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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Savings a/c returns drop post RBI rate cut: Where to park your idle ₹1 lakh
If you're like many with money lying idle in your savings account, now is the time to rethink where you keep your funds. After last week's RBI repo rate cut, banks have started trimming down their savings account interest rates—and that directly impacts what your money earns. HDFC Bank, for instance, has slashed its interest on balances above Rs 50 lakh from 3.25% to just 2.75%. And that's just the beginning—more banks are expected to follow suit. So if your Rs 1 lakh is sitting idle, it's likely earning less than inflation, effectively losing value over time. But here's the good news: You can earn better returns without locking up your money or taking high risks. How? Through liquid mutual funds. Why liquid funds make sense right now: 1. Higher Returns Than Savings Accounts While savings accounts now offer meagre returns of 2.7% to 3.5%, liquid funds have recently delivered 6.5% to 7.4% annualised returns. That's more than double in many cases. Liquid funds invest in short-term debt instruments like treasury bills and commercial paper, making them ideal for short-term parking of funds without sacrificing returns. 2. Easy Access to Your Money Need your money urgently? No problem. Liquid funds offer same-day or next-day withdrawals with no exit load after 7 days. Even if you withdraw within a few days, the penalty is negligible—making them nearly as liquid as a savings account, but much smarter. 3. Minimal Risk Liquid funds are not risk-free, but they're considered one of the safest mutual fund categories. Example: Let's say you leave ₹1 lakh in a typical savings account earning around 3% interest annually. After one year, you'd have about ₹1,03,000—just ₹3,000 more. Now, compare that to putting the same amount in a liquid fund that yields an average of 6.8%. At the end of the year, your money would grow to around ₹1,06,800. That's a difference of ₹3,800—for doing almost nothing differently, except choosing a smarter place to park your money. Over time, this gap only widens, especially if you regularly park idle funds in a savings account instead of exploring better options like liquid funds. "With interest rates dropping, your savings account will be earning you less than before. Liquid funds, on the other hand, offer easy access, minimal risk and higher returns. If you just need a place to park cash for the short term, liquid funds are the ideal place," said Harshita Singh of Value Research. Moreover, Liquid funds almost never go down in value, even over short periods like a week or a month. For instance, data analysed by Value Research shows that a typical liquid fund, such as Kotak Liquid Fund, shows consistently positive one-week (99.78 per cent of the time in the last decade) and one-month (100 per cent of the time in the last decade) rolling returns. On the other hand, a short-duration fund, such as Kotak Bond Short Term Fund, can experience brief dips in value, as seen in occasional negative one-week (15.8 per cent of the time in the last decade) or one-month (7% of the time in the last decade) rolling returns due to interest rate movements or credit events. This stability ensures that the money earmarked for withdrawals is protected from market volatility, giving you peace of mind. When not to choose a liquid fund: You need your money within a day or two and don't want to worry about fund settlement timings. You're unwilling to open a mutual fund account (which is fairly simple these days). You're expecting fixed, guaranteed returns (liquid fund returns are market-linked, though relatively stable).
Time of India
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Too Reel To Be True: Times Prime launches India's largest-ever social media contest with Rs 10 lakh at stake
Too Reel To Be True New Delhi: Times Prime has today launched the biggest social media contest India has ever seen, which could change how ordinary people become internet famous. The " Too Reel To Be True " competition isn't just another online challenge – it represents commitment of the brand in discovering untapped creative talent across the nation. Times Prime is offering a massive total prize pool of Rs 10 lakh for this competition. Winners in each of the 10 categories will receive Rs 50,000, while the mega prize worth Rs 5,00,000 includes Rs 3,00,000 for the grand winner and Rs 1,00,000 each for two runners-up. 'We wanted to keep it simple — if you're creating great content, you should be noticed,' said Harshita Singh, Business Head Times Prime. 'This is us putting our weight behind that idea'. The contest's timing coincides with explosive growth in short-form video consumption, which has surged by 38% in just the last quarter according to recent industry data. With category prizes of Rs 50,000 each and a staggering mega prize of Rs 5,00,000, Times Prime is positioning this as more than a contest – it's potentially life-changing for winners who might emerge as India's next content sensations. What sets this initiative apart is its democratic approach to talent discovery. Unlike traditional talent competitions with restrictive eligibility requirements, "Too Reel To Be True" welcomes creators from all backgrounds across 10 diverse categories including Memes, Edits, Dance Trends, Music, and Animation. Industry analysts note this represents the first major brand initiative to specifically target and reward emerging forms of digital creativity that typically fall outside conventional recognition. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo The high-profile judging panel features influential names from Social Media Dissect and Social Ketchup, lending substantial credibility and visibility to winners. The contest runs until May 31, 2025, with a dramatic June reveal planned for winners – creating a month-long media narrative as each category champion is announced. For more information or to submit entries, visit, the contest open for entries until May 31, 2025 Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . Master Value & Valuation with ET! Learn to invest smartly & decode financials. Limited seats at 33% off – Enroll now!
