"I save 50 per cent of my income"

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 how well they handle their financial matters, and tracks their spending patterns. It was her childhood fantasy to be another Umrao Jaan that drove her to the city of dreams Mumbai. Aditi Pratap instead landed up on television playing roles in series like Twinkle Beauty Parlour, and Rishton Ki Dorr. While her tryst with fame came as Aditi (Saloni's sister-in-law) of Saath Phere on Zee TV, a character who swings between being Miss Goody Two Shoes to being downright mean. In real life, Aditi is pragmatic and rational - especially as far as her finances are concerned. She believes that her hard earned money should be stored away for a sound future. Sameera Kapoor probes this actor and gets her to share with us her perspective on how she manages her moolah. Read on.... "Money can impart only economic security and independence..." How crucial is money for you? Very important! Money gives you financial security and independence. It makes luxuries affordable, which we actors are used to and cannot let go. So you mean money can buy happines? Money can impart only economic security and independence but it cannot give the happiness attributed to the substance that we buy with the money. You may have a palatial house to stay but it requires the love and bonding of a family to make into a home. So, money has only the buying power and nothing else. Who looks after your finances? It is jointly done by me and my CA alongwith the prompt advice of my dad. How secure are you financially? Luckily, I am from a very well to do family. So if in the future I am in dire need of money, I will have someone to fall back on. But since the past six years ever since I came to Mumbai to pursue my dreams I have never taken a single penny from them. This has happened because I make sure that my hard earned money is managed properly. I am very cautious about financial dealings. I make it a point that I put aside fifty percent of what I earn into saving accounts. I believe in the phrase "Make hay while the sun shines." What kind of investments have you done till date? I have invested in shares, mutual funds, and medical policies. Are you not afaird of dealing in stocks? No, As I said before I am very calculative about the steps that I take while dealing with money. I follow the same principle even while dealing in shares. I invest only 10 per cent to 20 per cent of my income in shares. Besides this I have a very trustworthy portfolio manager who has been managing my family's share investments. All this ensures that the downside is low. "I cherish the shares of blue chip companies which my grandma willed..." What about investing in real estate? Certainly that is the next step I am looking forward to take. Having a roof over your head gives you the greatest security while living in a city like Mumbai, for a large part of my expenditure is on paying the rent. Where does most of your income go? I end up spending a lot on furnishing my home, buying decorative items for my car. I am heavily into antiques so I spend a lot on them too. Are you an impulsive buyer? Yes, absolutely. But here too if something is overpriced then I always think twice before I spend. If my need supercedes the price then I save the required amount and purchase it later. So approximately how much do you end up spending on yourself, by the end of the month? I spend anything around Rs.60,000. Any other thing which you are very particular about when it comes to your finances? As it is not possible for me to keep a manual tab on how much I spend, I have followed a unique plan wherein I deposit my savings into an account for which I have no ATM, or Debit cards. This means that I have no means to withdraw from that account. I withdraw money for spending only from my Current account. . How much money do you carry on yourself daily? On shoots I do not carry large amount of cash for the fear of being robbed. My wallet will contain only Rs.200. However, when I am not shooting then I carry anything around Rs 2500. What was the first thing you got hold of when you started earning? My very first personal TV set. The day I got my first pay check I bought a LG 21" television set. What is the costeliest thing you have bought? It's an uncut emerald diamond set which cost me Rs 3 lakh. Any thing particular which you cherish and hold close to your heart. I cherish the shares of blue chip companies which my grandma willed as part of my inheriance. Blue chip shares are no longer available easily, and if at all you manage to get your hands on them then they are extremely expensive. If I were to sell them today then I will have enough money to buy a spacious house at prime locations like Andheri. But I can never do that for she had bought these when I was born. Now that she has passed away there is a huge emotional attachment which outwieghs the monetary benefit.