"At 35, I'm Debt-Free With Two Apartments": UP Man's Success Story Wins Internet

NDTV

19-07-2025

A Reddit post by a man from Bareilly has gone viral for its honest and detailed account of his financial journey. In his post, the user spoke about his middle-class background and how he started his career with a salary of mere Rs 7,000 a month. Despite numerous challenges, he has managed to build a stable and successful life. Today, at the age of 35, the Redditor shared that he proudly owns two apartments - one in Noida and another in Bengaluru, and is almost completely debt-free.
The post, titled "How I Bought Two Apartments (Noida & Bengaluru) and Became Debt-Free by 35", resonated with many Redditors for its honesty, discipline, and financial independence.
Take a look at the post below:
How I Bought Two Apartments (Noida & Bengaluru) and Became Debt-Free by 35
by u/Creative-Library9168 in bengaluru_speaks
In the post, the anonymous user said that "this isn't a rags-to-riches story". Instead, he described it as a "kept-going when-it-was-easier-to-quit" kind of journey.
"Born in 1990 in Jhumka City, Bareilly, I was constantly in trouble, always underperforming, and barely scraping through exams with written promises from my parents to do better next time. These weren't stray comments they were regular dialogues I heard growing up. Especially in subjects like Maths, Physics, Chemistry, and Computers. My confidence took beating after beating," the user wrote.
He shared that after completing college, he failed to qualify in the IIT entrance exam, secured over three lakh rank in AIEEE, and faced multiple rejections in IBPS, SSC, and UPSC exams.
But despite the setbacks, he pushed forward and landed his first job in Noida in 2013, with a salary of just Rs 7,000 a month. Later, he left the job to pursue a PGDAC course at CDAC, Electronic City, Bengaluru. However, during campus placements, he faced over 45 rejections before landing a second job that paid him better.
"I worked with some incredible mentors over 10 years who inspired me deeply. Along the way: I learned from every rejection, I stopped borrowing, begging, or complaining, (and) I built a routine, respected discipline, and never chased validation," the user shared.
He went on to say that one particular tip he got from a senior HR professional proved to be a game-changer for him. The advice? "Save money like it's rent, a non-negotiable aspect". The HR also warned him to stay away from credit cards, which he described as a trap that enables impulse buying with money that hasn't yet arrived.
Taking this advice, the original poster (OP) said that he started keeping a track of every expense, minimising the use of credit cards and staying away from wasteful expenditure. He also began investing with a tax-saving fixed deposit of Rs 30,000 - Rs 40,000, earning 8.75% interest, before moving into SIPs and stocks.
Over time, his savings began to accumulate and compound. By 2018, the user shared that he had saved Rs 5 lakhs and received an additional Rs 2 lakhs through a joining bonus and relocation allowance after switching jobs.
This move brought him back from Bengaluru to Noida, where he decided to buy his first apartment. His father helped with the down payment of Rs 7 lakh, and he took a loan of around Rs 55-60 lakh for 25 years. Here too, he set his terms - If he ever defaulted on paying the EMI, the flat would be sold, there would be no bailouts.
He followed a strict repayment strategy, paying 14 EMIs per year instead of 12, and used every bonus he received to make part-payments toward the loan.
Then, in 2021, the user shared that he got married. In 2023, when his wife was pregnant, she insisted that the child be born in their own home. He then found a second home in Bengaluru and took a new loan of Rs 40 lakh. Along with this, he also took a car loan of Rs 10 lakh.
Over the years, he accumulated three loans totalling more than Rs 1 crore. However, the user revealed that he has already repaid between 75% and 80% of the total amount. If he wanted, he could have repaid everything today itself, but he has continued with the loan, keeping in mind the tax exemption, he said.
Reflecting on his journey, the Redditor credited his progress to simple but consistent practices, treating savings like a fixed monthly bill, not allowing exam failures or job rejections to define him, avoiding lifestyle inflation, and never chasing external validation. He focused on progress over perfection and acted even when conditions weren't ideal.
Concluding his post, the user said that he was never a topper, never cracked IIT, never went abroad, and never achieved anything "fast". "I stayed consistent. I stayed disciplined. I stayed hungry not for praise, but for peace," he wrote.
"Today, at 35, I'm debt-free with two apartments, a happy marriage, and a child who'll grow up knowing their dad never gave up. Money, like life, accumulates, compounds, and blooms only if you give it time and space to breathe," he added.