.
And yeah, money saving tips sound boring, but like — carry your own water bottle, man. You’ll save ₹20 a day without realizing. That’s ₹600 a month. Which is… idk, 12 samosas?
I still don’t have it all figured out. But if you’re broke and tired and trying to not cry in public — I get it. You’re not alone. And no, it doesn’t mean you’re failing at life. Just… trying to live it.
10. Family-Focused Section
I’m not even sure where to start with this. Family money problems? Yeah… we’ve had ‘em. Still do, sometimes. It’s not like some one-time crisis — it creeps up, you know? One day it’s like, “We’re fine, we just need to be careful,” and the next you’re sitting at the dining table whisper-arguing about who took cash from the emergency fund that wasn’t really an emergency. Spoiler: it was dad’s second cousin’s wedding.
And it’s not that anyone’s lazy. We’re all working — me, my brother does gig stuff, mom stretches every rupee like she’s magic, and dad? He’s tired. Always tired. Prices went up. Everything’s expensive now — groceries, gas, even the damn onions. Like, how did onions become luxury items?
We tried to do that thing — make a “shared budget.” Lol. Sounds cute. But when your family’s got five opinions and one joint bank account? Good luck. We’d sit down, talk about cutting expenses, setting “goals” (whatever that means), and it’d end with someone storming off or guilt-tripping mom into not buying her migraine meds.
And don’t even get me started on saving. We said we’d start an emergency fund — I think we added ₹500 once, then forgot about it. It’s not that we don’t want to save. But when you’re stuck in this middle-income trap — not poor enough to get help, not rich enough to breathe — you just try to survive. I found this article from Grip Invest, talking about exactly that. It hit hard.
Anyway, I’ve started pushing small things. Like sharing “money saving tips” I find online, casually. Or showing mom how I “earn money online” doing surveys. We don’t talk about “investment tips” yet — feels like a joke when we’re counting coins. But maybe someday. I just want us to stop fighting over stupid bills. That’d be a start.
11. Real-Life Examples & Case Studies
Okay, so there’s this guy Ravi. I didn’t know him personally, but someone told me his story over chai near Charminar once, and man… it kinda stuck with me.
He opened a tiffin center. Not once. Not twice. Three times. Three different locations. Three full setups. Three total flops.
Like, can you imagine? That much effort. Rent, groceries, gas cylinders, helpers, sleepless nights — all down the drain. People didn’t show up. Food got wasted. And in India, especially in small businesses like that, failure doesn’t just slap you — it drags your family into it too. His mom apparently sold her bangles to help restart the second time. That one hit me hard.
Anyway, you’d think he’d stop, right? I would’ve. Most people do. But this guy… for some reason, he tried again. But — this time, he got really serious about quality. Like proper filter coffee, soft idlis, clean counters, chutney that didn’t taste like yesterday’s. No shortcuts.
Guess what? Fourth time — it blew up. Crowds came in. Word spread. One customer told five. Now he’s got a full team. No more stress calls from the landlord. His dad, who once told him to find a “real job,” now brags about him to relatives.
When I heard that, I swear I felt something shift. Like maybe we all mess up, but it doesn’t mean it’s over. Just means maybe we’re not done yet.
I mean, yeah, struggling with financial issues in India is exhausting. It breaks your back. Your self-worth takes a beating. But sometimes it just needs one thing done right. Not perfect. Just… right.
So yeah. If you’re stuck, I get it. Been there. Still figuring it out honestly. But Ravi’s story? Reminds me why I keep trying. Why I still Google “earn money online” at 2AM or scroll through “money saving tips” reels instead of sleeping.
Idk who needed to hear that. Maybe just me. But if it helps you too — that’s something.
12. Conclusion + Next Steps
Honestly? I’ve been broke. Like really broke. Like choosing between buying rice or recharging my prepaid. I’ve stared at my bank app and laughed, because crying was too exhausting that day. So if you’re in it right now — in that fog of bills, panic, and that weird shame you carry around like a backpack — I get it.
This whole “overcome financial problems and live happily” idea? It sounds like some Pinterest crap when you’re barely surviving. But weirdly… it’s not impossible. It’s slow. Messy. Not Pinterest-worthy. But real.
What helped me? Not some fancy investment tips or whatever — at least not at first. Just making a list. Like, literally scribbling what I owe, what I earn, where the money disappears. I started writing down every time I bought chips or chai. It was embarrassing. But it added up. So yeah — money saving tips matter. Even if it’s dumb small stuff.
Then? Asking for help. That sucked. I hated it. Still do. But there are people out there — online groups, free budget tools, even a friend who just listens without trying to “fix it.”
Anyway… if you’re still here reading — make a plan. Doesn’t have to be perfect. Just start. Budget. Talk to someone. Google earn money online ideas if you have to. Just don’t do nothing. That’s the only guaranteed way it stays bad.
Okay, I’m done rambling. Go fix your mess. I’m fixing mine too.