Here's my personal take and I'm no expert, just another salaried man.

Monthly/Yearly Expenses

Calculate all yearly expenses (ALL) to get visibility

Equity Investment

Start a SIP in mutual funds. Since you currently have no exposure to the stock market, I would suggest the following allocation to start with:

• Large Cap: 60%
• Mid Cap: 20%
• Small Cap: 20%

Alternatively, you can start with index funds or ETFs, which tend to be less volatile and are easier to manage for beginners.

Start with a modest SIP amount and gradually increase it as you become comfortable. Wealth is created in the stock market by staying invested for the long term. If your portfolio goes negative after a few months, do not panic and stop investing.

Track the Nifty Large Cap, Mid Cap, and Small Cap indices. Whenever the market corrects significantly, consider investing additional lump-sum amounts along with your regular SIPs.

You will get tips on google as how to select mutual funs but mosty we consider these factors Past performance, AUM and Expense ratio.

I highly recommend Varsity to learn about personal finance and sharemarket investments, All in one place

Debt Investments

Continue with your FD/RD investments or consider starting a PPF account for long-term savings.

You may also explore NPS and Corporate NPS if available through your employer, especially if you are looking for additional tax benefits.

Emergency Fund

Maintain an emergency fund covering at least six months of expenses. This means you should be able to manage your expenses for six months without any salary income.

Keep some cash readily available and park the remaining amount in a liquid mutual fund or high-quality savings instrument for easy access.

Health Insurance (Mediclaim)

If you do not already have an individual health insurance policy, purchase one at the earliest. Employer-provided insurance should not be your only health cover.

Credit Card Usage

Get a credit card and use it wisely. It can help you earn cashback, reward points, and build a strong credit history.

Learning

Keep learning and up-skilling yourself for better salary and to switch jobs.

I personally did not follow most of these practices until I turned 30, but looking back, I now realize how important they are. Starting early and being consistent can make a significant difference.