Should I choose tax-saving investments or higher take-home salary?

It depends on whether you will actually use the higher take-home wisely, or it will just disappear in monthly spending. If you are disciplined and already investing regularly, choosing the option that gives higher take-home (often the new tax regime for many people) can be fine because you keep flexibility and invest where you want, when you want. But if you know you won’t invest unless it’s “forced”, then tax-saving investments under the old regime can make sense because they lock your habit and reduce tax at the same time. Simple check: if you can comfortably use deductions like 80C (and home loan interest, if applicable) without stretching your budget, the old regime plus tax-saving investments is usually worth it. If you don’t have enough deductions, or cash flow is tight, then higher take-home is better, bas ensure you redirect that extra money into SIP or savings automatically. End of the day, tax saving is good, but the real win is steady investing and not letting “extra salary” become extra kharcha.