One house, rented car, 116 days of travel: Ankur Warikoo shares 5 money rules with wife Ruchi

What does a financially comfortable family choose to spend money on, and what do they deliberately avoid? Ankur Warikoo recently offered a glimpse into the money habits he follows with his wife Ruchi. From investing before spending to prioritising quality food, travel and learning, the couple has built its own approach to managing money. Warikoo said they were not born into wealth and experienced real abundance only in the last six or seven years. Here are their five money rules.

They don't spend money to look rich

For Warikoo and Ruchi, building wealth is more important than appearing wealthy. Warikoo said the couple “don't spend to look rich” and instead spends to become wealthy. A large portion of their money goes into assets, stocks and gold. That approach also shapes their lifestyle. Despite their financial success, the couple owns one house and drives one rented car.

Warikoo explained that they don't buy things simply to show others how well they are doing. The idea is straightforward: money that could strengthen their financial position is not automatically spent on status symbols.

They are willing to spend more on good food

While the couple is careful about lifestyle spending, they are not equally restrictive about everything. Warikoo said they spend generously on high-quality food, because what goes into the body matters. He acknowledged that good food can be expensive, but said they are happy to spend on it.

Their family also grows vegetables organically on a rented farm, while they rarely order food from outside. For them, food is an area where spending is connected to quality and wellbeing rather than appearances.

They spend on experiences instead of things

Another major part of the couple's money philosophy is choosing experiences over material possessions. Warikoo revealed that the family travelled for 116 days last year. They are also willing to spend on experiences they value, whether that means watching a live tennis match, visiting a museum or paying a historian to show them around a new city.

The emphasis is not simply on travelling more. It is about spending money on experiences that create memories and deepen their understanding of the world.

They invest before they spend

Perhaps the most important financial habit Warikoo shared is the order in which the couple handles its income. Rather than spending first and investing whatever remains, they reverse the process. “The day our income arrives, we invest,” Warikoo said.

The family then lives on whatever is left. He added that by the end of the month, only a few thousand rupees may remain in their account, while the rest of their money is already working through investments. This approach effectively makes investing a priority rather than something that happens only after all expenses have been covered.

There is no fixed budget for books and learning

The final rule is perhaps the one that reveals the family's priorities most clearly. Warikoo said they keep “no budget for books and learning.” Their living room is essentially a library, and all four family members read extensively. Learning also extends beyond books. The family takes classes ranging from pottery and piano to Python.

For Warikoo, education and curiosity are not expenses that need to be tightly restricted. They are investments the family is comfortable making.

From having very little to experiencing abundance

Warikoo said neither he nor Ruchi was born into money and that they had “very little” for most of their lives. According to him, real abundance came only during the last six or seven years. The couple, who are both 46, have two children aged 15 and 9.

Their current financial choices therefore reflect not only their present circumstances but also the values they developed before they had significant wealth. Warikoo's five rules ultimately show a distinction between being wealthy and looking wealthy. The couple chooses to direct money towards investments, quality food, meaningful experiences and continuous learning rather than spending primarily for status.

As Warikoo himself put it, these are “our rules” and they may not necessarily work for everyone. But he believes everyone needs to develop their own approach to money.