Puisa Kotha Hunibo? What classrooms don’t teach us about money

I recently got the opportunity to sit with one of our readers. We exchanged many stories, and one of them made me write this today. They had started saving with full enthusiasm. A fixed amount regularly, weekly or monthly. Clear plan. But a few weeks later, they stopped. Why? The routine and the amount simply didn’t match real life anymore.
Sounds familiar? This happens more often than we think. This is also why we do this exercise in our workshops.
What do you think didn’t sustain? For anything to last, systems are needed. A process. A framework. A structure. What we at Moneybar call mental models of thinking.
Most of us are trying to manage money without any method. No structure. Just random saving, guilt spending, and restarting. Plans look good on paper but don’t fit into daily life, so consistency becomes the struggle.
We’re always told to “save money” like it’s obvious. But nobody shows us how to structure it in a way that fits real life. So people swing between extremes.
Some save too aggressively, cut everything, feel restricted, and burn out. Some start strong but can’t stay consistent because the plan doesn’t fit their lifestyle. Some save too little, see no meaningful progress, and lose motivation.
Here’s a simple method. Thumb rules help. Not as strict rules, but as a starting guide. The 50:30:20 rule is one example. 50 percent of your income for needs, 30 for wants, 20 for savings. It gives your money direction.
It’s not about perfection. It’s about having a system so your money isn’t driven by randomness. And because life changes, flexibility will always work better than rigidity. When more money comes in, increase your savings percentage and spend a little more if needed. When income drops, rebalance. Focus on essentials, delay some wants, reduce non urgent expenses, and ease the pressure on savings for a while if required. The goal is to adjust without stopping completely, so you stay consistent.
Whether it’s 100 rupees or 1 lakh, numbers can shift but the structure stays. That balance is what makes a plan sustainable, something you can actually live with long term. And honestly, this way of thinking about money is rarely taught in classrooms.
Moneybar is built to fill this gap, simplifying money and making life less stressful through community, on the ground and in the app. A space for conversations and frameworks that go beyond textbooks, reaching areas traditional classrooms often overlook.
Paweü Kayina
Founder, Moneybar