Net Savvy Indian Brides and Grooms – Weddings
Net Savvy Indian Brides and Grooms
Roopa Nair
India is a diverse, multi-cultural country with people of various religions, communities and sects living together in harmony and peace. Each community has its own set of religious rituals, traditions and multitudes of customs inherited from ancestors. Arranged marriage is one such common custom handed down over generations. Arranged marriage has played an important role in Indian marriages. This concept is even today accepted by millions of Indians in India and abroad. Marriages, initiated by elders, were arranged with the help of an aunt or the priest. Over a period of time this has slowly transitioned from the marriage brokers to the newspapers and now onto the Internet.
Internet has revolutionized the way people communicate. Today, there are several matrimonial sites some aimed to a particular community/religion and some to the general public. These sites literally make the world seem a smaller place. The concept of online matrimonial has become increasingly popular because it gives people up-front, at the click of a mouse, access to thousands of eligible singles, which neither newspapers nor marriage bureaus can ever offer. It has tremendously expanded the reach of every marriageable individual by exposing him/her to the millions of eligible Indians who visit these sites. Increasingly, many individuals and families spend their valuable time online searching for the perfect partner for themselves or their loved ones. It is interesting to see that these sites are visited by conservative parents, relatives; who believe in the sanctity of arranged marriages and also by those for whom falling in love is the way to go.
There are many wedding and wedding related sites on the net like http://www.BridesandGroomsIndia.com, http://www.WeddingSutra.com, http://www.MyAstroHelpline.com, etc. which understand the focus of the new age matrimonial net surfers and offer them several attractive services. These kind of sites have made it possible to find a partner, match the horoscopes, book a marriage hall and then do all the wedding shopping online. Many Indians are hooked on to this concept as it is safe, saves a lot of time and presents a wider choice in every aspect.
It is interesting to see how the Indian marriage scene has changed over the years. Though Indians have become tech savvy and jumped on the Internet bandwagon to find the Mr./Mrs. Right, but still the Indian customs, the traditions, the core values remain the same.
About The Author
Roopa Nair is an Indian freelance writer and a computer professional.
5 Tips for Savvy Use of Your Home Equity Line of Credit – Mortgage
5 Tips for Savvy Use of Your Home Equity Line of Credit
Tim Paul
Tapping your homes equity to pay college expenses, consolidate credit card debt or even to buy a new car or boat is common place. Many economists attribute the additional buying power afforded consumers through home equity debt as a primary reason the nations economy has been able to emerge from the recent recession. Yet, aside from simply allowing consumers to spendmore, the flexibility and efficiency of a home equity line of credit HELOC can provide the financially savvy person with the means to savemoney, make money or simply take advantageof opportune situations he or she might otherwise miss out on. Here are five tips to show you how:
Tip 1: Take Advantage of Higher Insurance Deductibles! You probably know that raising deductibles on auto and homeowners insurance policies can mean big savings on insurance premiums. If you increase the deductible on a homeowners policy from $500 to $1,000, youll cut your premium by as much as 25%! Yet many people dont do this because they fear they may not have the necessary cash available in the event of a loss. With low-interest cash readily available through a home equity line of credit youll have the security and confidence you need to raise your deductibles and reap the savings!
Tip 2: Lock In Big Savings! Credit card companies e.g. the GM card frequently have shopping programs with names like "Main Street Savings" on a 30-day free trial basis. These programs allow you to buy discounted gift cards 20% discount for major national retailers like Target, Sears, and Home Depot. The flexibility afforded by a home equity line of credit can allow you to purchase during the free trial period a large amount of discounted gift cards for major retailers you frequent. Then use these cards instead of cash or credit when you purchase everyday items The cash you would have spent can be used to pay down the HELOC. Although you pay low interest on the home equity credit line, you receive a front-end discount of 20% on everything bought. When combined with store coupons and sales, you can realize total savings of 70% or more! In short, a HELOC provides the low interest cash availability to take advantage of bargains like this that you might otherwise have to pass on.
Tip 3: Take Advantage of 0% Balance Transfer Offers! Weve all seen no-fee credit card offering "0% APR" on balance transfers for 6, 12, and even 18 months. If you have a balance on your HELOC, you may be able to take advantage of these offers. Heres an example of how: last year I accepted such an offer and promptly transferred $10,000 from my home equity credit line balance which had a 4.25% rate. Then I cut up the card! For the next eleven months, I paid the monthly minimum credit card payment 3% of the outstanding balance by writing a check from my home equity line of credit. In the twelfth month, prior to the expiration of the 0% offer, I paid off the remaining balance with another home equity credit line check. During the 12 months, I also made sure to continue my regular payment towards the HELOC at the same level, meaning that more of each went to pay down principal and less went to interest. Net result: interest savings of over $350.00, lower principal balance on my HELOC, and a positive addition to my credit repayment history!
Tip 4: First Pay With a Rewards Credit Card! If youre contemplating using your HELOC for a major purchase, you should consider whether or not the merchant your dealing with accepts credit cards. Why Because it makes a great deal of sense to pay first with a rewards credit card and then pay off the card with your HELOC check. On a recent $14,000 bathroom remodel, I was able to charge plumbing services, cabinets, and almost everything else to my Fidelity/MBNA 529 College Rewards Mastercard. This card pays you back by putting 2% of everything charged into a 529 college savings plan. Result: $280.00 in college savings that would have been missed if I paid the bills directly with home equity credit line checks! Whatever rewards credit card you favor, its sensible to pay first with the card whenever possible. Keep in mind, though, you must promptly pay off the balance and not incur finance charges.
Tip 5: Replace Your 1st Mortgage with a HELOC! According to Money Magazine, if you have more equity than debt and plan to stay in your home for 3 years or less, you should consider replacing your first mortgage with a home equity line of credit. HELOCs are currently available around the country at rates of 4% or lower. Even if rates increase a full percentage point each year, theyll still be low when you pay off the loan. Best of all, there are no closing costs with most HELOCS so you wont have to worry about recouping them through interest savings as you do with a traditional mortgage refinance. A savvy person - using tip 3 in conjunction with tip 5 - might even move a portion of his mortgage to a 0% credit card thanks to the flexibility of a home equity line of credit.
About The Author
Tim Paul has more than 25 years executive financial management experience. His recent area of focus has been to develop and catalog proven strategies for financially savvy persons to get the most from their home equity credit lines. His website is www.sagetips.com.
mail@sagetips.com