The freeeme blog

Plain answers about EMIs, loans and getting debt-free.

Guides for Indian families, with real rupee examples. No ads, no loan offers, nothing to sell you.

Getting debt-free Are you in a debt trap? 7 warning signs, and how to get out Borrowing to pay EMIs, a card that never goes down, salary gone by the 10th? 7 signs of a debt trap, a ₹ example of how it grows, and the way out. 5 November 2026 EMI basics Flat rate vs reducing rate: why a 10% loan can cost 18% A '10% flat' loan really costs about 18% a year. ₹1 lakh worked out both ways, how to spot a flat rate, and the one question to ask before you sign. 5 November 2026 Family & money Who pays the loan if the borrower dies? A simple guide Do children have to repay a parent's loan? What happens to a home loan, credit card or personal loan when the borrower dies, and what legal heirs really owe. 5 November 2026 Credit cards & BNPL Is converting credit card dues to EMI worth it? Card bill too big to pay? ₹60,000 worked out four ways: minimum due, revolving, card EMI conversion and a personal loan, with the hidden charges. 4 November 2026 Credit score How to improve your CIBIL score: 8 steps that work A practical 8-step plan to raise your CIBIL score: fix report errors, clear overdue dues, cut card usage, and what to expect in 3, 6 and 12 months. 4 November 2026 Credit cards & BNPL How to pay off credit card debt fast: a 6-step plan ₹1.2 lakh of card debt across two cards: minimum due takes 21 years, a fixed ₹12,000 a month clears it in 13 months. Here's the 6-step plan. 4 November 2026 Budgeting & money jars How to save for yearly expenses: the sinking fund method Insurance, school fees, Diwali: yearly bills that wreck the monthly budget. How a simple sinking fund turns ₹1.08 lakh of yearly bills into ₹9,000 a month. 4 November 2026 Home, car & personal loans Personal loan foreclosure charges: when to close early Closing a personal loan early can save thousands, or almost nothing after the fee. A ₹3 lakh loan worked out at 6, 12, 24 and 30 months, and how to check. 4 November 2026 Home, car & personal loans Gold loan vs personal loan: which really costs less? Need money this festive season? A gold loan's lower rate isn't always cheaper. ₹1 lakh worked out both ways, the new RBI gold loan rules, and the risks. 3 November 2026 EMI basics How is EMI calculated? The formula, explained simply The EMI formula in plain words, a ₹5 lakh loan worked out step by step, why early EMIs are mostly interest, and how tenure changes what you pay. 3 November 2026 Getting debt-free How to get out of debt in India: a step-by-step plan A simple 7-step plan to get out of debt in India, with a family's 5 loans worked out in rupees: from 50 months to debt-free in 21. 3 November 2026 Family & money How to talk to your spouse about debt (without a fight) Hiding a loan from your husband or wife? A calm, step-by-step way to start the money talk, what to bring, what to say, and how to make one plan together. 3 November 2026 Getting debt-free Got a Diwali bonus? Prepay your loan or keep the cash? What ₹50,000 of Diwali bonus does against a credit card, a personal loan or a home loan, which to clear first, and why 'reduce tenure' usually saves more. 2 November 2026 Credit score How does an EMI affect your CIBIL score? Explained simply How EMIs build or hurt your CIBIL score, what one late payment does, why a lower score can cost lakhs, and how to fix mistakes on your report. 2 November 2026 Your rights as a borrower Loan app harassment: what to do, step by step Threats, calls to your contacts or morphed photos from a loan app? How to tell if the app is illegal, what to do in the first 24 hours, and where to report. 2 November 2026 EMI basics How much EMI can I afford on my salary? A simple rule A simple rule for how much EMI your salary can handle, with a ₹ table for ₹30,000 to ₹1 lakh take-home and the loan size each EMI buys. 1 November 2026 Your rights as a borrower Loan recovery agents: your rights under RBI rules (2026) What recovery agents can and can't do under RBI rules, what changes from 1 January 2027, and exactly how to complain if you're harassed. 1 November 2026 EMI basics 42% of phones in India are bought on EMI. What it means for you Counterpoint expects 42% of smartphones sold in India in 2026 to be bought on finance. What that means for your family budget, with a ₹ example. 1 November 2026 EMI basics What happens if you miss an EMI? Day by day, and what to do Missed an EMI? What happens on day 1, day 30 and day 90, what one missed EMI really costs in rupees, and what to do in the first 48 hours. 1 November 2026 Credit cards & BNPL Credit card minimum due: what happens if you pay only that Paying only the minimum due keeps your card in good standing, but a ₹50,000 balance could take 16 years to clear. Here's why, and how to get out. 31 October 2026 Getting debt-free Debt snowball vs avalanche: which loan to pay off first Two ways to clear several loans faster, worked through with a real Indian family example in rupees, so you can see what each one costs. 31 October 2026 Getting debt-free How to manage multiple EMIs: a simple system for Indian families Five EMIs, different dates, one salary. A simple four-step system to see every loan, stop missing due dates and start getting debt-free. 31 October 2026 EMI basics Is 'No cost EMI' really free? The hidden charges, explained Buying on No cost EMI this Diwali? How the discount and interest cancel out, the charges that don't, and a ₹30,000 phone worked out in full. 31 October 2026 Home, car & personal loans RBI rate hike 2026: why your home loan got longer, not your EMI After the October 2026 repo rate hike, many banks kept EMIs the same and quietly added months to home loans. How to check yours, and your three options in rupees. 31 October 2026