Personal loans and credit card loans provide quick access to money when it is urgently needed, but they also carry risks for borrowers.

'Investing in a factor-based fund can be beneficial provided you have chosen the right factor.'

Investors who decide to enter medium to long-duration funds should be cognisant of the risk.

Not just unclaimed bank deposits, there are thousands of crores of rupees locked in unclaimed shares and insurance policies lying with many institutions across India.

'Set aside around six months' monthly expenses for emergencies.' 'Keep this money in safe and liquid options, such as liquid funds and fixed deposits.'

'The long maturity of these funds makes them well-suited for long-term financial goals such as saving for retirement or children's education or marriage.'

An NCD's credit rating will tell you whether risk possibility is high or low. Instruments rated below AA are regarded as high-risk.

These funds can fetch double-digit returns over the long term which debt tax-saving products can't.

If you don't have a specific goal, but want intermittent liquidity, then ladder your FDs, that is, invest in FDs of varying maturities, such as one, two, three, five or even 10 years. Laddering ensures FDs mature at regular intervals.

TMFs invest in a public index, so investors know beforehand which instruments the fund will invest in.

'Sector funds like IT funds should be included only in the satellite portfolio.' 'Limit your exposure to IT sector funds to around 5-10 per cent of your equity portfolio.'

Since infrastructure projects have long gestation periods, investors need to enter them with a long horizon of at least 10 years.

Investors not comfortable investing directly may take the mutual fund route, where they get exposure to a diversified portfolio of bonds.

Invest only if you wish to go overweight on the sector.

Borrowers should be careful if the app promises too-quick disbursal, and doesn't provide adequate information on the terms of the loan, such as interest rate, repayment schedule, etc.

Enter multi-cap funds only if you can stay invested for the long term.

If you opt for a term-life cover, buy separate policies to cover the loan for all the co-borrowers in a home loan for a sum assured equal to the home loan amount.

The SIP route suits the salaried class, by matching their income flows with investment frequency.

Over longer periods of three, five and 10 years, small-cap funds have rewarded their investors handsomely.

The returns from liquid funds, currently, look better than what savings accounts of leading banks are offering, points out Sarbajeet K Sen.