08/06/2026
Budget Aa Raha Hai... Lekin Kya Salary Barhnay Se Haalat Behtar Ho Jati Hai?
Last year, Ahmed was happy.
His salary increased from Rs. 100,000 to Rs. 115,000 per month.
To celebrate, he upgraded his car.
He moved to a better house.
Food delivery became a routine.
Weekend outings became more frequent.
Everything seemed fine.
But one year later, Ahmed discovered something surprising.
Despite earning more, his bank balance was smaller than before.
Sound familiar?
Economists call this Lifestyle Inflation.
As income increases, our spending often increases even faster.
We don't just earn more; we start living more expensively.
With the Federal Budget around the corner, many government employees and private-sector workers are hoping for salary increases.
Higher salaries certainly help.
But there is an important lesson:
A salary increase can improve your income. It does not automatically improve your wealth.
Wealth grows when the increase in income is greater than the increase in spending.
The real winners are not always those who earn the most.
They are often those who save, invest, and avoid turning every salary increase into a lifestyle upgrade.
As the new budget approaches, perhaps the most important question is not:
"How much will my salary increase?"
But rather:
"How much of that increase will I keep?"
Dr. Ghulam Mohey-ud-din's Urban Insights
Cities Are Outcomes of Policy and Markets.