Finance & Banking: Practical guides, alerts and money tips

Looking for clear, usable info on banks, loans, or digital payments? This section gives straightforward updates and how-to's you can use right away. We cut through jargon to help you compare bank offers, spot fee traps, and take advantage of schemes aimed at students, women, and small businesses.

Take our recent feature, "Which banks offer an education loan for girls at 0% interest rate?" It shows that true 0% bank loans are rare, but some lenders and government schemes can lower costs for female students. The article explains where to check for special concessions, what documents you’ll need, and how to decide between a subsidised loan and a scholarship.

Fast, practical steps before you sign any bank deal

Compare full costs, not just interest rates. Look at processing fees, tenure, prepayment charges and any hidden fees. Use an EMI calculator to test multiple tenures so you know the total interest paid.

Check eligibility and documentation early. Common requirements: identity proof, address proof, income proof (or co-borrower documents), admission or fee structure for education loans, and collateral documents if the lender asks. Gathering these first speeds up approval and avoids last-minute surprises.

Ask about special offers but get terms in writing. Banks may give discounts for women, students or salaried employees. Those offers can be branch-specific and time-limited—so call ahead and request written confirmation of any rate or waiver promised over the phone.

Everyday banking tips that save money

Use UPI and other low-cost payment options for everyday transactions to avoid card or transfer fees. Set up auto-pay for EMIs to avoid missed payments and negative marks on your credit report. Check your CIBIL or credit score if you plan a big loan—errors happen and fixing them before you apply can improve your rate.

Watch for scams. Banks will never ask for full PINs, OTPs, or fund transfers to verify accounts. If something sounds urgent and pushes you to share codes or move money, stop and call your bank’s official number found on their website or passbook.

We track RBI announcements, bank circulars, and industry trends so you get clear takeaways: who benefits, what changes, and what steps to take. Expect short explainers and checklists—how to switch loans, when to choose fixed vs floating rates, how NBFC offers differ from bank products, and how new payment rules affect merchants and consumers.

If you want a topic broken down—like saving for college, comparing personal loans, or understanding overdraft fees—tell us. We’ll give a step-by-step guide you can use today, not just headlines you’ll forget tomorrow.