The Calculator That Changed Kunal’s Investment Journey

Kunal wasn’t new to money. At 28, working in a mid-sized firm in Mumbai he was earning well. Not extraordinary, but enough to save around Rs 20,000 every month after expenses.

The problem wasn’t income. The problem was direction. His WhatsApp groups were full of stock tips. His colleagues spoke about quick gains. His parents preferred fixed deposits. And Kunal? He did a bit of everything and nothing seriously.

Some money is in a savings account. A few random stocks. One insurance policy he didn’t fully understand. But one question kept bothering him: Am I actually building wealth, or just moving money around?

The Question That Changed Everything

One evening, while reading a market insight on DSIJ, he came across a simple idea: What happens if you invest consistently for the long term?

At the end of the article was a tool called the DSIJ Investment Calculator. No clutter. No unnecessary inputs. Just three simple things: Monthly investment, Investment period and A selected strategy (with predefined return expectations). He clicked. 

The First Real Calculation 

Kunal selected: Monthly investment: Rs 10,000, Time period: 10 years and Strategy: Large Rhino (linked expected return ~18 per cent).

He didn’t have to guess returns. They were already aligned with the Service strategy. He hit calculate and paused. The result showed:

• Total investment: Rs 12 lakh
• Estimated portfolio value: ~Rs 30 lakh+

For the first time, this wasn’t a random assumption or internet estimate. This was strategy linked investing mapped into outcomes.

What Made This Different

Earlier, Kunal had tried multiple calculators. Some asked him to assume returns. Some showed unrealistic projections. Some were clearly designed to sell products. But here, the logic was different.

Returns were not arbitrary. They were linked to actual DSIJ strategies based on researched, disciplined investing. For Kunal, this changed everything. This wasn’t just a tool. This was a bridge between strategy and outcome.

The Real Insight Came Next

He started changing inputs. Not returns but time. 

From 10 years → 7 years

The final value dropped sharply.

From 10 years → 15 years

The value jumped disproportionately

That’s when the real insight hit: Compounding is not linear, it accelerates with time. Most wealth is created in the later years and most investors exit before reaching there.

The Mistake Most Investors Make

Kunal realised his biggest mistake wasn’t wrong stock selection. It was an inconsistency. Like most investors, he had been: Starting and stopping investments, Reacting to market corrections, Waiting for the right time and Booking profits too early. All of this breaks compounding. Because compounding rewards only one thing: Consistency over time.

From Guesswork to Strategy

The calculator didn’t tell him which stock to buy. But it did something more powerful. It showed him:

• What a disciplined strategy can deliver
• How time impacts outcomes
• Why starting early matters more than anything else

For the first time, investing stopped feeling random. It became structured.

Why This Matters More Than Ever

Today, investors are flooded with: Stock tips, Short-term trades and Social media noise. But very few actually ask: If I stay disciplined, what will my money become? That’s the gap this tool fills.​

It doesn’t sell you a dream. It shows you a path backed by strategy, data and time.

The Shift in Kunal’s Approach

Nothing dramatic changed overnight. But something fundamental did. He stopped guessing. He started planning. He fixed a monthly investment. Aligned it with a strategy and committed to time. Because now, he had clarity.

Final Thought

Most investors don’t fail because of markets. They fail because they don’t understand: What they’re aiming for, how long it takes, what discipline actually delivers and once that clarity comes, behavior changes.

Kunal still doesn’t know where the market will go next month. But he knows something far more valuable: If he stays invested, follows a disciplined strategy and gives time to compounding wealth creation is not luck. It becomes a process and that process starts with one simple calculation. 

Your Turn

Before your next investment decision, do one thing: Run your numbers with a strategy, not assumptions. Because in investing the biggest edge is not information. It is clarity.