My portfolio has been flat for 2 years. Am I doing something wrong?
Not at all — markets have been mostly sideways, so a lot of portfolios look flat. Your SIPs have actually been buying more units at lower prices, which is a good thing. The real question is whether your funds are keeping up with their benchmarks.
PPFAS is doing really well — that one's a keeper. Axis Bluechip has been trailing its benchmark though. Switching that one fund alone could save you around ₹38,000 a year in fees and give you better market exposure.
A friend recommended Quant Small Cap. Should I invest?
Your friend means well — the past returns do look impressive. But there are a few things worth knowing before you put money in.
What's actually inside this fund
Half of this fund is actually in larger companies. For genuine small-cap exposure, Bandhan Small Cap at 0.51% gives you real small-cap stocks with proven alpha. Your friend meant well, the fund just isn't what it seems.
I want to start investing but there are too many options. Where do I begin?
That feeling is completely valid — the industry makes it more confusing than it needs to be. Let's simplify this dramatically.
The simplest way to start
Start with just one fund.
Set up a ₹3,000/month SIP in a Nifty 500 Index Fund. Auto-debit. Then live your life.
One fund, one auto-debit, five minutes. The biggest myth in investing is that it needs to be complicated. We can always refine later — but the best thing you can do today is simply start.