INDIA, Nov. 28 -- There was a time when "lifestyle" stories revolved around fashion labels, travel itineraries, or the newest restaurant in town. But the past few years have triggered a subtle, intelligent shift: people are beginning to treat financial stability as the ultimate luxury. Behind the social-media sparkle and weekend escapes lies a deeper insight into how India's urban population is reshaping its everyday decisions around money-not out of fear, but out of aspiration.

The pandemic may have accelerated this transition, but it is the economic volatility of recent years that has cemented it. Rising living costs, unpredictable job markets, and a steady push toward self-funded ambitions have made personal finance a central lifestyl...