Wealth isn’t just in your bank account. It’s in your relationships

OpinionMoney contributorSeptember 1, 2026 — 3:03pmSeptember 1, 2026 — 3:03pmRight now, I’m in India, sitting in the humid heat of the last weeks of the monsoon.I’ve spent most of my life in Australia and have only been back to India a handful of times. My last trip was over a decade ago. Yet, it all feels oddly familiar – from the chaotic roads where cows, rickshaws and cars somehow co-exist and the sprawling bazaars where haggling is an art form, to relatives who insist their home is your home even if you’re meeting for the first time.Things that are ordinary in one culture are totally foreign in the other.GettyGrowing up in two cultures is an interesting experience. It makes you realise that so much of what we consider normal is not universal at all. Things that are ordinary in one culture are totally foreign in the other. This is also true for how we relate to wealth.Often, we think of wealth as somewhat universal. After all, the core financial foundations are universally applicable – whether you’re in India or Africa, compound interest works the same way. But wealth is also deeply cultural. This doesn’t just change how you think and feel about wealth – it changes how you build it. Here are some examples of what I mean.Individual versus collectiveIn Australia, we value independence and self-sufficiency. We encourage children to stand on their own as soon as possible – get a job, move out, create an independent life. The money you earn is yours – you earn it, save it, invest it and build wealth for yourself.In many parts of Indian culture, wealth may be yours – but that wealth might also be seen as belonging to the broader familial ecosystem around you. Your parents took care of you, and now that you’re earning, you are now in a position to take care of them.When you start applying a cultural lens to wealth, it challenges a lot of what we consider normal – and even good practice.This isn’t just an obligation or duty. It’s a symbiotic, interdependent relationship in which you are contributing to the collective unit from which you continue to receive support.You start paying for some bills or chip in for your sister’s wedding – but your mum still cooks for you, your dad helps you manage your investments, and your brother helps look after your kids.There is an awareness that the sum is greater than its parts; that there are forms of support that can’t be easily quantified or compensated for; and that your individual prosperity exists within a larger ecosystem.Through an individualistic lens, this can seem harder on the individual – to financially support others within the family, to accommodate and navigate their financial expectations.However, it can make life easier when it’s not all on you – life becomes a team effort.Financial versus social capitalWe were about to walk into the section of the bazaar that sold shoes. My cousin stopped to tell me: “Everything here is overpriced, by at least 50 per cent. So, haggling hard is a must.” If I was on my own, I would never have known. It took some insider knowledge.An insider’s knowledge is useful when shopping at an Indian bazaar.Getty ImagesIn Australia, we outsource a lot of our trust to formal systems and processes: prices are displayed, regulations set minimum standards, consumer laws offer protections.In many parts of India, particularly the more informal economy, those processes and systems are more opaque and malleable. Many small businesses have no website or formal terms and conditions, and don’t issue receipts or sign contracts. Legal recourse can be a time-intensive and procedurally difficult process. It’s often not worth it.So here, since you can’t always rely on the “system”, it becomes even more important to be able to rely on people. This requires a higher investment into relationship and community building.Your friend’s cousin is coming to the country, so you offer to show them around. The brother of your cousin’s wife is in town, so you insist he stays at your place. Your high-school friend’s nephew is in some legal trouble, and so you call up your sister-in-law who is an experienced lawyer.This is not a calculated move with the expectation of some future benefit. It comes from a genuine orientation towards family, hospitality and community – but inevitably, over time you build a powerful network of people who are willing to go out of their way for one another.Here, the wealth isn’t just in the bank account – it’s in your relationships.When you start applying a cultural lens to wealth, it challenges a lot of what we consider normal – and even good practice. Is wealth about greed or materialism? Or is it, as seen in some Asian cultures, something of a blessing, something auspicious?Is receiving financial support from your parents something to feel guilty about – or is it just a normal part of sharing resources within a bigger familial unit? The question isn’t whether one perspective is better or worse, right or wrong. The question is: does the cultural lens you’re viewing wealth through serve you and your vision for your life?Paridhi Jain is a money and mindset coach who combines practical strategies with mindset transformation to help clients create more freedom and fulfilment in wealth, work and life. Find Paridhi at: skilledsmart.com.auAdvice given in this article is general in nature and is not intended to influence readers’ decisions about investing or financial products. They should always seek their own professional advice that takes into account their own personal circumstances before making any financial decisions.Expert tips on how to save, invest and make the most of your money delivered to your inbox every Sunday. Sign up for our Real Money newsletter.From our partners