I am a loser in money matters – Achint Kaur

Money. That's what drives everyone in the final analysis, whether in the glamour world of acting or the hard grind of scripting and producing. Cashin' In sits down with TV celebs to know well they handle their financial matters, and tracks their spending patterns. Achint Kaur aka Mandira of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi believes that she is sensible, prudent and sceptical in handling money, yet she is a disaster at it. She has had her share of bad experiences and crises but life goes on and everyone wants more. Let’s have a peek into the finances of this sane and sound actress. How important is money for you? It is quite important to me but it is not the most important thing. I mean it is a priority but not the top priority. Money is a necessity. Are you an impulsive buyer? No, I am not an impulsive buyer. Whenever I go to shop, I go with an agenda. I don’t do window shopping and I only buy things that I plan to buy. I am a net shopper. Shopping off the net reduces impulsiveness in buying things. What are the investments you have made? I have made very basic and small investments. I have invested in insurance policies and mutual funds. My current aim is to buy a house, so all my money is going to be invested in it. What is your most expensive purchase? My car. The Innova I bought for 12 lacs when it was recently introduced in themarket. Do you feel financially secure? I feel financially secure if I compare my current financial status to my financial condition ten years ago but if I think of it in terms of future requirements, I feel I need to be more financially secure. Who handles your expenses? I handle them on my own. What was your first salary? What did you do with it? It was Rs 450. I earned it by working as a teacher in a kindergarten. It was 20 years ago when I was only 17 years of age. At that time it was not the petite amount that it seems now. I bought gifts for my mother and sister with that money. How much cash do you carry on a daily basis? It depends. If I am going out I carry around Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000. While shooting, I avoid carrying much cash as it is not safe. My recent bad experience was when I was shooting in Malaysia on this New Year. We went out to celebrate the night in a restaurant and there a couple robbed my mobile phone, credit cards and cash. Do you invest in the stock market? Yes, I have started investing in the stock market but I invest only small amounts of money. Since I am not very knowledgeable about it, I am sceptical about investing bigger amounts. Any advice to investors? I am a loser at money matters, so don’t even ask me for any advice. The person who will take my advice would die. I am sensible in managing money but the thing is that I don’t apply my sensibilities.