'From ₹20 lakh to ₹1 crore in 4 years': How an Indian couple achieved FIRE without big salaries

A Reddit post celebrating Dusshera caught the attention of India’s personal finance community this week, as a young couple revealed how they crossed the coveted ₹1 crore net worth milestone before turning 30. 

The user, a 29-year-old male, shared that he and his wife (31) achieved a net worth of over ₹1.1 crore in September 2025, well ahead of their original January 2026 target. What makes their story stand out is the lack of dramatic income jumps, risky bets, or luxury sacrifices — instead, it was built on consistency, frugality, and a “slow and steady” approach to FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early). 

The journey  

• In 2021, the couple began saving seriously with a modest net worth of ₹20 lakh. At that time, FIRE wasn’t even on their radar. 
• Their strategy was simple: keep annual household expenses steady (₹6 lakh in the early years) and channel income growth primarily into savings. 
• Over four years, they kept up 2-3 domestic trips and one international trip annually, prioritizing travel but staying within budget. 
• Despite starting a family in 2024, their annual spending today remains under ₹14 lakh. 

The couple currently earns around ₹2.6-2.8 lakh per month (take-home), with no EMIs, a basic car, and rental housing costing just ₹3 lakh a year. 

Networth breakdown 

• ₹41 lakh – Mutual funds, direct equity, ETFs 
• ₹17 lakh – PPF / debt investments 
• ₹14.8 lakh – NPS 
• ₹6.6 lakh – EPF 
• ₹6.5 lakh – Physical gold & silver (boosted by recent rally) 
• ₹7–8 lakh – Liquid savings 
• ₹8–10 lakh – FDs and money lent to family/friends 

The couple also holds government-provided medical insurance and life insurance cover worth ₹1.5 crore. They do not own any property and have excluded ancestral assets from their tally. 

Key learnings and strategy 

The Redditor explained that their real FIRE journey began only in 2025, with the goal of hitting ₹1 crore by early 2026. Thanks to a gold and silver rally, they met the target months ahead. 

They have since begun reallocating their portfolio, aiming to increase equity exposure from 45% to 60% over time. They review their portfolio 2-3 times annually to stay disciplined. 

“Our lifestyle is not extreme frugality. We still enjoy life, travel, and festivals,” the Redditor wrote. “But we avoid lifestyle creep, stick to what works, and invest consistently. FIRE isn’t just a goal for us, but a way to buy more time and freedom in the future.” 

The road ahead 

The couple now aims to build a corpus of ₹2.5-3 crore in the next 7-9 years, targeting lean FIRE. Their focus remains on balance: living comfortably today while preparing for tomorrow. 

The closing note of their viral post summed up the ethos of their journey:  “We’re not high earners or entrepreneurs. Just regular salaried folks trying to build long-term security. We hope this encourages others to start — even without a FIRE goal, good habits compound.”