Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Mutual Funds - Saving Tax

Mutual funds explained with some comment on how to save tax.
  • ELSS = Tax Saver (Saving) Mutual Funds (Schemes)
  • You can invest upto one lakh in any ELSS scheme.
  1. You should check if you really need to invest one lakh, because in all probability, your employer is already deducting PF from your salary.
  2. In that case, your investments should be: 1 Lakh - (monthly PF deduction x 12)
  3. PF = Provident Fund = Govt’s way of making people save from their salary.
  • This investment gets locked for 3 years (lock in period = 3 years).
  1. That means that if you invest Rs. 3000 today, you will get it back only after three years from today.
  2. That also means that if your are doing an SIP of Rs. 3000 every month, the three years are counted for every 3000 from the month they were invested.
  3. SIP= Systematic Investment Plan = Fund’s way of saying “please invest in us regularly at a definite interval”.
  • Lock in period of 3 years is good, why?
  1. …because that ensures that people can’t take out money for at least next 3 years.
  2. … and that makes it easy for the funds to make more money for you.
  3. … also this is better than locking your money away for 5 or 7 years (in other schemes - don’t worry about them if you don’t know).
  • Which fund to choose?
  1. Choose a fund (search now: http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=elss+funds) that has: -> a decent asset size and

-> and good two years performance (look at the rate of return in the last two years)

  • Frankly, every fund company has two or three Tax funds (or may be just one)
  • It’s better to keep your folios tight and invest in a Tax fund of the company where you already have funds.
    Reason: tax funds generally are better than any other tax saver investment, so you should really not worry about choosing, too much.
  • Which option to choose?
  1. Choose growth option. Don’t choose dividend re-investment. That’s because you really don’t want any more money to get locked again for three years.
  2. So if you choose dividend re-investment, and the fund declares a dividend of Rs. 500 at the 29th month after your investment, that Rs. 500 per unit will get locked for three more years.
  3. In effect, you will get back the re-invested money after another 36 months (in case the Govt. keeps lock-in as 3 years).
  4. So, you get back the dividend money after 29+36 months of your original investment.
  • Options: Growth - this means that you won’t get any dividends, but your fund’s NAV will increase intrinsically with dividend declarations.
  • Options: Dividend Payout - this means that a dividend declaration will give you back cash in your account. Some times this makes sense.
  • Options: Dividend Re-investment - Any declaration will buy you new funds for whatever money you might have got paid. Stay clear of this one.
  • NAV: Net Asset Value - Fund’s way of saying “my one unit will cost you this (NAV) much.”

The best way to invest is using an SIP.

  • During April, calculate what your PF amount is (assuming your appraisal and stuff is over).
    Multiply that by 12 and then deduct it from one lakh. There you go, you have an investment figure - X.
  • Divide X by 12, and decrease another figure Y from this new Z = X / 12.
  1. This Y depends on your age. Y is directly proportional to [Your Age - 28].
  2. Y is the money you should invest in a fixed return investment (like Fixed Deposit, National Saving Certificates or Public Provident Fund).
  3. Y is totally your call, but should be quite less than Z.
  4. Your total fixed return investment becomes Y x 12, and ELSS investment is (Z - Y) x 12.
  5. Your SIP should be for an amount of (Z - Y), starting in April.

Monday, January 26, 2009

60th Republic day


ViewHyderabad greets the people of India and all Hyderabadis on 60th Republic day.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Falaknuma Palace

Falaknuma Palace is the ost famous palace of Hyderabad. The palace is situated on a 2000 feet hill. It was built in the year from 1883-1884 by the Nawad Vikarul Umra Bahadur, the prime minister of Hyderabad in those days. It was designed by an Italian Architect, the palace was purchased by the sixth nizam in 1897 to be used as the royal guest house.

Now, the Falaknuma Palace is a Taj property and is currently under a restoration process and is not open to tourists.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

INSRUCTIONS FOR LIFE

1.Take into account that great love and achievements involve great risks
2.When you lose, don’t lose the lesson
3.Follow the three R’s
‘R’espect for self
‘R’espect for others
‘R’esponsibility for all your actions
4.Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck
5.Learn the rules so you know them properly
6.Don’t let a little dispute injure a great relationship
7.When you realize you have made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
8.Spend sometime alone everyday
9.Open your arms to change, but don’t let go off your values.
10.Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer
11.Live a good, honourable life. Then when you get older and think back you will be able to enjoy it a second time
12. A loving atmosphere is your home is the foundation for your life.
13.In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Dont bring up the past.
14.Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality
15.Be gentle with the earth
16.Once a year, go some place you have never been before.
17.Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
18.Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Shopping Malls in Hyderabad

Brand Factory
Atria Mall,
Opp. St.George Grammar Girls School,
Abids,
Ph: 44310000
Timings: 11:00 am to 10:30pm (Open on all days)

Hyderabad Central
Panjagutta X Road,
Hyderabad.
Ph: 66430000, Fax:66430116
Timings: 10:30 am to 9:30pm(Open on all days)

Life Style
Kundan Bagh,
Begumpet,
Hyderabad.
Ph: 23410013, 2341008
Timings: 10:00am to 10:00pm(Open on all days)

MPM Mall
Koti Road,
Abids,
Hyderabad.
Ph:66786789, Fax:66786711
Timings: 10:00am to 10:00pm(Opan on all days)

Shopper’s Stop
Begumpet,
Hyderabad.
Ph:27761084, 27761080, Fax:27761108
Timings” 11:00am to 9:00pm(Open on all days)

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Bike and Car Races in Hyderabad

On Saturday Jan 17th, near Haj terminal, opposite to Shamshabad Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, the Bike and Car race was inaugurated and started with the huge participation of youngsters and Racers.

Near International Airport at Hyderabad, the CEO of GMR group, Mr.Satish Nair has inaugurated the race of Bikes and Cars. On the first the qualifying round will be held and the participants of Bikes and Cars will have to clear this round to continue in the Race. The participants of the Race who cleared the Qualifying Round will have the SemiFinals and the Final rounds on Sunday.

To participate in the Race, the Bikers have to pay a entry fees of Rs.600 and for the Car race participants it is Rs.1000. The winners of the Race will be presented with a Cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh in sepearte categories of Bikes and Cars.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Celebrations at Hakimpet Airforce

From 10 days, Jan 7th to 17th 2009, the Bravery and ParaSailing Celebrations were held in the Hakimpet Airforce.

As part of these celebrations the officials and Commanders of the Hakimpet Airforce have participated and presented their bravery with the adventures of ParaSailing, Parachuting, Hot Airbaloon, etc. Among these adventures, the highlight is one of the lady commander Harmeeth Kaur who participated by Prefile ParaJumping from more than 8000 feet high.

During these celebrations, many competitions were held among the categories of Jorb ball, Rapling, Trekking and other things.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Happy Sankranthi

The ubiquitous harvest festival is here! It signifies new beginnings and brings with it a spirit of togetherness, success and prosperity.

Here's wishing you and your Family a Happy Sankranthi and Pongal !!!

Monday, January 12, 2009

Kite Festival at Necklace road

For three days, there is a Kite Festival is celebrated at the People’s Plaza, Necklace road. On the eve of Sankranthi Festival, every year Kite Festival is celebrated at the Necklace road located on the banks of the Hussain Sagar lake. Every year, the admirers of Kites from all over the world come here to participate in this Kite festival and the local citizens of Hyderabad take the pleasure of flying the kites along with these admirers with their variety designs of Kites.

In this year of 2009, A Voluntary Organization working for the Hearing impaired Children “ASHRAY-AKRUTI” is organizing the KITE Festival in order to support the hearing impaired children. The Inaugural ceremony of Kite Festival will start at 4:00 pm on Tuesday, January 13, 2009. This Kite Festival is long for three days and ends on the 15th of January at 10:00 pm. The Fans and admirers of Kites will participate in this event to make the Celebration even more brightful.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

About Pongal

How kite flying and Pongal (or Makara Sankranthi) are related no on eknows for sure, but this is the day when you can see people across India flying kites, more so in Hyderabad. Kites of all sizes,colours, designs and patterns fight with each other for their place under the sun. Pongal marks the beginning of the harvest season and the sun’s journey to the ‘Tropic of cancer’.

Pongal (or Sankranthi) is one of the biggest festivals of South India and it is celebrated for Three continuous days. These days are known as Bhogi Festival, Sankranthi Festival and Kannuma Festival.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

How does a lie detector work?

Lie detector, also knows as a polygraph, is generally used using interrogation by police.

The instrument works by recording our physiological functions such as blood pressure, heartbeat, respiration and perspiration. A pnuemograph tube is fastened around the subject's chest and a blood-pressure-pulse cuff is strapped around the arm. Psycho-galvanic skin reflex (electro-dermal response) and flow of current between different parts of the body are also measured.

Sensitive electrodes are used to pick up the impulses which are recorded on a moving graph paper. The parameters are recorded when a suspect answers questions put to him by an operator. The data is then used as a basis for deciding whether the person is lying or not.

When a person lies, the graph deviates from the normal shape in one or more of the body functions. Such changes occur due to our emotional response to telling a lie.

While most of the questions asked are interrelated, some are included to improve the test's accuracy. The questions are usually answered in ‘yes', ‘no' mode only.

The modern polygraph was first constructed in 1921 by John a. Lagoon, a medical student at the University of California, along with a police officer. His instrument was capable of continuously recording blood pressure, pulse and respiration. As it recorded these conditions simultaneously it was called a polygraph. Though this has been in use since 1924, it has not developed into a complete fool-proof system and is yet to be accepted judicially.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Citizens can reach Cops through a SMS to 9010100100

It is found that, when we dial a Toll Free Number 100 to reach the Cops of Hyderabad, either the number will be in a Engaged mode or No one lifts the call. People are finding it difficult to access the dialed number `100'. Though the caller hears the ring when they dial the number, the call was not landing at the control room.To find a solution to this problem, The Police department has come up with a special feature as – ‘SMS to Cops at number 9010100100.

From this New Year 2009, everyone can send their complaints or information about a Terror through this SMS facility. When any Short message service(SMS) is sent to the number, operators at the control room will alert the concerned police station based on the information obtained through SMS.

Every Cell phone user who wants to send a SMS can send their message based on these various categories – the complaints can be anyone among Traffic, Terrorism, Women, Crime, and Others. The SMS sender should first enter the category then followed by their composed complaint/issue message. But just like Toll Free Number ‘100’, these SMS messages sent will be charged by the Mobile Service providers which may vary from 50 paisa to Re.1.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Note while claiming insurance

Excess Amount:
The insurer will define a amount that can be managable by the insured for general insurance(Insurance for vehicles, etc). This amount is called the excess amount.If your claim is less than or equal to this excess amount, you will not get the claimed amount because excess amount will be deductible from claim.
Please cross check what is the excess amount while applying insurance for your vehicles.

Friday, January 2, 2009

Logic of Emergency 108 in Hyderabad

Do you know the logic of emergency "108" (ambulance) ?
Your birthday year(last 2 digits)+ your current age=108 for anyone. Its great, try this. It worked for me, sorry for not getting.