Everything you need to know about booking movie tickets online

Have you tried to book movie tickets at the theatre only to find that they were sold out? Or you wanted some particular seats but were unable to find them. Admittedly, we all have been through this ordeal.   You do not have to wait in the lines anymore to book your favourite seats or remember to purchase tickets at the last minute. If you cannot go to the movie theatre, get the theatre on your fingertips.  Yes, online movie ticket booking has made this distant dream into a reality. 

It is not just a time-saving option but also affordable. 
So, how can you get movie tickets online?

1) Mobile apps: Every theatre today have their mobile apps. They are user-friendly and allow you to book tickets before the movies hit the multiplexes. You can also select the show timings as per your convenience and choose your kind of seats. You can also book the tickets even in the 11th hour. You then have websites like PayZapp and Paytm offering deals and discounts on movie tickets often.

2) Websites: If you are not too comfortable with smartphones, you can always resort to the web portals. Even here you will find movie show timings, your choice of seats and a list of upcoming movies. You can also  use your wallet offers and other credit/debit cards deals for payments. One major benefit of getting online movie tickets through the website is that you get to compare the prices and show timings conveniently.

What are the requirements for acquiring movie tickets online?

You will need to keep your coupons, in case of an offer on the tickets or debit/credit card handy. When you head to the movie theatre, you will have to provide your PAN card as an ID proof. Even Aadhaar works in certain places. 

What perks do you receive through          online movie ticket booking?      

The benefits of booking tickets online are:

1) Buying movie tickets online leads to less stress, and you can avoid those long lines
2) You can get the desired seats as these portals show you  live seating arrangement inside the screen of the theatre
3) You can choose the kind of movie genre that you wish to watch from a wide array of movie list  
4) You have the freedom to select the movie timings as per your schedule. You can see  the availability on the same in other theatres and compare the pricing as well
5) There is no hassle in cancellation of movie tickets under unforeseen circumstances. You receive the refund in few hours
6) There is no age limitation as everybody can access movie tickets online
7) You can gift your movie tickets to someone like your family member, friends, etc.

With a plethora of options and benefits, go ahead and book  online movie tickets right away!

Tips On How To Secure Mobile Banking Transactions

The internet has now become one of the most paces to send money online instantly today. Because it has become so popular that it has become a target for thieves and criminals as the number of people using these platforms, is increasing at a rapid rate. As days pass, the number of things posing as threats to mobile internet banking, and net banking apps, keeps increasing. To minimise this, financial institutions are making it their priority to safeguard their customers’ sensitive information. But it is imperative for every user to take measures to secure their mobile banking transactions. Basic knowledge on how to operate computers, and use the internet, is all one needs after all!

Some of the ways to secure your mobile banking transactions are:

1.    Don’t click on random links
Firstly, when it comes to internet banking, make sure all the transactions are conducted only through the company’s registered e-banking app or through the institution’s official website. To go to the official website, type in the web address or URL rather than clicking on links received in emails. These might redirect the user to a fraudulent website resembling that of the banks. The login page of the bank’s official site is a secured one, which means that a padlock or unbroken key symbol will appear in the browser when the original site is accessed. Additionally, the bank’s address will change from http to https when the connection is secure.
If pop-ups appear when accessing the bank’s page, make sure to log out immediately.

2.    Clear browser and cache information regularly
Once a page has been accessed, it gets saved in the browser history for quicker access, in case it needs to be revisited. At times, even confidential information like mobile internet banking passwords, are collected by the browser, so it is easier to auto-fill. Therefore, clearing the cache is an essential part of keeping internet banking details safe, as chances of somebody else viewing the information shared, will be lesser.

3.    Use secure networks
Many trusted companies provide good anti-viruses for mobile phones today. It is not advisable to use Wi-Fi that is left unlocked or is open and free for the public to use. For mobile banking, always use cellular data or secure Wi-Fi at a trusted location.

It is also advisable to use the OTP facility rather than the pin number, whenever possible, as this requires the updated phone number and email address, to go ahead with transactions.

Education loans- what it covers and the documents required

Every parent dreams of giving their children a complete, rounded education. After all, quality education is the key to attaining a successful life. It helps your children become financially independent and helps them pave their career paths. But, gaining a quality education costs a lot. Whether it is pre-schools or college education, parents have to shell out a lot of money. With the increasingly expensive fees of medical, engineering and business schools, students often turn to banks to get an education loan. Whether you opt for an education loan in India, or abroad, this is what it typically covers.

Tuition: The most important thing that the education loan covers is your college tuition fees. No matter what or where you choose to study, you have anywhere between four to eight semesters to complete the entire course. The loan covers the entire tuition fees of all the semesters and the bank decides whether to give you the amount in lump sum or semester wise.

Lodging and boarding: If you choose to attend a school in a different country, you can opt for an education loan for abroad, which will also cover the cost of your on-campus housing. This includes the dormitory cost and your meal plans. This is also applicable to students who wish to live off campus, as paying guests or in shared accommodations.

Fees: Fees constitute a large part of your education loan. Along with your tuition, you also have to pay some additional fees which include on-campus student services, student union fees, athletics, activities, counselling, transportation and technology and so on.

Books, equipment and other supplies: Textbooks and guides aren’t exactly inexpensive. Students end up spending a lot of money on textbooks. Other necessary supplies include notepads, folders, and drawing papers etc., which are needed for completing assignments. The bank education loan covers your books and supplies. Furthermore, it also includes equipment like engineering design boards, laptops, scientific calculators etc.

Travel: Students living off campus require allowance to cover their travel expenses to and from the college. This could include money for fuel for personal vehicles and public transport passes. Students who opt to live on campus can use the travel allowance during school breaks and other school-related travel expenses including visiting other schools for presentations, seminars etc.

Eligibility
To be eligible for an education loan, you must be a citizen of India. You must secure admission into a college or university recognized by a competent authority in India or abroad. You must also have completed your higher secondary schooling.

Documentation
Students applying for an education loan for abroad studies must provide the admission letter from the college or university, its fee structure and mark-sheets of all the latest degrees completed. Furthermore, you may have to provide collateral and/or the income documents, salary slips and income-tax returns of either the co-applicant parent or the guarantor.

Top 5 players in the online food ordering apps that curb your hunger

We can pay our utility and credit card bills online, we can recharge our phones through our smartphones, and now you can proudly say, ‘I have food delivered near me’ as well. Who would have thought that even food will get digitised! The internet has enhanced almost every necessity that is connected with our daily lives.

Food is one such aspect. Yes, food has become more of a service than a basic necessity. With the help of the food ordering apps you can check the restaurant reviews, learn about the nearby restaurants and you also get great deals on these hotels. It not just saves your time but also goes easy on your pockets.

Following is a list of 5 best online food order app in the country:

1) Foodpanda: It is a global food order app that operates in nearly 50 countries. The Indian app has more than 1 million downloads on Google Play and has continued to maintain a rating of 4.1. It is strategically placed in more than 100 cities in the country and delivers all sorts of cuisines, from biryani to burger to pasta. They do not have time restrictions and serve you at any point of the day. The best part of the foodpanda is their express delivery system. You are guaranteed to receive your food in 45 minutes. If your order is late beyond the stipulated time, you get 100 per cent cash back.

2) Zomato: They have changed the face of food ordering apps across the globe. Zomato, who started their services in 2008, have their networks spread across 24 countries and has more than 10 million downloads on Google Play. It is one of the most popular apps in the country currently. They run deals and offers, especially on weekends, so that you can enjoy sumptuous food with your family. You get to check restaurant reviews and ratings before heading to the best one in your locality. With their Zomato Gold Membership facility, consumers can enjoy complimentary food and drinks in high-end restaurants.

3) Swiggy: On the lines of Zomata came another player in the online food order app category, Swiggy. They launched in 2014 and have more than 5 million downloads on the Google Play. Its quality can be judged based on the 4.2 ratings on the Play Store. Swiggy allows you to track your order live  and they offer a 5 per cent discount on almost all meals.  Another unique selling point of Swiggy is that you can order even a single item from them. There is no limitation on the maximum food order amount.

4) Uber Eats: A new entrant in the food ordering apps section is Uber Eats. They were launched by the favourite cab service app, Uber.   They have a fast and straightforward user interface that makes them a must-have app on your smartphone.      At the moment, Uber Eats functions in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru. They deliver the food in 30 minutes. The best aspect of this app is that you can make payment via your Uber account.   You can, however,  make the payment via credit/debit card/net banking.       

5) FreshMenu: Another ‘delivery near me’ app that entered the market in 2014 offers quality food, made in their kitchen. They are known to deliver unique food items every day and is more like an online restaurant. They started their operations in Bengaluru and have now spread their networks to Mumbai, Delhi and Gurugram.  If you are looking for something different and healthy, FreshMenu is an ideal choice. 

These food ordering apps have become an essential part of our lives. They have changed our food eating habits and lifestyle drastically. Download them and relish different cuisines every day!

The Features of Mobile Banking

The use of a smartphone or any other cellular device, to perform financial tasks through the internet like monitoring the account balance, transferring funds, bill payments, etc. refers to mobile banking. This is available across mobiles – Androids, iPhones, Windows phones and Blackberry. It is the simplest way to allow users to transfer their funds from one account to another or from one bank to another, in a hassle-free way. E-banking apps are an easy way to connect users directly to the server for completing all banking tasks without using the web browser.

Some of the important features of mobile banking include:

1.    Create accounts easily
Previously, opening a new account was only possible at banks. Today, thanks to banking applications, one can complete the entire process at home or anywhere else. Depending on which bank it is, the enrollment process can take 10 or fewer minutes to fill. All one needs is have necessary details and to be able to send photocopies of these documents, as a means of identification.

Once the account has been created, creating a new account will be even more straightforward as all of the information has already been stored in the database. Therefore having and switching from multiple bank accounts is simple, with the help of mobile banking.

2.    Electronic bank statements
Bill statements can be annoying as it not only clogs up the mail but also is a waste of paper and end up lying around, becoming incredibly inconvenient. Switching to email statements saves time and space as the emails can be quickly deleted and if a hard copy is required, the bill can be printed out.

3.    Automatic bill payments
Most people pay multiple bills every month – telephone, mortgage, loans, utilities, etc. Most mobile banking apps allow all bills to be paid directly, at once, through the app. All that needs to be done, is the accounts need to be synced with your bank account, so there is one less thing to worry about and juggle with every month.

4.    Security alerts
One of the best reasons for using e-banking apps is how safe they are.  The app sends notifications to the registered phone number, that can be of utmost use when transactions are denied or incomplete, bill payment date is nearing, the bank balance is at a low, account details are changed or if there have been failed attempts to log into your account.

4 ways in which you can repay your gold loans

As Indians, we love our gold. No matter how crowded it gets, we like to purchase gold during festivals and important days like Akhsaya Tritiya and Dhanteras. But gold is much for than just a piece of jewellery. It is an investment that comes in handy and rescues us from financially troubling times. It is at such times that people trade their gold ornaments to get a loan. A loan that is availed by the pledging of gold ornaments in return for money is known as a gold loan, in which your ornaments serve as collateral. Here are 4 ways in which you can repay loans taken against gold.

Pay the interest as EMI and principal at maturity: One of the easiest ways to repay the loan is to choose an EMI schedule and use it to repay only the interest amount. Keep paying the monthly EMIs and pay the principal amount only on the loan’s maturity date. This is a great arrangement for borrowers as it gives then the time to come up with the principal amount, while reducing the stress on EMIs. As long as you don’t miss your monthly interest payments, your gold remains safe with the lender.

Choose to make payments partially: Another simple way of repaying your loan against gold is to make partial payments on both, the principal amount and the interest whenever you are able to. Such a loan repayment schedule does not require you to confirm to a set EMI schedule. This is a customer centric approach and both, partial and complete payment of principal and interest components is allowed. Also, repaying your principal initially, helps reduce the total interest pay-out that is typically calculated on a daily basis, on the outstanding amount of the loan.

Pay in regular EMIs: If you are a salaried individual, with a regular inflow of cash in your bank account, it makes sense for you to opt for the regular EMI option on loan repayment. The EMI ideally includes both, the principal amount to be paid and the gold loan interest rate.  Both banks and other NBFC lenders usually grant and process such a loan in a few minutes, especially to salaried applicants as they can ask you to give post-dated cheques, for the amounts to be deducted from your accounts on a monthly basis.

Opt for the bullet repayment method: Those individuals, who are facing a financial crunch, and cannot opt for either of the above-mentioned loan repayment, can opt to pay the entire amount of the loan i.e. the principal amount and the gold loan interest, at the end of the loan’s term. As such, you needn’t pay any EMIs and can return the total amount when your loan tenure ends. Bullet repayment methods are ideally designed for farmers and businesses which are seasonal in nature.

6 essential travel apps for your next trip

Planning a trip was a task earlier. It involved researching the flight tickets, calling the hotels for reservations, etc. Everything was pretty much done manually. Then came the digital era and the scenario changed after that. With the internet in your palms, you can travel anywhere and gather information in the blink of the eye. There are plenty of travel apps that assist you in booking tickets and hotel reservations. They also enable you to learn about your destination.

With these travel apps, you can plan your itinerary in advance and enjoy your trip in a hassle-free manner. Following are a compilation of the best travel apps in 2018:

1) Google trips: This is the app that you first need to refer to before beginning with anything else. They collate information from your Gmail related to your trip and present to you a structured itinerary. You can also view your past tours in such fashion. Your flight bookings, hotels reservations and other trip details are compiled from your emails and messages. When you click on each aspect, you can read more detailed information such as the places to visit, things to do, food, etc.

2) Oyo Rooms: If you are a budget traveller then Oyo Rooms is the best travel booking app to try out. You can book rooms of maximum quality at minimum rates. Oyo rooms have an extensive network with over 70,000 rooms in 230-plus cities. Even their services are top-notch. You can find many Oyo rooms within the same town. So, you can check the nearest hotel based on your itinerary.

3) Google Translate: If you are heading to a destination where you do not speak their language, then you will require translation of some form. Google translate is very useful as you merely need to pick the language, type the desired words and voila, you speak the concerned language. You also have the option to translate a photo or a spoken phrase. It also allows you to download the language pack before you head to the concerned place.

4) Google Maps: After all that planning, you need figure out as to how you can reach the destination. Nothing can guide you better than Google maps. It is an every day app, something that even work commuters use to reach a particular place. You have the facility to save unlimited maps for later use because your data is not going to support you everywhere. You can even receive driving and public transportation information through Google Maps.

5) TripAdvisor: Another must-have travel apps is TripAdvisor. They are the biggest game changers today. You get all the hotel information for all kinds of budget. Also, you can read user reviews before getting your reservations done. You also get a wealth of information about the place you are to visit via TripAdvisor forums.

6) MakeMyTrip: They play the lead role in the travel booking app category. Right from booking flight to bus to train tickets (IRCTC), everything can be found under one roof. You can also venture for group or customised tours with the help of MakeMyTrip.com. You get huge deals on flights, be it domestic or international.

Most of these travel apps are also connected to merchant networks such as PayZapp, Paytm, etc. to simplify your bookings procedure.