My First Rs.100,000: A Beginner’s Guide to Investing in Pakistan Without Losing Your Mind

 

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.

But then came the question that haunts every first-time saver: Now what?

Do I keep it in my bank account and feel “safe”?

Do I buy something nice and reward myself?

Should I start a business with it? Or throw it into stocks and hope for the best?

Or… should I just buy that new phone and enjoy the temporary dopamine hit?

I wish someone had guided me back then. Because honestly, investing your first Rs.100,000 in Pakistan can feel like walking in a pitch-dark room with glass on the floor. You’re scared. Every other advice seems shady. You don’t know who to trust. And worst of all, you start doubting whether you’re even “ready” for this kind of adult stuff.

So I’m writing this for you. For the version of me that felt confused. For anyone who’s managed to save up their first chunk of real money and doesn’t want to mess it up.

This is what I learned. The good, the bad, and the stupid.

Lesson 1: Saving money is actually harder than investing it

People don’t say this enough. We keep glorifying “investment tips” and “trading strategies,” but let’s be real—getting to a place where you even have Rs.100,000 in savings in Pakistan is already a big deal.

Inflation in Pakistan doesn’t knock—it kicks your door in. Prices rise overnight. Your salary stays the same, but everything else gets more expensive. You can’t plan too far ahead. It’s a daily hustle.

When you're earning in rupees and watching YouTubers flex dollar income, it’s easy to feel like you’re failing. But let me tell you—if you’ve saved even Rs.10,000, you're already ahead of the game.

I started with Rs.7,000. That was my first step. I skipped food deliveries for two weeks, completed two Fiverr gigs, and dumped all of it into a separate bank account. I treated it like it wasn’t even mine. I built on it slowly.

You don’t need the perfect amount to start. Waiting for the “right time” or “enough money” is just another way of procrastinating. Start where you are.

Because small wins stack up quietly.

Lesson 2: Your money will sleep if you let it

So, once I hit 100k, I played it safe.

I kept it in my bank account like it was some kind of treasure chest. “At least it’s not going anywhere,” I told myself.

But six months later, it was going somewhere—backwards. I hadn’t touched it, but it was worth less. Grocery prices had gone up. Petrol, electricity, even daal—everything had increased. My “safe” money had shrunk in value.

That’s when I realised: money that isn’t growing is shrinking.

It’s not enough to save. You have to do something with your savings. Otherwise, they quietly die in your bank account.

So I started searching for where to put it.

My First Investment: Mutual Funds

At that time, I didn’t know anything about investing. Stocks scared me. Crypto felt like betting. Real estate was out of my league. And most “online earning” stuff looked like scams.

But mutual funds? They felt… manageable.

I found apps like Meezan Roshan, UBL Funds, and HBL Asset Management. Simple setup, no complex charts, no crazy risks. I could start small.

So I put Rs.5,000 a month into a low-risk Islamic income fund. That’s it.

Returns were okay—10 to 12% annually. Not exciting, but consistent. And more importantly, I felt in control. I didn’t have to be glued to my phone or learn technical analysis.

If you want to start with mutual funds, consider:

Meezan Rozana Amdani Fund (for daily profits)

HBL Islamic Money Market Fund (safe, low-risk)

UBL Stock Advantage Fund (for a bit more risk)

But—and I learned this the hard way—don’t dump your entire 100k in one place.

Lesson 3: Diversify, but don’t get fancy

I thought I was smart after my first investment. I felt like a finance bro.

Then came the crash. I invested Rs.30,000 into some random guy’s “crypto mining project” I saw on Instagram. He promised 3x returns. Said he had “screenshots.” I fell for it.

Never saw that money again.

That loss stung, but it also taught me to never chase returns blindly. And to never mix emotions with money.

Now I follow a basic rule that works for me:

40-30-20-10 Rule

40% in safe, low-risk funds

30% in medium-risk investments (stocks, ETFs on apps like KTrade or EasyEquities)

20% in high-risk stuff (crypto, startups, new ideas)

10% kept in cash, always accessible

This mix lets me grow without going insane when the market drops. It keeps me playing the long game.

Lesson 4: Never invest in what you don’t understand

This one is crucial.

Back in 2022, someone on a Telegram group recommended a “hot” stock. Said it would explode. Everyone was hyping it up.

I bought it. It tanked.

Not because of market conditions—but because the company was messed up from the inside. I didn’t do my research. Just followed hype.

That moment taught me something big: Don’t be lazy with your money.

Investing isn’t guessing. It’s studying.

So I started watching Pakistani YouTubers like Investor Base Pakistan, Urdu Finance, and FinPocket. I joined finance Twitter (now X). Read books like The Psychology of Money and Rich Dad Poor Dad. Nothing too technical. Just enough to not be clueless.

And slowly, my fear turned into curiosity.

Lesson 5: Gold is still king (Ammi was right)

When I told my mother I was investing in mutual funds, she wasn’t impressed.

“Beta, paisa to sirf sona hota hai,” she said.

And honestly, she had a point.

Gold isn’t just a cultural thing in Pakistan—it’s practical. It holds value when everything else crashes. During political chaos, economic panic, or currency depreciation, gold quietly holds its own.

In 2023, I bought a small 1-gram gold biscuit from a jeweller in Saddar for Rs.28,000. Today, that same biscuit is worth over Rs.45,000. That’s growth. No fancy apps, no stock market—just pure value.

Now I always keep at least 10-15% of my savings in gold. It’s physical, real, and reassuring. Especially when the rupee looks like it’s on a rollercoaster.

Lesson 6: There’s no “perfect” way to invest

I won’t lie—investing in Pakistan can be stressful.

The economy is unpredictable. News is depressing. Political chaos doesn’t help. And scams are everywhere.

But you know what’s worse than making a mistake? Doing nothing at all.

I’ve lost money. Made bad calls. Chosen the wrong platform. But I kept learning. I talked to friends. I watched what worked and what didn’t. I adjusted.

You don’t have to be Warren Buffet. Just stop being clueless about your money.

Even if your investments only grow 8% annually, that’s still something. That’s better than watching your savings die slowly in a bank account.

Over time, compounding kicks in. And it really works. But only if you start.

Some practical tips that saved me:

Don’t invest more than you can afford to lose.

Always research—actually research—not just scroll TikTok.

Keep 5-10% in cash. Physical cash. Not digital. You never know when you'll need it.

Talk to real people. Someone who works at a bank, a cousin into finance, or even a friend who invests. You’ll learn more than you will from comments on YouTube.

Focus on the next 5 years, not the next 5 days.

And most importantly—don’t compare your journey with someone in Dubai, Canada, or America. This is your Pakistan game. Play it with your head, not their rules.

Final thoughts: You’re ready—even if you don’t feel like it

If you’ve been holding on to your money, scared to make the wrong move—this is your sign.

Start.

Start small. Make mistakes. Ask stupid questions. It’s okay.

Rs.100,000 may not feel like a lot to some people. But for us? It’s a beginning. A turning point. A symbol of patience and possibility.

When you invest your first 100k wisely, something shifts inside you. You stop thinking like a spender and start thinking like an owner. Like someone who’s building something for the future.

Even now, I make mistakes

. I mess up sometimes. But I don’t freeze anymore. I keep moving. And that’s the biggest win.

You can do this.

You’ve already done the hardest part: saving.

Now let your money start working for you.