Need Advice on Investments, Loan Repayment, and Managing My Finances

I’ve been feeling a bit confused about my investments lately, so here’s a breakdown of my current financial situation: I’m in my late 20s, living in a metro city, and earning a package of ₹41 LPA. After deducting EPF, company-provided health insurance (which covers me, my parents, and my sister), and some pocket money for Nirmala Tai, I’m left with ₹28.8 LPA in hand. In addition to my salary, I receive Microsoft stock worth ₹7.56 LPA annually. Factoring that in, my total take-home comes to around ₹21.24 LPA, which works out to approximately ₹1.78 lakh per month in my bank account. I also have a side hustle that brings in an additional ₹2 lakh per month after TDS deductions. **Total Monthly Income:** * From salary and stock: ₹3.78 lakh/month * Including Microsoft stock vesting: ₹4.41 lakh/month This income structure has made me rethink my investment strategy and financial goals, and I’m looking for some guidance on how best to proceed. # Investment Strategy (Invested weekly to balance market volatility) Feel free to roat my portfolio and suggest some improvements. * ₹1 Lakh/month → Parag Parikh Flexi Cap * ₹30K/month → Nifty 50 ETF (Large Cap) * ₹25K/month → Nippon Small Cap Fund * ₹20K/month → Kotak Small Cap Fund * ₹40K/month → Mid Cap Fund * ₹20K/month → Gold ETF * ₹10K/month → S&P 500 (VOO ETF) via IND Money * ₹10K/month → ProShares Ultra QQQ ETF via IND Money * ₹63K/month → Microsoft Stock (as per vesting) * ₹25K/month → Direct Stocks * ₹5K/month → NPS Contribution * **Fixed Deposit:** ₹12 Lakh in my dad’s name * **Personal Loan (Given by me):** ₹2 Lakh earning 1.5% interest/month (my dad manages it) **Total Monthly Investment:** ₹3.48 lakh # Current Holdings (Approximate Value): # Banking & Finance: * **Bajaj Finance** – ₹2.26 Lakh *(I have an FD here, so I decided to invest in their stock.)* * **HDFC Bank** – ₹2 Lakh *(Same reason as above, tied to my FD.)* * **ICICI Bank** – ₹1.5 Lakh *(I genuinely like their services.)* * **IDFC First Bank** – ₹1 Lakh *(Also impressed by their services.)* # Automobile Sector: * **Tata Motors** – ₹2.17 Lakh *(Bought this because a friend has a Tata Nexon, and I believe in the brand’s potential.)* * **Eicher Motors** – ₹2.03 Lakh *(I own a Royal Enfield Bullet, so I invested.)* * **Uno Minda** – ₹70K *(Solid presence in auto components.)* * **Pricol** – ₹80K *(Monopoly in digital meters; seems promising.)* # IT & Tech: * **Infosys** – ₹1.74 Lakh *(Strong fundamentals, reputable company.)* * **TCS** – ₹1.29 Lakh *(Similar reasons as Infosys.)* * **Happiest Minds** – ₹1.54 Lakh *(Big fan of Soota Sir’s leadership.)* # Consumer Goods & FMCG: * **ITC** – ₹1.85 Lakh *(Cigarette sales seem evergreen, even if the focus is shifting to FMCG.)* * **Tata Consumer** – ₹1.32 Lakh *(Tata Salt has been a household name since my childhood.)* * **Titan** – ₹1.27 Lakh *(Jewelry and watches—steady demand.)* # Chemical & Pharma: * **Navin Fluorine** – ₹1.25 Lakh *(Monopoly in fluorine products.)* * **Deepak Nitrite** – ₹1.29 Lakh *(Monopoly in nitrates.)* * **Cipla** – ₹1.23 Lakh *(Solid pharmaceutical play.)* * **Apollo Hospitals** – ₹80K *(Healthcare is always a stable bet.)* * **Lauras Labs** – ₹90K *(Great in APIs manufacturing.)* # Industrial & Infrastructure: * **Asian Paints** – ₹1.32 Lakh *(Market leader in paints, consistent performer.)* * **Pidilite** – ₹1.23 Lakh *(Fevicol = market dominance.)* * **Dixon Tech** – ₹1.81 Lakh *(Major manufacturer for mobile phones in India.)* # Retail & Consumer Services: * **Trent** – ₹1 Lakh *(I frequently shop here, so it felt right to invest.)* * **Varun Beverages (VBL)** – ₹1.54 Lakh *(Independent contracts give them a market advantage.)* # Financial Services & Exchanges: * **CAMS** – ₹1.16 Lakh *(They dominate mutual fund services.)* * **CDSL** – ₹1 Lakh *(They handle all my holdings; plus, exchanges always earn irrespective of market conditions.)* # Utilities: * **Tata Power** – ₹1.4 Lakh *(They provide electricity to my home—felt like a personal connection.)* # Liabilities & Loans * **Car Loan (Skoda worth ₹15 Lakh, bought 2 years ago):** * Remaining loan: ₹5.8 Lakh * EMI: ₹32K/month * I’m considering paying it off early, but since interest rates are low and the stock market seems promising, I’m unsure if clearing this debt now makes sense. # Monthly Expenses * Rent: ₹15K * Domestic help (maid, cook, car & bike cleaner): ₹3K * Electricity & groceries: ₹6K * Gym, personal trainer, and supplements: ₹13K * Petrol, credit card payments, dining out, trips, and shopping: ₹30-40K **Total Monthly Expenses:** ₹67K - ₹77K # What I Need Advice On: 1. Should I clear my car loan now or continue with the EMIs given the current market conditions? 2. Are there any obvious improvements I could make to my investment strategy? 3. Any other tips on optimizing expenses or making better use of my income? Would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions. Thanks in advance!