Archive · 12 Nov 2025
India's Middle Class Now Borrows for Lifestyle Over Savings
Imagine people in India used to save money to buy things, like a new phone or a car.
But now, it's becoming common to borrow money for these things, even for vacations or small purchases.
This means more people are using credit cards and personal loans instead of their savings.
The amount of money people owe has gone up a lot, and a big part of their earnings is now used just to pay back loans.
This is different from how families used to handle money, where borrowing was less common.
Some people worry that this trend might mean that future generations won't build much wealth because they'll be busy paying off debts from their younger years.
India's middle class is increasingly borrowing for lifestyle expenses rather than saving for assets.
Personal and non-housing retail loans now constitute the largest share (54.9%) of household debt, surpassing housing loans (29%).
Debt per capita has risen to ₹4.8 lakh, with over 25.7% of disposable income now going towards loan repayments.
The shift is attributed to cultural changes, lifestyle inflation, stagnant wages, and easy access to credit.
Experts warn that borrowing for consumption may hinder long-term wealth creation for younger generations.
- Who
- India's middle and lower-middle class households.
- What
- A generational shift in borrowing where personal and lifestyle loans are overtaking housing loans as the primary form of household debt, driven by consumption and ease of credit.
- When
- As of March 2024, with trends showing significant changes over the past five years and the last two years.
- Where
- Urban India.
- Why
- Normalization of consumption-led borrowing, lifestyle inflation, stagnant wage growth, and the proliferation of easily accessible credit through apps and 'buy now, pay later' schemes.
Consumption-Led Borrowing
Traditional Saving Model
Primary Driver of Debt
Consumption-Led Borrowing
Debt is increasingly used for lifestyle spending such as vacations, electronics, and everyday consumption, facilitated by easy credit access.
Traditional Saving Model
Historically, debt was avoided, and purchases were made only when affordable through savings. Loans were primarily for essential assets or business.
Attitude Towards Loans
Consumption-Led Borrowing
Loans are normalized and seen as a tool to maintain or upgrade lifestyle, even if it means current consumption over future wealth building.
Traditional Saving Model
Loans were viewed with distrust and reluctance, with a strong emphasis on 'if you can't afford it, don't buy it'.
Financial Goal
Consumption-Led Borrowing
Financing current lifestyle and immediate gratification, leading to a potential lack of wealth accumulation in later years.
Traditional Saving Model
Building wealth through savings for future security and significant asset acquisition.
- Non-Housing Retail Loans Share
- 54.9% of household borrowings (March 2024)
- Housing Loans Share
- 29% of household borrowings (March 2024)
- Agriculture and Business Loans Share
- 16.1% of household borrowings (March 2024)
- Debt Per Capita
- ₹4.8 lakh (up from ₹3.9 lakh two years prior)
- Disposable Income Used for Loans
- Over 25.7% (sharp rise from five years ago)
- Personal Loan Growth (since 2019)
- Over 3x