Saturday 19 January 2019

Prepaid credit cards: its function, benefits and types

Credit cards are very useful in some cases, especially during emergencies, when you require a large sum of money. Furthermore, in the absence of cash, credit cards are an effective way of handling transactions. However, if you own a credit card, it is very easy to go overboard with your expenditures and land up in huge debt to your bank. This is why prepaid credit cards have become so popular in recent times.

What are prepaid credit cards?

Unlike conventional credit cards, prepaid cards use the money that has been pre-loaded into them. On the other hand, in regular credit cards, the money you spent is actually borrowed from the bank. You need to repay this money to the bank within a stipulated time.  However, prepaid credit cards use your own money, so there is no risk of being debt-ridden.

Benefits of prepaid credit cards

• The biggest and most important benefit of prepaid credit cards is that there is no risk of debts, as you would be spending your own money and not the money lent by the bank.
• Prepaid cards are available to all irrespective of credit rating, income and age, all of which would be required to attain a normal credit card.
• Prepaid credit cards can be acquired through the online application. Furthermore, there is no hassle of paying bills and no stress of late payment penalties.
• Unlike conventional credit cards, prepaid credit cards allow you to set the spending limit for the card. Therefore, such a card guarantees that you would stick to the budget.
• Some prepaid credit cards can be used to withdraw money from ATMs, just like a debit card.

Types of prepaid credit cards

• Open looped prepaid cards
Most merchant outlets accept the most common type of prepaid card present in the market today, open looped prepaid cards. Furthermore, these cards can be used to withdraw cash from ATMs.

• Closed loop prepaid cards
Closed loop cards are those cards, which are accepted at limited vendors and merchants. For instance, gift cards are valid example closed-loop prepaid cards.

• Semi-open looped cards
Semi-open looped cards are those prepaid cards that work across vendors of a specific outlet or company. For instance, certain prepaid cards offered by your convenience stores will work across all outlets of the same organization.

• Reloadable cards
Most prepaid cards are reloadable; wherein you would have to load money once the preloaded sum is exhausted.

• Non-reloadable cards
These prepaid cards cannot be reloaded once the preloaded sum runs out. For instance, most gift cards fall under the category of non-reloadable cards.
Once you have all the information regarding prepaid credit cards, contact your bank to avail one and enjoy all benefits of a credit card, without facing the risks normally associated with credit cards.

International debit cards and top banks offering them

When you travel, you do so because you want to get away from all the chaos of daily life or maybe to relieve the workload. In order to ensure a problem-free trip, carrying a debit card is the best option. More so because carrying multiple wads of cash can be an inconvenient and risky affair. However, did you know that there are international debit cards designed especially for foreign trips? Read on to know more about that and which banks offer the best international debit cards.

What is an international debit card?

As the name suggests, an international debit card is used for making financial transactions outside the country, including cash withdrawals from ATMs. Almost all the major banks in India offer international debit cards.

Which banks offer international debit cards?

Listed below are some of the major banks that offer international debit cards, which you should

1. YES Bank (Silver and Gold)
YES Bank Gold Debit Card and World Debit Card do not ask for any extra charges if you buy fuel with your Yes Bank Debit Card. The daily shopping limit is Rs.75,000 in case of Gold Debit Cards and Rs.25,000 in case of Silver Debit Cards. However, keep in mind that your debit card must have the MasterCard logo. In case of transactions made with your debit card, you will get regular and immediate updates.

2. Axis Bank
The benefits of having an Axis Bank debit card are reward points program, fuel overcharge waivers and privileged access to the lounge. The daily cash withdrawal limit is Rs.2 lakhs and the online and retails shopping limit is Rs.6 lakhs, in case of Privee Debit card and Burgundy World Debit card. The different debit cards offered by the Axis Bank are Privee Debit card, Burgundy World Debit card, Priority Platinum Debit card, and Wealth Debit card.

3. ICICI Bank
You can withdraw money for up to Rs.15,000 per day with ICICI Bank debit cards. The ICICI Debit card can be used to carry out financial transactions on a global basis at Foreign ATMs. Any person having a Current account or a Savings account will be provided with a debit card. The retail and online cashless shopping limit is up to Rs.25,000.

4. HDFC Bank
With the EasyShop Platinum Debit card offered by HDFC bank, you will be eligible for a Free Accidental Cover up to Rs.10 lakhs and fuel overtaxes waivers. The cash withdrawal limit is Rs.1 lakh and the shopping limit is up to Rs.2.75 lakhs. Additionally, you will also get 1% cashback if you use your debit card.

With HDFC EasyShop Imperia Platinum Chip Debit card, your daily withdrawal limit and shopping limit will be Rs.1 lakh and Rs. 2.75 lakhs respectively, along with a fuel overtax waiver. You will also get 1% cashback up to Rs.750 monthly if you shop with the debit cards. The yearly fee for this debit card is Rs.750 with additional GST, which will be subtracted if you are a participant of the HDFC Bank Imperia Premium Banking Program.

Lastly, with HDFC EasyShop Titanium Royale Debit Card, you will be eligible or a Free Accidental Death Cover up to Rs.10 lakhs and you will also get 1% cash back if you shop with your debit card. The limit for daily withdrawal of cash will be Rs.75,000. Along with Fuel Overcharge waivers, you will also be eligible for accountability for damage/loss.

In order to ensure that you have a relaxing trip while travelling abroad, you must have an international debit card with yourself. This will make the financial aspect a lot easier and non-problematic for you.

Understanding personal loan EMI calculator

If you are someone who has taken a personal loan, then you must know that you will have to pay EMIs every month. In order to know how much you will have to shell out every month, you will need the help of a personal loan EMI calculator. Read on to know everything about this crucial EMI tool.

What is a personal loan EMI calculator?

In order to ascertain the monthly payable amount in the best way possible, you will have to use a personal loan calculator. This will help you find out the equated monthly instalments (EMI) you will have to pay. For calculation, you only need to put in the interest rate of your loan, loan repayment duration and loan amount.

How does a personal loan EMI calculator works?

In order to use a personal loan EMI calculator, you will need to have a clear idea regarding how it works. Initially, it might seem a bit complicated, but after using it once or twice, you will be able to use it like a pro.

• Loan amount- You will have to enter the amount of your personal loan, in the edit box or the slider, you are looking to borrow. In order to plan your finances in a better manner, make sure that your EMIs are not more than 40% of your monthly income.
• The rate of interest- This is the rate of interest that is charged on the total amount of money you have taken as your personal loan and is a monthly reducing balance.
• Duration of the loan- Then, you will have to select the period for which you want to take the personal loan. Keep in mind that the tenure of a personal loan normally ranges from one to 5 years.
• Processing fees- Every bank charge a certain amount of money as processing fee, for giving out a personal loan. Such fees generally range from 1-5% of the total loan amount.

What are the features of a personal loan EMI calculator?

A personal loan EMI calculator has several features, which makes it the best tool for calculating your EMIs. They are as following-

• Time saver- Doing calculations on an actual calculator is much faster than doing it on pen and paper. Hence, it does not just help you do your calculations accurately; it also saves you a lot of time.

• Processing fees are accountable- Basic EMI calculators generally take into account only interest rate, loan amount and loan tenure. Whereas, a personal loan calculator also takes into account your processing fees, and informs you how much EMI you will have to pay every month.

• Accurate- Personal loan EMI calculators will always provide you with the right result and there is hardly any scope for error. Even a tiny mistake can affect your EMI amount; hence make sure that you always do your calculations on a personal loan EMI calculator.

• Easy to compare- When you are scouting for a personal loan in different banks, you will come across different loan tenures and amounts. It is not possible for you to sit and calculate all the figures by hand, and the slightest error can lead to the incorrect loan amount. Hence, the best way to come up with the right answer is to use a personal loan EMI calculator.

The whole process of looking for the right personal loan can be gruelling, so make sure you use a personal loan EMI calculator and just breeze through the process.

Car loan down payment and its effects

When you decide to buy your dream car, you must be familiar with terms like car loans and car down payments. These two terms play a huge part in the whole process of buying a car and so having a good understanding about these can help make the process easier. Read on to know more about car loan down payments and their several effects.

What is car loan down payment?

The cash that is paid up front, prior to buying a car is known as a car down payment. When you choose to opt for a car loan, you will have to pay a portion of the money from your own pocket and your bank will pay the rest.

What are the various effects of a car loan down payment?

A down payment on your car loan can have several effects, which are as follows-

• Loan tenure- While purchasing an auto loan, the duration of your loan repayment will have a direct effect on your EMIs. If your loan repayment plan is more widespread over the next few years, then you will have to pay less EMI every month. On the other hand, if you have paid a large amount of money as your car’s down payment, then you will have to take a small amount as your loan. This will hike up your repayment capacity and you will pay off your car loan in no time. Additionally, the sooner you pay off your loan, lesser will be your interest. In another scenario, if you pay a large amount of money as your down payment and pay the same EMI, then you will be able to purchase a car of a higher amount.

• Car loan- Car loans and down payments are inversely proportional to each other. The higher your down payment amount, the lesser will be your loan amount. This will also help you pay off your car loan faster. Additionally, if you take a loan of a lesser amount then you will have to pay a reduced amount of money every month as instalments. Therefore, paying a huge sum of money as your down payment while buying a car makes it easier for you to take a car loan without burning a hole in your pocket.


• Interest rate- Just as the car loan down payment affects your loan duration and loan repayment, it can also affect your interest rate. Your chances of getting a loan approved highly increase when you choose to pay a large portion of the money of the car’s price up front. This is because the level of associated risk will be comparatively less. Normally, in most cases, if you take an auto loan of a higher amount, then the probability of defaulting increases. Hence, banks are more likely to reject a loan in case you have not made a less payment or zero payment up front. Another benefit of paying a big amount of money off the total price is having a good credit score.

Down payments aid you in taking a smaller car loan and repay it in a shorter span of time. This makes sure that you do not come under a lot of financial stress and get to buy the car you want.

Everything you need to know about a Recurring Deposit Calculator

A recurring deposit is one of the most common deposits, opted for by Indians. This type of investment schemes are more popular amongst the middle classes, as they are simple to obtain, does not need a huge deposit and most importantly, is affordable. Almost all major banks in the country offer recurring deposits. However, in order to understand and maximize your returns, you must have a clear idea regarding how a recurring deposit calculator works.

What is a recurring deposit calculator?

A recurring deposit calculator is used for finding out the maturity value of your respective recurring deposit. In order to calculate this, you will need to use a simple formula. You must see your monthly instalments as an individual deposit, as every deposit will earn a different amount of interest.

What is the formula for calculating the recurring deposit interest?

Keep in mind that the compound interest is included in the first quarter, and the financial quarters are the following:

• Quarter 1- April to June
• Quarter 2- July to September
• Quarter 3- October to December
• Quarter 4- January to March

Since compounding takes place once every quarter, until then you will have to use an rd calculator to calculate the simple interest. The Simple Interest formula is as follows:

I= Prt/100
I signify Interest
P signifies Principal
R signifies the interest rate applicable on an annual basis (decimal form)
T is the duration of the scheme
The formula for calculating the Recurring Deposit Interest is M =R [(1+i) n – 1]
M signifies the maturity value
R signifies the instalments made on a monthly basis
I signify the interest rate, which will be divided by 400
N signifies the total number of quarters

Take for instance; Naina has obtained a Recurring Deposit scheme for 30 months. She makes a monthly investment of 10,000 INR and the applied interest rate will be 5%. She will get 3,20,095 INR upon maturity and the interest of the maturity value will be 20,095 INR.

What is the formula for calculating the compound interest on Recurring Deposit?

The formula used on an rd calculator for calculating compound interest is as follows:

A = P (1 + r/n) ^ nt
A signifies the final amount of money obtained
P signifies the initial amount invested
‘r’ signifies the interest rate, which is calculated in decimal
‘n’ signifies the total number of times the interest has been compounded on a yearly basis
‘t’ signifies the scheme duration

For instance, Abhinav made an investment of 1,00,000 INR for tenure of 5 years, and the applicable interest rate is 8%. By utilizing the above-mentioned formula, he will have 1,50,000 lakh as his final amount.

All these formulas and technicalities might seem intimidating and confusing at times. However, in reality, it is very simple. Once you get the hang of it, you will have a better understanding of how a recurring deposit and recurring deposit calculator work.

FD calculator: how to use it

Fixed Deposits or FDs are a popular option because they are a safe way to expand your wealth. With FDs, you earn returns on your savings. Your savings compound periodically and this is how your saved money can grow.

A fixed deposit calculator is a tool that helps you track the value of your savings as they grow.

How do you use the FD calculator?

There is nothing complex about the FD calculator. You have to log into your bank account and simply follow these steps-

• Select your customer type (new customer/senior citizen etc)
• Next, you have to choose the type of FD account (cumulative/non-cumulative)
• Type the FD amount
• Type in the principal amount
• Select the tenure of the FD

The calculator will immediately generate the results- the interest amount and the total amount you will get on maturity.

How does the Fixed Deposit Calculator work?

The FD calculator works by following a simple formula, which takes into account the principal amount, the rate of interest and the tenure of the FD ( for how many years you are investing your savings).
The formula is-

 A = P (1 + r/4/100) ^ (4*n) and A = P (1 + r/25)4n

Here,

A is the maturity amount

P is the amount that you have deposited

‘r’ the rate of interest you will receive on your principal

‘n’ is the tenure

For example, suppose you are investing INR 100,000 for 3 years at 10 % interest (P = INR 100,000; n= 3 years; r= 10%). Now if you put the figures in the appropriate places in the formula, you will get INR 134,489. This is the amount you will get on maturity. If you deduct the Principal from the Amount, you will get the interest i.e. INR 134,489- INR 100,000= INR 34,489.

Monthly interest on your Fixed Deposits

If you opt for non-cumulative Fixed Deposit, you can get monthly interest on your savings. However, the frequency of withdrawal has an impact on your interest. The more often you withdraw the interest amount, the more the rate of interest is slashed.

With the fixed deposit calculator, you do not have to do the maths yourself. It is a simple and effective tool, using which you can get an accurate estimate of your savings over time.

Unemployed? Here is how to get a personal loan

A personal loan can come to your rescue at a time of financial crisis. You can apply for a personal loan for any number of reasons- for education, buying your own house or apartment, to pay off other debts or for a wedding. A personal loan can get you out of a fix. Now you have the option of online personal loan, which is another reason these loans are very popular.

Most people believe that the unemployed cannot apply for personal loans but the reality is just the opposite. Most lenders will grant loans to the unemployed. However, a bank or a financial institution will check some parameters before they approve of the loan-

• Credit history- Any lender would want to ensure that you are fastidious when it comes to making payments on time. If you have defaulted or if there are any negative reports, the lender may reject your loan application.
• Credit score- You need to have a high credit score to be given a personal loan.
• Income- You may not be employed, but you should have a steady source of income if you want a personal loan.

Your lender will want to make sure that you can pay back the amount you are borrowing. That is why the lender will look into your credit history and credit score. Moreover, your ability to repay the loan also depends on other factors like the loan amount or the rate of interest. Therefore, all these are taken into consideration when your lender reviews your loan application.

If you are unemployed, you can also apply for a personal loan through Peer-to-Peer lending companies. These companies lend you money without recourse to any financial institution. You could also consider taking a loan from Non-Banking Financial Companies. They offer loans at a sensible rate of interest.

However, even if you are unemployed, you would have to provide your lender with the following documents-

• KYC documents
• Residence proof
• Bank statement for the last six months

The fact that you are not employed will not stand in the way of you getting a loan. You should get in touch with a bank or NBFC and they can explain the process to you in details.