Trying to look rich at 30? CA points out a habit which could keep you middle class for life

In the age of social media, looking successful has become almost as important as becoming successful. Luxury cars, designer labels and picture-perfect holidays often dominate timelines, creating the impression that spending big is a sign of financial progress. But according to Chartered Accountant Nitin Kaushik, this pursuit of appearing wealthy can quietly damage long-term finances. In a recent post on X, he explained why chasing expensive lifestyles too early could prevent many young professionals from ever building real wealth.

According to CA Nitin Kaushik, one of the biggest financial mistakes people make in their twenties and early thirties is trying to project an image of success through purchases they can barely afford. He cautioned against using "expensive depreciating liabilities" to appear wealthy, arguing that this mindset often traps people in a cycle of spending instead of wealth creation.

The pressure to look successful comes at a cost

Kaushik highlighted how social expectations and online culture are influencing financial decisions. He wrote that many people feel pressured to own luxury cars, wear premium brands and post photographs from high-end vacations even before their careers have reached a stable stage.

"The pressure to drive a luxury car, wear premium brands, and post high-end vacation photos before your career has even matured," he said, is "keeping a whole generation middle class." His observation suggests that spending to maintain a certain image may provide short-term validation, but it often comes at the expense of long-term financial security.

The hidden cost of lifestyle inflation

Kaushik explained that the real damage isn't limited to the money spent on expensive purchases. The bigger problem is the opportunity cost of not investing that money.


According to him, when people use up their disposable income maintaining what he described as an "illusion of wealth" during their twenties and thirties, they lose something far more valuable. He wrote that this habit strips their portfolios of the "critical seed capital needed for compounding." The early years of earning, he implied, are when investments have the greatest chance to multiply over decades. Every rupee diverted towards rapidly depreciating assets reduces the amount available to benefit from long-term compounding.

Real wealth is often invisible

Kaushik also challenged the popular perception that wealth must always be visible through luxury possessions.
He argued that "true generational wealth is incredibly quiet" and is built by consistently investing in a "rock solid foundation of equity and real assets" rather than spending on status symbols.

His message shifts the focus away from outward displays of affluence and towards assets that have the potential to appreciate and generate long-term financial growth.

Build a compounding machine

Ending his post with practical advice, Kaushik encouraged young earners to prioritise investing over impressing others.

He urged people to "focus on creating an unstoppable compounding machine today" so they can "actually be wealthy at 45 without pretending." His broader point is that financial independence rarely comes from looking rich. Instead, it comes from making disciplined decisions early, allowing investments to compound over time and resisting the temptation to equate spending with success.