There is an overdose of consumerism, especially in Mumbai: Vishal Singh

The ever cute Vishal Singh, who is seen as a calm and composed banker in Parvarrish – Kuchh Khattee Kuchh Meethi, is a man who knows how to invest and where. In a freewheeling chat with Tellychakkar.com, Vishal shares his fundas of maintaining a stable financial life. Excerpts: How important is money to you? Unfortunately money today has become a very essential part of one’s life. But I feel one requires moolah to fulfill his basic requirements; the rest are all relative and depends on person-to-person. Are you an impulsive buyer? Not at all, for the matter of fact, I hate shopping. I actually feel nauseated seeing so many products and brands all around me. There is an overdose of consumerism especially in Mumbai and it’s sad that people are getting lured by it. What are the investments that you have made so far? I am a safe investor. I have done all the basic investments one usually does like keeping money in FD (Fixed Deposits) and investing in shares and commodities. What has been your most expensive purchase till date? My car that cost me around Rs 20 lakhs. Are you financially secured? Yes, pretty much. Since I know the importance of saving, I know where to place my money in. Who handles your expenses? I do it myself. What was your first salary like? It was Rs 500 for a photo ad I did when I was just six or seven years old. That amount of money was such that it brought in a great feeling in me back then. How much money do you carry every day? Some thousands; say between Rs 3,000 to 5,000. Any advice for wannabe investors? Play safe, invest wisely. Do not fall for all these fraudulent quick money schemes. And for youngsters, it’s very important to have your lifestyle in control. That would help you in future.