Beware of slow financial suicide: Why small money mistakes can wreck your future

Most people don’t wake up one day and ruin their finances with a single, reckless decision. Instead, it’s a slow slide — small choices, repeated over time — that eventually add up to real damage. That’s the message from Jay Shah, CEO at Finwisor, who recently shared a thought-provoking post on LinkedIn about what he calls “slow financial suicide.”

Everyday habits that drain wealth

Shah points out that this isn’t about obvious financial blunders. It’s the little things, the decisions we tell ourselves are fine “just this once”:

• Spending ₹1 lakh on a party because “I deserve it.”
• Buying a ₹20 lakh car just to keep up with colleagues.
• Taking expensive international vacations every year without considering the bigger financial picture.
• Putting off serious financial planning because “next year feels soon enough.”
• Investing in Bitcoin just because it’s trending.
• Avoiding insurance because “nothing’s likely to happen.”
• Leaving ₹50 lakh sitting idle in a savings account simply because you’re too busy to plan.
• Following influencers into risky F&O trades without understanding the risks.

Individually, these don’t seem like disasters. But over time, they chip away at your financial security — until you’re suddenly facing credit card debt, stalled investments, and the sinking feeling that your money should have worked harder for you.

“I’ve seen this up close,” Shah writes. “People with great jobs, big salaries, and sharp instincts still end up stuck financially because of these patterns.”

Discipline is the key

Shah reminds us that building real wealth is simple in theory — spend less than you earn, invest wisely, plan ahead. But discipline is where most people trip up. “Understanding money isn’t hard,” he says, “but sticking to a plan takes real effort.”

Four questions to ask yourself

If you’re wondering where you stand, Shah suggests asking yourself these four questions:

• Has your investment ratio—how much you invest from your income—increased over the years?
• Could you survive financially if you couldn’t work for six months?
• Do you know exactly why you hold each investment, and when you’d sell it?
• If something happened to you, would your family know what to do?

“These aren’t dramatic questions,” Shah says. “But they can quietly change your life for the better.”

The post struck a nerve with the audience. One user even chimed in, saying: “Don’t forget spending your life savings on a one-day wedding!”

Shah’s post is a a reminder that financial missteps come in all shapes and sizes — and often, they’re disguised as celebrations or milestones.