Unfortunately, there is no magic number. As with most things with personal finance, the answer will vary across borrower families. Yes, the banks cap fixed obligations to income ratio (FOIR) at 40-50% as a safe bet and to ensure that you don’t overborrow. Fixed obligation to income ratio (FOIR) = Total EMI outgo including the… Continue Reading
You are shopping for clothes at a nearby mall. At the checkout counter, you have an option of taking a personal loan from an NBFC or swiping your credit card. You would most likely swipe your credit card. It is not about filling up a form for the loan and spending 10 minutes to close… Continue Reading
For an expensive online purchase, do you pay in full or take the benefit of an EMI scheme? Depending on the range of credit cards you have and the ongoing offers, you may have the following options during checkout: Full upfront payment. Full upfront payment with discount. Interest-EMI without discount: The EMIs add an interest… Continue Reading
Debt is not evil. In fact, if used responsibly, debt can be extremely useful. Yes, taking on debt involves additional cost in the form of interest. Clearly not desirable but that’s just the cost of capital. If you are using your own funds for purchase, consider the possibility that those funds could have been invested… Continue Reading
Have you come across a friend or a colleague who cannot keep a check on monthly credit card expenses and struggles to come to terms with the size of the card bill? Vows to keep expenses under check from next month, but the story keeps repeating. I am sure you have. You wonder why. They… Continue Reading
Your daughter studies in a different city. You transfer money to her bank account every month for her regular expenses. Or whenever she asks for it. UPI payments are accepted everywhere, and she has no problems getting by. She conveniently makes payments from her favorite UPI app for her purchases. Now, imagine she needs Rs… Continue Reading
There are two schools of thought on borrowing. Both are right in their own way. Don’t borrow. Don’t waste your money on EMIs. Debt is evil. Invest for your financial goals, grow your money, and enjoy only when you have enough money. OR Money can be earned later too, but the time won’t come back.… Continue Reading
A common answer is 35-40% of the net take home salary. If you search on the internet, you will get an answer in a similar range. The banks may also have internal guidelines where they may not let your loan EMIs exceed a certain percentage of your net salary. When it comes to financial planning,… Continue Reading
This sounds a bit strange since we usually associate credit cards with overspending and incurring unnecessary debt, which leads to financial strain and difficulty in managing finances. Then, how do credit cards figure here? Well, credit cards can be quite useful if you use them wisely and responsibly. Let’s first look at a question to… Continue Reading
For many of us, a new year starts with resolutions. And these resolutions can encompass a wide range of areas such as physical health, financial wealth, personal spirituality, and relationships. What are your resolutions for the new year? Well, you don’t have to tell us but make a concerted effort to see them through to… Continue Reading