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A Gurugram software developer shared his monthly budget online, saying that his salary of Rs 1.5 lakh seems much less after the EMI, rent and family costs take up most of it.
He also spoke openly about debt and the increasing pressure of daily expenses. (Image: representative image)
A 27-year-old software developer from Gurugram went viral on Reddit after he opened up about his monthly finances and said that his salary of Rs 1.5 lakh does not seem as high as it seems. He explained that after paying the monthly installments, rent and daily expenses, there is only a little money left.
He recently got married and deals with several financial obligations, and has shared detailed breakdowns of his income each month. His position also reflects the pressure of managing debt while trying to support the family’s needs and keep up with the rising costs of living in the city.
He’s broke where his paycheck goes each month
“1.5 liters sounds like 15 lakh, I need advice,” he wrote in his post, explaining that his monthly income is Rs 1.44 lakh. He listed his main expenses as follows: Emi Plot: 44k. Rent in Gurugram: 25 thousand. Groceries: 6-7 thousand. Fuel: 8-10 kW. For the wife for her personal expenses: 15 thousand. Miscellaneous. Eating out and everything – 7-8 kilos.
He added: “Expenses amount to about 1.1 liters.”
The tech shared that he still owes money to his friends. “So every month I try to get back as soon as possible,” he said, referring to his loan of Rs 2.55 lakh which he is trying to repay in addition to his regular expenses.
Opens up to stress and comparison with others
He expressed emotional distress about his situation. “It’s literally deadly to see people my age earning twice as much, and me unable to provide so much for my wife and family, so they can live carefree,” he wrote while asking Reddit users for advice.
He also said: “How can I manage it better, so I won’t regret it in the future. I’m a software developer by profession, things might get easy in time with reviews, rewards and promotion, but currently it seems like it’s much less.”
Social media users respond with advice and reality checks
The post sparked many reactions online, with some users telling him that his income is already higher than most people in India and that he shouldn’t feel discouraged.
One person posted, “1.5L is already better than 97-98% of people in India, so if others survive, you will too.”
OP responded, “I can’t argue with that, not saying I can’t survive it, it feels like a daily struggle, I’m constantly thinking we only have one life and I’ve chosen a career where there will always be a limit to what I can do, with other careers it can be a struggle at first but it’s more rewarding later on, so there’s resentment.”
Another commented: “With 1.5 on 27, you’re doing really well. Please don’t get yourself down, we’re living in some tough times with inflation.”
“I am 32 years old and my monthly income is 45,000 in state government service,” one person said.
Another user wrote, “I am in a similar setup. However, no EMI. But I have some advice for you. If you are in IT/tech/corporate job, and as a sole breadwinner, set aside at least 4-6 months of your income, insured, FD on it, or whatever, just forget it is there. Your emergency fund should be there in case something happens to you, your spouse or your job. It is a crucial step if not taken already. And Yes, open a separate account for this fund, so you don’t spend it.”
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