Finance habits in 2025: Spending or investing? How Indians managed their money this year

Most Indians in 2025 gave preference to saving money, budgeting regularly and tracking expenses over investing or spending on experiences. According to a survey, Habit Index, by Times of India, 57.6% of the respondents budgeted regularly and tracked expenses in 2025. Among those, 50.3% credited expense-tracking apps for staying on track, while 26.6% pointed to setting savings goals. Weekly expense reviews were cited by 12.6%, partner or family involvement by 8%, and automated bill reminders by 2.5%. Another 18.7% said that they did save money but it was irregular. 41.6% of those cited unexpected expenses as the biggest barrier to regular saving, while 28.3% reported low or unstable income as the reason. Having no clear saving goals affected 17%, while 8.8% pointed to lack of discipline and 4.4% impulse purchases.About 13.1% said they invested actively in stocks or crypto. Among these respondents, 61.9% preferred mutual funds or stocks, while 44.5% invested in safer assets like fixed deposits, gold or silver. Meanwhile, 12.1% chose day trading, 6% went for digital currencies or crypto, 3.6% picked real estate or physical assets for investment.4.9% of those spent most of their income on experiences. Travel and experiences were cited as the most satisfying expense by 38.4%, followed by home or self-care products at 17.4%, fashion and shopping at 16%, dining out or food delivery at 15.1%, and gadgets and technology at 13%.Around 5.6% said they did not track or plan their finances at all. Among them, 43.5% said they did not have enough income to budget, while 17% relied on family or partners. Lack of time and fear of financial complexity were cited by about 15% each, and 10.3% said they were disinterested in finance.Travel or personal expenses emerged as the top spending goals for 38.3% of respondents. Social media or travel influencers inspired 60.5% of these goals, while 16.5% cited a desire for new experiences and 11.2% pointed to friends achieving similar goals.Emergency savings was the primary goal for 19% of respondents, with health-related spendings cited by 41.2% as the key expense. Job uncertainty accounted for 31.4%, while economic slowdown was cited by 16.1%. Investing was the top goal for 28.3% of respondents. Long-term goals guided investment choices for 49.1%, while 32.4% relied on financial literacy content. Advice from financial advisors influenced 12.5%, while peer influence and tax-saving motivation together accounted for under 6%.Paying loans or debts was the main financial goal for 8.6% of respondents. Among them, 31.1% said a strict repayment schedule helped them reduce debt faster, followed by cutting lifestyle costs at 29% and increased income or side jobs at 28.4%.Nearly 5.7% said they did not set any financial goal in 2025, with 46.8% citing too many other priorities as the main reason.In terms of mindset, 56.1% described themselves as careful and disciplined about money. Among these respondents, 56.8% said they avoided risks, while 13.8% cited lack of financial knowledge and 13% pointed to family upbringing.Another 17% described themselves as experimental and risk-takers, as 43.8% focused on long-term goals and 23.2% taking bold bets for higher returns. About 21% said they took calculated risks based on research. Financial anxiety was reported by 11.2% of respondents, with unexpected expenses cited by nearly half as the biggest cause. Inflation, job insecurity and lack of financial knowledge were also mentioned.About 13.2% said they felt confident and financially aware during the year. Better control over expenses was cited by 38.1%, followed by consistent savings habits at 25.8% and financial education at 15.9%.A small share, 2.5%, said someone else managed their finances. Among them, parents or family were the most relied upon at 44.7%, followed by spouses or partners at 21%, and financial advisors at 16%.The survey spanned across over 96,000 respondents, with 56.2% living in metro cities such as Mumbai and Delhi. Another 19.8% were based in growing cities including Indore and Lucknow, while 24% lived in smaller towns or semi-urban areas