My personal finance journey began in August 2007 with Value Research. At that time, I had no clue about things like investments, mutual funds, stock markets, insurance, income tax, etc. Like most of us, I did what my Dad told me to do.

But now, things have turned in such a way that my Dad asks me what he should be doing.

And he’s not the only one. There’s enough data to show how Indians have woken up to the benefits of investing in equities and equity-oriented instruments. On that front, things have changed a lot in the past 11 years.

But weirdly, personal finance hasn’t changed much. The things that we talked about back then are pretty much the same things that we talk about even now.

  • Invest in SIPs
  • Invest for the long-term
  • Avoid buying ULIPs
  • Buy term life insurance at a young age
  • Use ELSS to save taxes
  • Equities are the best way to create wealth
  • File your tax returns on time
  • Fixed deposits won’t help you beat inflation

It’s all the same, even though the period has been a long one. And the main reason why things haven’t changed much is because they don’t need to.

The best things in life have always been the simple ones. They don’t change either, even over periods of time that are longer than 11 years.

  • Spend time with family
  • Eat healthy
  • Eat small portions throughout the day
  • Exercise regularly
  • Get a good night’s sleep
  • Take a holiday once in a while
  • Do the kind of work you enjoy doing
  • Be kind

These ways of living a good life were the same half a century ago and they are the same now. Because they are simple, straightforward and sufficient. If you do this, you don’t need to do much else to live a good life.

Similarly, if you do the simple and straightforward personal finance things, they are sufficient enough for you to ensure your financial well being.

Simplicity, after all, never gets old.

By the way, were you really expecting a Stranger Things reference or analogy? I’m sorry to disappoint you if you were. But I’ve got something better — 11 of my favourite personal finance articles of my own from these 11 years. Happy reading!

  1. Investing with negative visualisation
  2. 20 things to not do in the volatile 20s
  3. 30 things to do before Sensex hits 30k
  4. Looking to get married? Start investing first
  5. Why equity is the best investment for 2018 and beyond
  6. Lessons from Warren Buffett’s Annual Letter
  7. Six financial rules followed by your parents that have changed
  8. 11 mutual funds that form an ideal team
  9. Success lessons from the world’s richest
  10. Know your financial rights and duties
  11. 8 Lessons from 8 Personal Finance Experts