Neha Nagar wants to help people take control of their financial future through her debut book

Finance educator and content creator Neha Nagar recently launched her debut book Simple Money Serious Wealth: How to Turn Ordinary Income into Extraordinary Net Worth. 

Nagar, who has been in the finance field for over a decade and in content creation for about seven years, decided to don the role of an author when she realised that, while people in India know more about money today than earlier, they aren’t necessarily good at managing it. 

“Almost everyone has watched a video on SIPs, insurance or tax-saving. They have information, but they don't have a structure. People start investing with excitement, but when markets fall or an unexpected expense comes up, they stop. Often, it's because they never had a plan behind that investment,” Nagar tells YourStory.  

While a social media platform helps disseminate information, it has its structural limitations. A book, on the other hand, gives the author the space to explain an entire concept elaborately. 

“We wanted to help people build their own financial plan, choose products that actually suit their lives, and understand how to structure their money better. For me, social media can introduce people to money. But this book is about teaching them how to manage it,” says the New Delhi-based author. 

Her debut book Simple Money Serious Wealth was published on October 24. It sold over 3,000 copies in the first 24 hours, according to a post on the author's Instagram account. 

“At a bookstore in the city, we saw people in the 60–70 years age group picking up the book. Some were buying it for themselves, while others wanted it for their children and grandchildren. We also saw students, young professionals, working women, and parents,” she says. 

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Educating a nation of billions

While embarking upon the book project, Nagar thought that having explained finance through videos for seven years, writing a book would be a piece of cake. But she soon realised that was not the case. 

“A book has to work even when the author isn’t around. In my videos, if someone doesn't understand something, they can leave a comment and I can respond. But when someone is reading a book alone, every step has to be clear,” says Nagar, who was recognised by Hurun India as India's most-followed female personal finance influencer in 2025. 

The creator-turned-author believes India is still far away from reaching financial literacy. There are many reasons for this, she says.  

One, our education system never teaches students how to manage salary, calculate insurance requirements, save taxes, or plan for retirement. 

The second reason is that money isn’t discussed openly in many Indian households. “So, one goes from never being made aware of finance to suddenly stumbling upon an information overload on social media. That transition makes it very hard for people to identify needful information from noise,” she elaborates.

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The ultimate reason is fear, says Nagar. Many Indians still associate the stock market with gambling. Due to this notion, they do not make attempts to understand different investment options, and a lot of money remains in savings accounts without a clear purpose.

“My goal with Simple Money Serious Wealth is to help people understand their own money, make informed decisions, and take control of their financial future. Because financial independence isn’t just about how much you earn; it’s about how confidently you can manage what you earn,” she says.

Edited by Swetha Kannan