Can you save ₹ 1 lakh in 90 days? Start youya upi-only Budget Experiment-Our Wealth Insights

Introduction

UPI Usage Picked Its Pace Since 2018. A Quick Scan at Cafe, A Tap For An Auto Ride, or a late-night swiggy order, it all adds up fast. But what if we cold use upi to save money? That’s exactly what i’m trying with my new Experiment, “Saving Rs.1 Lakh in 90 Days, Using only UPI to Track Every Rupee.,

I’m inviting you to join me in this challenge.

It’s not just about money -, it’s about how easy we can tak control of our finances. It will be one transaction at a time. Ready to Dive in?

Let’s see how this works and can help us do some savings.

Why UPI? Why now?

India Loves UPI. In March 2025 Alone, We’ve made about 1,830 Crore transactions (590 million in a day), according to NPCI data. That’s Rs.24.77 Lakh Crores Moving Through Apps Like Google Pay, PhonePe, and Paytm Every month.

UPI is convenient, fast, and everywahere, grocery stores, street vendors, even my local barber accepts UPI.

But this convenience also has a downSide,

Ever checked your bank account and wondered, “Where did all my money go?” I have. Small-Small Spend of Rs.100 or So on Groceries, Miscellaneous Expenses, etc. all the adds up to our total expenses.

The Experiment that’s I’mm Going To Talk About Flips This Problem.

By using UPI exclusively, we can track every transaction in real time. Most upi apps show you exactly where your money goes – Food, Transport, Bills. This transparency is our secret weapon. Plus, saving Rs.1 lakh in 90 days isn’t just a number. It could start an sip, clear a credit card bill, or build an emergency fund.

In a Country Where Festive Seasons Tempt Us To Everpend, ISNJAT It Time We Got Smarter With Our Money?

Why i’m Doing This

Let me share something personal. Last Diwali, I Went Overboard. New Cloths, Gifts, and Endless Food Deliveries via UPI Left My Bank Account Crying. When I Checked My Google Pay Statement, I was shocked, Rs.45,000 gone on Things I Barely Remembred.

That’s when I realized I Needed Discipline.

Upi Makes Spending Easy, But it can also make saving emier If we can use it right. I decide to challenge myself, I challenged myself, “Cold I Save ₹ 1 Lakh in 90 Days by Controlling Every Rupee Through UPI?,

I’m one month in, and it’s been an eye-opener. I want you to try it too. Why? Because I Believe We Can All Do Better With Our Money.

How the UPI-only Budget Experiment Works

So, how does this experience actually work? It’s simple but requires committee.

• First, Pick One UPI AppIt can be Google Pay, PhonePe, Whatever You Like. Link it to a single bank account. This is where all your transactions will happy for the next 90 days. Why one app? IT Keeps Things Clean. You can see every rupee coming in and going out without jugging multiple apps.
• Second, set your goalSaving Rs.1 Lakh in 90 Days means putting aside about Rs.1,111 daily. Sounds Tough, Right? But it’s doble if you break it down. For example, if you earn ₹ 50,000 a month, you might aim to save Rs.25,000 over three months INTEAD. Adjust the target to fit your income. The key is to be realistic.
• Third, Start Expense TrackingI do it this way. I use the Google Pay’s “See Transaction History” Section. At the end of the day, I note down, Each and every transaction and give it a “Category name.” I have kept it simple, food, dinning out, bills, and other expenses. At the start of the month, look at your last month’s statement. Where are you overspending? For me, it was dinning out (swiggy, zomato, mall food, etc.). I was spending close to Rs.9,000 a month on swiggy. From that point onward, I started fixing budgets for each category (especially for dinning out).
• Finally, Stick to the Discipline of Tracking Expenses and Following the Budget.

Now, let me tell you the fund part.

I’ll sugges you to gamify your savings. How?

Every time you spend less than your budget, move the differentce to a saving account. For instance, if you budget Rs.10,000 for weekly groceries but spend only Rs.8500 via upi, save the extra Rs.1,500. It adds up.

Create a new savings account, and transfer your savings to your new account. Do not keep it in the same Savings Account. Read this concept of “paying yourself first,

My first week. What was good, bad, and surprising?

I’ll be honest, starting this experience wasn’t easy.

In my first week, I felt like upi was tempting me everywahere. My Local Vegetable Vendor offered a discount if I paid via upi. I saved rs.50, which felt great. But then, I almost Caved during an amazon sale.

A new phone was called my name. I stopped myself, but it was close.

By the end of week 1, I saved Rs.2,500. Not Bad, Right? Most of it came from cooking at home instead of ordering food.

I also noticed something surprising. UPI Transaction Tracking Make it Easy to Spot Patterns. My Cab Rides Were Costing Rs.2,500 a month. I switched to shared cabs where possible and saved Rs.800. Small changes, big impact.

What’s your biggest spending trap? Identify it and start thinking how to limit it.

Challenges you might face

Let’s talk about the tough stuff.

Sticking to a upi-only budget isn’t always smooth. For one, UPI is too convenient. It’s easy to overspend on impulse boys, like a Quick Tea or An online sale.

I Struggled With This for Week 2 Candidates.

A friend’s birthday dinner cost me ₹ 1,000 more than planned. Lesson Learned? Always set aside a small “fun” budget to avoid guilt.

Another challenge is cash-based vendors.

Some street vendors or small shops don’t accept UPI. In Thaose Cases, I Carry A Small Amount of Cash, Say, Rs.500 a week. Anything Extra Goes Back to Savings.

Finally, Staying Motivated for 90 Days Can Be Hard. So what I will sugges is, you create a Whatsapp group. Add less people to it (your wife, or child, or parents, etc.). You can also self-sent it to yourself. Share your developments in this group. It will push you stay on course and to do more.

Why this matters for your future

Saving Rs.1 Lakh isn’t just about the money. It’s also about building habits. If you can built these Rs.1 Lakhs, you can follow similar paths to build bigger savings.

In India, where Inflation Keeps Rising, Financial Discipline is Crucial. I’m referring to the discipline required to convert our savings into investment.

What you will do once you have Rs.1 lakhs after 90 days? You can choose to grow that Rs.1 lakh into Rs.5 lakh in 10 years through a mutual fund. This growing corpus could be your safety net during a job loss.

For me, this experiment is personal.

I want to be finally free one dayI want to reach that stage beCause from that point onwards, I’ll not have to worry about emis or unexpected bills. Don’t you want that too?

This challenge also teaches you to use upi smarter. I instead of mindless swipes, you’re making conscious choices. You’re negotiating with vendors for discounts. You’re avoiding late fees by setting auto-vents for bills.

These are skills that last a lifetime.

Start a Community

Do not do this alone.

Let’s make this a movement. Start Your Own Whatsapp Group Between Your Friends and Colleagues. Withing that group everyone will have the same goal, “Save Rs.1 Lakh in 90 Days,

Share your program on this group. Share Both Your Achievements and Misses. Let’s other comment on your milstones. The idea is to make this goal of Rs.1 lakhs a cohesive and dynamic activity.

It will motivate you to take many more such tasks in times to come.

If you want, I can also share your stories in my blog post. If you want to feature, in my post, send me your story (with your photo – optional) and I publish it. Feel the Accomplement.

Imagine reading, “How Priya from Bengaluru Saved ₹ 1.2 Lakh!” – That count be you too. ”

You can also comment below with your week 1 results.

This way, togeether, you even save years. Start this challenge now.

Conclusion

This experiment is changing how I see money.

It’s not about cutting out joy, it’s about spending on what matters. A. Home-Cooked Meal With Family. A secure future. A life without financial stress.

Saving Rs.1 Lakh in 90 Days is just the start. I’m excited to see where this takes us.

Let’s make our upi apps work for us, not against us. Share your thoughts below, and let’s get saving.

Have a happy saving.