One of the never-ending debates I have—with friends, colleagues, even during those random dinner conversations—is whether it’s better to rent or own. The usual suspects pop up: “It’s all about personal preference.” “Depends on generational wealth, flexibility, and freedom.” These are answers that, while often true, always feel a bit surface-level.
But there’s a curious gap in these conversations. We rarely talk about where we actually are in life—our age, our stage, and the quiet, persistent context that shapes every choice.
Take the classic home loan. It was honestly shocking to realize that if I take a ₹50L loan and simply pay every EMI on time (no late fees, no drama), I end up giving the bank ₹1Cr+ by the end—practically double, just from interest and tenure. That number alone is dizzying.
Let’s say I’m 25, unmarried, with a decent paycheck. A ₹75k monthly EMI is more than just a number on a sheet. It means making hard choices—maybe skipping trips home, holding off on helpful work tools, rethinking daily conveniences like house help. Suddenly, every spending decision becomes a calculation: “How much is left this month?”
There are a hundred ways to argue this debate, a hundred “right” answers depending on who you ask. But there’s one lens I wish we’d all include: Don’t take your age, energy, or ambitions for granted.
If a kid tackles a 7th-grade math problem as a 6th-grader, we call that “promise.” But over time—regardless of our age or stage—these extra efforts often go unrecognized. Why do we stop giving ourselves credit for pushing our boundaries, whatever our context may be?
Taking a ₹50L loan at 25 isn’t remotely the same as taking it at 35. By 35, maybe you’ve saved for a bigger down payment, maybe the urgency to maximize every rupee isn’t as high. Most crucially, those ages—25 to 35—are the building years; a time when you need liquidity to invest in yourself and your career. There’s a compounding effect at play you can’t afford to miss.
And what if your parents are healthy, and so are you, and you aren’t locked into an EMI cycle? That little bit of financial flexibility can turn into something you’ll cherish years from now: time, memories, shared experiences.
Maybe it’s insurance for security, maybe it’s just the freedom not to chase some VP title before you’re ready, letting growth happen when it’s earned, not rushed.
If you are in college, maybe it's more than education — it must be exposure and experiences.
If you are in college, maybe it's more than education — it must be exposure and experiences.
So next time you’re weighing those options, bring your age, energy, and personal vision front and center. The unique mix of where you are and where you want to go will point you further than any “right answer” can. Because.. more or less, we could die anytime after 65.