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Should you or should you not – shift lenders?

In these times of stiff competition among different lenders, it is observed that there has always been an effort made by each of them to make a difference. An interest rate differential is one such example we could use. This factor surely plays an important role in your Equated Monthly Instalments (EMI) payments and your choice of lender. As there is a difference in the interest rates offered by different lenders, an existing borrower is lured to shift to a lender who quotes a lower interest rate…

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Why isn’t your “Income” a part of your Credit Score?

Race, religion, gender, nationality, marital status and employment history do not impact credit scores.  It is because these factors do not help in assessing the credit worthiness of an individual. In several countries it is not legal to use these factors to calculate credit scores. Another much debated factor is “income”. Yes, income does not impact your “credit score” but it could impact your “credit worthiness”. Whilst the bank would be interested in knowing your income in your loan application form, it is not included in the credit…

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How many Credit Cards should you have?

In today’s age and time everyone holds a credit card; well almost everyone! Whilst it is a convenient option for many of us….strangely it is also a “cool” option for few! Flaunting a wallet with different credit cards in a party or at a shopping mall is definitely looked upon as “cool”. But how many credit cards should you hold? How many credit cards make you “cool”? “One size fits all” solution does not work here. So a working professional can hold 2 cards and…

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Have you tried “Envelope Budgeting”!

Hi! How are you? Summers are here! What better season and reason to go on a holiday with family & friends. I have planned my trip to London…how about you? I have been planning this trip from a long time and had also set aside a budget. This time I used a simple technique…called the “Envelope budget” and trust me it helped me keep a tidy budget… Here is how you can go about with “Envelope Budget” First rule…

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God has no credit history!

Hi How have you been? So, wouldn’t it be a fair assumption that all human beings have credit history, provided she has borrowed. What about God then? Does he have a credit history too? Strangely, the answer seems to be yes! Well, that is what God Gazarov seems to be saying. God Gazarov, a Brooklyn based businessman was falsely reported for having no credit history. The fact although remains that he does have one. As a result God could not purchase his…

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What is the credit history of your candidate?

Hi How have you been? Election fever is here and we are going to be a part of this history. Technically, the future of India is in our hands...well at least as far as the next 5 years are concerned. But how much do we know about our candidate? Internet giant Google recently launched a new tool to facilitate citizens to access relevant information about various candidates. Credit obsessed as I am, I…

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Credit to today’s woman!

If you look around, you will find strong, independent, successful women featuring in various lists of “Most powerful women” in the country. And it’s true, you see more women climbing the corporate ladder, more women entrepreneurs. If you look around further, you will also find numerous articles and research talking about how women tend to be more financially disciplined than men. But then again, it’s almost a “fact” that they spend more on “unplanned” shopping sprees. Nothing wrong with that, but at the end of the day,…

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Credit Counselling – The Third eye to your Financial Planning

The third eye is said to be the eye of insight - an eye that provides a vision beyond the ordinary. So is Credit Counselling a Third Eye to your Financial Planning? Well we will find out! The concept of Financial Planning is surely better known than Credit Counselling. But let me begin with decoding each concept…step by step! Financial Planning, at its simplest can be defined as a process wherein a Financial Planner would examine your current financial situation, understand future financial goals and then develop…

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How do you manage your debt?

Follow these simple 5 steps and you will always have no debt stress or find yourself in a debt trap. Step 1…Know what you OWE To make sure that you don’t miss your payments and to maintain good credit history and a good credit score, figure out exactly how much do you owe, to whom and how much. Keep a record of all your loans and credit cards, including information such as: Account / card number, lender/card provider, type of debt (housing loan, auto loan,…

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Do you need credit counselling?

Let me start with identifying the symptoms that would help you recognize the need for credit counselling • Rejection of a loan / credit card application • Poor credit history • Low credit score • Cash strapped due to obligations • Debt trap Is your answer to any of the above symptoms a “YES”? Undoubtedly most of us would believe that credit counselling is required when…

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