How I started my investment journey with just Rs 11

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The amount was small but the intent was to increase the growth multiplier every step of the way.

The year 2020 was quite a teacher. It not only taught me how to manage and lead thoughts and things from a distance, but also to create a mindset by myself that sticks – the growth mindset. It all starts with it, doesn’t it?

While Singham’s dialogue – Meri zarooratein kumm hai… isliye mere zameer mein dum hai – made rounds in my head, life jumpcut to 2021 and I decided to take a leap of faith into the next phase of adulting – opening a demat account. It was not tough. All I had to do was search “open demat account free” and voila! Of course I read the terms, conditions & pricing. What came next shocked everybody who knew me… 

My community of friends, family, gamers, musicians, writers, folks from various industries always knew me for a guy who invested in tangible assets. Something that I can consistently use in doing stuff that I love. (Am I alone in this?)

Then there would be times I’d buy stuff that I don’t really need or want or can use at the moment but would like to have them around just so that I can make myself feel guilty about my plans being on the backburner. (Am I alone in this too?)

Back to shocking everybody who knew me. I waited for the KYC to get completed on one of slickest, cleanest, extremely easy to use investment apps on this side of the planet. They recently achieved the unicorn status. (Not the pink one, by the way.) Got the confirmation email, made a transfer of ₹501 after thoroughly checking how I can withdraw it back to my bank account in case I wanted to order a pizza.

Given the small amount I made the transfer of, I decided to buy shares of even smaller value. Chindi-er than thou, I told myself while shaking my head. Looked for stocks that looked fashionable and functioning, put them on my watchlist, did my study on them and then searched for some more until I arrived at a share that cost ₹11. The little inner chindi screamed SHAGOOOON, and the rest of me took a long, deep breath. Set the number of shares to “1”, price to ₹11, and then I pressed buy. Some circles appeared (for the sake of suspense on the app interface, I guess) and then came a tick that matched my ringtone of Mario’s coin sound.

It felt nice.

I realised I bought something that I can’t really use, see or feel.

But I have to admit, it gave me butterflies in the stomach.

Then I made another leap of faith and pressed buy on “11” shares. Just for the love of maths.

Cut to today. While I’m writing this, these shares have earned me a plate of chholey bhaturey. Just because I parked my money in the right place at the right time.

Here is what I learned in this period of about a month or slightly more:

Bootstrapping begins at home: You’d be surprised to know that one does not need much to begin something they want to. Resources at hand are often of more value than they seem. One just needs to know how to repurpose things. Kumm zarooratein, kumm kharchaa.

Money makes money: Plants, viruses or money – they work the same way. They need to be in  the right spot to multiply.

Patience gets rewarded faster: I could have sold my stocks when I saw my holdings going towards the red, as in being undervalued in the market. I mean I love my ₹5 chai too, why should I lose out on that. I was made fun of by both youngsters & elders for playing the game with such a small number and that I should put some more skin in it, even though they themselves haven’t bought any of these shiny unseen things. But here’s the deal – that buying of my first ₹11 share felt like a coin flip – I knew the challenge & I knew what I wanted. So I decided to sit on it. And here I am, CHHOLEY BHATUREY TO THE RESCUE!

You are your own startup: Different aspects of your life are the departments of you. While your gaddi can run on goodwill, you might want to strike a balance with some money in the bank. Finance department must be kept tidy.

You make money and earn people: Money making & growing processes can be taxing mentally, physically and financially but you must not ignore the moments of camaraderie, collective achievements and other people adding value to your life.