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Akshat Shrivastava noted that a home loan isn’t just financial—it’s emotional, especially as growing responsibilities like children’s needs, healthcare, and ageing parents add pressure.
Updated : Dec 3, 2025

‘Don’t fall for rent-equals-EMI myth, rent isn't failure’: Expert urges caution among home buyers

One of Shrivastava’s key arguments is that first-time buyers underestimate how restrictive a 15- to 20-year home loan can become. “No spreadsheet can fully capture how heavy that burden feels over the years,” he noted, emphasising that people in their 20s and 30s often experience rapid changes in career, income stability, family structure and location.

He urged that the time has come for India to build its own indigenous credit-scoring framework.
Updated : Nov 17, 2025

‘One number decides your fate’: Financial advisor questions foreign control of CIBIL data

“Technically, an American corporation is analyzing how 140 crore Indians spend, borrow, and repay their loans,” he said, calling it both “ironic” and “risky” for a country that champions digital innovation through platforms like UPI. 

A sudden job loss, a Rs 10,000 monthly EMI and zero savings can quickly turn into a financial crunch. Experts advice do not take another loan to repay this one.
Updated : Nov 15, 2025

Job loss + Rs 10,000 EMI: What’s the best way to repay my loan, build emergency savings?

Managing a Rs 2.5-lakh personal loan after losing your job is challenging, especially with family expenses in the mix. One financial expert outlines how to prioritise repayments and restart emergency savings. Freelancers with fluctuating income are advised to request a temporary moratorium on EMIs to protect their credit score while stabilising earnings.

A record 754.37 million UPI transactions were processed on October 18, the highest single-day volume ever. In October, daily transactions averaged 668 million.
Updated : Nov 1, 2025

UPI hits record 754 mn transactions in a single day, monthly volume surges to 20.7 bn in October

According to NPCI data, the total transaction value on UPI reached Rs 27.28 lakh crore in October, compared to Rs 24.90 lakh crore in September and ₹24.85 lakh crore in August.

Experts say the move to ‘.bank.in’ will help customers verify genuine, RBI-regulated banking portals.
Updated : Oct 31, 2025

Banks go ‘.bank.in’ from today: RBI’s new directive takes effect to secure digital transactions

Under the new rule, only RBI-regulated banks can register and use the ‘.bank.in’ domain — creating a verified, secure online identity system for India’s banking ecosystem. Starting today, customers logging into their bank websites will see updated URLs ending with “.bank.in”.

Besides improving nomination facilities, it aligns various aspects of banking law with evolving regulatory standards and customer needs. 
Updated : Oct 23, 2025

New banking reforms from Nov 1: Four nominees, better governance, stronger depositor rights

The change comes as part of the Banking Laws (Amendment) Act, 2025, which was notified on April 15, 2025, and introduces 19 amendments across key financial legislations, including the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, and the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. 

For uninterrupted banking access during the festive season, customers are encouraged to rely on online platforms and schedule critical in-branch activities with these closures in mind.
Updated : Oct 22, 2025

Banks shut today in 8 states for Diwali week: Check where services are affected and what to do

The festive week kicked off with Dhanteras on October 18, followed by Diwali Amavasya and Lakshmi Puja on October 21, and will continue through Bhai Dooj (October 23) and Chhath Puja (October 27-28) in select states.

The RBI has laid down strict guidelines to ensure that loan recovery practices by banks and financial institutions remain fair, ethical, and non-coercive.
Updated : Oct 18, 2025

Loan recovery rules: RBI’s new debt recovery norms push for empathy and efficiency - expert explains how it is working

Experts say the objective of the RBI’s new collection standards is to prevent harassment and unethical recovery practices while upholding borrowers’ dignity.

The digital shift is expected to help schools standardise accounting practices, improve financial audits, and create a uniform trail of transactions.
Updated : Oct 14, 2025

Education ministry pushes for UPI-based school fee payments; check details

While many schools already offer some digital payment options — such as NEFT, RTGS, or ECS — the ministry noted that these systems remain limited.

Banks and NBFCs compete fiercely during the festive period, often lowering interest rates on loans. If you are getting a personal loan at, say, 9–11% interest compared to the usual 14–18%, that is a smart financial move.
Updated : Oct 14, 2025

Festive loans: Smart financial boost or debt trap? Here’s how to borrow wisely this season

As the festive season lights up India with celebrations and shopping sprees, banks and NBFCs are quick to roll out “festive loans” — personal or consumer loans packaged with low interest rates, cashback deals, and zero processing fees. These offers promise instant purchasing power, but financial experts warn that while festive loans can be a smart choice for planned, high-value expenses, they can also spiral into a financial trap if taken impulsively.

To ensure continued access to essential banking facilities, SBI confirmed that ATM services and UPI Lite will remain fully operational during the maintenance period.
Updated : Oct 10, 2025

SBI to carry out scheduled maintenance on Oct 11: UPI, IMPS, NEFT, RTGS, YONO to be affected

SBI stated that the maintenance work is part of its regular digital infrastructure upgrades aimed at ensuring smoother and more secure transaction experiences for users.

Customers can get 10–27.5% discounts on purchases up to Rs 25,000 across brands such as Dell, Samsung, Sony, Realme, and Croma.
Updated : Oct 8, 2025

PNB launches festive credit card: Discounts on flights, shopping, hotels till December

Punjab National Bank (PNB) has announced a range of festive credit card offers running from October to December 2025, helping customers save on travel, shopping, dining, and daily essentials. The bank said the initiative aims to make Diwali spending more rewarding, with discounts across top brands and online platforms.

GST cut is the manifesto of 1.4 billion Indians: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
Updated : Oct 4, 2025

Rs 1.84 lakh crore lying unclaimed across banks, RBI, IEPF — Govt launches massive drive

At the launch of the three-month ‘Apki Poonji, Apka Adhikar’ (Your Money, Your Right) campaign in Gandhinagar, Sitharaman stressed the need for citizens and families to regain access to their savings.

If finalised, the changes are expected to help Indian corporates diversify funding sources, tap cheaper credit overseas, and reduce reliance on domestic borrowing.
Updated : Oct 4, 2025

RBI’s big move: Here’s what your Basic Savings Bank Deposit account could offer soon

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed that the Basic Savings Bank Deposit Account (BSBD) become a standard service in the banking sector. The proposal aims to provide free digital banking, ATM access, and basic facilities without any minimum balance requirement.

Purchasing consumer appliances on a credit card is less discouraged, as you can earn rewards and instant cashback.
Updated : Oct 4, 2025

Festive buying: Should I purchase consumer appliances like laptops, ACs, microwaves on personal loans?

Buying consumer appliances like refrigerators, ACs, laptops, or washing machines on credit has become increasingly common during the festive season. Easy access to personal loans, NBFC financing, credit card EMIs, and no-cost EMI schemes has encouraged many households to fund big-ticket purchases through borrowing. However, these options come with costs and risks.

At its core, a no-cost EMI simply allows buyers to split payments without paying more than the sticker price. But the perception of affordability can be misleading.
Updated : Oct 3, 2025

Festive shopping: Is no-cost EMI really cost-free? Here's hidden math behind ‘free money’ deals

No-cost EMIs are marketed as a smart way to buy gadgets without paying extra. But hidden GST, fees, and long-tenure traps often mean they’re not truly cost-free.

Both cards offer a welcome benefit upon payment of the first-year annual fee and completion of the first transaction within 60 days.
Updated : Sep 27, 2025

SBI Card and IndiGo launch co-branded credit card with up to 7% rewards and travel privileges

SBI Card and IndiGo have introduced the IndiGo SBI Card and IndiGo SBI Card ELITE, offering up to 7% rewards on purchases and travel-related benefits. Customers can earn up to 29,000 BluChips per year, with annual fees ranging from Rs 1,499 to Rs 4,999 plus taxes.

Being a guarantor reduces your future borrowing capacity, as banks consider the guaranteed amount a potential liability.
Updated : Sep 24, 2025

Thinking of being a loan guarantor for your relative or friend? Why it could cost you heavily 

By agreeing to guarantee a loan, you take on full responsibility for repayment if the primary borrower defaults. Lenders treat the guaranteed amount as potential debt, which can reduce your ability to secure additional loans and increase your financial risk.

ICICI Bank’s Positive Pay lets customers electronically reconfirm cheque details over ₹50,000, adding an extra verification layer before processing.
Updated : Sep 23, 2025

ICICI Bank to start same-day cheque clearance from 4 Oct; check details

ICICI Bank, responding to the Reserve Bank of India’s directive, will move to same-day cheque processing on 4 October 2025. Customers must meet specific submission times for immediate funds and improved protection.

First-time buyers with predictable income may prefer fixed rates for certainty, while those expecting rate declines or higher income growth might benefit from floating rates.
Updated : Sep 10, 2025

Should I choose fixed, floating, or hybrid home loan plans? I want to understand long-term costs, EMIs, risks

Choosing the right home loan interest rate is a critical decision for borrowers, as it directly affects monthly EMIs, overall repayment costs, and long-term financial planning. Homebuyers today often face a choice between fixed, floating, and hybrid interest rate regimes, each with distinct advantages, risks, and implications for the loan tenure.

However, peer-to-peer (P2P) UPI transactions will continue to follow existing limits, and standard UPI payments will remain capped at Rs 1 lakh per transaction.
Updated : Sep 9, 2025

NPCI to increase UPI transaction limits for high-value payments from Sept 15; check updated limits

Under the new framework, the per-transaction limit for categories aligned with tax payments and other high-value transactions has been raised to Rs 5 lakh, while the daily aggregate limit for most of these categories has been increased up to Rs 10 lakh, depending on the category.