From the ledger
Articles
Plain-rupee explainers on EMI myths, debt literacy, and buying with your eyes open.
5 July 2026
How loan tenure secretly costs you more than the interest rate
A lower EMI feels like a better deal. Stretch the tenure to get there, and the total cost can climb even as the monthly number drops.
5 July 2026
Should you take a loan for a wedding?
A wedding loan isn't automatically a bad idea. But it's a purchase in the 'want' category dressed up as a necessity, and that framing matters.
4 July 2026
The BNPL trap: how 'pay later' apps quietly become EMIs
Buy-now-pay-later doesn't feel like debt because it doesn't look like debt. It behaves like one anyway, and it's easy to lose count of how many you're carrying.
4 July 2026
Why two people with the same salary can have very different debt capacity
Debt-to-income ratio treats everyone earning the same amount as equally capable of taking on debt. Life doesn't work that way.
3 July 2026
The real cost behind 'convert to EMI' on your credit card
Your card issuer will happily turn a big purchase into an EMI with one tap. The rate they quote and the rate you actually pay aren't always the same number.
3 July 2026
Prepaying a loan vs. investing the difference
The spreadsheet answer and the right answer aren't always the same thing. Here's how to think about both honestly.
3 July 2026
What your salary slip doesn't tell you about affordability
CTC is the number on the offer letter. Take-home is the number that actually pays EMIs — and the gap between them trips people up constantly.
2 July 2026
Credit card minimum due is a trap, not a payment
Paying the minimum due keeps your account in good standing. It does almost nothing to keep your debt from growing.
2 July 2026
What that EMI actually does to your month
The interest rate isn't the number that matters most. It's how much of your income is already spoken for — and what happens if something goes wrong while you're paying it off.
2 July 2026
Personal loan or credit card debt — which to kill first?
When you can only pay down one debt faster than the minimum, the math has a clear answer. It's usually not the one that feels most urgent.
1 July 2026
How much EMI can you actually afford?
The 40% rule of thumb isn't wrong, but it isn't the whole answer either. Here's what it misses and what to check instead.
1 July 2026
There's no such thing as a no-cost EMI
The '0% EMI' banner is real marketing, but the zero is doing more work than the number suggests. Here's where the cost actually goes.
1 July 2026
Buying for the applause, paying for it later
Validation-driven purchases aren't a character flaw. But they carry a real cost, and awareness of it is worth more than shame.