If you suddenly had more money, what would you spend it on? A bigger house? A luxury car? Designer labels?For entrepreneur and content creator Ankur Warikoo, the answer looks very different. Despite being financially comfortable today, he and his wife, Ruchi, have chosen a lifestyle that’s less about showing wealth and more about deciding where it actually matters.In a recent LinkedIn post, Warikoo shared the five money rules the couple lives by. He also pointed out that neither of them grew up with money and only started experiencing real financial abundance over the last six or seven years.Their approach, he says, isn’t a formula for everyone. It’s simply what works for their family.
1. They’d rather build wealth than look wealthy
Warikoo says the first rule is simple: don’t spend money to impress people.Instead of pouring money into expensive cars or luxury purchases, the couple channels a large part of their income into investments like stocks, gold and other assets.That philosophy shows up in their everyday life too. They own just one house and use a rented car.The idea isn’t to avoid spending altogether. It’s to make sure money is helping build their future instead of funding status symbols.
2. They don’t think twice about spending on good food
While they’re careful in some areas, food isn’t one of them.Warikoo says they’re happy to pay more for high-quality ingredients because they see it as an investment in their health.The family also grows organic vegetables on a rented farm and rarely orders food from outside.For them, eating well isn’t a luxury. It’s a priority.
3. Experiences come before possessions
One number stood out from everything Warikoo shared: 116.That’s how many days his family spent travelling last year.But these trips aren’t just about checking destinations off a list.The family spends money on experiences they genuinely value – watching a live tennis match, exploring museums or even hiring a historian to walk them through the story of a new city.The memories, they believe, stay far longer than any expensive purchase.
4. They invest first, then spend
This is the financial habit Warikoo believes has made the biggest difference.The day their income arrives, a chunk of it is invested immediately.Only after that do they plan their monthly expenses.By the end of the month, Warikoo says they might have only a few thousand rupees left in their account – but that’s because most of their money has already been put to work through investments.It’s a simple shift in mindset: don’t save what’s left after spending. Spend what’s left after saving and investing.
5. There is no budget for learning
If there’s one category where the family refuses to set limits, it’s learning.Warikoo says their living room feels more like a library than a lounge, and everyone in the family spends time reading.But learning doesn’t stop with books.Over the years, they’ve signed up for everything from pottery and piano lessons to Python programming classes.For them, spending on knowledge isn’t an expense – it’s something that keeps paying back.
“These are our rules”
Warikoo is careful not to present these habits as universal advice.He says every family should develop its own relationship with money based on its priorities and circumstances.For him and Ruchi, those priorities have been shaped by experience. They spent much of their lives without financial security, and that continues to influence how they spend today.Their choices may not be for everyone.But one message comes through clearly: having money and feeling the need to prove you have money are two very different things.
