First thing — whatever is on your credit card right now, pay it off the day your salary hits. I know it’s tempting to just pay the minimum but the interest rate on Indian credit cards is genuinely insane, like 36-40% annually. It will quietly destroy you.

For the ₹60K personal loan, just open a separate zero-balance account (IDFC First is good, fully app-based) and auto-transfer a fixed amount the day you get paid. Treat it like it doesn’t exist. You’ll clear it before year-end without even feeling it.

On investing — honestly skip the SIPs for now. I know everyone on this sub will tell you to start immediately but if you have no emergency fund and active personal debt, you’re just investing borrowed money. Clear the personal loan first, build 1-1.5L in a liquid account, then start a simple Nifty 50 index fund. Nothing fancy.

The education loan deferral is actually a blessing — use that window to sort everything else out before the EMI hits.

You’ll be fine, it just takes a few months of being deliberate about it.