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The Real Cost of Delaying Your SIP

Written by Amit Shah®November 10, 20253 min read

We often hear the saying, “It’s not about timing the market, but time in the market.” Yet, when it comes to investing, many people hesitate — waiting for the “right time” to start their SIP (Systematic Investment Plan). Ironically, this hesitation can cost more than any market correction ever will.

In investing, delay has a price tag, and it’s far higher than most people imagine.

⏳ The Power of Starting Early

The magic of compounding works silently but relentlessly. Every month you delay, you lose a month of compounding — and that loss grows exponentially over time.

Let’s take a simple example.

If you invest ₹10,000 per month in an SIP that earns an average of 12% annually:

  • In 20 years, you’ll accumulate around ₹99 lakh.

  • If you delay starting by just 5 years, you’ll accumulate only ₹53 lakh.

That’s ₹46 lakh lost — not because of bad returns, but because of inaction.

In other words, the cost of waiting 5 years to start your SIP is nearly half your future wealth.

That’s the real cost of delay.

💸 Inflation Doesn’t Wait — So Why Should You?

Every year you delay investing, your money’s purchasing power quietly erodes. Inflation eats away at your savings faster than you realize.

A cup of coffee that cost ₹100 a few years ago may now cost ₹180. Your income may have risen, but so have your expenses — and so has the price of every dream you’re chasing: your child’s education, a bigger home, or early retirement.

By not investing, you’re letting inflation run ahead of you — while you’re standing still.

🧠 The Psychology Behind the Delay

Most people don’t delay because they don’t want to invest. They delay because they’re waiting for certainty.
But in markets — just like in life — certainty never arrives.

Some wait for a bonus, others for the markets to “stabilize.” Some think, “I’ll start when I have more money.” Yet ironically, those who start with less but start early often end up far ahead.

A ₹5,000 monthly SIP started at age 25 beats a ₹10,000 SIP started at 35.
Because time beats timing — every single time.

🚀 SIPs: The Discipline of Wealth Creation

A Systematic Investment Plan is more than a product — it’s a habit of financial discipline.
It lets you invest small amounts regularly, removes emotional decision-making, and automatically buys more when prices fall and less when they rise.

In other words, SIPs turn market volatility into your advantage.
They build wealth not through luck, but through consistency.

💬 A Thought to Leave You With

Imagine two friends — both earning the same salary.
One starts an SIP at 25; the other waits till 35 because “it’s never the right time.”
At 45, one has created a significant investment corpus; the other has regret.
The difference isn’t luck, markets, or income.
It’s simply the decision to start.

✅ The Best Time to Start

The best time to start an SIP was yesterday.
The next best time is today.

Your goals, dreams, and responsibilities are not waiting. Neither should your money.
Whether you start with ₹1,000 or ₹10,000 — what matters is starting now.

Because in investing, every delay costs you — not in rupees, but in time.
And time, once gone, never compounds.

#InvestSmart #SIP #FinancialFreedom #WealthCreation #PersonalFinance #MutualFunds #Wylth

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