Time vs Money
Written on: 21st March 2025
Time vs Money: Which one should we save?
Life Update
- Upskilling myself to transition into Data Engineering (Following this tutorial)
- It was Paddy’s Day in Ireland, went clubbing after ages and finally in these 3 years of me living here. I enjoyed that night (came home at 4am). Btw, I was high on Monster PS: I don’t drink.
- I have a driving test tomorrow and my heart is pounding. I’ll get it for sure. Will keep you posted. It’s not easy here in Ireland. Spent almost €800 on this.
Main Stuff
Growing up in a middle-class family, I was taught one thing: save as much as you can.
“Don’t buy expensive stuff.”
“Live below your means.”
“Why spend when you can do it yourself?”
I lived with that mindset for years. I used to cautiously think about every expense—but guess what? At the end of every month, I was still broke.
Now? I don’t overthink money, and I make more than ever. Money flows where energy goes. You might think this is BS right? here’s a real story. In 2024 around June - July by the end of month I was always broke. Because I used to say dude I have no money I need to save more and the cycle kept repeating. So I decided you know what I will put a chunk aside as soon as I get the paycheck and then spend the rest without thinking at all.
And since then never felt that I ran out of money. Infact bought a Mac and Sony zve-10 last year idk where the money came from (And no, no-one sponsored me). Even recently I had my driving lessons I had to pay €45 to the instructor and my bank showed €1 left. I was telling this to my friend that idk how I am going to pay him tomorrow but I will for sure. And later in the evening my account was credited with €70. Youtube Adsense which I was not expecting lol. If you think this is made up then you have serious issue man.
Now, before we get into today’s lesson…
Loan Update
This year, my #1 goal is to pay off my student loan completely. It’s been hanging over my head for years, and I don’t want to carry that burden anymore.
Right now, the amount left = ₹19,77,567.
I’ll keep updating this in every newsletter, not just for accountability but because—let’s be real—you’re probably judging me if I don’t make progress. 😆
Alright, let’s dive into today’s topic.
Time > Money
I always thought money was the ultimate goal until I realised that money is just a tool to buy time.
Fitness & Health
I wanted to get lean, but progress was slow. So, I hired a personal trainer. Now, I don’t waste time figuring out my diet & workouts—I just follow the system and see results faster.
Lesson: Paying for expertise accelerates growth.
YouTube & Content Creation
I used to edit my own videos, spending hours tweaking every frame. But editing wasn’t my strength—it was wasting my time.
So, I hired a team to handle it. Now, instead of spending 5-6 hours editing a video, I focus on:
- Storytelling
- Writing newsletters
- Building connections
And guess what? My YouTube just hit 3K subscribers, and Instagram is growing fast.
Lesson: Delegate tasks that don’t need YOU. Btw, I have delegated job applications too. Coz let’s be real who here wants to fill those nasty forms?
Career Growth & Learning
When I moved to Ireland, my biggest focus was paying off my student loan. I worked hard, applied for jobs, and landed a job before even finishing my exams.
But looking back, I realize—I could have saved months of stress if I had proper guidance.
Now, as I transition into data engineering, I’m not making the same mistake. Instead of wasting endless hours figuring things out alone, I invested in:
- Courses from big tech engineers
- 1:1 coaching
And just like that, my learning speed has doubled.
Lesson: Spending on the right mentorship saves you YEARS.
A Personal Story on Time & Money
Last time I visited India, I flew into Mumbai and needed to travel to Pune.
My mom hesitated to spend ₹3,000 on travel just to pick me up. Her reasoning?
“Why spend money when you’ll reach home anyway?”
But here’s how I see it—those moments are priceless.
After a 24-hour-long journey, stepping out of the airport and seeing familiar faces waiting for you is a feeling I can’t describe. Which I clearly missed.
I told my mom, “This ₹3,000 doesn’t matter. I can earn it back in a few days. But these moments? They won’t come back.”
But now she has promised to work on this and hopefully we will have a airport reunion.
Lesson: Money can be earned back. Time can’t.
The Best Investment? Yourself.
I used to think twice before buying courses, but I never hesitated to waste months figuring things out alone.
One of my best investments?
I joined ECB (Expert Creator Blueprint) by @whysaksham.
Before ECB: It took me a year to gain 1,000 followers.
After ECB: I gained another 1,000+ in just a few weeks.
Why? Osmosis. Being around high-performers accelerates your own growth.
That’s also how I connected with Moksh & Aryan, who later brought me into StuKonnect as a mentor.
Check my featured post here - Click Here
Lesson: Your network = your net worth. Cheesy but true!
Final Thought: Use Money to Buy Time
If you have the money, spend it to buy back your time.
1. Pay for coaching to learn faster.
2. Pay for courses to gain skills.
3. Pay for good clothes—because confidence opens doors.
4. Pay for experiences—because time spent with loved ones is priceless.
People hesitate to spend INR 1,500 on mentorship but stay stuck at a 30K salary for years.
But what if that 1,500 helped you land a 60K job? The ROI is insane. Right?
Think about it. And decide if you prefer saving MONEY or TIME.
Cheers,
Tanmay