Top 10 Helpful Apps while Travelling Alone

Solo trips are fun provided, you plan well and ensure you are well-versed with the dos and don’ts of travelling alone. One constant companion on these trips is your smartphone, which you use to take pictures that are shared on social media platform. Also, most travel apps are built keeping smartphone technology in mind.

We list six travel apps to consider in 2019 that will add to the memories you will bring back with you on these holidays:

1. Google Trips
The most significant advantage of this travel app is that you can access saved information offline. Google Trips organises your travel information at one place and synchronise Gmail to keep you updated with online tickets and last-minute changes in the schedule of flights and trains among others

2. TripAdvisor
This travel app allows you to search places based on your interest and budget. You have the option of reading visitor reviews that give you an unbiased opinion of a place you may want to book. 

3. MakeMyTrip
MakeMyTrip is a one-stop shop for booking flight tickets, buses or train tickets, as well as hotel rooms. The interface is user-friendly, and it is one of the most popular trip-planning apps in India.   

4. Oyo Rooms
This app is perfect for travelers who are looking for low-cost accommodation. This app is operational across more than 500 cities across the world. They provide essential amenities at affordable rates.

5. Cleartrip
Cleartrip is a tour-planning app where you can browse for weekend hangout places near your location. The app also facilitates ticket bookings for flight, trains and buses. You can select hotels in sync with your reservations and make the payments as well.

6. Google Maps
If you are using an Android OS on your handset, the google map is available in all phones. For iOS and Windows-enabled phones, you need to install this app. Google Maps are one of the best travel apps for navigation across the world as it reduces the dependency on printed sheets. 

Want to apply for car loan? Here are 5 ways to increase the eligibility

A car loan is one of the most popular loans that lenders give out. It is very easy to get a car loan to buy the car of your choice. However, each lender has their own eligibility criteria to give out a car loan. Before applying for a car loan, it is best to check out the lender’s eligibility criteria and select such a loan that will fulfil all your requirements.

Some of the common car loan eligibility criteria that a lender looks at for every car loan application are:

• Age of the loan applicant
• Monthly income
• Existing loans or EMI obligations
• Credit score
• Minimum tenure of employment/self-employment
• Minimum period of stay in a particular city

Even if a person meets the minimum age or the minimum income requirements, a loan may get rejected or a lower amount may be sanctioned. Here are 5 ways to increase eligibility of a car loan.

1. Reduce existing debt:
Most lenders consider the existing debt that the loan applicant has to service before approving a loan application. One of the ways to strengthen your loan application is to reduce your debt especially all types of unsecured debt. Unsecured debt such as personal loans or credit card debt are a big  red flag for lenders. Reducing or paying off this debt will give additional comfort to the lender.

2. Improve credit score:
A credit score is an indication of the person’s repayment history and capability. A credit score above 700 is considered to be good by lenders. Repaying debt, not making too many loan applications will help to improve your credit score. The car loan interest rate depends on the credit score.

3. Joint loan application:
Jointly applying for the loan with a co-applicant who has higher income or a better credit score can improve your chances of getting a car loan.

4. Consider pre-approved loans:
Lenders may pre-approve loans for customers that have a long banking relationship with them. By opting for pre-approved loans, you can improve your car loan eligibility.

5. Suitable loan tenure:
By choosing a loan tenure that does not inflate your EMI, you can improve your loan eligibility. If the EMI does not eat up too much of your income, it can get approved faster. You can decide a suitable loan tenure by using a car loan EMI calculator which will tell you the EMI for different tenures. Using a car EMI calculator is very simple and it returns results immediately based on the principal amount, the rate of interest and the loan tenure.

Hesitant to use mobile banking? 5 reasons why you should switch to it

The banking landscape has changed entirely with the advent of digital technologies. Visiting the bank branch for getting work done is now turning out to be absolutely unnecessary especially with internet banking and now mobile banking. For many customers, the switch to internet banking is seamless.

Mobile banking is equally convenient and seamless like internet banking. However, many customers are often on the fence about using a bank money transfer app for their banking transactions. Mobile banking is the use of a mobile application to conduct banking transactions which would otherwise have been done in the bank branch or on the bank website. With almost all major banks having an official mobile banking application, it is time to use mobile banking for regular banking transactions.
Here are 5 reasons why you should use mobile banking:

1. Secure:
Most banks provide two step authorized logins to their mobile banking applications. The customer has to input not only the customer ID but also a PIN. Banks also frequently prompt the customer to change their passwords thus providing in built protection. Mobile banking is quite secure and app safeguards can prevent unauthorized logins in the app.

2. Convenient and simple to use:
Mobile banking is extremely convenient and simple to use. The user interface for these mobile banking apps is simple and well structured, even for a layman. The app prompts the user before a transaction is completed which gives the user an option to cancel it in case the transaction happened by mistake. Banks also have instructional videos and literature online on how to use mobile banking applications for beginners.

3. Range of transactions:
If you’re wondering how to transfer money online, then you can use mobile banking. Mobile banking can be used to transfer funds using NEFT, RTGS, IMPS, UPI. It can also be used to check the account balance, download a statement, pay utility and credit card bills, open fixed deposits etc. This makes it very useful.

4. Mobility:
Mobile banking enables the user to use it no matter where he is. There is no need to physically be present in front of a desktop or laptop. Mobile banking apps are specially designed to operate at lower speeds of internet which is optimized for people who want to use the app while travelling.

5. Accessibility:
A mobile banking application gives you access to important details about your account at any point of time. Since most users are always with their mobile phones, this saves time and also provides the required information quickly.

5 Features of DTH Services

The government has been promoting Direct to Home (DTH) services and this has changed the television-viewing experience altogether. The dependency on local cable operators has diminished, and the viewers have this option of paying for only those channels which they want. There are plenty of DTH recharge offers that you can avail and get cash back and vouchers.  Here we list the most important DTH features:

1. Clear Transmission
The clarity in transmission is quite evident when you switch to DTH. The signal is sent directly to the set-top box via a personalised antenna. The picture quality and the sound that you get is clear in comparison to generic signals provided by local operators.

2. Widespread Availability
DTH services use satellite transmissions and personalised antenna. That is why it can be set up in remote areas as well. You can avail DTH online recharge offers to pay for the subscription.

3. Uninterrupted Telecast
You are dependent on the mercy of local operator for cable services. The service depends on a constant power supply if there is a power cut at operator’s place, the service will discontinuse. DTH services do not have such issues. The telecast might get affected in adverse weather conditions, but otherwise, there are no issues.

4. The HD Experience
DTH services give us, at an additional cost of course, an experience to view our favourite television show or movie in high definition. HD viewing is more relaxing on the eyes because of the quality that you are exposed to.

5. Spoilt For Choice
DTH services give you a minimum of at least 100 channels to choose from in the basic package. This can be expanded based on your viewing. That way, you can watch international shows and keep up with what’s happening around the world


Many companies in the market offer DTH services; you can compare and choose the best option. The digital wallets also provide offers on dth recharge, which can decrease the cost of your subscription.

Five tips to secure mobile banking transactions

Mobile banking is one of the most convenient ways to conduct banking transactions. Not only has it minimized the hassle of visiting a bank branch to get tasks done, it is now possible to handle banking transactions in a matter of a few clicks. Mobile banking even scores over internet banking because most people have a smartphone, making it easier for people to transact on their phones as compared to a computer.

Most banks have a simple and user friendly money transfer app. These apps can conduct a wide range of transactions within a matter of minutes such as:

• instant fund transfer using NEFT, RTGS, IMPS or UPI
• balance check
• opening a fixed deposit or a recurring deposit
• bill payments
• credit card payments
• a

Using an online money transfer app has become a very seamless experience. However, the ease and convenience with using such apps has also led to a rise in thefts and other security breaches.
To avoid such security breaches and theft of data, here are five tips to secure mobile banking transactions:

1. Only use verified and official mobile banking apps:
One of the best ways to secure mobile banking transactions is to use the official money transfer app of the bank. These apps are released by the bank and bear the official logo of the bank. There are inbuilt safety mechanisms in these apps such as two step verifications, customer based logins which provide an added layer of safety.

2. Log out after each session:
It is imperative to remember to log out of the money transfer app after each session is complete. Some apps may prompt the user to log out automatically while others don’t. By logging out, you ensure that any unauthorised person does not get access to your account in case the phone gets into wrong hands.

3. Do not save critical data on your mobile phone:
Critical data such as bank account numbers, PIN and passwords, credit card details etc should not be saved on your mobile phone. Ideally, these details should be memorized to prevent it getting into unscrupulous hands.

4. Password or PIN protection on your mobile phone:
By setting locks for the mobile banking app, it provides an additional layer of security for the app user. App locks can be PIN based or pattern based.

5. Other precautions:
These include:
• clearing the browser history, cookies, cache and other details before giving the phone for maintenance.
• Install an anti virus software on your phone
• Keep the mobile banking app up to date
• Do not click on suspicious URLs received in SMS or emails

5 things to know before availing a bike loan

A two wheeler loan is a loan given to buy a bike or a scooter. It is a very popular loan to avail since the installments work out to be affordable. Getting a bike loan is very simple and a lot of lenders offer quick and easy two wheeler loans.

Here are 5 things to know before availing a bike loan:

1. Bike model:
This is the most important decision that has to be made. The amount of the bike loan depends on the bike brand and the model of the bike. The bike loan also depends on whether the bike is a new purchase or a second hand vehicle. The lender does not give out the entire cost of the bike. Usually around 65% to 80% of the bike’s ex-showroom costs are given to the borrower. The rest of the money has to be put in by the borrower.

2. Bike loan interest rate:
The rate of interest on bike loans ranges from 9% to 20% depending on the model of the bike and the repayment capability of the borrower. Having disposable income to repay the bike loan is an important element that determines the bike loan interest rate. A higher credit score will also help you negotiate with the lender for a lower two wheeler loan interest rate.

3. Repayment tenure:
The repayment tenure for bike loans generally ranges between 3 to 5 years. However, if you have a strong credit score, you can negotiate with the bank for a longer or a shorter repayment tenure. It is important to remember that the longer the repayment tenure, the higher is the amount of interest paid on the loan.

4. Bike loan EMI calculator:
To find out the amount that will be disbursed on a bike loan, you can use a bike loan EMI calculator. By using a bike loan EMI calculator, you can find out the monthly installment amount for different rates of interest and repayment tenures. This can help you make the best decision based on your financial capability.

5. Bike loan application procedure:
Applying for a bike loan is very simple and can be done online as well. If you’re a long time customer of a bank, you can get a pre-approved bike loan as well. You can apply for a bike loan offline by filling up a form and submitting it to the lender.

Advantages of Online Mobile Recharge

A mobile phone has become a necessity as it helps us in many ways other than calling and receiving calls. You can avail offers on mobile recharge via online apps. Here, we list the advantages of online mobile recharge:

1. Do It At Home
You can recharge your phone from anywhere that has internet connectivity. You can choose your plan and pay for it via digital wallets or internet banking and start talking and surfing the internet again. It saves time and effort. It protects the cost of transportation that you might have to pay to visit the recharge outlet.

2. 24x7 Availability
You can recharge your phone anytime you wish to. There is no need to wait for your local shop to open and visit there to get your phone operational again. You will also get so many offers on mobile recharge as well.

3. Use Cards and Digital Wallets
You don’t need cash for an online mobile recharge. If you keep withdrawing money from ATMs, it will charge you after a certain number of transactions. So, in that way you save money by charging your phone online. There are many digital wallets with an easy user interface which can recharge your phone with just a couple of taps. 

4. Get Discount and Cashbacks
The government is promoting cashless economy in the country. This move by the government has given an opportunity to many private operators to offer digital payment services. Due to cut-throat competition in this sector, the brand offers a discount and cashback to stay afloat in the market. You can switch between different apps to avail their recharge offers.

5. Prepaid and Postpaid
You don't have the facility of paying your postpaid bill at your local vendor. You are required to visit the office of that operator to pay the bill or deposit a cheque in the bank. With online recharge, you can easily choose between services and recharge immediately.

6. Choose from Different Plans
Sometimes when you visit a vendor for recharge, the vendor decides the talk time plan for your phone. They don't have time to let you know different offers and talk time. In the case of online recharge, you can view all the plans and choose accordingly.