Most Indians in 2025 gave preference to saving money, budgeting regularly and tracking expenses over investing or spending on experiences. According to a survey, Habit Index, by Times of India, 57.6% of the respondents budgeted regularly and tracked expenses in 2025. Among those, 50.3% credited expense-tracking apps for staying on track, while 26.6% pointed to setting savings goals. Weekly expense reviews were cited by 12.6%, partner or family involvement by 8%, and automated bill reminders by 2.5%.
Another 18.7% said that they did save money but it was irregular. 41.6% of those cited unexpected expenses as the biggest barrier to regular saving, while 28.3% reported low or unstable income as the reason. Having no clear saving goals affected 17%, while 8.8% pointed to lack of discipline and 4.4% impulse purchases.
About 13.1% said they invested actively in stocks or crypto. Among these respondents, 61.9% preferred mutual funds or stocks, while 44.5% invested in safer assets like fixed deposits, gold or silver. Meanwhile, 12.1% chose day trading, 6% went for digital currencies or crypto, 3.6% picked real estate or physical assets for investment.
4.9% of those spent most of their income on experiences. Travel and experiences were cited as the most satisfying expense by 38.4%, followed by home or self-care products at 17.4%, fashion and shopping at 16%, dining out or food delivery at 15.1%, and gadgets and technology at 13%.
Around 5.6% said they did not track or plan their finances at all. Among them, 43.5% said they did not have enough income to budget, while 17% relied on family or partners. Lack of time and fear of financial complexity were cited by about 15% each, and 10.3% said they were disinterested in finance.
Top goals - Travel, investing & more
Travel or personal expenses emerged as the top spending goals for 38.3% of respondents. Social media or travel influencers inspired 60.5% of these goals, while 16.5% cited a desire for new experiences and 11.2% pointed to friends achieving similar goals.
Emergency savings was the primary goal for 19% of respondents, with health-related spendings cited by 41.2% as the key expense. Job uncertainty accounted for 31.4%, while economic slowdown was cited by 16.1%.
Investing was the top goal for 28.3% of respondents. Long-term goals guided investment choices for 49.1%, while 32.4% relied on financial literacy content. Advice from financial advisors influenced 12.5%, while peer influence and tax-saving motivation together accounted for under 6%.
Paying loans or debts was the main financial goal for 8.6% of respondents. Among them, 31.1% said a strict repayment schedule helped them reduce debt faster, followed by cutting lifestyle costs at 29% and increased income or side jobs at 28.4%.
Nearly 5.7% said they did not set any financial goal in 2025, with 46.8% citing too many other priorities as the main reason.
Mindset about money - Were you careful or risky?
In terms of mindset, 56.1% described themselves as careful and disciplined about money. Among these respondents, 56.8% said they avoided risks, while 13.8% cited lack of financial knowledge and 13% pointed to family upbringing.
Another 17% described themselves as experimental and risk-takers, as 43.8% focused on long-term goals and 23.2% taking bold bets for higher returns. About 21% said they took calculated risks based on research.
Financial anxiety was reported by 11.2% of respondents, with unexpected expenses cited by nearly half as the biggest cause. Inflation, job insecurity and lack of financial knowledge were also mentioned.
About 13.2% said they felt confident and financially aware during the year. Better control over expenses was cited by 38.1%, followed by consistent savings habits at 25.8% and financial education at 15.9%.
A small share, 2.5%, said someone else managed their finances. Among them, parents or family were the most relied upon at 44.7%, followed by spouses or partners at 21%, and financial advisors at 16%.
The survey spanned across over 96,000 respondents, with 56.2% living in metro cities such as Mumbai and Delhi. Another 19.8% were based in growing cities including Indore and Lucknow, while 24% lived in smaller towns or semi-urban areas