Words

  I have wanted to write this for a long time. Today, I finally have the courage and hopefully articulation to say it in the most meaningful manner. I started working at 17. I have made successful investment decisions, both in the property and share market, in my early 20s. I started my business and practice in the mid-20s and was successful at it, too. Then after my marriage circumstances changed. I had to leave my practice and business behind when I moved to the US. I was on a dependent visa and was not allowed to work there. It was then I started blogging. For those who have seen my blogging journey, I was fairly successful there too. The only mistake I did post marriage was to give control of my finances to my partner. I made money and he took care of it. Please note, I am not blaming him. I somehow lost confidence that I could do it. It came from living in isolation, working from home and losing touch with the real world. In the 1990s, I saw #Longines advertisement in a magazi...

Pick your smartphone. Open YouTube. Search Vandana Srinivasan . Tap 'Lambi Judai' from the search result. Keep your phone on a flat surface and be prepared to dive into an ocean of melody. The song starts and the soul-stirring voice of the singer sends shivers down the spine. If art is meant to touch your soul, her rendition will leave for soul hungry for more. I, for one, wept. I wept for almost an hour. The song played on a loop in the background. My body and soul felt light as I was shedding one more tear. I never knew I had those many suppressed and pent-up emotions inside me. Vandana was singing - I was unburdening my soul at her feet. It was cathartic. It was meditative. It was something I never experienced in my life before. Though I listen to at least 50 songs in a day. The song is about memories, separation and love. We have thousands, if not millions, songs on these themes. In fact, this song is a cover. Call me biased, this cover is better than original. The credit ...

A guy messaged me.  I don't judge people. I talk to them politely. So very-very politely but not-so-humbly I replied this. "Hey G****t, First, see how I started by mentioning your name - it adds a personal touch and assures the reader the message is not a copy-paste. Second, you don’t follow me or have interacted with me ever. When you will actually like a girl, invest your time in her. It’s very gentlemanly to do that. In millennial lingo, it’s about making a smooth entry. Third, I truly appreciate your wordplay in the second paragraph. It has a personal touch. I presume from your bio that you are studying law, I’d suggest purely as someone who has studied law and is also a writer, use this skill to be a good lawyer. Fourth, if this is a case of copy-paste to many girls, my message may hurt your ego or you would smirk at the fact that I replied back. Know I use every single piece of my writing to get a job. This would also help. So thank you. ...

Getting loans approved can be nerve-wracking. We all want to get the personal loan at the lowest interest rate with no hidden costs and minimum paperwork. Selecting the right lender and approaching with right documents are the first and only things that come to our minds. We have been hearing all these from others for a very long time. These two things are valid. In addition to these, take a look at the following  tips to get your personal loan approved  quickly: 1. Keep paperwork up-to-date Loan approval is a lot of paperwork and signature. The first and foremost thing you should do before approaching a lender like  Money View Loans  to get a loan is to keep all the required documents in a file. Do the research online. Check online what all documents are needed for the kind of loan you are applying or call customer care to get the details. With necessary documents in place, getting a loan approved is not only easy, but it’s also fast, too. Please click her...

No  credit card application  or loan is approved without checking your credit score.  Credit score  is not merely a fancy term. Banks and credit card companies check it before extending you a loan or approving a credit card application. So if you think late payment, non-payment of a bill and cancellation of a credit card are trivial issues, think again and think long term. These things can ruin your credit history. Thus lowering your credit score. You may not worry about it now. But it does affect your future loans. Even service providers have started looking for it now. Here are  10 things that lower your credit score,  and you must pay attention to all of them: Late Payments Payment history immensely affects your credit score. CIBIL gives nearly 30% weight to your credit history. So pay your credit card bills and EMIs on time. Paying your credit card bill late lowers your credit score in addition to attracting penalties. Don’t make it a habit. Pay...

Money is the least romantic topic in the world. It’s not something you’d like to discuss during the courtship period. But we must talk about it. Talk openly, discuss each aspect and try to understand what your partner thinks about money. Finances must be discussed in advance to have better hold of both money and relationship. The moment a relationship turns serious, practical aspects of it become more vital. Please pay attention to these questions, work on them, so you can have a fulfilling relationship: 1. What is your 5-year or 10-year financial plan? Every individual has some aspirations. Be it career-wise or family-wise. As both these are translated and measured in terms of money, ask your partner’s plans and tell yours. When do you plan to buy a house? What are your 10-year goals? How do the both of you plan to save for the down payment for the house? How much salary you both expect to earn in the next 5 years? And, how do you both plan to work towards achieving each one o...

Paying off loans for students is a challenging task. Our first salary is not always enough to meet this financial obligation. Plus, for first-time professionals in a new city, it’s an uphill task to set boundaries and pay off the debt. When my husband and I got married, we started our married life with the burden of his student loan. He was fresh out of a B school. It took us a couple of years to pay off the student loan taken in India. In retrospect, we think there were a couple of things we could have done to meet the obligation faster. Here’s what we see other professionals around us do to pay off their student loans: First things first, before we try to use one or the other method, do the following: Make a Plan Know the exact amount of loan payment – principal, interest, and the tax benefit. Understand the monetary benefit of each element before plunging into the decision of repayment. Set a timeline. Not too high, say 5 years. Not too low that it becomes unattainable and...

Travelling by air is expensive. And if we have to book a flight ticket at the last moment for an important business trip or a family emergency, it can put a big dent in your wallet. Last minute bookings are expensive as it all boils down to demand and supply. But there are tricks that can help us save some money. Use any one or a combination to save money on last-minute flight bookings: Use apps Use apps to book flights instead of booking through the website or calling a travel agent. Download the airlines’ app and book through it. GoAir offers 10% when you use their app. Use GOAPP10 on GoAir app to get the discounted price. There are more offers on apps. Plus, it’s easier to surf and book via app. SpiceJet waives off convenience fees and offers free seat selection when you book using their app. Find the link of apps of India’s top airlines below for easy access: Airlines App Link Air India Android  and   iOs Spice Jet Android  and   iOs...

7 years ago I started my blog. And I entered the magical world of writing. I was living in the Boston suburbs. After finishing my work and household chores, I still had some spare time. I remember the exact moment I clicked the 'B' icon on Google and I created a Blogger account. I knew only two Bloggers that time - Amitabh Bachchan and Lisa Ray. I had no idea what it takes to be an accomplished blogger, but I was excited to be a part of a community which is independent and expresses its views without any inhibition. I must say, it has been an amazing journey only because I have learned so much. I started by writing poetry, then I started writing articles and now I can write anything. Professionally, I am a content writer for a couple of websites. I ghostwrite for two more agencies based out of North America. I write sponsored articles on my blog. I tweet, post Facebook statutes, answer Quora questions, and mention brands on Instagram for money. Brands even consult me for s...

New school term is a stressful time. There is a lot to manage. On top of that, the price of school supplies, books, uniforms, and stationery can put a dent in your budget. Thanks to online shopping, there are tons of places where parents can shop without worrying about the price tag. No need to head to the market in the scorching sun. Shop from the comfort of your home and at the most competitive prices. In addition to customer favourites  Amazon , and  Flipkart , there are many portals that cater to the needs of school going kids. Here’s the list of the websites for back to school online shopping in 2018. SchoolKart.com SchoolKart is a one-stop shop for all the school needs. The website carries uniforms, books, and school essentials for more than 500 schools. With cash on delivery option, SchoolKart delivers across India. The portal is user-friendly. Deals are divided into price slabs so you can shop according to your budget. You can also place bulk orders on SchoolKart...

Taking a selfie is an art. And only a few can create a masterpiece. You see, it’s not an easy feat to capture yourself with perfect expressions keeping the picturesque background intact. Don’t believe me! Imagine - you are looking ravishing in your new top and you are waiting for your friends at the mall. You want to capture your best self in front of a beautiful window display before the lipstick fades away and hair goes out of place. You point the camera in your direction and take a couple of selfies. Err! Who are we kidding? 2 are never enough. Taking 2 dozen selfies would a safe bet. But the one you like has two boys in the frame instead of the window display. Even if you try to crop the selfie, you can’t fix the problem. Look at my selfie. I cropped it. Still, I couldn’t take the man out of it. I was aiming at the fountain and clicked the man instead. I posted it because that was the best I could do. As a poor craftsman, I blame the tools. Wish I had a better phone! Something w...

Finding gifts for fathers is a bit of a challenge. The options are limited. They provide for us, give us the best of amenities and their valuable guidance – we must choose a gift that expresses love and gratitude in a thoughtful way. It’s easy to head to the mall and pick an item off the shelf. However, there are gifts for Father’s Day that won’t cost you money but are priceless. Use these ideas to celebrate Father’s Day this year: Clean your dad’s car Men love their car. One of the best gifts for dads is to clean their cars. Clean the interiors, exteriors and in case he has the supplies to polish or wax it, do that too. Make the car spotless so when he drives it to the office on Monday morning, he feels proud of you. Please click to read the complete post on MoneyView Blog

The earlier generation was excellent when it came to savings. Their investment decisions were not that commendable, though. They believed in saving in bank accounts, fixed-interest instruments or in gold. They were averse to taking risk. We are a generation of risk takers. But make no mistake, we commit more mistake than our parents. We live in the moment knowing too well that the key to financial security is in planning and proper execution. Every mistake made comes at a price. Financial mistakes come with a bigger price, though. The repercussions of money mistakes are huge. One wrong move can lead to shortfall of money for other necessary things. Sticking to the basics, we have compiled a list of 11 financial mistakes you must avoid in 2018: 1. Not having an  emergency fund Most of us make this mistake. We all talk about saving for the rainy day, but we rarely do. Imagine an emergency and the situation demands to shell out Rs. 50000 – faulty AC, broken car or home repair....

There are gifts. And there are thoughtful gifts - something that shows an extra bit of care and love. When it comes to mothers, I don’t believe in wrapping a costly item with a Hallmark greeting card. Mothers deserve something special. Not necessarily an item with a heavy price tag. But certainly heavy on emotions. Here are 21 Mother’s Day gift ideas for less than 1000 rupees. These gifts show you think about her comfort and needs. A mother’s day apron Moms spend most of their time in the kitchen. So aprons make a perfect gift. It’s something they will use the most. To add more warmth to your gift, buy a personalized mother’s day apron. Something like this - Mother's Day Apron at PepperFy for INR 504 Please click and read the complete list on MoneyView blog

It’s fairly easy to earn money. It’s the saving part that becomes tricky. Our expenses, coupled with the pressure of maintaining a lifestyle, take a toll on our investment plans. By the end of the month, there are more bills than money in our accounts. Millenials are under a lot of pressure - to have a big house by 30, brand new gadgets, fancy cars, overseas vacation and what not. This looks daunting. But with little tweaks here and there, it’s attainable. Here are 23 easy ideas that can help millennials to save money and fulfill all their dreams by mid-30s. Make a monthly budget It pays to plan ahead. Literally. Set a monthly budget and stick to it. Use your smartphone to keep a tab on your spendings. Download MoneyView app and keep track of your spendings to stay within the assigned limit. Factor in all the costs - rent, utilities, groceries, internet, phone bill, transport, student loan while setting your monthly budget. Link your credit cards and banks accounts to get a c...

A spick and span home is every woman’s dream. The joy that comes with organized, spot-free, and functional space is unparalleled. I’ve not mastered this art as of yet. My process is still evolving. I’m finding better alternatives and constantly replacing them with the new ones. After years of experience, I’ve found some house cleaning hacks that work better than most quick-fixes I’ve found on the internet. These are organic and economical ways to clean homes. Don’t waste your money on home cleaning services, use these easy tricks to clean your home at your convenience. Unclog sink or washbasin with a homemade solution I’ve bought expensive chemicals, hired professional cleaning services, and wasted many man-hours over clogged sinks or washbasin. If you have lived in rented homes, like I have , you know how common this problem is. Now as a monthly routine, though I never throw items that can block the pipes, I use 2 products available in the kitchen. Mix vinegar and baking so...

I lived as a single working woman for a short span of time. In that short span of time, I found it extremely difficult to budget and have a way with finances. It appeared that almost everything was expensive. And there was little to no room for fun. But now I know many single women who live a magnificent life that you all would envy. The secret to living life queen-size is to make the right decisions. Stick to the basics and use technology to set your goals. This way one can save money to build financial security without compromising on the lifestyle. If you are a single woman working in a city, follow these tips: Make a Budget and Use an App to Stick to it The first step is to set a budget. Rent, transport, food, entertainment, internet, phone, utilities – decide and set a spending limit. But not before defining your saving target. The best thing about concentrating on saving as a single is you can save more. Use apps to keep track of your spendings. Try MoneyView app. It cons...