How Can I Ask Telemarketers To Stop Calling

Telemarketers can be quite a pain at times. However, if you have always wanted to avoid such phone calls but never knew what to say or do, read on. In this article, we tell you how to get telemarketers to stop calling.

 

How Can I Stop Telemarketers to Stop Calling

 

·         If available, it is always advisable to check the caller ID. If it is some number which you do not recognize, then it might be a telemarketer. But, on the contrary it can be your friend or family member who might be calling from another phone, so be cautious about it.

·         Another way of avoiding such calls is after answering the phone, if you feel that you do not know the person on the other side of the phone, say a simple sorry and hang up. You can also say something like - "Sorry, but I do not accept telephone solicitations at this number."

·         Make sure you find out the name of the company that the marketer is calling from. Some of the telemarketers will just give you their name when asked who is calling. If the caller acts smart, simply ask which organization he/ she is calling from.

·         After you have successfully got the name of the organization, request immediately that you be placed on the particular company's ‘Do not call list’.

·         Jot down or save the number of the company that had called you. This will remind you that you have already asked the company to stop calling you if they call you again.

·         Simply hang up! Yes, this is rude, but sometimes you need to be a little rude to make them understand. 

 

Tips 

 

·         If you do not have any interest in the product they are trying to sell, say so directly instead of wasting anyone's time.

·         Be fast and precise to ask them to add you in their 'Do not call' list. Some marketers are pretty clever and will hang up as soon as they sense what you are trying to say.

·         Simply saying something like - "No, thank you, I would not like to buy the product" will work sometimes but be firm in whatever you say.

·         If you have voice message activated, then, perhaps you can record something like - "If you are a telemarketer or a business organization trying to sell anything, please put me on your 'Do not call' list. Thank you."

·         Lastly, try not to make personal attacks on anyone. Please remember, that those telemarketers are people too who are trying to make a living like you.

 

How to Create a Currency Converter With Microsoft Excel

Instructions

• Step 1:

Select the currency you want to convert to.

• Step 2:

Find the current conversion rate. Sites such as Yahoo's currency converter will list the latest currency conversion rate for the various international currencies. Several sites offer this service, so perform an Internet search for the site you feel most comfortable with.

• Step 3:

Open Microsoft Excel. Label the first three columns in the Excel spreadsheet as "Current Currency," "Currency Conversion Factor" and "Converted Currency." You don't have to label the columns as indicated here, but for instructional purposes, it makes it easier to identify the column's contents. You can label them A, B and C if you'd like.

• Step 4:

Insert the amount of the currency you wish to convert in the first column (Current Currency). If you're converting $453 US dollars into another currency, insert that amount in the first column.

• Step 5:

Place the currency conversion factor in the second column.

• Step 6:

Create a formula in the third column. Insert this formula in the third column "+column1/cell1 * +colum2/cell1." In this example, assuming you did not skip a row after your title, your dollar amount will be in A2 and your conversion amount will be in B2; therefore, your formula will read "+A2*+B2." Be sure to hit the "Enter" key once you've put in the formula. It will automatically convert the currency.

• Step 7:

Add formatting. If you want your converter to look nice, format the column by bolding, underlining or adding color.

Tips & Warnings

• This will work for any currency. All you have to do is insert the appropriate currency conversion number factor in the "Currency Conversion Factor" column.
• Be sure to use the most up-to-date conversion rate in your "Currency Conversion Factor" column.
• If you are unfamiliar with Microsoft Excel formulas, the "+" at the beginning of the formula determines whether it is a positive or negative number. The asterisk "

" is the symbol for multiplication.

SEVENTY MM-A NIGHTMARE

I think lot of you must be knowing about the services of Seventy MM which claims to be Largest Movien Rental Services in India.  I wish to share my experience about it with you'll.

 

I became a member of Seventy MM on 17-06-2008 after getting a call from one of the sales executive of Seventy MM who informed me that they have all the movies since 1930 in DVD or VCD besides lot of English Movies and Charges would be Rs.300/- pm and some amount as Refundable Security.  You also had option to queue your proformance of movies online which will come to you on request.  I was also told that if you order a movie upto 0900 hrs in the morning then you will get the movie same day.  I got conveinced with the idea and have enrolled for their services. 

 

I think it was a nightmare that I had enrolled for as their systems have lot of bugs, their services are so poor that they will not give you movies till 2000 hrs in the evening and their operations come to a stand still mode if one of their delivery boy goes on leave.  One can well imagine that I could not get more than 12 movies through out the month even though I wished for.  The reasons could be as follows:

 

1. Althought they don't leave more than one movie with anybody but my request could not be forwarded because as per their system they had two movies in my name.
2. Their delivery boy was not well so they could not deliver the movie.
3. On the other occassion, they could arrange to deliver in my area.

 

and lots more.

 

During this tenure I had spoken to a number of People such as Mr Amit, Ms Nayab, Mr Tarun, Mr Anuj, Mr Alok (Customer Care Head), Ms Neha [executive who sold me this service], Wanted to speak to Mr P.L. Sharma [Head for Delhi Region] but he didn't come on line.  I don't know whether he had been informed about my willingness to talk to him.  I also wanted to speak to Mr Raghav Kher [MD] but I was informed that he stays at U.S. and nobody has his email id or phone no. where he can be contacted.  I was also told that if you send a mail to support, it will be read by Seniors but unfortunately even after me writing two emails i.e. on 05-07-2008 & 09-07-2008 there was no response.  I my opinion there is no person responsible for services or who looks into the operations.

 

I just wanted to share my experience with you so that you should be informed that what kind of services we are enrolling for before we go ahead with it.

 

Mukesh Gupta

9810188780

 

10 Great Ways To Source Low Cost Products For Ebay

So you’re having trouble finding stock cheaply enough to sell it for a good profit? Well, you’ve come to the right place.

Garage sales. The chances are you’ve gone most of your life seeing ads for these and ignoring them. Start going to as many as you can. You won’t find good things at every one, but when you find one person with good stuff, make them an offer for the lot – they’ll be so happy about it that you can get a real bargain.

Markets. If your area has a market, then go there and look around for anything good. You could buy it there if it’s cheap enough, or try to make friends with the market traders and find out who their suppliers are.

Pawn shops. Pawn shops don’t usually know what to do with the junk they accumulate (unless it’s jewellery, of course). Generally, they put their stock out on the shelves haphazardly, hoping that someday someone with a little money will just happen to come in, search around and buy wildly obscure things. Get them to offer you a discount for bulk.

Real auctions. Go to a real auction, as the chances are that you can resell things for more than they will sell them. After all, they only have a few hundred people in that room – you have a few million to sell to!

Local newspapers. Place an ad in the local paper that reads “I pay cash for [your item type]”, with your phone number. If you can afford it, make it a big display ad, so it’ll be noticed.

Ad boards. Get one of those little ads in the grocery store.

Friends. Ask your friends if they have anything they’d like to sell you, and ask them to spread the word to their friends.

Become known. Give out business cards, mention to people what you do. The chances are that you’ll come across someone who’ll say “Oh, really? I’ve got a load of [item] I don’t want”.

Shops. This might be a little surprising, but some real shops even sell things more cheaply than they sell on eBay. Take a look around your local deep discounter, and pay special attention to any shop that takes trade-ins from customers. The chances are they take a loss on trade-ins as a promotion, and are dying to get rid of that stock.

And finally: eBay! When you’re looking at the completed items view, you’ll notice the massive range of prices that items can sell for on eBay. Try taking the highest-priced item and searching for it on its own, then sort by lowest price first: I can almost guarantee that you’ll see an auction for the same item where it sold for almost nothing. The trick is to find these flawed auctions before they close, win them using a bid sniping service, and then turn around and resell the item.

After all that trouble, though, when do sell the item you might find that a buyer leaves you a feedback rating you just don’t think is fair. The next email will show you what to do about it.

How to beat inflation

Inflation is the latest buzzword! From the prime minister to the aam aadmi all and sundry are worried about how fast the rate of inflation is increasing. For the record inflation entered into double digits at 11.05 per cent for the week ending June 7. And with crude prices touching new highs inflation is only expected to go higher.

Though everyone knows what inflation is by now because it is the latest buzz, a quick guide as to what it means would only be apt.

Inflation reflects the rate at which the general prices of food and other commodities increase over a period of time. This ultimately leads to a decrease in purchasing power of money and that is what actually affects you and me. This means that what you can buy for Rs 10 today will cost you almost Rs 17 five years down the line for the same commodity considering inflation rate stays put at 11 per cent.

The effect of inflation not only leads to hike in prices of commodities and food but also eats away into the returns on the investments of your hard earned money. This again hits you where it hurts the most, your pocket.

Though the nominal or stated rate of interest looks attractive what really the investor should be interested in is the real rate of return, that is, the inflation adjusted return. You need to know the real rate of return because that is what will allow you to check the true earning potential of the instrument as well as know the purchasing power of your investments.

Real rate of return is calculated as follows: Real rate of return (in percentage terms) = [{(1+ rate of return) / (1+ rate of inflation)} � 1] * 100.

Also, we cannot forget the tax component while calculating the real rate of return. Income tax, capital gains tax and all other taxes that you pay also eat up into the money that you earn as returns or profits. Hence, if we deduct tax (percentage is based on individual tax slab) from the returns and then calculate the real rate of return, the returns will go down even further.

With inflation reaching 11 per cent it should not come as a surprise to investors if the returns on their investments especially in debt instruments (like fixed deposits and debt income mutual funds) would be in the negative. This is even without deducting the tax component.

To really understand how inflation nibbles at your returns let us have a look at the table below. It calculates (using the formula above) returns that investors will get from various investment avenues like fixed deposits, NSC, PPF, post office returns etc.

If we consider the recent inflation rate (11 per cent for simplifying calculations instead of the actual 11.05 per cent) in our formula above all investments, except those in diversified equity mutual funds and direct investment in shares, have turned negative.

Type of Investments	Rate of interest	Inflation rate	Real rate of return
Fixed deposit	8.5 per cent	11 per cent	-2.25 per
National Saving Certificate	8 per cent	11 per cent	-2.7 per cent
Public Provident Fund	8 per cent	11 per cent	-2.7 per cent
Post office Monthly Income Scheme	8 per cent	11 per cent	-2.7 per cent
Post Office Recurring Deposits	7.5 per cent	11 per cent	-3.15 per cent
Post Office Senior Saving Citizen Scheme	9 per cent	11 per cent	-1.8 per cent
Post Office Time Deposit (5 Years)	7.5 per cent	11 per cent	-3.15 per cent
Kishan Vikas Patra	8.25 per cent	11 per cent	-2.48 per cent
Debt Fund -- Income Fund	8.5 per cent	11 per cent	-2.25 per cent
Debt Fund -- Liquid Fund	8 per cent	11 per cent	-2.7 per cent
Debt Fund -- Floating Rate Fund	8 per cent	11 per cent	-2.7 per cent
Debt Fund -- Gilt Fund	6.5 per cent	11 per cent	-4.05 per cent
Equity Fund -- Diversified Fund	15 per cent	11 per cent	3.6 per cent
Direct Equities	15 per cent	11 per cent	3.6 per cent

In the above table the returns on debt and equity funds are on a ten-year average. The tax component has not been taken into consideration. If tax is taken into consideration the real rate of return will be further down on the negative chart.

I am sure the above table seems quite depressing. So the question remains: How to beat inflation? Well in this fight against inflation all is not lost. Not as yet. As clearly seen from the above table equities and equity linked products can help you beat inflation. However, it must always be kept in mind that in the short term both equities and equity linked products can turn risky.

Equities

This instrument though gives you sleepless nights due to the market risk involved but is one investment avenue which can beat inflation. This is true but only if you stay invested for the long term. Long term here could be safely assumed as staying invested for at least 8 years or more.

As Warren Buffet, the richest man in the world and CEO and Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway says, 'Time is the friend of the wonderful company, the enemy of the mediocre.'

ou might wonder that in the above table how I took 15 per cent as returns on equity whereas in last few months the returns have been negative and in last few years the returns have been almost 30 per cent on an annualised basis. The 15 per cent return is an average you can expect to earn if stayed invested for long term, as volatility gets averaged out over the years generating good returns.

As can be seen from the above table the real rate of return by staying invested in equity for long term is 3.6 per cent, thus not diminishing the purchasing power of your investments.

Equity linked products (equity mutual funds)

The same is also true for equity funds. The best bet to select from equity funds would be diversified equity funds as the portfolio is well diversified among different sectors. Staying invested for long term is the key to earning good returns as well as beating inflation. Staying invested for long term averages out the volatility of the stock market and gives a steady return.

Gold

Recent years have seen lot of interest in gold. Why so? The biggest factor is the weakening of the US dollar. Universally, gold is inversely linked to the value of US dollar; hence with weakening of the US dollar demand for gold has increased. Gold has always been stated as a good hedge against inflation. It is considered as a store of value next only to the US greenback.

• The why and how of investing in gold

Gold is still a preferred medium of investment due to the fact that it the most liquid asset in the world. The market can meet the demand for gold as it is virtually indestructible and hence all the gold which has been mined till date still exists. Due to this liquidity and the depth of the market gold prices have more or less been stable besides a few ups and downs.

It is always recommended that at least five per cent of your portfolio must be invested in gold in the form of government certified gold coins or gold bars.

Gold exchange traded funds (ETF) is another good investment avenue. However, gold ETFs are fairly new in India. The first gold ETF was launched in February 2007. For investors who have storage problem and cannot buy gold lump sum gold ETFs are good avenues. But for gold ETF you will require demat and a brokerage account.

Although equities and equity linked investments are the only investment vehicle able to beat inflation only investing in them is also not advisable. Remember the old adage: Never put all your eggs in one basket.

The right combination of both the products -- equity and debt -- laced with gold investment is the best way to beat the demon of inflation in the long run.

 

Water heating in micro wave..

A 26-year old guy decided to have a cup of coffee. He took a cup of
water and put it in the microwave to heat it up (something that he had
done numerous times before).

Not sure how long he set the timer for, but he wanted
to bring the water to a boil. When the timer shut the oven off, he
removed the cup from the oven. As he looked into the cup, he noted that
the water was not boiling, but instantly the water in the cup 'blew up'
into his face.

The cup remained intact until he threw it out of his hand but all the
water had flown out into his face due to the build up of energy. His
whole face is blistered and he has 1st and
2nd degree burns to his face, which may leave scarring. He also may
have lost partial sight in his left eye. While at the hospital, the
doctor who was attending to him stated that this is fairly common
occurrence and water (alone) should never be heated in a microwave
oven. If water is heated in this manner, something should be placed in
the cup to diffuse the energy such as: a wooden stir stick, tea bag,
etc. It is however a much safer choice to boil the water in a teakettle.

General Electric 's (GE) response:

Thanks for contacting us. I will be happy to assist you. The e-mail
that you received is correct. Micro waved water and other liquids do
not always bubble when they reach the boiling point. They can actually
get superheated and not bubble at all. The superheated liquid will
bubble up out of the cup when it is moved or when something like a
spoon or teabag is put into it. To prevent this from happening and
causing injury, do not heat any liquid for more than two minutes per
cup.  After heating, let the cup stand in the microwave for thirty
seconds before moving it or adding anything into it.

How to deal with stock market volatility

The Indian stock markets move up one day and crash by more than 300 points the other. They have become very volatile and many investors who have invested -- either directly or through mutual funds -- seem to have made huge notional losses.

In this situation, should you buy more of stocks and mutual fund units? Should you go for lumpsum investment or discipline yourself by investing small amounts every month? What is the best strategy in such times to deal with the stock market ups and downs?

Is it a good option to sell when markets are down? Also, should you look at other avenues like gold, real estate to diversify your risks?

In a chat, financial planning expert Vetapalem Sridhar answered these and several other queries related to mutual fund investments, financial planning and how to achieve financial freedom for you and your family.

For those of you who missed the chat, here is the transcript.

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Vetapalem Sridhar says, Hi Friends!!! "Risk comes from not knowing what you're doing."  Warren Buffet. A clear focus/strategy with discipline and patience would open the doors to the world of gud returns that lay ahead. Welcome to the session on investing and financial planning.

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Ravi asked, I want to invest in LIC [Get Quote] Amolya Jeevan , which is a term plan.Is there any tax benefits in investing in this term plan as other moneyback and endowment policies

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, Dear Ravi, the amt invested into insurance schemes including TERM Plan would qualify for tax benefit within the overall 1L limit u/s 80C.

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Kunal asked, Hi, Sridhar. In today's mkt as all the mutual funds are giving negative or low returns can you name some good mutual funds to start investing in? I hav SIP in Reliance [Get Quote] RSF, DWS Investment Opp, JM Emerging, MAgnum COMMA,Sundaram select focus. Can I continue with these?.or should I buy gold instead? For tax planning Can u suggest some good funds in todays mkt or can I go for NSC, KVP. Thank You.

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, Hi Kunal,ur portf is aggressive in nature and hence would be more volatile. Make further investments into 2 large cap/diversified funds like HDFC [Get Quote] Growth, Reliance Vision, Franklin Bluechip etc to bring more stability to the portf. Selling when mkts r down is not a gud option. Over the next 2-3 yrs it does make sense to trim 2 aggressive funds to ensure that the number of funds is manageable. NSC/KVP r not options. Amt of gold that u should own would depend on an overall asset allocation need.

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jayan asked, Sir, I have the following mutual funds, through SIP route. DSMPL Equity(G) Rs. 6000, DSPML Tiger Rs. 2000, SBI [Get Quote] Magnum Rs. 1500. I would like to add one more funds to my portfolio. Could you please suggest a best one?. I have invested in the above funds for my future requirements say after 10-12 yrs. Thanks.

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, It is not possible to know which fund will be the best performer in the future. U should look at adding a fund like Reliance Vision, HDFC Growth, Sundaram Select Focus, etc to ur portf. Continue to invest with discipline for the next 10-12 yrs...

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venkat asked, some experts says inflation will reach 20%. is it possible?

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, Though such a high inflation is possible, given the scenario and the strength in our economy, it is HIGHLY UNLIKELY over the foreseeable future. A high Inflation may be a reality for an extended period of time (from a few mths to around an yr, difficult to say). Oil is going to be one of the primary factors that would govern inflation. In such situations mkts do go thro a bad phase, which is not necessarily a bad thing for long term investors, as it gives excellent opportunities to buy gr8 companies as relatively cheap prices. So dont worry much about inflation, but be focussed on investing with discipline.

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farook asked, Sir,which scheme invest the money, related inflation above 11.25% i should invest in short and longtime plese tell ?

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, Dear Farook, currently I dont think that there is any relatively safe debt options available, which are giving positive returns post inflation. Tough in ur debt holdings a mix of short term FDs and short term Floating Rate funds should be options to consider. With the current RBI actions, we should soon see banks raising FD rates. A suitable Asset Allocation is hence critical to ensure that in the long run u make adequate positive returns post inflation. Plz read thro the following link which discusses this in detail: Asset Allocation - Secret to Financial Freedom

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Kiran asked, Sir, Can you suggest me few Mutual funds. I can invest 15000 per month atleast for next 3 years and can stay invested for long term. I have selected Sundaram Tax saver(1000rs), SBI MTGS(1000rs), HDFC growth(4000rs), TATA infrastructure(4000rs), SBI Contra(5000). I may also plan for 5000rs more for ICICI [Get Quote] Pru FMCG(2000rs) and Rel.Div.Power(3000rs). Please suggest me. My plan is for investment purpose only and not for Tax saving as the bracket is already occupied with other things. For this investment I can take risk. Thanks

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, Hi Kiran, there r a lot of sector/thematic funds picked by u. It may not be wise to invest into such funds unless u r really an expert at the sector as the risk is higher. Of the funds u have picked Sundaram, HDFC and Contra r gud funds. U can probably look at one more large cap (Principal Growth, Franklin Bluechip, Reliance vision ) and one aggressive diversified fund (JM Emerging Leaders Fund, SBI Midcap etc) to complete ur portf.

---

sakuntala asked, I am a new entrant in the stock market. I am not a speculator..but want to start with small no of stocks and want to be a long time investor. with which sector stocks shall I start my stock investment?

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, One way to do this is to first look at the stocks that comprise the Sensex or Nifty. They contain the best companies in India. U first start investing by picking 5-8 stocks from among these options. Ensure that each company operates in separate field and that their businesses are not correlated. Invest in these companies with a 10-15 yrs horizon. Continuously read up on these companies so that over time u understand about them. Once u start this way over time with experience and dedicate effort towards learning investing u should be able to build skills related to investing.

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hugo asked, inflation in double figures, high oil prices, share market at its very low and continuing to get more and more fragile. lending rates are getting higher.....no comfort what so ever in real estate where prices are soaring without any connection with the ground reality.....in such a disasterous situation what do you suggest, where should the middle class, upper middle class like us have to put there money in. what are predictions about all the above issues.

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, Hi Hugo! It is time for a reality check. Due to easy availability of money and higher salaries a lot of individuals were not being very careful with their money. Such times do ground us and we should not miss the opportunity to learn by just focusing on the negatives. Such times teach us to appreciate the value of our hard earned money. It makes us think about the habits that we need to change when it comes to managing our money. A gud asset allocation plan would go a long way in ensuring that over time u make reasonable returns to meet ur objectives in life. It is a fact that gud times and bad times do not last forever. Hence, the long term money should be invested with discipline into equity MFs with a 5-7 yrs horizon.

---

KK asked, GA, Shridhar, Plz help me, My side PF contribution is Rs.48000 per year. That means I have to invest Rs. 52000 in tax saving schemes so as to fulfil the Rs. 1 lac limit of 80C. Is it right. Does company side PF contribution comes under 80C? Please answer. Plz. Plz. Plz........

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, Yes that is right. I would suggest that u invest the 52K into a ELSS Mutual Fund with a 5-7 yrs horizon where it would qualify for the tax benefit u/s 80C. U can look at a fund like Sundaram Tax Saver, Principal Tax Savings Fund, HDFC Tax Saver etc

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Menon asked, Is this the right time to purchase a flat in Pune?

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, Hi, Interest Rates r bound to go up. Real Estate side has not yet seen any meaningful correction based on various factors. It is just a matter of time before a correction is seen in the real estate market. Though it is not possible to know how much and when would the correction happen, the current direction is evident. Would suggest that it would make sense to postpone any real estate decision by a few mths.

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brij asked, sir since inflation reached up to 11%.so at this stage if i don't want to take any risk so wahat is batter option for investments . should i keep my money in saving account or do the fd . plz suggest and i think this is very common problem .

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, Even in FDs a short term FD is more appropriate as deposit rates should see some rise in the near future. Having said that I would strongly suggest that if u can invest money with a 5-7 yrs horizon, then start a SIP in a diversified Mutual Fund as over this tenure u can expect around 15% annualised returns, which would be way above the inflation rate. Remember, if u invest in current mkts u would be BUYING equities at LOWER Prices. Just a couple of mths ago a lot of investors were willing to buy equities at 21000 level of the SENSEX with a 5 yrs horizon. If they remain invested for the said tenure they would still make reasonable return. So if u invest at current 14K level of mkts u would make a much higher return.

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ra asked, is this the right time to enter stock market if i have a year long horizon?

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, NO, NO and NO. Equities is an investment option which over a long run will definitely give u reasonable returns... Plz read thro the following link to understand that why in the short run there is risk and in the long run equities would deliver higher returns. Stocks -- long term investing.

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john asked, My equity portfolio value has come down by 30 per cent. Is it advisable to shift to debt now or wait till the market picks upto what level. And also which debt instruments you suggest for investment.Thanks

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, Hi John, there is a beautiful concept called as asset allocation. EXAMPLE: Let us say that u plan to maintain 50:50 in debt and equity (the allocation is not recommended here, it would depend on individual circumstances). So when equity corrects by 30%, then the proportion of debt increases in ur portf (35:50). So u get back the allocation to the predecided trgt of 50:50. To get this u would have to sell some debt and buy more equity to end up with [42.5:42.5]. So asset allocation forces u to BUY LOW and SELL HIGH. U plan to do the opposite. When investing any money into equities the reason that u should have a 5-7 yrs horizon is, that when such falls happen in mkt, u can hold onto ur investments till the mkts recover and u make a reasonable return. HAVE 5 YRS ALREADY PASSED THAT U R CONSIDERING TO SELL UR EQUITY INVESTMENTS?

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Ria asked, Good afternoon sir....I am a working woman. It has been 1 year since I started my job. My monthly salary comes near Rs. 30000, after paying an LIC premium of Rs. 20000 annually and meeting family expenses I am left with Rs. 5000-6000 monthly savings. I dont know where to invest money. Could you suggest some good Mutual Funds or other avenues where I could invest. Which could give me tax benefit. Please suggest something.

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, Hi Ria, Invest money into a ELSS MF where u will get a tax benefit. But invest with a minimum of 5-7 yrs horizon. I think a SIP (mthly installment) of the amt that is comfortable should be done. U can look at options like HDFC Taxsaver, Sundaram Tax Saver etc... If u want to invest in a fund with no tax benefit then u can look at options like Reliance Vision, HDFC Growth, Sundarm Select Focus, Principal Growth, etc....

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Rajanshah asked, Hi, I have mutual funds investment in following . Is it a good Mix ? Can you suggest any change ? Please let me know. 1) DWS alpha equity - 80000 2) DSP ML Top 100 - 80000 3) Reliance regular savings fund - 80000 4) Standard chartered premier equity - 50000 5) Reliance growth - 50000 6) Kotak investment opportunity - 60000 Thanks a lot for your answer Rajan

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, Dear Rajan, I think that u have a reasonably gud portf but with a aggressive bent. Ur portf maybe more volatile in nature, but if u have a 5-7 yrs horizon u can continue to hold onto the funds. If 1 yr is over u can look at switching one reliance fund into Reliance Vision to bring a little more stability.

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Manvendra asked, Hello Sir, Currently I am investing in Franklin India Flexi Cap(G), ICICI Pru Service Industries Fund(G),SBI Magnum TaxGain(G) since August 2007 on a monthy sip of 1000 rs. for 5 years. Please tell whether i have selected good funds. Also I want to invest Rs 2000 more. Kindly advice me what funds should I select.

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, HI Manvendra, u do not have a strong core portf. U can look at adding SIP into 2 funds from among Sundarm Select Focus, Relaince Vision, HDFC Growth, Principal Growth, etc....These should help add stability to ur portf.

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KKP asked, I WANT TO MAKE INVESTMENT FOR MY SON'S EDUCATION WHICH PLAN IS THE BEST. FOR NEXT 15 YRS

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, A simple SIP into a diversified equity MF would be the most ideal way to build funds for ur child's future. Also do get urself an ADEQUATE TERM INSURANCE Cover. U can look at options like SBI Shield, ICICI Pru Lifeguard WROP, Reliance Term Plan, etc.. Would recommend that u read thro the following link to understand in detail WHY: Investing for children, A Slide Show, click NEXT to read thro.

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remo asked, Sir !! I am 43yrs old now and i hv a liability of 11.40 lacs for homeloan. I am expected a lumpsum nearby, can i pay lumpsum amount 2 lessen my burden the liablity or wait?

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, Hi Remo, it would depend on ur overall situation, especially ur cash flows and ur attitude towards money. This is wat I would ideally recommend. U should hv a financial plan in place which decides how much u r going to invest each year. So first u should meet this trgt. Over and above this if are left with additional savings then u can consider to prepay the housing loan.

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verplex asked, Where is the Indian stock market heading?

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, No one knows for sure. It is expected to be a rocky ride (expect there to be high volatility over the next few mths to a year). And it is not possible to say with certainty how much more it will correct and how long will it be before it goes up. But this is for certain, if u have a 5-7 yrs horizon, these r gr8 times to buy into equities. Another ideal way to invest into equities in such volatile times is the SIP route. Over the next 3-5 yrs we can expect the mkts to cover lost ground and probably reach new highs.

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hari asked, i am staying away from the market the way it is tanking. Inflation is anothe fundamental force that will dampen the growth rate. Pl give me one good reason why i should stay invested :)

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, Dear Hari, if u sell now (assuming that u have bought at higher levels - we need to ask why u bought when mkts were high in the first place) ur notional loss will be converted into a REAL Loss. U will wait till things become better, by which time the mkts would have reached it previous highs. Seeing that u will again invest at higher levels. So instead of selling now, i.e. when mkts are LOW and then buying again when mkts r HIGH, does it not make sense to just remain invested.

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Prem asked, Hi Sir, Why normaly the salried people opts for SIP than for a lumpsum money, even if they have the funds. is there any particular reason for this?. In the current market conditions in long run will the MFs will do any benifit?.Pleae advise

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, Hi Prem, the reason is that they can save relatively smaller amts each mth which gets spent it they do not block it somewhere. A SIP ensures that investment happens with discipline. If u have funds u can by all means go and invest it as a lumpsum in a Mutual Fund, but with a 5-7 yrs horizon. In 5-7 yrs u can expect an annualised return of around 15-20%...It is for u to decide if this is beneficial or no.

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RK asked, I have 2 questions here. 1) If I wanted to invest in Insurance plans... what do u suggest traditional insurance plans OR Unit linked insurance plans. What are the best plans available as per your knowledge ? 2. Please advise which are the best Retirement schemes ? My Present age is 32 Yrs. Thanks in advance.

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, 1. A pure risk cover i.e. a TERM Insurance would be the best option to cover risk. For the sake of investment a Mutual Fund should be more ideal. 2. If u r referring to Pension Plans offered by insurance companies then this is my view. Existing Pension products r highly inflexible. Although it ensures discipline (the problem which most people face), there r better alternatives available thro which u can create more wealth in the long run. If invested with discipline Equity oriented MFs would be a superior alternative to create wealth over the long term.

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dharmesh asked, Sir, George Soros says that we are in the midst of the worst financial crisis in last sixty years. Is India getting affected fro the worst in near term future?

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, In the world, Indian Economy is one of the strongest. In the short term we too would get affected, but to a lesser extent. But there are a number of long term factors that would eventually ensure that India resumes its high growth path. One among them is its demographics - a younger population in India. The number of people that would be in the working age group will increase substantially. Hence there is an extremely strong internal consumption story that is still intact. Currently for most global investors India exposure is an insignificant part as far as their investing is concerned. But u will experience over time that there will be tremendous interest in Indian Equities.

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jagdishbhai asked, If I buy mutual funds through my bank or broker I get charged 2.5% entry load. How to buy mutual funds directly so I dont have to pay the entry load?

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, U have to fill up the application and go directly to the Mutual Fund office and submit it or alternatively submit it at the office of the registrar to the Mutual Fund. Also enquire if the Fund has an online facility. If it does u can register for this facility and can do all future transactions online using net banking without the need to actually visit the MF office.

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premin78 asked, Sir, I have sips in rel dv power,dspml TIGER, kotak 30g.,idfc premier equity,franklin india bluechip,icici pru infra g.What is ur view on my portfolio?

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, U have too many thematic/sector funds. Would suggest that u do not add any more investments into these funds. Continue investing into the diversified funds that u own (kotak, idfc, franklin). In future u can trim the sector funds and add diversified funds in their place. Selling now is not advisable as mkts r down.

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pmh asked, Hi, I have ongoing SIP's for "Reliance Growth ", Magnum Global , HDFC equity, Fidelity India Special Situations, Franlin India Flexi Cap, Sundaram BNP Select Focus & DSPML Equity. Each of my SIP is between 3000 to 5000. Please review my portfolio and suggest if it is appropriate? My investment plan if for 5-10 Years horizon. My objective is to generate 15-20% annual return ?

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, Ur portf is Ok. U should look at trimming one of the midcap funds that u hold over time. Continue with the rest of the funds. U should meet ur genuine expectations.

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PChidambaram asked, HELLO SIR, i JUST HAVE A SMALL QUESTION TO ASK, hOW THE INFLATION IS GOING TO EFFECT REAL ESTATE MARKET. RECENTLY I PURCHASED A FLAT AS AN INVESTMENT BUT NOW I AM NOT SURE WHETHER I MADE A RIGHT DECISION. PLEASE REPLY...THANKS

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, Whether the decision u have taken is Ok or not depends on a lot of factors, individual specific and the property specific. If u can remain invested into the property with a 5 yrs horizon u should be able to get a return on ur investment. Ur holding capacity depends on ur ability to pay EMI (if u have taken a loan) or ur liquidity situation (when do u need the money back). However in the short to medium term a correction is expected.

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Shyam asked, Hi Sridhar, I am an NRI and want to utilise the inflation currently in india. Can you suggest what are the best methods of investment in this period?

Vetapalem Sridhar answers, High inflation leads to a negative sentiment in the economy. It is also generally accompanied by gud corrections in the mkts. So prices of stocks tend to go down more than their fair value. So there will be a lot of gud investment opportunities that will emerge in equities to invest with a 5-7 yrs horizon.

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Vetapalem Sridhar says, Thats all for now friends! I am aware that I am not able to answer a lot of questions, but if u read thro all the answers, most of u would find the answer to the questions you have asked.

 

Important - WARNING : Kidney Stolen

This is a true story, it has been  confirmed, the Medical Centre phone number at the end of this story is real.
This guy went out on a Saturday night a few weeks ago to a party. He was having a good time and had a couple of beers and some girl seemed to like him & invited him to go to another party.

He quickly agreed & decided to go along with her. She took him to a party in some apartment and they continued to drink & even got involved with some drug (unknown). The next thing he knew, he woke up completely naked in a bathtub filled with ice. He was still feeling the effects of the
drugs, but looked around to see he was alone.

He looked down at his chest, which had CALL 000 or YOU'LL DIE" written on it with lipstick. He saw a phone was on a stand next to the tub so he Picked it up & dialled. He explained to the EMS operator what the situation was & that he didn't know where he was, what he took, or why he was
really calling. She advised him to get out of the tub. He did, and he appeared normal, so she told him to check his back. He did, he found two 9 inch slits on his lower back.

She told him to get back into = the tub immediately, and they sent a rescue team over. Apparently, after being examined, he found out more of what had happened. His kidneys were stolen. They were worth $10,000 each on the black market. He is currently in the hospital on a life support, awaiting a spare kidney.

I wish to warn you about a new crime ring that is targeting business travellers. This ring is well organized and well funded, has very skilled personnel & is currently operating in most major cities around the world and recently very active in Sydney . The crime begins when a business traveller goes to a lounge for a drink at the end of the work day. A person in the bar walks up as they sit alone and offers to buy them a
drink. The last thing the traveler remembers until they wake up in a hotel room bathtub, their body submerged to their neck in ice, is sipping that drink. There is a note taped to the wall instructing them not to move and to call 000. A phone is on the small table next to the bathtub for them to call. The business traveller calls 000 who have been quite familiar
with this crime.The business traveller is instructed by the 000 operator to very slowly and carefully reach behind them and feel there is a tube protruding from the back. The business traveller finds the tube and answers "YES". The 000 operator tells them to remain still, having already sent paramedics to help. The Operator knows that both of the traveller's
kidneys had been harvested. This is not a scam or out of science fiction novel. It is real. It is documented and confirmable. If you travel or someone close to
you travels, please be careful. Sadly, this is very true.
I REALLY WANT AS MANY PEOPLE TO SEE THIS AS POSSIBLE SO PLEASE BOUNCE THIS TO WHOEVER YOU CAN.

Michele Shafer
ML/Lab Administration
Medical Manager Research & Development
99 Missenden RD , Camperdown, Sydney 2000
Tel:(029)5156111; Fax:(029 )4621505


2. I was approached yesterday afternoon around 3.30 pm in the Car parking lot by two males, asking what kind of perfume I was wearing.
Then they asked if I'd like to sample some fabulous Scent they were willing to sell me at a very reasonable rate. I probably would have agreed had I not received an email some weeks ago, warning of this scam.
The men continued to stand between parked cars, I guess to wait for someone else to hit on. I stopped a lady going towards them, I pointed at them and told her about how I was sent an email at Work about someone walking up to you at the malls, in parking lots, and Asking you to sniff perfume that they are selling at a cheap price.

THIS IS NOT PERFUME - IT IS ETHER!

When you sniff it, you'll pass out and they'll take Your wallet,
your valuables, and heaven knows what else. If it were not for this email, I probably would have sniffed the "perfume", but thanks to the generosity of an emailing friend, I was spared whatever might Have happened to me, and wanted to do the same for you.