I have always been drawn to patterns. In life, in work, and especially in money. Maybe that is why I have always remembered certain rules so clearly. We all do, actually.
One of the first money rules that made sense to me was something I learnt during my MBA: the Rule of 72.
Basically, you take 72, divide it by the rate of return (for your investments), and that tells you how many years it will take to double your money. So if you are earning a 15 per cent return (say, one particular mutual fund scheme), your money will double in about five years.
Simple, right? Very easy to hold on to. It stuck with me.
But you know something? In the last three or four years, I have come across so many of these rules through reels, infographics, and newsletters, but I cannot recall a single one that stayed with me. Not in the same way as the Rule of 72.
There is just too much. Too many numbers, actually.
Many hacks promise how to retire early or save lakhs by skipping coffee 🙂 or following some neat split between needs and wants. It is all over the place. And still, most of it sounds oddly similar.
Maybe that is what made the early wave of Instagram finance feel so fresh.
Around 2016, people started putting out money tips that looked simple and doable.
And I remember thinking, ‘These rules make sense.’ Finally, finance is becoming more accessible thanks to better and cheaper internet, as well as the creativity of creators.
And I became part of it too. Between 2019 and 2021, I even worked with a few creators and helped write some of those very scripts that made personal finance feel “digestible.” A few posts went viral. Some tips looked sharp. And yet, I slowly started noticing something that made me uncomfortable.
It all looked practical. But very little of it actually worked that way in real life.
Why This Content Works But In My View, Most People Struggle to Follow It
Social media finance content gives structure. It makes people feel like there is a method.
Money is one of those areas where people carry a lot of uncertainty and anxiety. So when someone says, “Follow this one rule to take control,” it offers instant relief. It taps into what psychology calls cognitive closure.
Our mind’s tendency to feel better when there is a clear answer, even if it is an oversimplified one.
Another idea at play is the illusion of control.
Just by following a fixed rule like saving a certain percentage or spending only within a fixed category and people feel they are taking charge.
That feeling, even if it is temporary, creates comfort. You feel like you are moving in the right direction.
But here is what I have noticed. These rules often forget something basic: real life is not fixed.
Your expenses do not behave like tidy percentages every month. Your income may be steady for a while and then change. A family responsibility may arise. Rent may go up. A health issue may set you back. Or sometimes, you just need a break.
Rules like “save ₹500 a day” or “stick to the 50-30-20 split” do not leave room for these shifts. They are built on the idea that life moves in straight lines.
Another concept I keep thinking about is moral licensing.
Sometimes, people follow a rule like automating their SIPs or staying within a budget for a few weeks and then use that as a reason to loosen up elsewhere. It creates a cycle of feeling good, then guilty, then starting again. The rule becomes less of a support system and more like a treadmill that resets every time you pause.
There is also anchoring where a number like 30% or ₹500 becomes a benchmark.
If you cannot stick to it, you start feeling like you have failed. Even if your choices are perfectly reasonable, you feel like you are doing something wrong. This quietly adds stress and makes people question perfectly valid decisions.
In my view, the deeper issue is that these rules are not flexible. They treat everyone’s life as if it is the same. And over time, people do not just stop following the rules — they start feeling like they are the problem.
I am not saying all this content is wrong. Some of it can be helpful. But I believe the rules should adjust to life, not the other way around.
Most people I know need guidance and not just rigid boundaries. And in a world where everything already feels like a race, I do not think money should become one more place where you feel like you are falling behind.
What Can Help Instead
In my view, most people do not need another rule. What helps more is asking a few simple questions, based on how life is actually moving.
- What do I need each month to feel steady? This includes rent, bills, groceries, and anything that helps you avoid that quiet panic while checking your account balance. Just knowing this number gives you a base. It does not solve everything, but it reduces sort of anxiety.
- What am I solving for right now? Some months you want to save. Some months you need to take care of something at home. Some months you just want peace. Your money habits can change with your phase and that is perfectly fine.
- What can I automate without feeling nervous? Whether it is a ₹2,000 SIP or a weekly reminder to check expenses – choose one thing that helps you build rhythm. Not everything needs to be “₹500/day or nothing.” This is not a gym membership you will forget about next week 🙂
Truth is, small and consistent works better than perfect and stressful. Even with money, picture abhi baaki hai (as SRK said in Om Shanti Om) and you get to decide how the next scene plays out.
Closing Thoughts
Some of the advice out there sounds very solid. “Save 50 percent.” “Invest every day.” “Retire at 35.”
Yeh sab sunne mein achha lagta hai, lekin practical nahi hai as Anil Kapoor says in Nayak. You nod when you hear it, but try applying it for six months, and hawa nikal jaati hai.
In the end, I feel personal finance should feel like it belongs to you.
If something works for you, great. If it does not, that is not failure. Try again, adjust, keep going.
Because the best financial plans do not go viral. They do their job in the background, while you go live your actual life.
And the bottomline is that you should not watch Reels or Shorts advice expecting it to change your life. Most of it is meant to entertain, not guide. 🙂
About this column
Note: This article relies on data from fund reports, index history, and public disclosures. We have used our own assumptions for analysis and illustrations.
The purpose of this article is to share insights, data points, and thought-provoking perspectives on investing. It is not investment advice. If you wish to act on any investment idea, you are strongly advised to consult a qualified advisor. This article is strictly for educational purposes. The views expressed are personal and do not reflect those of my current or past employers.
Parth Parikh has over a decade of experience in finance and research. He currently heads growth and content strategy at Finsire, where he works on investor education initiatives and products like Loan Against Mutual Funds (LAMF) and financial data solutions for banks and fintechs.