Ajinkya Nalamwar earns more in a month than many people do in one year – all thanks to one job switch. The Pune-based techie can attribute his impressive salary to landing a remote US job that allows him to earn in dollars and spend in rupees. This arrangement, coupled with a relatively modest lifestyle, helps him to save more than 60% of his income every month.
In a conversation with Hindustantimes.com, Ajinkya reflected on his journey from a tier-3 college to a remote USD-paying role. He spoke about starting his career with an annual salary lower than what he now earns in a single month.
The 35-year-old also opened up about the steps that helped him get noticed by recruiters, how he landed a remote US job, how much he earns per month and his major expenses.
How he landed a remote US job
Ajinkya said the role did not come overnight. By the time a recruiter approached him, he had already spent nearly 12 years in the IT industry, including more than six years as a Scrum Master.
“It’s not like in a couple of days or a couple of months I got that opportunity. I’ve been working in this area for a long time, almost 12 plus years,” he said.
According to him, consistently delivering value at work and making that work visible helped him stand out. He also stressed the importance of maintaining an active LinkedIn presence.
“I make sure that I keep my LinkedIn profile updated always. Whatever I am building in terms of finding solutions, I try to post it also, where I tell them how I am delivering value,” said the 35-year-old techie, who is based in Pune with his wife and young daughter.
Visibility pays off
That visibility eventually paid off. Rather than applying for the role himself, he was contacted by a recruiter on LinkedIn in September 2025.
“What I got is a direct message from a recruiter on LinkedIn itself. I was not looking out for any change at that time, nor was I open to work.”
The hiring process stretched over several months. After an initial interview in September, there was a long period of silence before the recruiter got back in touch in November. Following additional discussions and a client round, Ajinkya accepted the offer.
“The recruiter reached out to me in November, asking if I’m still looking for a change. They were offering a salary in dollars, so, I obviously said, yes,” he explained.
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Ajinkya landed a role with CRAFTLabs, a Florida-based company. Before he could join, he had to complete a three-month notice period for his previous organization. He therefore only joined CRAFTLabs in March 2026.
Earning in dollars while living in India
Ajinkya told Hindustantimes.com that his salary is roughly $6,000 per month.
After accounting for bank charges, taxes, and forex deductions, he said the amount that reaches his account is slightly lower. Part of his compensation is tied to performance. The company withholds a small variable component, which is paid out during review cycles.
“There are some deductions in terms of the bank charges, forex charges and all. Almost $100 is a deduction.”
He estimated that his average monthly income works out to roughly ₹5.5 lakh.
A breakdown of his monthly expenses
Despite his income, Ajinkya says he has consciously kept his lifestyle simple. He explained that one of his biggest financial decisions was paying off his home loan as early as possible.
“Earlier, I did not save much because I was busy paying off EMIs. However, that decision has allowed me to live in my own home with no rent and no EMIs today,” he said.
His monthly needs, he said, are relatively modest compared to his income. “I spend around ₹85,000 per month living in Pune,” he said.
With ₹85,000, Ajinkya pays for house help, nanny, electricity bills, petrol, medical expenses, utilities etc.
He also sets aside money for his daughter’s future. “I have almost ₹40,000 to ₹50,000 SIP for her that goes every month in an investment.”
In addition, around ₹5,000 per month goes towards her current schooling expenses.
Building wealth through savings and investments
With his major debts cleared and expenses under control, Ajinkya directs a significant portion of his income towards savings and investments. In fact, he saves between 60 to 62% of his salary every month.
“I kept my needs a bit lean so that most of my money goes into my savings and all the other buckets,” he said.
His daughter’s investment fund is one of those buckets, while his broader investment strategy is diversified across multiple asset classes. Every time has a lump sum to spare, he invests it in gold.
Right now, he is also saving for a family vacation. “I was planning a vacation to Amsterdam, but I think going somewhere in Asia will help me cut the budget by another ₹2 to 3 lakh,” he said. “I am still exploring options like Thailand and Dubai.”
The money for his vacation fund is meant to be liquid, so Ajinkya puts it in an arbitrage fund.
The arrangement is further helped by the fact that his household has two incomes. His wife is also employed, allowing the family to save and invest a large share of what they earn.
In fact, Ajinkya’s wife saves all of her salary — except for the ₹10,000 she takes out for personal expenses every month.
Ajinkya himself sets ₹20,000 aside every month for his personal “wants” – like a gym membership, protein powder, etc.
From ₹3.14 lakh annual salary to ₹5.5 lakh a month
The techie’s current income is a far cry from where he started. When asked about his first salary, he revealed that he earned ₹3.14 lakh per year in his first job.
Today, he earns roughly ₹5.5 lakh every month — more than his first annual salary.
Looking back on his journey, Ajinkya said he does not believe a person’s college determines their long-term success.
“Everybody has their own journey, you cannot compare yourself to anyone else,” he explained.
