Smartwealthy

  Living Paycheck to Paycheck? Here’s a Plan to Break Free Introduction If you’re tired of watching your bank account drain before the end of the month — you’re not alone. Living paycheck to paycheck is more common than people admit, and it’s not just those with low income. Even middle-income earners often find themselves stuck in the same cycle. But here’s the good news: with a little strategy and a lot of intention, it’s possible to break free. This blog isn’t just about cutting out coffee or skipping Netflix — it’s about reshaping how you manage your money so that you can finally breathe. 1. Understand Where Your Money Is Going Before you can fix the problem, you have to diagnose it. Start by tracking every expense for at least a month. Use apps like Mint, YNAB (You Need A Budget), or even a good old-fashioned spreadsheet. What you’re looking for are patterns: are you spending more than you think on food? Are subscriptions quietly draining your income? Tip: Break you...

  My First Rs.100,000: A Beginner’s Guide to Investing in Pakistan Without Losing Your Mind I still remember the first time I held a hundred thousand rupees in my hand. It wasn’t some jackpot win. No one handed it to me on a silver plate. There was no flashy business launch or viral side hustle behind it. Just slow, stubborn saving. A couple of freelance gigs here and there. Skipping chai at cafes, avoiding impulsive foodpanda orders, walking instead of booking Careem, saying “next time” to friends when they planned expensive weekend getaways. Controlling that inner voice that screams “Bas le lo yaar, ek hi to zindagi hai.” It took me almost a year. And honestly, it wasn’t glamorous. There were days I doubted myself. Days I gave up and spent on silly things. But when I finally hit that 100k mark—I felt like I had conquered something huge. It was more than money. It was proof that I could do something difficult. That I could control myself. That I could dream a little bigger now. Bu...

Nobody taught me this in school… but it changed my money game. I still remember sitting in that hot classroom in Lahore, fan spinning slowly above my head, maths teacher writing complicated formulas on the board. We were being taught algebra, trigonometry, and some other stuff that, honestly speaking, I never used again. But you know what nobody taught me? How to save money. How to grow it. How to even think about it. School made me memorise long formulas and dates from history, but never once did someone say, “Hey, here’s how to budget your monthly expenses,” or “This is how banks trick you with credit cards,” or even just, “This is how money actually works.” I didn’t know anything about financial discipline. So, when I first started earning, I also started wasting. And trust me, I’m not proud of it, but I want to tell you this because maybe you're going through the same. I thought making money was enough. I was wrong. I used to believe that if I could just earn more, all my probl...

  So let’s be real here. Opening your first bank account in Pakistan feels like a big step. I still remember when I first entered the bank with my cousin to open my account, I was so confused and nervous at the same time. I mean, everything sounds so serious when you’re doing it for the first time. Forms, signatures, long lines... and then this fear in heart ke yaar kahin koi hidden charges na lag jaaye. Back then, I didn’t even know what an “account maintenance fee” was. I just wanted a place to keep my little freelance payments safe. Aur honestly, har koi tabhi shuru karta hai jab usko kuch paisay milte hain ya save karna hota hai. Before that, bank just feels like this adult thing no one explains properly. If you’re someone who's just starting out and want a bank account with no drama, then this blog might actually help you. I’ve been through this whole process myself, and now after trying a few banks over the years, I can share what I learned. And not just pros, but also some m...

Nobody Taught Me This in School… But It Changed My Money Game I still remember the day the courier handed me that shiny blue card. It wasn’t just a piece of plastic  it felt like a mini promotion in life. Like a silent message whispering: Welcome to adulthood. Now you can swipe and buy anything you want. I was twenty-two back then, fresh out of university, broke but hopeful, and had absolutely zero clue what I was signing up for. I wish someone had warned me that credit cards are not magical. They're not free money. They’re not “grown-up power.” They’re a tool. And like any tool, it can either help you build your life or quietly destroy it depending on how you use it. Let me take you back. That first week I got my card, I went a little... crazy. Not shopping spree level, but the kind of small daily swipes that don’t feel dangerous. A shawarma here. Netflix subscription. Careem rides when I could’ve easily taken the bus. A random Daraz sale I didn’t even need. Everything felt light....

 Let’s talk real for a minute. A few months ago, I was just tired. Tired of asking for mobile balance. Tired of hearing "abhi nahi beta, mahine ka end hai." I knew my parents were doing their best, but even they were struggling with rising prices. And here I was, sitting all day with a phone in my hand, watching reels and doing nothing productive. One random night, I searched on YouTube, "how to earn money online in Pakistan." You know that moment when you’re just done with everything? That was mine. I didn’t become rich. I didn’t even earn anything for the first 3 weeks. But what changed was my mindset. I stopped wasting time scrolling and started learning. What I Tried First (And Failed Badly) The first thing I did was open Fiverr. Created a random gig offering to make Instagram posts. I didn’t even know how to use Canva properly lol. No orders came. Not even a single message. But I didn’t quit. I watched a few tutorials, joined a Facebook group, and tried again. ...

  So yeah, let me just say this straight up… I was one of those people who thought getting a degree means everything will just fall into place. Like, graduate karlo, and jobs will be waiting. But life? Life doesn’t work like that. Not anymore. I learned this lesson when I was 21, fresh out of university, holding my degree with pride… and also holding rejection emails in my inbox. Weeks passed, then months. The “job market” that everyone talked about felt like a locked room, and I had no key. That’s when I had my little breakdown moment (not gonna lie). I started doubting everything — my efforts, my education, even my self-worth. But things slowly started to shift. Not because of my degree — but because I picked up a real skill. What changed everything for me? It was Canva. Yes, a simple design app. My cousin randomly showed me how she made Instagram stories on it. I was bored one night and downloaded it just to try. Ended up spending 3 hours making a fake poster for a chai dhaba. A...

 Starting to save money in Pakistan with just Rs.100 a day is totally doable. You don’t need to make huge sacrifices or follow complex plans. Sometimes, just saving a little each day is all you need. In a place like Pakistan, where inflation can hit hard, learning to save wisely is super important. So, let's talk about that Rs.100 a day. It might seem small, but it adds up! Over a month, that’s Rs.3,000, and in a year, you’re looking at Rs.36,000. And honestly, that’s enough to: Kickstart an emergency fund Invest in mutual funds like Meezan, UBL, or NBP Take a short course to pick up a new skill Get a used smartphone or a basic laptop The goal isn’t to get rich overnight. It’s really about creating a habit that turns saving into something normal in your day-to-day life. Now, let’s be real. A lot of folks in Pakistan think they'll start saving when they have some “extra” cash. But let’s face it, that extra cash hardly ever shows up. Some people aim too high and promise to save b...

  Top 10 Budgeting Apps to Manage Your Money in Pakistan (2025) Let’s be honest — money isn’t stretching the way it used to. With inflation rising and expenses piling up, budgeting has become a survival skill in Pakistan. The good news? You don’t need to be a finance expert to take control of your money. You just need the right app on your phone. Whether you’re a student, freelancer, or salaried employee, here are 10 budgeting apps that actually work — tested, useful, and available in Pakistan. 1. Money Manager If you like things simple and want full control, Money Manager is your go-to app. It lets you track income and expenses manually, gives you weekly and monthly charts, and you can even export your data to CSV. Works offline Clean and easy UI No auto-sync Ideal for beginners 2. Hysab Kytab This one’s built for Pakistanis — literally. It supports PKR, has bill reminders, and even lets you manage family budgets. Uses local terms Bill tracking built-in Comes with ads in free vers...