Money. That's what drives everyone in the final analysis, whether in the glamour world of acting or the hard grind of scripting and producing. Cashin' In sits down with TV celebs to know well they handle their financial matters, and tracks their spending patterns. Chaitanya Chaudhary, the faultless and well-groomed dude, isn't quite as laid back as he looks. Behind the casual demeanour lies a scrupulous mind that plans carefully and invests wisely. Cahitanya who is currently seen in Sangaam (Star Plus) tells us how he manages his finances. How important is money for you? Money is the important factor when it comes to living a good lifestyle. The luxury of life can be enjoyed by money only, thus it becomes a necessity. Are you an impulsive buyer? Not exactly. I’m a very careful player. I think a lot before buying anything. Especially when it comes to gadgets, I do a lot of planning. For instance, I never pick up a mobile phone casually. I guess it’s because I am from a service background, and my thinking and spending is restricted. So that circumspection is inbuilt in me. And that’s why I like to play it safe. What are the investments you have made? I have invested money in Mutual Funds, public provident funds and the Post Office. I invest in shares only when some interesting issue comes up. I have life insurance and mediclaim. I think investing in this is much safer than in shares. Most expensive thing you have bought for yourself? My car, a Skoda Do you feel financially secure? A person can never feel financially secure. Insecurities are always there but I feel in a couple of years I will be leading a happy and sound financial life. Who handles your expenses? Mutual funds and bonds are paid for by me whereas electricity bills, etc are taken care of by my dad. What was your first salary? What did you do with it? My first salary was eight thousand rupees and I gave it to my mom. How much money do you carry everyday? I don’t carry a lot of money as I’m shooting whole day. As there is a risk of losing it I carry around five hundred bucks. Besides that I have my credit cards. The new budget will soon be announced. Any suggestions? The taxes keep on increasing that should not happen. TDS should also not increase and the car tax should also not be increased. It’s already 11% and that’s enough. Let the car lover buy some more cars. A word of advice when investing money It’s better to play safe by investing money in mutual funds as the risk is minimum. It is more advisable to first strengthen your bonds and insurances and then opt for the share market.