Rupee Matters

Lifestyle inflation begins quietly. It rarely looks reckless at first. A better phone arrives after a promotion. A nicer cafe becomes routine. Cab rides replace buses. Premium subscriptions feel normal. None of these choices looks dangerous alone. The problem starts when every income rise becomes a spending rise. Savings then stay flat, even when salary grows. People feel richer, but their future does not become safer. This is the quiet trap of lifestyle inflation. The Feeling Of Having Arrived After years of effort, spending more can feel deserved. A young professional may think, “I worked hard for this.” That feeling is understandable. Money should allow comfort. It should not only sit in an account. But comfort becomes risky when it turns into identity. A person may start linking success with restaurants, gadgets, holidays, and branded clothes. Soon, stepping back feels like failure. In The Great Gatsby, wealth becomes theatre. The parties shine, but the emptiness remains. Lifestyle...