A Gurgaon woman has sparked a conversation online after revealing that she spends more than half of her salary on rent to live just a few minutes away from her workplace.
she said the convenience allows her to save time and energy while focusing on her well-being and side projects While she acknowledged that the decision may not make financial sense to everyone.
(Also read: Gurgaon woman defends 9-to-5 jobs amid ‘quit corporate’ trend: ‘As long as it pays your bills, it’s fine’ ) The video drew mixed reactions, with several users supporting her decision while others questioned the financial trade-off. However, another user disagreed, writing, “More than 50% on rent is still too much. HT.com has reached out to the user for her comments, and the copy will be updated once her response is received. (Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media.
One user wrote, “Peace of mind is worth the extra rent. A third commented, “Sometimes quality of life matters more than savings. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
Another said, “Time is money too.
Why she chooses to pay higher rent
Taking to Instagram, Shakti Dharni Pandey, who works at a school in Gurgaon, shared a video explaining why she has no plans to move to a cheaper neighbourhood despite the high rent. Hi, my name is Shakti, and I work in a school in Gurgaon. And though I’m able to come home during class breaks, have a piping hot lunch, and complete my pending work, it costs me way too much. I also had the option of going just a little bit further away and getting a house in a cheaper locality. I don’t have to be in an auto or Metro for long hours to reach home. I also don’t have to spend any money on commuting, though it doesn’t compensate for the rent. But the thing is, rather than saving money and putting it in some SIP, I am putting my 20s money on myself. I am making my adulting easier. She added that the time and energy saved allow her to learn new skills, create videos and focus on her mental peace. That’s what I am paying this rent for. And I am not going to change it,” she concluded. The video was shared with the caption, “Will you do something like this? Watch the clip here:
“More than 50% of my salary goes into my rent, and I am not going to change it. I live in a spacious 1RK that is just a 4-minute walking distance from this school. Pandey said she could have moved farther away and found cheaper accommodation but chose convenience instead. (Also read: Woman alleges Indian founder ghosted her over unpaid ₹ 50,000 fee: ‘I have all the proofs, screenshot and attachments’ ) “I had the option of moving far from the school and getting a place for quite cheap. “It’s not the rent I am paying more than 50% of my salary for; it is saving my time, feeling safe and calm, and preserving energy to work on things I want to work on.
But I choose this instead of saving money because, from here, I am saving my peace, my energy, and my time,” she added.
More than half of my school salary goes into rent every single month, which anyone would call a completely bad decision financially,” she said. Explaining her priorities, she said, “I don’t have to rush in the morning to get ready. Her side income has also helped compensate for the higher rent, according to Pandey.
