IITian earned big, saved nothing: Reddit post reveals how JEE topper's parents used 'love' to take every rupee

Economic Times

2 days ago

Synopsis
A young Indian software professional shared his experience on Reddit about financial abuse by his parents. Despite earning a high salary after graduating from a top institute, his parents demanded a significant portion of his income under the guise of family duty and future investments, leaving him with no savings or financial independence.
Representative image generated using AI On Reddit, stories of bad bosses and flatmate horror tales are common, but every now and then, a post comes along that truly stops people in their tracks. That's what happened when a young Indian software professional opened up about something rarely discussed in public: financial abuse within families.In a heartfelt post, the techie described how his parents, under the pretext of love, care, and duty, stripped him of financial independence, one pay cheque at a time. Despite studying at one of India's top institutes and landing a high-paying job straight out of college, he said he was left with no savings, no investments, and no control over his own money. The reason? Parental pressure disguised as emotional obligation.According to his Reddit post, the young man had a tough childhood in an emotionally abusive home, particularly due to his father's behaviour. Still, he worked hard, cleared the highly competitive JEE, and secured a seat at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). However, instead of supporting his education, his father allegedly made him take out an education loan of Rs 11 lakh, even though the family had enough money.Things didn't get better even when he started earning. During his final year, he landed a 10-month internship paying Rs 80,000 per month. But he claimed his father demanded the entire amount each month, saying it would be saved for a future home. Instead of using this money to repay his loan, the young student was left with nothing to call his own.After graduation, he bagged a full-time role with a salary of Rs 1.5 lakh a month. But his financial freedom never came. His parents allegedly asked for Rs 1.1 lakh every month, again under the promise that it was going toward the family's future investments. In just over a year, he said he handed over nearly all his income, with no savings to show for it.
When the job shifted to remote mode during the pandemic, he returned home, but this only led to more stress and a fallout with his parents. He moved out again after a confrontation.Two months later, his parents informed him that they were buying a new flat. Though they avoided talking about money at first, the pressure soon returned. He said he had already given them over Rs 20 lakh for the down payment. When he delayed further contributions, emotional blackmail began. They reminded him of how they had 'sacrificed everything' to raise and educate him, even though he claimed his schooling from grades 9 to 12 cost less than Rs 2 lakh in total. His father, a government employee, reportedly earns around Rs 1 lakh per month.The breaking point came when he visited home after more than a year. During a casual chat, his father asked how much he had in his bank account, and then requested another Rs 2 lakh for furniture. He even suggested that the son should allow his parents to 'manage' his finances going forward. That was the moment the young man decided to walk away.Now in his mid-20s, he has chosen to stop all financial support to his parents, saying they are fully capable of looking after themselves. His story has sparked conversations online about how love and duty are sometimes twisted into tools of control, especially within families where financial discussions are taboo.
Disclaimer: This article is based on a user-generated post on Reddit. ET.com has not independently verified the claims made in the post and does not vouch for their accuracy. The views expressed are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of ET.com. Reader discretion is advised.