How-To Guides
Practical guides to EMIs, reward redemptions, lounge access, fee waivers and getting more from your cards.
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How-To GuidesThe pre-trip card checklist: 12 things to set up before you fly
Most travel card disasters — a declined payment at a foreign hotel, a blocked card on day one, a surprise fee on the statement — trace back to something that could have been set up at home in ten minutes. Run through thi
How-To GuidesInternational ATM fees: the three charges behind every cash withdrawal
Cards work almost everywhere, but travel still needs cash — taxis, tips, small shops, rural towns. Withdrawing local currency from a foreign ATM is simple, but it is also one of the most fee-dense actions in travel: up t
How-To GuidesForex markup maths: worked examples of the markup-plus-GST chain
Every international card transaction passes through the same cost chain: the network converts the currency, your bank adds a markup fee, and the government adds 18% GST on that fee. Most people only feel the final number
How-To GuidesZero forex markup cards in India: what 'zero' actually covers
Forex markup is the fee Indian banks add on top of the card network's exchange rate whenever you spend in a foreign currency. A growing category of cards advertises zero forex markup — and the headline is genuinely valua
How-To GuidesAlways pay in local currency abroad: the dynamic currency conversion trap
You hand your card to a waiter in Paris, and the card machine offers a choice: pay in euros, or pay in Indian rupees. It feels helpful — even reassuring to see the amount in your home currency. But that friendly offer, k
How-To GuidesNew credit card strategy: the first 12 months that earn bigger limits
The limit you are assigned on day one is rarely the limit you keep. Banks review accounts continuously, and the first 6 to 12 months are effectively a probation period: behave well and the bank will often raise your limi
How-To GuidesSecured credit card limits: how FD-backed cards build your limit from zero
If you have no credit history — a student, a first-time earner, a freelancer without salary slips, or someone rebuilding after a rough patch — the standard credit card application is a closed door. The bank cannot assess
How-To GuidesAdd-on card limits: how your primary card limit gets shared
An add-on (supplementary) card does not come with its own fresh pool of credit. It draws from the primary cardholder's limit. That single fact explains almost every confusion families have about add-on cards: why the pri
How-To GuidesHow banks decide credit limit increases in India: when to ask and how
A higher credit limit does two useful things: it gives you more headroom for large spends, and it mechanically lowers your credit utilisation ratio without you spending a rupee less. But banks do not hand out increases o
How-To GuidesHow to read credit card entries in your Form 26AS and AIS
Every year before filing your income-tax return, you should review two documents on the e-filing portal: Form 26AS and the Annual Information Statement (AIS). Credit cardholders often open them expecting a list of their
How-To GuidesCredit card debt after the cardholder's death: who owes what
When a cardholder passes away with an unpaid credit card balance, grieving families often face a second shock: the bank asking for the money. Understanding who is actually liable — and who is not — protects the family fr
How-To GuidesTDS on rent paid through a credit card: who deducts and how
Paying rent with a credit card — directly or through a rent-payment platform — has become common for the rewards. But the payment rail does not change the tax obligation underneath it: if TDS applies to your rent, you as