Learn: money guides in plain language
Short, practical guides on credit scores, credit cards, loans, saving and the stock market, written for people in India. Start with a topic below.
Credit score & CIBIL
Your score decides which cards and loans you can get, and at what rate.
- What is a CIBIL score and how is it calculated?The factors behind the number and what counts as a good score.
- How to improve your CIBIL scorePractical steps, and how long each one takes to show up.
- How to check your CIBIL score for freeWhere to get your report, and what to look for in it.
- Why was my loan or card application rejected?Common reasons and what to do before you apply again.
Ready to apply? Browse credit cards or loans that match your score.
Credit card basics
Understand the costs before you compare rewards.
- How credit cards work: billing cycle, due date and interestWhat happens between a purchase and a payment.
- Joining fee vs annual fee, and how fee waivers workHow spend-based waivers are counted.
- Cashback vs reward points: which is worth more?A simple way to compare the real value of each.
- Credit card mistakes that cost you moneyMinimum due traps, cash withdrawals and late fees.
Compare credit cards by fees and rewards.
Loans & EMIs
Know the full cost of a loan before you borrow.
- How EMI is calculatedThe formula, with worked examples.
- Personal loan eligibility: income, score and documentsWhat lenders check, and how to improve your chances.
- Flat vs reducing balance interest rateWhy two loans with the same quoted rate can cost very different amounts.
- Loan foreclosure and prepayment: when does it make sense?Charges to watch for and how to work out your savings.
Compare personal and business loans.
Saving & investing
The basics to get right before you pick products.
- Mutual funds for beginners, and the expense ratio most people missHow funds work, direct vs regular plans, and how a 1% fee can cost you lakhs.
- How much emergency fund do you need?How to size it and where to keep it.
- What is a SIP and how does it work?Investing monthly in mutual funds, explained simply.
- FD vs PPF: how they compareReturns, lock-in, tax treatment and who each suits.
Insurance basics
Protect your income and savings from big shocks.
- Term insurance: what it is and how much cover you needA simple way to work out the right amount.
- Health insurance basics: sum insured, waiting periods, exclusionsThe terms that matter when you make a claim.
Stock market basics: a free 14-lesson course
From what a share is to reading results, valuation, tax and the risks of F&O. Start at lesson 1 and go in order.
- Lesson 1: What Is a Share? Face Value vs Market Price ExplainedWhat you own, and why face value isn’t the price.
- Lesson 2: How the Stock Market Works in IndiaNSE, BSE, SEBI, brokers and what happens when you click buy.
- Lesson 3: Demat vs Trading Account: What You Need to Buy SharesThe accounts you need and the charges to compare.
- Lesson 4: How IPOs Work in India: Apply, Allotment and ListingApplying with UPI, allotment lotteries and T+3 listing.
- Lesson 5: How to Buy Shares: Order Types, Delivery and SettlementMarket vs limit orders, delivery vs intraday, T+1 settlement.
- Lesson 6: Nifty and Sensex Explained: What Stock Market Indices Tell YouWhat indices measure and how index funds work.
- Lesson 7: Dividends, Bonus Shares, Splits and Buybacks ExplainedCorporate actions and what they do to your holding.
- Lesson 8: How to Read a Company’s Quarterly ResultsRevenue, margins, profit and EPS, with a worked example.
- Lesson 9: Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Basics for Share InvestorsDebt, equity and why cash matters more than profit.
- Lesson 10: P/E Ratio, Market Cap and Valuation BasicsHow to tell expensive from cheap.
- Lesson 11: Tax on Shares in India: STCG, LTCG, Dividends and Losses20% STCG, 12.5% LTCG, dividends and losses.
- Lesson 12: Share Trading Charges in India: What Each Trade Really CostsEvery fee on a trade, from STT to DP charges.
- Lesson 13: Investing vs Trading, and Why F&O Is So RiskyLeverage, and why over 91% of F&O traders lost money.
- Lesson 14: 10 Stock Market Mistakes Beginners Make (and How to Avoid Them)Ten mistakes and a checklist for every purchase.
Disclaimer: Koshfin’s guides are for education and are not financial, legal or tax advice. Rates, rules and product terms change, so check current details with the provider before you decide. Some links to products on Koshfin are affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
