Ten heads. Ten money habits to leave behind this Dussehra.

Dussehra marks the day Ram defeated Ravana, and the day the Goddess triumphed after nine nights of Navratri. Across Maharashtra, it is also the day of seemollanghan, crossing the village boundary to begin something new, and of exchanging आपट्याची पानं as "gold" with the words सोनं घ्या, सोन्यासारखं राहा.

It has always been a day for fresh starts. So here is a simple idea for this year.

Ravana had ten heads. Most of us carry at least one of these ten money habits. You don't need to fix all ten. Pick the one that sounds most like you, and let it go this Dussehra.

The ten habits

1. Spending first, saving what's left If saving happens at the end of the month, there is usually nothing left to save. Set up the saving on salary day, automatically, and spend the rest without guilt.

2. No emergency fund A job change, a medical bill or a car repair shouldn't mean breaking an investment or swiping a credit card. Many families keep three to six months of expenses in a safe, easy-to-access place.

3. "I'll start next year" Next year has a way of becoming the year after. Starting small today often matters more than starting big later. A SIP can begin from ₹500 a month.

4. Too little life cover If people depend on your income, check whether your cover would actually see them through, especially after a home loan, a new child or a salary jump.

5. Tips instead of a plan WhatsApp forwards, office chatter and "hot" stock tips are not a plan. A plan starts from your goals and timelines, and the investments follow from that.

6. Chasing last year's top performer Last year's top-ranked fund or sector is often not next year's. Choosing based on your goals and how long you can stay invested tends to serve you better than chasing rankings.

7. Nominee details never updated Bank accounts, mutual funds, demat, EPF, insurance: check that every one has a nominee, and that the details are current. It takes an evening, and it saves your family a great deal of trouble.

8. An EMI for everything Phones, holidays, gadgets: small EMIs add up and quietly eat into what you could be saving. Before the next one, ask whether it can wait a few months and be paid in full.

9. Mixing insurance with investment Policies sold as "insurance plus returns" often give too little cover and modest returns. It is usually clearer to keep protection and investment as separate decisions.

10. Goals that live only in your head "Children's education", "a bigger home", "retire early": write each one down with a rough amount and a year. A goal on paper is far easier to plan for than one in your head.

Pick one, this Dussehra

Seemollanghan is about crossing one boundary, not ten. Pick the habit that feels closest to home and take one small step on it this week: set up an auto-debit, update a nominee, or write down your first goal.

Then carry that momentum into Dhanteras and Diwali.

If you'd like a second pair of eyes on your goals and existing investments, you can talk to us on WhatsApp or book a call.

शुभ विजयादशमी. सोनं घ्या, सोन्यासारखं राहा. — Tushar Paturde, CFP®, Meta Investment