Use Credit Cards...Carefully

Presumption : Smartness.

Advantages :

1. Save Money
   Cash Back, Reward Points, Varios deals...different means to same end.
2. Convenience & Quick
   Cash Less Transaction, Online Cancellations of Tickets. Time-value-of-money is u count.
   
3. Environment Friendly
   U save a lot of Paper.

Precautions:

• Only for the Literates
  Those who can read fine print
  
  1. Interest Rates
  2. Credit-Free Period
  3. Late Payment Fees
  4. Mode of Re-payment : If Cheque Drop boxes at ATM r abundant
• Not for the carefree
  So that chances of it getting lost/stolen are minimal

More analysis
Find Card that suits u
Plenty of web-sites to help u do that
example

• If u spend a lot on petrol....have Citi-Indian oil card
• MOvies : StanChart Manhattan Card
• Shopping : HDFC-Spencer card
  Basically go for TIE-UP cards
  

Use Food Coupons

The aforementioned are available at quite many big organisations, esp in IT domain like TCS. The various brands available are ACCOR, SODEXO etc

Advantages :

1. Saving Income-Tax: Depending on which Tax-slab u fall.

U end up saving Rs1(10% Tax Slab) to Rs 3(30% Tax Slab) on every 100 bucks u spend since such spending is Tax Free.

1. Adding to Govt Income/ Avoiding Sales Tax theft
   Such vendors as above are usually Retail Chains like Spencer which have to maintain sound account books. So they pay their taxes unlike ur neighborhood arnd-d-coner grocery story
2. Getting Deals & Offers on Products
   All Retails chains compete to find the best deals for their clients. Step-In & Check for urslf.
   

What U Can Buy

• All the Food Products including Cigareets
• Paying Restaurant Bills.(excluding liquor bill, that is)
  

What u can NOT buy

• Alcohalic Beverages
• Kitchen Ware
• Linen, Clothes

Where To Buy

• All Major Retail Chains : Big Bazzar, Spencer
• Some Neighbourhood Shops(List on Coupons Providers' WebSite)
  

"Bada Hai To behtar hai"...NOT neccessarily so!!

Date : 29 May '09
Oflate, there is a new concept of chargin more margins from clients with greater disposable income. Meaning, cost per unit quantity is lesses for SMALLER packs in some cases!!

List of Products that observe above principle:
Shampoo -- Sachet cheaper than bottles
Dairy whitner -- Amulya
Tea -- Red Label, Tata Gold

Note : This principle holds ONLY above products, for rest its usually cheaper to buy bigger packs.

Example :
Product : Amulya Diary whitner
Cost for 200g is 42 ==> Cost per Unit = 0.21 !
Cost for 50g is 10 => Cost per Unit = 0.2 !!
=> U can buy 4 packs of 50g instead of 1 pack of 200g to save Rs 2.