There are a few things, though, that they can do from next year to ensure their tax outgo is lower.
For an investor, gold is a necessity in the portfolio.
The country's largest lender will set up wind power projects in Maharashtra (9 Mw), Tamil Nadu (5 Mw) and Gujarat (1.5 Mw) - with a combined capacity of 15.5 Mw - for its captive consumption at various SBI offices and branches in these three states.
Housing finance companies step in to provide loan to customers turned away by banks.
Buying a four-wheeler this month can help save on cost, but check first.
The intensification of global financial crisis in the second half of 2008 had forced Indian companies to put on hold their global plans. When going was good till early 2008, Indian banks -- both public and private sector -- played their part, albeit as junior partners to large international banks, in funding deals.
Power seems to have become the new dotcom," a market observer said, referring to the surge in the number of companies of all shapes and sizes wanting to get into the power business.
The word 'zero' is the bait used to lure gullible buyers. In reality, the customer ends up paying an interest rate comparable to that on a consumer durable loan; in some cases, even higher.
The premium that borrowers would have to pay over the London Inter Bank Offered Rate (Libor) have not, however, shot up the way they did a year ago when spreads had jumped 750 basis points for some Indian companies in the aftermath of the collapse of Lehman Brothers.
Many investors are lured with dividends that mutual funds pay, without realising that they are getting their own money back.
Even if they are a small part of your portfolio, these funds can help reap rich returns.
Samar Roy applied for a credit card with a leading private sector bank last month. Though the world has changed since the days banks chased customers to offer credit cards, Roy was confident he would get one. He was earning a reasonably good salary and had no loans or credit cards to his name.
Keep some cash in hand for tackling last-minute hurdles.
Many smart buyers wait for the year-end to buy a car. Auto makers and dealers come up with the best discounts in the month of December to clear stocks. But if you are planning to buy a car any time soon, the current festive season could be an equally attractive opportunity, thanks to the availability of cheaper finance.
The move is aimed at improving margins.
Currently, ICICI Bank and HDFC do offer fixed-rate loans but the differential between fixed and floating rate loans is huge.
With returns improving due to the stock market rally, MIPs have started looking more promising.
Mhada presently has only Mumbai and Nashik cities in mind. If it takes off here, the thinking is to extend this to Pune and Aurangabad, and then elsewhere, if a common formula could be arrived at.
While govt banks are offering lower rates, private lenders are dangling higher loan-to-value proposition.
Fierce competition among financial institutions and strict regulatory actions are ensuring that your investment costs have started falling.
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