Rising fixed costs—high EMIs, elevated rents, and lifestyle-linked obligations—also shrink financial buffers. A sudden job loss, medical emergency, or economic downturn can quickly turn a high earner into a financially stressed individual, forcing reliance on high-interest debt or the premature liquidation of investments at unfavourable prices. Chasing an ever-higher lifestyle often locks people into working merely to sustain their spending, pushing financial freedom further out of reach.
