A man loved to buy new cars. But his wife found a trick to stop him and save money. Actor Madhavan was left amazed

A simple story about cars, gold and financial discipline shared by banker Sarthak Ahuja during a conversation with actor R Madhavan has sparked discussions about the different ways families approach money management.
During an interview for the 100 Year Life Project by ACKO, Madhavan asked Ahuja whether gender plays a role in how people deal with money, especially when managing a large financial windfall. He asked if there was a difference in the way men and women handle wealth.

Responding to the question, Ahuja said there is often a noticeable difference in financial behaviour between men and women. While acknowledging that some people may avoid such discussions to prevent gender stereotyping, he said his experience with clients, families and family businesses in India has shown certain patterns. According to Ahuja, men who focus on expanding their businesses are often more willing to take risks. They may take bank loans to set up a plant, launch a venture or make large investments to grow their businesses.

Example of client

On the other hand, he said women in many households often focus on creating a financial safety net by saving in safer assets such as gold or fixed deposits. To explain his point, Ahuja shared the example of one of his clients whose wife noticed his love for cars. Around 20 to 25 years ago, she came up with a condition before he bought any new car.


She told him that every time he decided to purchase a car, he would also have to buy gold of an equivalent value. Only then would he be allowed to go ahead with the car purchase. The husband agreed to the arrangement, and according to Ahuja, it helped him control his spending. Since he could not take a loan to buy gold jewellery, he had to build savings before making the purchase.

While the man changed his car three or four times over the years, the wife continued accumulating gold. Ahuja pointed out that the depreciating value of cars was balanced by the rising value of gold, especially as gold prices continued to climb. Ahuja said this example shows why women often play an important role in balancing financial decisions within families. He added that while taking risks is important for growth, families also need someone to safeguard their wealth.


He emphasised that women deserve more credit for being the financial stabilisers in many households, providing a balance between risk-taking and long-term security.