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The Long Game

by Mihir Shah

Don’t Move Abroad for FIRE Until You Understand This | Sai | TLG 22

A lot of Indians think moving abroad is the fastest shortcut to financial freedom. Earn in a stronger currency. Save in rupees. Come back to India. Retire early. But is it really that simple? In this episode, I speak with Sai, who has lived across India, the UK, and China, and is currently working toward his own FIRE goal. We talk about whether moving abroad actually helps you reach FIRE faster, why the UK became expensive for him, how China changed his savings rate, why earning in a stronger currency does not automatically make you rich, and why lifestyle discipline matters more than location. We also discuss the risks Indians often ignore before moving abroad — high rent, visa uncertainty, job struggle, student loans, returning to India without savings, and the pressure to repay education debt. If you are planning to move abroad, already living abroad, or wondering whether returning to India changes your FIRE calculation, this conversation will help you think more clearly. This is not financial advice. Please do your own research before making any major financial or career decision. If you'd like to share your story with us, please fill out the form: https://forms.gle/Ha9nEbXyJWm3ow4x7 If you would like to connect with us and share your feedback, please drop an email at financewithmihir@gmail.com

Fired Twice in 12 Months, Then He Did This

Most salaried people build their life around one assumption: The salary will keep coming. But what happens when it suddenly stops? My guest Amaresh was fired twice in one year. The first time, he had a housing loan, EMIs, family responsibilities, and the shock of suddenly realizing that income is not permanent. But instead of letting that break his financial plan, he rebuilt his life, created a clear financial freedom goal, upgraded his skills, increased his income, managed his risks, and eventually became financially free at 48. In this episode, we talk about: What it feels like to be fired suddenly Why salary is not the same as security Why EMIs become dangerous when income stops How to calculate a family financial freedom number Why FIRE in India is rarely an individual decision How family support affects financial freedom Why emergency funds matter Why income growth matters more than chasing returns How he went from negative net worth to financial freedom Why he still lives on rent after becoming financially free What financial freedom means beyond just quitting work This conversation is not about escaping work. It is about creating options. Because the real test of financial freedom is not whether you can say you retired early. The real test is: If salary stops tomorrow, does your family panic — or do you have options? This is for educational purposes only and not financial advice. If you'd like to share your story with us, please fill out the form: https://forms.gle/Ha9nEbXyJWm3ow4x7 If you would like to connect with us and share your feedback, please drop an email at financewithmihir@gmail.com

₹2,500 Salary to ₹10 Crore: The Mistakes That Built His Wealth

Most people hear “₹10 crore corpus” and assume the person must have had a high-paying job, inheritance, or one lucky investment. But Prasad sir’s journey started with a salary of just ₹2,500 per month. In this episode of The Long Game, we talk about how he went from struggling in Bengaluru, working two jobs, sleeping in office, and cycling long distances for work — to building a ₹10 crore+ corpus through discipline, investing, patience, and hard-earned money lessons. We discuss: What life was like on a ₹2,500/month salary Why he had to work a second job at night How he started saving before he understood investing Why starting early matters so much What he learned from the 2008 market crash The real estate scam that changed how he looks at money Red flags to check before buying land or property Why he says not to rush into buying a home too early Why physical gold may not be the investment people think it is Real estate vs equities Why liquidity matters in an emergency Why he still wants to work even after building a strong corpus What financial freedom means beyond retirement This is not a story about overnight wealth. It is a story about discipline, mistakes, patience, and learning how money actually works. If you'd like to share your story with us, please fill out the form: https://forms.gle/Ha9nEbXyJWm3ow4x7 If you would like to connect with us and share your feedback, please drop an email at financewithmihir@gmail.com

He Built ₹15 Crore as a Salaried Employee — Then Work Became Optional

He Built ₹15 Crore as a Salaried Employee — Then Work Became Optional YouTube Description: Most salaried Indians think financial freedom needs a business, inheritance, or one lucky investment. But Amrendra Shukla built a ₹15 crore net worth while being a salaried professional. In this episode of The Long Game, we talk about how he thinks about financial independence, passive income, real estate, debt, income growth, and why he believes work becomes optional only when your monthly cash flow is sorted. We discuss: How he knew he was financially free Why he did not chase a fixed FIRE number Why passive income mattered more than net worth How ₹2–2.5 lakh/month can create comfort in India if your house and debt are sorted How he built predictable monthly cash flow Why he avoided large EMIs and home loans Why he bought smaller, more liquid investment properties Why he rented his own home instead of buying too early Real estate vs equity for passive income Why he believes young professionals should focus on income growth first Why 18–24 months of emergency money can help you take bold career bets Why discipline matters more than extreme frugality What salaried couples should avoid if they want to copy his real estate path This conversation is not about becoming rich overnight. It is about converting salary into assets, assets into cash flow, and cash flow into freedom. If you'd like to share your story with us, please fill out the form: https://forms.gle/Ha9nEbXyJWm3ow4x7 If you would like to connect with us and share your feedback, please drop an email at financewithmihir@gmail.com

This NRI 401k Mistake Cost ₹30 Lakh

If you are planning to move from the US to India, your 401k, IRA, RSUs, US stocks, brokerage account, and foreign asset reporting can all become complicated very quickly. In this episode of The Long Game, I speak with Megha about the tax mistakes NRIs and returning Indians should avoid after moving back to India. We discuss: Where 401k withdrawals are taxed after moving to India Periodic withdrawals vs lump sum withdrawals Why the 10% early withdrawal penalty can still apply even if you live in India How to think about 401k and IRA withdrawals during RNOR status Why missing the RNOR window can cost lakhs Whether you can keep your US brokerage account after moving to India How US stocks are taxed after becoming an Indian resident Why gains may be calculated in INR, not USD How RSUs are taxed when they vest after moving to India What happens if you sell a US house before or after becoming an Indian resident Foreign asset reporting in India Why non-disclosure can create serious penalties Why you may need both a US CPA and an Indian CA This episode is for education and general awareness only. Please do not treat this as personal tax advice. If you are planning to move from the US to India, speak to a qualified CPA and Indian CA who understand both countries.

He Had 125 Mutual Funds… But No Real Financial Plan

A lot of people think they need more income to feel financially secure. But sometimes the real problem is not income. It is the lack of a real financial plan. In this episode of The Long Game, I speak with Vivek about why financial planning is much more than just investing or retirement planning. Many people earn well, save a little, invest every month, and still feel financially behind. Why? Because they may not have clarity around cash flow, emergency fund, insurance, loans, tax planning, goals, and whether their investments actually match their life. In this conversation, we talk about: Why financial planning is not only for wealthy people Why financial planning is not just investment planning What people in their 20s and 30s should fix before chasing FIRE Why employer health insurance may not be enough Why fixed deposits may not protect your purchasing power after inflation and taxes Why buying a house too early can reduce career flexibility Why aggressive home loan repayment is not always the best move Why too many mutual funds can create more confusion, not more diversification Why FIRE can become an escape plan if you don’t know what you want after retirement How childhood money experiences shape financial behavior A simple 7-day plan to start organizing your finances This episode is for anyone who earns decently but still feels financially disorganized. Before you chase FIRE, early retirement, or the next investment trend, fix the foundation first. If you'd like to share your story with us, please fill out the form: https://forms.gle/Ha9nEbXyJWm3ow4x7 If you would like to connect with us and share your feedback, please drop an email at financewithmihir@gmail.com

₹1 Lakh Salary, No Savings — The EMI Trap Indians Ignore

A high income does not automatically mean financial strength. Many Indians are earning well, but still feel financially stressed because most of their salary is already committed to EMIs, rent, lifestyle upgrades, loans, and family responsibilities. In this episode of The Long Game, I speak with Megha Bang about the real money problems Indian households face — especially when people look financially successful from the outside but have very little savings, emergency fund, insurance, or investing discipline. We talk about: Why high income does not always reduce money stress How people get trapped in phone EMIs, car EMIs, home loans, and personal loans Why total EMIs should ideally stay around 40–45% of income Why home loan EMI should ideally stay around 30–35% of monthly in-hand income What to check before buying a house Why dual income does not automatically mean you should take a bigger home loan Why upgrading lifestyle after promotion can become a trap The basics every household should fix: budgeting, emergency fund, insurance, and investing What money conversations couples should have before marriage Why Indian families avoid talking about money with parents NRI money mistakes around bank accounts, property, taxation, and compliance Why ULIPs often fail as both insurance and investment The warning signs that your lifestyle is controlling you This conversation is not about looking rich. It is about becoming financially strong. If you'd like to share your story with us, please fill out the form: https://forms.gle/Ha9nEbXyJWm3ow4x7 If you would like to connect with us and share your feedback, please drop an email at financewithmihir@gmail.com

A Finance Professor’s Wife Built 2X His Portfolio — Here’s Why

A finance professor. A disciplined investor. And one surprising result: his wife’s portfolio became more than 2x his. In this episode of The Long Game, I speak with Dr. Vidhu Shekhar, who has seen finance from academia, banking, private equity, fintech, and behavioral finance. But the most powerful lesson from this conversation is surprisingly simple: Personal finance is not stock picking. A lot of smart salaried people think investing means finding the next hot stock, chasing IPOs, timing trends, or following what everyone is talking about online. But Dr. Shekhar explains why that approach often hurts people more than it helps. In this conversation, we discuss: Why personal finance is different from active investing Why stock picking is a full-time profession How his wife built more than 2x his portfolio through disciplined investing Why boring investments often create better long-term wealth Why FOMO and loss aversion destroy investor returns Why SIP discipline matters more than knowing everything What young earners should do first: health insurance, SIP, and simple allocation Why Instagram finance advice can be oversimplified or misleading How AI may change finance careers The one principle he would use to build long-term wealth This episode is not about getting rich quickly. It is about building wealth the boring, disciplined, practical way — and avoiding the mistakes that smart people keep making. If you'd like to share your story with us, please fill out the form: https://forms.gle/Ha9nEbXyJWm3ow4x7 If you would like to connect with us and share your feedback, please drop an email at financewithmihir@gmail.com

₹1.7 Cr Is Enough to Retire? The FIRE Math Most Indians Miss

Financial freedom sounds simple online: save, invest, hit your FIRE number, retire. But what if the number itself is the wrong starting point? In this episode of The Long Game, I sit down with Husslefreewealth / Pankaj Sir to talk about the real math behind financial independence in India — and why random targets like ₹1 Cr, ₹5 Cr, or ₹10 Cr can be misleading if you don’t understand your expenses, real return, asset allocation, inflation, and health costs. We also discuss his own journey from buying a house under family pressure, paying a huge EMI, making mistakes like ULIPs and home loan prepayment, questioning SIPs, and eventually achieving financial independence at 39. In this conversation, we cover: Why your FIRE number depends on expenses, not social media formulas Whether ₹1.7 Cr can actually be enough to retire in India Why real return matters more than headline market returns Why SIP may not be ideal for every investor Active funds vs index funds Why health insurance alone may not protect your retirement How lifestyle comparison quietly destroys wealth The simple question he asks before spending money What financial freedom actually changes after you reach it This is not generic retirement advice. It is a practical conversation about how real people should think about money, freedom, spending, risk, and enough. If you’re serious about financial independence in India, this episode will make you rethink your number. If you'd like to share your story with us, please fill out the form: https://forms.gle/Ha9nEbXyJWm3ow4x7 If you would like to connect with us and share your feedback, please drop an email at financewithmihir@gmail.com

Money & Her: Why Women Must Own Their Financial Choices | Lisa Pallavi Barbora

What does it really mean for a woman to be financially independent? In this episode, I sit down with Lisa Pallavi Barbora, personal finance expert and author of Money & Her, to explore how money shapes a woman’s confidence, choices, marriage, motherhood, career breaks, and ability to start over during difficult phases of life. We discuss why many educated and earning women still hesitate to take charge of financial decisions, the risk of saying “my husband handles the money,” what every woman should know before marriage, how couples can talk about money without conflict, and what financial planning should happen before motherhood or a career break. Lisa also shares powerful stories from her book, including women rebuilding after crisis, a father who stepped away from a high-responsibility career to raise his child, and the money mistakes women entrepreneurs often make. This is a conversation about financial agency, dignity, safety, and the freedom to make your own choices. If you'd like to share your story with us, please fill out the form: https://forms.gle/Ha9nEbXyJWm3ow4x7 If you would like to connect with us and share your feedback, please drop an email at financewithmihir@gmail.com

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