Mumbai techie earns Rs 25 LPA, still feels success is 'out of reach'

A post shared by a 24-year-old tech employee living solo in Mumbai has struck a powerful chord with countless young Indians navigating similar challenges. Despite earning a respectable annual income of ₹25 lakh and living prudently, the writer expressed frustration that genuine financial stability and succes always "seemed out of reach"—regardless of savings or effort.

Hoping to mark his parents’ 40th wedding anniversary with a family trip to Dubai, the young man was met with hesitation from his father. The elder's reluctance to spend ₹4 lakh on a celebratory vacation reflected more than just thrift—it unveiled deeper anxieties about financial unpredictability, long-standing generational hardships, and a haunting question: can Indian middle-class families ever truly feel safe in their finances?

The son, despite having built a savings cushion of ₹25 lakh for himself and estimating his family's collective funds at around ₹1 crore, faced his father's cautious perspective. His father warned that future costs—such as a wedding that could demand ₹40 lakh, potential career-driven relocations, and steep monthly rents in metropolitan cities like Mumbai (where a basic 2BHK often costs ₹50,000)—could destabilize their careful planning at any time.

Beyond tangible numbers, the father’s concerns tapped into an intergenerational feeling of stagnation. He reflected on how, despite years of hard work by three successive generations, their family had yet to attain what society labels as ‘success.’ With technological advancements like artificial intelligence threatening to reshape the employment landscape, especially for those in economically vulnerable positions, the long-assumed comfort of a secure job no longer feels guaranteed.

In closing, the post painted a clear picture of the uphill battle faced by first-generation earners. Starting from the ground up, building a future independently carries a burden that many silently shoulder. The author poignantly underscored that achieving a comfortable life isn’t just about working hard—it’s about confronting the sobering truth that, for many, the finish line keeps moving.