Prajna Capital - An Investment Guide

Keeping multiple credit cards can be a great saving instrument, if used wisely and timely Young people thrive on credit cards. He has as many as seven credit cards of different banks and uses all of them very extensively. Apart from doing regular shopping, many pay for their electricity bill and all other sundry expenses using their cards. For all the cards they uses, he has not paid any interest on the credit availed of, thereby not allowing himself/herself to be harassed by banks for payment. And that’s why banks hate customers like them. Actually, credit card companies hate two types of customers — those who pay before due date of payments and those who don’t pay at all . So how do they actually manage free credit every month to finance his purchases. There is surely no magic working for him. It’s just that he knows the art of managing multiple credit cards efficiently. What he does is simple. He meticulously makes a purchase a day after his statement is generated. For example, ...

Keeping multiple credit cards can be a great saving instrument, if used wisely and timely Young people thrive on credit cards. He has as many as seven credit cards of different banks and uses all of them very extensively. Apart from doing regular shopping, many pay for their electricity bill and all other sundry expenses using their cards. For all the cards they uses, he has not paid any interest on the credit availed of, thereby not allowing himself/herself to be harassed by banks for payment. And that’s why banks hate customers like them. Actually, credit card companies hate two types of customers — those who pay before due date of payments and those who don’t pay at all. So how do they actually manage free credit every month to finance his purchases. There is surely no magic working for him. It’s just that he knows the art of managing multiple credit cards efficiently. What he does is simple. He meticulously makes a purchase a day after his statement is generated. For example, if...

If you delay informing the bank, you may end up with a huge balance. Unless, of course, you have covered the card against fraud WHAT’S the first thing you should do if you lose your credit card? Just call up the bank’s 24 hour call centre and deactivate the card. This should take precedence even over your attempt to track your wallet in the lost trail. This is because very few banks in India offer protection against fraudulent use of credit cards. Of course, you can breathe a little easy if your bank insures your lost card from any misuse. Standard Chartered Bank, for instance, has tied up with Tata AIG General Insurance Company to launch the ‘Plus Extended Protection Plan’ last week. This product, which has to be bought separately, will cover the card customers from any possible fraudulent use of the cards prior to reporting the loss. “We receive several lost card reports in a month. The product will ensure protection to our customers against any fraudulent use. The insuranc...

Credit cards don't just substitute for cash, they can also earn you reward points. And you, too, can tap the monetary value of the points collected on your card. How to accumulate points? Every time you swipe your credit card to make a purchase, you collect reward points. Typically, you get one point per Rs 100-250 spent. This, however, depends on the card and the bank. For instance, banks offer more points on co-branded cards. State Bank of India gives one point per Rs 40 spent on its Gold Card and eight points per Rs 100 on its co-branded Tata Card. The value of each reward point also varies across credit cards and banks. The value of a point can be anywhere between 30 paise to a rupee and is also a function of the merchant partner in case of co-branded cards. For example, the value of one point on the SBI Gold Card is 70 paise, while it is Re 1 on the SBI-Tata Card. The limitation with most accelerated reward points on co-branded cards, however, is that they can be redeemed only...

IF ONLY life were as good as the ads portrayed it to be. You could travel to exotic locations, shop till you drop, indulge in the choicest delicacies — with nothing but that sleek plastic card in your wallet. In fact, freedom is the trump card that credit card companies always play up to sell their gold, silver and platinum cards. However, the reality is that when you come back home from that fancy vacation or shopping spree, at your doorstep will lie a bill that, as much as you try, you cannot wish away. And if you’re not the kind of person who cares for detail — remembers where or when you spent what — chances are that you may be paying more than you actually spent. To help you guard against fraudulent activities by credit card issuers (generally banks and NBFCs), COMMON ACHES If you’re one of those who haven’t given this a thought, here is a chance for you to find out if you are being victimised or not. You need to know that no bank has the right to forcibly issue a credit card. ...

IN AN economic slowdown, when the salaries are either on a freeze or going south - every penny counts. This is, in fact, a good time to review the loyalty programmes that retail chains, credit card companies and banks have on offer. If used wisely, these programmes can make purchases weigh lighter on your wallet and can even bring you a gift or two occasionally. But to use loyalty programmes to the best of your advantage, you need to plan a bit. To begin, you must compare the value of the rewards against your spend. The value of points can be calculated by checking worth of the reward against spends made to earn that reward. Therefore, you should chose a programme offering higher reward earning potential. You must also compare the minimum number of points required for rewards. A programme that offers one point per Rs 100 spend and rewards start at 2,000 points, for example, is a better deal than one that offers two points per Rs 100 spent and rewards start at 20,000 points. Bu...

PRUDENT saving and smart investing may be important for building your portfolio and creating a huge-nest egg, but assuming them to be the only keys to accumulating wealth is akin to financial hara-kiri. For, in the absence of a good debt strategy, the financial planning for your secured future can not only get topsy-turvy but awfully wobbly as well. Debt management, in fact, assumes more importance in the light of the fact that today debt has become a way of our lives, with consumer finance schemes and credit cards becoming big drivers of this devil. Rising disposable incomes, soaring aspirations and convenience in availing credit have increased the amount of debt that an average individual is carrying. In the US, for instance, the household debt-to-income ratio is said to have reached an all-time high, topping 19%, with Americans collectively spending more than what they have earned for the past two years in a row. Likewise, the latest Grant Thornton research shows that personal ...

Credit cards offer both convenience and benefits. Careful use can enable you to manage your budget and save. That piece of plastic in your wallet can be a blessing, depending on how you use it. It can get you great deals. It can let you monitor your spending and thus help with budgeting. It can be a saviour in a cash emergency. A credit card not only lets you shop on- and offline, but also lets you earn rewards and discounts. That's the reason most middle-class people have credit cards. There are several other advantages. A credit card is easier to carry in your wallet than hard cash, you get interest-free credit for around 45 days - one of the biggest benefits your credit card offers you - and a family member can get a free add-on card. Cash when you need it Making big-ticket purchases is easy with a credit card. You don't even need to pay the entire amount at one go. You can convert it into equated monthly instalments. But there's a price to pay - an interest rat...

Financial planners and bankers point out that poor credit management is becoming a common occurrence. Currently, gross domestic savings is at 30 percent of the gross domestic product. But an increasing number of families are going in for easy credit without looking at the repercussions. Why debt counselling? Sloppy credit assessment, the availability of easy credit, and a low level of public awareness about the financial implications of credit options are making indebtedness a serious concern. Throw in the increasing preoccupation with an affluent lifestyle, and the scenario gets bleaker. Many also borrow to speculate in stocks, realty and even to outright gamble. People are used to a 20-25 percent increase in annual income. But what happens if there's a slowdown? Over commitments can get you in trouble. The entire family might pay the price, through domestic disharmony. This is why debt counselling - a common service in the developed world - has become an urgent requirement ...

It's interesting how laying hands on investment-related advice, i.e. the 'dos and don'ts' of investing, is rather easy nowadays. However, there is little information available on how to make the most of one's money. Following some rather elementary tips can go a long way in not only saving money, but also deriving maximum benefit from it. Perhaps it's the demanding nature of our everyday chores that make us overlook these tips. In this article, we discuss 4 tips that will help you make the most of your money. 1. Do not allow your money to lazy Leaving money languishing in a savings bank account is akin to committing a cardinal sin in financial terms. At best, a conventional savings bank account can fetch an annual return of around 3.50%. The smarter thing to do is to put that money to use by gainfully investing it. Of course, a provision needs to be made for contingencies. However, all monies over and above that should be invested. For example, you could consid...

1. The salary (basic + DA) should be low. The rest should come by way of such allowances on which the employer pays FBT and you don't pay any tax thereon. 2. Interest paid on housing loan is deductible u/s 24 up to Rs 1.5 lakh (Rs 150,000) on self-occupied property and without any limit on a commercial or rented house. 3. The repayment of housing loan from specified sources is also deductible irrespective of whether the house is self-occupied or given on rent within the overall ceiling of Rs 1 lakh of Sec. 80C. 4. Where the accommodation provided to the employee is taken on lease by the employer, the perk value is the actual amount of lease rental or 20 per cent of the salary, whichever is lower. Understandably, if the house belongs to a family member who is at a low or nil tax zone the family benefits. Yes, the maximum benefit accrues when the rent is over 20 per cent of the salary. 5. A chauffeur driven motor car provided by the employer has no perk value. True, the company would...

Using toy piggy banks and cash registers, while older kids can learn to manage cash and pretend to be real estate moguls by playing Monopoly. To get a taste of trading stocks and mutual funds, there are online games and contests, as well as investment clubs. The first step for parents, say financial planners, is to start talking about money matters at home. “Having conversations about money at a young age lays a good foundation. With the right lessons and planning, your kids, as they grow older, may be able to avoid money traps like getting deep in debt from those alluring but deceptive Credit Card offers and embrace sound strategies as they save for big purchases such as graduate school, car, and a home. A PENNY SAVED IS A PENNY EARNED Parents can start teaching kids about earning money as early as elementary school, Silverman says. Set a weekly or monthly allowance for chores done around the house, and offer extra for helping neighbors and performing other tasks. Then show your kids...

DON’T give out your credit card number(s) online unless the site is a secure and reputable site. Sometimes a tiny icon of a padlock appears to symbolise a higher level of security to transmit data. This icon is not a guarantee of a secure site, but might provide you some assurance. Don’t trust a site just because it claims to be secure. Make sure you are purchasing merchandise from a reputable source. Make sure the transaction is secure when you electronically send your credit card number. Do your homework on the individual or company to ensure that they are genuine. If you are making online purchase from a previously unknown seller, try to obtain the physical address rather than a post office box and a phone number. Call the seller to see if the number is correct and working. Do not buy from sellers who won’t provide you with this type of information. Don’t judge a person/company by their website. Be cautious when responding to special offers (especially through unsolicited e-mail). B...

Everybody cautions users about plastic money and debt traps, but if used intelligently, you could reap many benefits When they picked London as the destination for their summer holiday this year, Nina and Rajiv Malhotra had a plan in mind. They wanted to fly business class, stay in luxury hotels and have a blast in London, but they also were sure about keeping the trip a low budget affair. “It was a grand plan, but with meticulous planning it all fell into place,” says Rajiv, “most vacation plans start with saving months in advance, but ours started with spending. This might sound crazy but really what worked for us was transferring all our everyday expenses to our credit cards. This gave us enough reward points to convert them into Asia miles and get free tickets to London!” All expenses paid: Almost eight months in advance, they started using their credit card for everything, right from groceries, electricity bills, phone bills, insurance premiums, petrol bills and even donation to c...