A detailed guide on gold loan

If you have some gold handy and been scouting for a loan, then it is time to make optimal use of your jewellery. Gold has held sentimental value for Indians over 2,000 years. As a result, people prefer preserving it for special occasions. However, the perception is fast changing. More and more people are using gold to fund their short-term goals for cheaper interest rates. But as with all investments, complete knowledge is essential before entering the financial agreement.

What is a gold loan?

If you are a short-term credit seeker, then gold loans are your best buy. You get 80 per cent of the value for your gold. For this purpose, the banks and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) check the metal purity. You can provide any gold: biscuits, ornaments and coins, as collateral. The gold loan interest rate is competitive and is usually repayable in 12-60 months. If you are over and above 18 years old, you can apply for the loan.

What are the advantages of the gold loan?

• You can get a gold loan despite holding a bad credit score since they are secured
• You have the option to pay off the interest first and the principal amount by the end of the loan tenure
• If you are from the field of agriculture, you receive further discounts on the interest rates
• The documentation process is hassle-free as you offer gold as security. You would only have to produce your ID and address proofs
• The good thing about a gold loan is that the fluctuations in gold rate do not affect the credit in any way

Points to remember before taking a gold loan:

• If there is a default in the gold loan payment, the lenders can sell your gold and recover the pending amount
• Also, if there is default payment from your end, the lender will levy additional interest charges on your loan amount

Is it better to take a gold loan from banks or NBFCs?

Before you decide whom to approach for your gold loan, check the various schemes online. Compare the interest rates using the gold loan EMI calculator. Zero down your desired loan and then apply for it. However, you have to consider the following points:

• Banks charge lower interest rates than NBFCs
• NBFCs provide your flexibility regarding repayment of loans
• NBFCs disburse the loan in as less as 5 minutes while banks take up to 4 hours
• Most of the NBFCs do not levy pre-payment penalty. However, banks do charge for the same

Hope all your queries pertaining to the loan are crystal clear. Happy gold loan hunting!

4 car loan thumb rules to remember

Purchasing a vehicle has moved from luxury to a necessity nowadays. So, car loans are offered by every bank and non-banking financial company (NBFC). However, it is important to choose a plan that fits your budget and provides you with hosts of benefits.

Make the following pointers your thumb rule before applying for a car loan:

1) Set a budget and research: You have to decide the budget for your car. Your income plays a crucial role here. Once you have your budget set, research for options. With a vehicle loan just a few clicks away, you can opt for a loan within your price segment by researching on third-party websites instead of opting for the conventional method. You should also examine the track record of your dream car and its reviews, to ensure you have made the right choice.

2) Check eligibility: One of the most important rules is the car loan eligibility. Lenders sanction your car loan based on two factors: income and credit score. Make sure the credit report is clear, sans default payments of credit card bills and existing equated monthly instalments (EMIs). You can request the CIBIL agencies to send you a report of your credit score. This is called a soft check. Your score should be anywhere between 750-900 for acquiring a car loan.

3) Compare all available options: One of the best things about online loan applications is checking in minutes which policy fits your bill. You can select a few good deals and use the online tool car loan EMI calculator to pick out the best offer that suits your requirements. Taking time to compare options, allows you to make an informed decision and provides you benefits as well.

4) Availability of documents: As with any other loan, lenders require the essential materials to approve of your car loan. Some of the critical papers you have to keep with you while applying are:

• Identity proofs such as PAN card, driving license, passport
• Address proofs like utility bills, ration card
• Income proofs include the last 3 months salary slips, employment letter, bank statement of the past 6 months
• Form 16

If you are self-employed, the documents could differ:
• Business ownership papers
• Profit & loss statement, income computation sheet and balance report of past 2 years
• 6 months’ bank statement
• Last 2 years IT returns, proof of turnover

If you do not follow these rules, you could lose out on your vehicle loan. Your aspiration of owning a car will only become a distant dream.

5 Reasons to Order Food Online

Home cooked food is the best. There is no alternative for the food prepared by our parents and family. But when the person stays away from the family for studies or job, or any other reason, food becomes a major issue.

The rise of smartphones and high-speed internet has allowed multiple food delivery apps to offer their services. The customer gets a variety of choice to choose from. Here we are listing five reasons to use food ordering apps :

1. Easy and Comfortable Interface
It is very easy to operate the app and order food online. They usually detect the location and display restaurants to choose from. The user can select food by browsing the menu. The order can be placed even at midnight subjected to the availability of eateries. The payment can be made on delivery or while placing the order. 

2. Home delivery
The user has to place an order with the desired restaurant, and the food will be delivered to his/her doorstep. The customer can track their order in real time. They can also talk to the person, who is delivering,  in case of any query.

3. Cashless payment
The customer has multiple options to pay for the food. Numerous digital wallets are providing their services. User-friendly interface enables quick and easy payment. Some of the methods of payment are :
● Digital payment apps
● Internet banking
● Debit Cards
● Credit Cards

4. Discount and offers
There are multiple discounts and cash backs offered by food delivery apps. They try to increase their sales volume by offering good deals to customers. There are several vouchers offered to regular and first-time users. Also, they offer separate deals to customers, and in most cases, you get assured cash back or promo codes which make purchasing the food cheap.
 
5. Save fuel, avoid the crowd
Most of the good restaurants are usually crowded. If a person likes to sit at home and enjoy the taste, an online food order app is boon for them. They also save the cost of fuel or travelling in a public transport.

 It's time to download an online food delivery app, choose the menu and enjoy the taste at home. In case, the user does not like the taste; they can always submit their feedback to the customer care. If there is some fault in the services, a complaint could be filed at the customer care for an immediate solution.

6 benefits of online cab booking apps

Traffic in the city is increasing every day, challenging people to travel from one location to another. Also, the situation of public transport systems in most cities is quite bad. Therefore, paving way to private taxi operators that could help ease commuting. However, you must know that most private taxi services provide their own application for bookings. And this is what’s gaining them a lot of popularity in the country.

Here we are listing 5 benefits of the taxi booking app:

1. Book from the convenience of your home
The user can book taxi online from the convenience of their home. They can choose from multiple operators and decide to use the services of their choice. The user is not required to go to the taxi stand or wait on the street and convince the driver to drop them to a particular destination. They can book the cab from whereever they are, wait for the vehicle to arrive and leave.

2. Know the estimated time of arrival
When the passenger boards the cab, they know their estimated time to reach the destination. This enables them to plan accordingly. In the case of a normal taxi, the user can only guess the estimated time of arrival as the route is not predefined. The driver can also take a longer route to make more money.

3. Easy payment options
There are so many payment options available for the online taxi booking app. The user can either prepay for the travel or pay after completing their trip. The user can also opt to pay via cash, debit or credit card, internet banking or any digital payment apps, depending on the option available with the cab service provider.

4. GPS mapping
The cabs booked online are equipped with GPS. This feature enables the user to keep track of the route. This also facilitates the customers who don’t know the exact way to reach their location.

5. Easy feedback
The user has got the option of giving feedback to the cab operators. They can rate the driver and the vehicle based on services. The passenger can also raise real-time alarms, in case of any discomfort or an emergency.

6. Discount and offers
Different cab operators come up with various offers and discount to attract customers. To promote cashless payment, they offer several cashbacks and gift vouchers. Digital payment apps also provide separate offers to promote their interface. This competition benefits the user.

So, book taxi online to make your travel easy.

5 BENEFITS OF BOOKING MOVIE TICKETS ONLINE

There is a significant increase in the number of movie screens in India. Hollywood productions are also releasing their films simultaneously, thus providing cinema lovers with a lot to choose from. With the introduction of digital payment applications and availability of smartphones, people have started movie ticket bookings online.

In such cases, the user purchases a ticket and gets a confirmation code via email and SMS. This message must then be shown at the check-in, to enter the theatre and watch the film. People can even book tickets while travelling to the theatre, in order to avoid a situation where tickets are sold out. They can also choose their favourite seats and book accordingly.

The five benefits of  online movie ticket booking are listed as under:

1. It Serves to be Convenient:
The user can book tickets anytime subject to availability. There is no need to visit the theatre and stand in a long queue. The customer has the option of choosing seats of their choice; they can even book their food and cola in advance. All of this could be done from any location provided you have an internet connection.

2. Avoids Wastage of Paper:
When the ticket is booked online, the user gets the acknowledgement via message or an email. This helps in saving paper that is usually wasted on printing the tickets. Booking tickets online is environment-friendly as well.

3. Provides Easy Payment Options:
When the ticket is booked via mobile tickets booking app, the user gets many payment options. These are completely safe and secure. The customer can pay by the following methods:
● Digital payment apps
● Internet banking
● Debit Cards
● Credit Cards.

4. Saves Time:
The user saves time if he/she books the movie tickets online. People often avoid going to the theatre and standing in long queues to watch their favourite blockbuster. They also save the cost of fuel, transportation and parking charges, also allowing them to visit the theatre just before the showtime.

5. Offers, Discounts & Cashback:
Users get amazing movie tickets booking offer. There are cash back and discounts applicable post payment. Regular users of digital wallet apps also get gift vouchers. Sometimes, the customer also stands the chance of watching the film for free.

The customer needs to be careful while booking the tickets online. Under no circumstances, they should share their passwords and OTPs. There will be a time when the payment is made from your side, but the ticket is not booked, in such cases, contact the service provider immediately.

9 BENEFITS OF ONLINE GROCERY SHOPPING

Online shopping is gaining popularity in India. People from all parts of the country, irrespective of income, are ordering groceries online. Here we give you nine reasons why purchasing via the grocery shopping app is a good idea:

1. Bulk Shopping with Ease:
In most households, grocery purchases are made at the beginning of the month. Shoppers often purchase goods that would usually last for a month. Online grocery shopping provides you with the option of free delivery. So, the products are delivered to the doorstep without paying any extra money for it and without you having to waste your time and energy touring the supermarket.

2. Freedom of Selection
The user has got this option to choose the same product from multiple suppliers. There is a wide range of products available online with different price ranges. The shopper has got the liberty to choose products that they want and avoid dependence on the local grocer.
 
3. Choose from Multiple Retailers
There are multiple brands that are available in online stores. The user has got the liberty to choose from different brands and multiple suppliers. There are times when the same product is sold cheaper by a particular supplier. The shopper can opt for the deal they wish for and order the product.

4. Cheap Deals
The exchange of goods and services is done directly between the seller and the buyer in most cases. This implies that the product becomes comparatively cheaper. There is minimal or no labour cost involved. So, if the user buys in bulk, they save a lot of money.

5. Cut Petrol and Parking Cost
Shoppers generally visit superstores or retailers for shopping. They either take the public vehicle or use their own means of transportation. In case, they use their own vehicle; they are required to pay for fuel and most often, the parking charges. When the user opts for online grocery shopping, they save the cost of for the same.

6. Shop from Anywhere
The user just needs to have an active internet connection and a device which can run the application to do to the shopping. The online stores provide the delivery service to the remotest part of the country. The user can enter the pin code of the area and see if the delivery is feasible.

7. Shop Anytime
Online stores are open for shopping at any given point of time. Normally, any grocery store is open in the business hour, but online stores are available 24*7. The user can shop anytime in comfort and leisure. This saves a lot of daytime to do other productive work.

8. Cashback and Discount
Online stores give a lot of offers and cashbacks, even in non-festive seasons. The shopper can save a lot of money when they buy groceries online.

9. Multiple payment options
The user has got multiple payment options to pay for the product. They are required to make the payment at once, even if the product is purchased from multiple sellers. The is an option of cash on delivery too, which allows the user to pay at the doorstep after the product is delivered.

FIVE REASONS WHY DIGITAL PAYMENT APPLICATIONS ARE ESSENTIAL

The Indian economy is highly dependent on cash transactions. The government is trying to promote an online payment solution. Post demonitisation, which happened in November 2016, the use of digital payment methods in the country increased. Even Google has predicted that the digital payment in India might hit to USD 500bn mark by 2020. The cashless payment methods will succeed only if the basic infrastructure for implementation is provided to the people. These payment apps are heavily reliant on smartphones and data connection. The availability of these phones with internet connection at affordable costs is required. Availability of Internet is the most crucial factor for digital wallets to work, and huge investment is required by the government to provide connectivity at a reasonable rate.   

Here are the five most important reasons why the digital payment system is essential for us:

1. Convenient
The digital payment applications are very simple to use, and no hard cash is required at the time of payment. The user just needs to have a smartphone with a data connection. The payment could be made by entering the phone number or scanning the QR code of the merchant — no need to carry any physical card or stand in a queue at an ATM.

2. Record Keeping
Digital wallet keeps track of the expenditure. All transactions are recorded. It is very easy for a person to acknowledge their spending. It could also help in filing Income Tax returns as it's easier to track the money spent on goods and services because of the availability of record.

3. Less Risky
Mobile payment apps are less risky. There is a chance that the cash could be stolen or dropped, but the digital payment applications could be accessed from nearly any gadget with an internet connection. The key is to store the login information secure and keep changing the password occasionally.

4. One Stop Payment Solution
Digital payment applications provide a user-friendly interface for the payment of all utility bills. This application enables the user to pay electricity, telephone, gas bills very conveniently. People who use these apps are no longer required to stand in long queues and waste energy and time to make payments.
 
5. Discounts & Coupons
There are many rewards and discounts offered by different digital wallets to promote their interface. They provide cash back and regular users get other coupons and gift vouchers as well. There are chances that the user might get back the amount they paid for goods and services as well.