Use a credit card to help you with your budgeting. Well, this does not look like the best idea in the world and for a reason. We usually associate credit card with extravagance and splurging. How can such a product be part of the budgeting solution? It can be, if used the right way. Why?… Continue Reading
Do you struggle to control your expenses? Do you feel your long-term goals are getting compromised because of your inability to limit spending? If yes, this is a serious problem. When you spend irresponsibly, you are borrowing from your future. If you spend too much now, you won’t have much to spend in the future.… Continue Reading
The events of the past 12 months and scary experience of many patients and their family members has highlighted the importance of adequate health insurance and a robust emergency fund. Many have lost jobs or received a salary cut. A robust emergency can be helpful in such cases. Not only that, but it can be… Continue Reading
Have you received messages from your bank that the standing instructions on your credit card will not be honoured from April 1, 2021? And that you must make payments to the service providers/merchants directly. Thus, if you have automated your payments to streaming service providers (Netflix, Disney Hotstar, Sony Liv etc) or for utility payments… Continue Reading
The Reserve Bank of India has issued master directions for Digital Payment Security Controls in its circular dated Feb 18, 2021. Among other things, the intent is to provide greater security to customers in digital transactions (internet, mobile banking, card transactions etc). The rules come into force in July 2021. The directions apply to the… Continue Reading
Paytm has launched a feature where you can pay your house rent using your credit card. Usually, we pay house rent through cheques or direct bank transfers. No credit involved. The credit card feature is interesting. From Paytm’s perspective, this feature makes good sense. House rent payment is one of the biggest monthly recurring payments.… Continue Reading
I am a bit paranoid about using credit cards online. Therefore, I prefer to use wallets (such as PayTM) or UPI on new sites or the sites I do not trust much. A problem with this approach is that you cannot use wallets or UPI on international websites. In addition, there are a few minor… Continue Reading
Many of us are worried about fraudulent transactions on our credit card or debit cards. And why not? We keep hearing or reading about new and innovative ways of perpetrating card and UPI frauds on unsuspecting account holders. While the fraudsters are usually a step ahead of us and the regulations, a little bit of… Continue Reading
If you shop regularly from Flipkart or Amazon website/apps, you must already be aware of the instant discount and No-cost EMI offers. These e-tailers run such promotions regularly to attract buyers. In case of an instant discount, if you use a specific credit card or debit card for payment, you get an upfront discount. Suppose… Continue Reading
My current credit card expired recently and I was issued a fresh card by the bank. An interesting thing about the new card was the it permitted contactless transactions. Call me paranoid but I was not very comfortable with the contactless feature. I asked the bank to switch off the feature but the bank declined.… Continue Reading