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Brahmaotsavam Festival at Tirupati and Its Spiritual Import

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Brahmaotsavam Festival at Tirupati and Its Spiritual Import

Brahmotsavam, the Hindu festival, is an auspicious festival celebrated every year at the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple at Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. According to legends the origin of this festival is associated with Lord Brahma. It is believed that once Lord Brahma worshiped Sri Balaji at the catchment area of the holy Pushkarini River to thank the Lord for fortification of mankind. The festival derives its name from Lord Brahma since it was Lord Brahma who first conducted this festival at Tirupati temple.

“Brahmotsava” which literally means “Brahma’s Utsavam”. The festival is celebrated with great zeal during the month of October. The celebration of the Brahmostsava is performed over nine-day period. On the very first day of the festival “Anurarpana” ritual is performed along with the celebration of Shri Vishvaksena. The “Anurarpana” ritual signifies fertility, abundance and prosperity. During all nine days of the festival various religious activities like homas and daily processions were various idols of the god are taken out different chariots (vahanas) present in the temple.

Spiritual and symbolical import of Brahmotsavam:

The Oriental or Eastern mythological philosophy aims at complete purification and sublimation of human existence: Ati vishwam shuddhodham parabhootah avgunam (The sole purpose of human life is to evolve and get enlightenment and also purging the mind and body of all vices and basic instincts).

In other words, the main reason is to explore one’s spiritual anchorage in the world which, in the words of Adi Shankara, is an illusion- Jagat mithya, Brahma satyam.

Symbolically speaking, here Brahma is not just the creator Brahma but the Brahmin (purest soul essence; nothing to do with Brahamin caste) in every individual, regardless of his/her social hierarchy. To realise that unadulterated Truth is the ultimate objective of every individual. Delphi’s famous ‘Know Thyself’ is almost a plagiarised inspiration from Eastern Consciousness. Our spiritually enlightened ancestors understood it millenniums ago and urged the world to follow and imbibe this dictum in toto.

Importance of Brahmotsavam:

The importance of this festival can be known by the fact that every year thousands of devotees flock in Andhra Pradesh to be the witness of this majestic festival. They enjoy participating in the various rituals conducted during the nine days to seek the blessing of Lord Venkateswara Swami. The devotes assimilated to take part in the auspicious festival often term the experience as a heavenly connect and blissful (” Vaikunth Anubhav”). firstly Gurudadhwaja Festival is hosted near Srivari Alaya Dhwajasthambham. Then a procession dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara proceeds on Pedda Seshavahana and covers four streets of the temple. This goes on for two hours until midnight. During this festival it is believed that the mighty snake alters itself as the vehicle for God. The main reason for celebrating TTD Brahmotsavam festival is to pray to God for providing a life which is filled with high values and morals.

Innovative Uses of Door Mats

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Brahmaotsavam Festival at Tirupati and Its Spiritual Import

Door mats characterize homes and have been a part of households since ages. Choosing the right door mat is equally important as well. Keep in mind the territory that you live in while choosing a door mat. Ranches and farms are the best places to invite dirt and mud into your homes than urban dwellings. Countryside roads do not have pavements or sidewalks hence it becomes really messy when it rains. You door mat should be a perfect balance of beauty and usefulness because there is no need to have a mat that looks great to have but does not work well in keeping the dirt away from your dwellings. So what are the uses of door mats? Let’s have a look.

Usually doormats are placed on the steps and are the first things that people come across while on their way to their homes. The main aim of door mats is to emphasize the beauty of the home as well as prevent any kind of dust or dirt from entering. Several respiratory diseases like sore throat, asthma etc, are caused due to impure air. Moreover virus, bacteria and fungi that float in the air enter through the dust particles that gain entry into our homes. A good mat at your door can drastically reduce the chance of these kinds of allergens from entering your home.

Choosing the right kinds of mats can also prove to be a great money saver. People suffering from respiratory symptoms have to spend a lot of money on their cures. Visits to the doctors, medicines and even appliances like air purifiers and de-humidifiers cost you a lot of money. You can save yourself from the wrath of such unnecessary expenditures just by taking some simple preclusive steps to deter the amount of dust from entering your home and perhaps the cheapest ways to do this is to invest in a good quality doormat.

Good quality doormats save you the time that you expend in cleaning up your house. It is a proven fact that tidying up your home can take up a lot of your valuable time. Be it vacuuming your house or mopping and scrubbing, these can be arduous tasks and costly as well because detergents can cost you a lot of money. Bigger houses can make matters even worse, especially when home owners are unable to clean up the house themselves and have to hire up cleaning agencies. This tends to append your house cleaning expenditure thus adding to your woes. Summing it all up a good quality doormat can work wonders for your home and save you money at the same time.

The Importance of Market Research

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The Importance of Market Research

Marketing is a versatile, competitive world, and when developing your marketing plan, odds are you will not get it right the first time. You need time to learn about the demographics, geography, and psycho graphics of your customers before your marketing can really be effective. That is why it is important to not stick with your first plan, as you will need to change it frequently for one reason or another.

A good phrase to live by in marketing is, “Learn from your mistakes.” Sometimes testing happens naturally. Some of your marketing campaigns will fail, but instead of getting discouraged, analyze what went wrong. Maybe you advertised through the wrong medium, or to the wrong demographic. Collect all the mistakes you have made and really look at them; do not try to forget or ignore them, you have to face your mistakes if you want to be successful.

If you hate making mistakes and want to get it right the first time, there is a way, and that is market research. However, full on market research is incredibly expensive and small businesses cannot afford it, but light end market research is possible. Basically, you just have to look at the demographic of your competitors and make that your demographic. It’s not that easy, though. Demographics may vary between businesses of the same nature, and that is where testing comes in. You need to test if that demographic works for you, and if it does not, you need to test another demographic.

You should not spend a lot of money on market tests. The purpose, after all, is to find the medium and demographic through which you should advertise or market. For example, if you have a website, you might want to try out banner advertising. Don’t spend a lot of money at first, only spend a little and see the ROI. If the conversion is good, you know you will want to keep advertising through that medium. Executing so many marketing tests is time-consuming and costly, but it all pays off when you finally develop an effective, recyclable marketing campaign.

Take 10 Minutes to Get Started With Car Insurance Premium Calculator [Top 10 List]

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Take 10 Minutes to Get Started With Car Insurance Premium Calculator [Top 10 List]

What is Car Insurance Premium Calculator?

Car insurance premium calculator is a dynamic tool provided, online, by car insurance companies. Get started with top 10 car insurance premium calculator online.

  • Almost every reputed motor insurance company has an car insurance premium calculator on their official portal.
  • With the help of the car insurance premium calculator, customers can get a quote for their car insurance policy and the premium amount they need to pay for the same.
  • You have to visit the ‘car insurance calculator’ page and fill in some basic information about yourself like the policyholder’s name, contact details and address, followed by some standard details about the insured/to be insured car. These details are – car manufacturer’s name, model number of the car, manufacturing year, car sub-type (if any), fuel type and registration date.
  • Some companies also give you an option of selecting if you want to insure the accessories installed inside the car.
  • After you have filled the details correctly, just click on the ‘calculate premium’ button and you will immediately get the quote.
  • After this, you also get an option to get more information and payment option to buy car insurance of your choice.

What are the benefits of a Car Insurance Premium Calculator?

Now that we know what a car insurance premium calculator is, let us find out why it is worth a try:

  • Using a car insurance calculator helps you evaluate your insurance needs, which makes it easy to select the best policy that covers all the requirements.
  • It is an easy and efficient way to compare premium rates of a variety of plans with various features for your vehicle.
  • The process of purchasing a policy becomes unbiased as you don’t have to be under the influence of an agent/broker, and are free to make your own choice.
  • By using a car insurance calculator, You get accurate information about the premium amount you’ll be paying for a particular policy.
  • You can also understand the way premium rates change with a change in variables.

How to use Car Insurance Premium Calculator?

Any online car insurance calculator will ask you for basic details of your car such as the make and model, registration number, manufacture date etc to calculate the premium.

However, you also need to know about the following factors that affect the premium value:

  1. Insured Declared Value or IDV of the Vehicle This is one of the most important factors that has an impact on the premium for your car. IDV is the sum insured for the vehicle that is finalized by the insurer. In simple terms, it the current value of the vehicle as per market.
  2. Cubic Capacity (CC) of the Vehicle The engine power of your vehicle is directly proportional to your car insurance premium.
  3. No Claim bonus (NCB) You can save up to 50% on the Own Damage premium if you have a No Claim Bonus feature in your car policy.
  4. Additional Discounts Installing anti-theft devices in your car or becoming a member of the Automobile Association of India (AAI) can considerably reduce your automobile insurance premium too.
  5. Car Accessories Any modifications to the vehicle will add an extra amount to your insurance premium.

So you have understood very well, What is car insurance premium calculator? and the benefits to use car insurance premium calculator, so take 10 Minutes to Get Started With car insurance premium calculator[Top 10 List].

1. Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company Limited

Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company Limited is a joint venture between Bajaj Finserv Limited (recently demerged from Bajaj Auto Limited) and Allianz SE. Both enjoy a reputation of expertise, stability and strength.

Bajaj Allianz received the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) certificate of Registration on 2nd May, 2001 to conduct various businesses (including Health Insurance business) in India. The Company has an authorized and paid up capital of Rs 110 crores. Bajaj Finserv Limited holds 74% and the remaining 26% is held by Allianz, SE.

As on 31st March 2017, Bajaj Allianz continues to be one of the most financially robust insurers in the industry by maintaining its growth as well as profitability. The company has made a profit before tax of Rs. 1,078 crore and emerged as the most profitable insurer recording a profit after tax of Rs. 728 crore. The company reported a GWP of Rs. 7,687 crore, which has grown by 30.3% compared to the last fiscal year.

Car Insurance Premium Calculator.

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2.HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company Limited

HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company is a 51:49 joint venture between the Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd. (HDFC), India’s premier Housing Finance Institution, and ERGO International AG the primary insurance entity of the Munich Re Group of Germany. The Company marked the first merger in the General Insurance sector in August 2017, with IRDAI’s approval for the merger of HDFC ERGO General Insurance Co. Ltd. with HDFC General Insurance Ltd. (formerly Known as L&T General Insurance Co. Ltd.), and the merged entity, known as HDFC ERGO General Insurance Co. Ltd., is the third largest General Insurance provider in the private sector.

HDFC ERGO offers products like Motor, Health, Travel, Home and Personal Accident Insurance in the retail space and customized products like Property, Marine and Liability Insurance in the corporate space through its vast network of 122 branches which is spread across 106 cities and a wide distribution network.

HDFC ERGO has launched several technologically innovative solutions, offering customers an enhanced service experience, like the Insurance Portfolio Organiser (IPO) App, the IPO App on the Apple Watch, the Overnight Vehicle Repairs service, Motor Self-Inspection App and the HDFC ERGO Community – https://community.hdfcergo.com/. With a paradigm shift in customer engagement because of new technology innovations, the Company has enabled newer platforms for customers to engage and interact with the company like DIA, the AI-enabled chatbot service made available on the Company’s website, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

HDFC ERGO has left no stone unturned in providing customer service, as the Company follows a 30 minute turn-around-time (TAT) for the processing of pre-authorised cashless Health Insurance Claims and a 15 minute TAT to process pre-authorised cashless Motor Insurance claims.

Car Insurance Premium Calculator

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3. Coverfox

Coverfox is an IRDAI authorised insurance broking firm. We started as a website back in 2013, with an aim to make insurance simple.

If you want to buy insurance – you would want to compare features and prices of an insurance policy and buy the best policy that you deserve. Then you would expect some help if ever you want to make a claim or renew the policy.

Car Insurance Premium Calculator

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4. Reliance General Insurance

We feel proud to be one of the leading general insurance companies of India. We have a huge customer base which includes individuals like you, corporates and SMEs.

With our 139 offices and more than 26,587 intermediaries across India, you can now reach out to us and enjoy our services at your own convenience. Moreover, with online & telecalling services, we have become even more accessible.

What do we have for you?

You can look up to us for many of your insurance solutions with respect to motor, health, home, travel, marine, etc. Through our products and services, we try to meet every customer’s individual needs by offering customized plans. In our endeavor to delight our customers, we strive to come up with innovative products like India’s first Over-The-Counter health & home insurance policies.

Vision

We want to score perfectly for world standard services & products, and want to be your first choice in domestic as well as global markets.

Mission

• Satisfy your need of insurance cover in that crucial hour

• Offer incomparable customer service

• Provide innovative products

• Better reach through presence across India and abroad

Goals

• Make affordable insurance accessible to all

• Keeping you, our customers, as focal point in all our operations

• Protect policy holders’ interests

• Be the most innovative in product development

Car Insurance Premium Calculator

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5. PolicyX

At PolicyX it’s all about you, so we make sure you get the maximum by paying the minimum for your insurance. Having insurance is having a financial security in times of death, declining health, maternity, business loss, accidents, diseases and various situations. We understand and stand by you at each step as your own by helping you cover the financial losses in times of need. We have seen and have been appalled by how many times agents play in such sensitive situations by way of cheating, fraud and mis selling. To eliminate such practices in India, we bring PolicyX to you where we believe that our customers should be provided with the best personalized policies at lower premium costs by delivering the satisfaction and sense of fulfillment that you are covered in times of emergency. We connect with our customers emotionally as we understand and respect the importance of you and your family in every aspect of life.

With our motto of Search > Choose > Buy, we get you instant quotes, help you select right quote and secure coverage right away with our technologically advanced system. We run complex algorithms to find plans that fit your requirements and return you features and quotes within seconds. Therefore, PolicyX has got you covered for your every insurance need. Why not get started? Get your first quote now!

Car Insurance Premium Calculator.

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6. Bharti AXA General Insurance Company Ltd

Bharti AXA General Insurance Company Ltd is a joint venture between Bharti Enterprises, a leading Indian business group and AXA, a world leader in financial protection. Our firm commenced national operations in August 2008. We are licensed with IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India). With our comprehensive and innovative insurance solutions, we make sure you find the right match for your insurance need. We offer insurance coverage across various categories – Motor,Health,Travel, Home and more. You can easily purchase and renew policies from us online.

Car Insurance Premium Calculator.

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7. Bankbazaarinsurance.com

Bankbazaarinsurance.com is an online destination for insurance comparison for customers seeking both life and general insurance products. We aim to provide customers end to end solution for their Insurance needs and build a one stop shop destination for Insurance requirements, viz. Ease and Convenience; Ease of understanding; Customized offers; Compare multiple options.

Meet the Founders:

Adhil Shetty

An engineering graduate from Anna University and holder of a Master’s degree in International Relations from Columbia University, Adhil held decisive positions at Deloitte Touche Tomahatsu’s US East Alliance and Cisco Systems before he dived headlong into scripting the BankBazaar story, the flagship brand of the group

Arjun Shetty

Arjun has a Master’s degree in Operations Research from Georgia Institute of Technology and an Engineering degree from Anna University.

Rati Shetty

Rati completed her BBA degree from the University of Madras. Rati imbibed some rich qualities from Toblerone in Brazil and Milka in the US while managing the launch and go-to market operations of many of Kraft Food’s brands in export markets across the world while working for Kraft in the US and Taiwan.

Car Insurance Premium Calculator

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8. Easy Insurance India

Easyinsuranceindia.com is another successful initiative of the professionals who founded ICM Computer Consultants and ICM Solutions in 1989 and 2001. These professionals were educated in the U. S. and possess a combined international experience of more than 40 years in the USA and India in the areas of corporate management and IT solution services. Over the past decade, ICM has helped more than 500 customers achieve their goals by providing effective custom solutions that combines software, hardware and other services.

We believe we are successful today because our management focuses on customer satisfaction and customer growth which permeates through the rest of the organization.

We constantly strive to make our operations more efficient, such as reengineering our processes, usage of latest technology, and many more such initiatives, which allow us to provide the customers better service and value for money.

The insurance industry is becoming more and more competitive offering wide variety of choices to customers. This is a welcome change for the customers. However, due to the complexity involved, it has become extremely cumbersome for customers to do comparative shopping for insurance.

Through easyinsuranceindia.com, we empower the customer with a powerful tool where the customers can compare the products offered by various insurance companies in one shot, thus enable the customers to decide on the best insurance cover for them.

Our Mission

ICM Insurance Brokers Private Limited (ICM) is to cover the risks of people and businesses of modern economy who seek easy, transparent, complete, and cost effective insurance solutions on demand coupled with hassle-free claim settlement.

Our Vision

ICM to be the most preferred way to purchase insurance products through easyinsuranceindia.com, its most intuitive ecommerce solutions coupled with superior customer service – during purchase and during claim.

Car Insurance Premium Calculator.

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9.IFFCO-Tokio General Insurance

IFFCO-Tokio General Insurance was incorporated on 4th December 2000 with a vision of being industry leader by building customer satisfaction through fairness, transparency, and quick response. It is a joint venture between the Indian Farmers Fertilizer Co-operative (IFFCO) and its associates and Tokio Marine and Nichido Fire Group which is also the largest listed insurance group in Japan.

Car Insurance Premium Calculator

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10. Kotak General Insurance

A 100% subsidiary of India’s fastest growing bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd., Kotak Mahindra General Insurance was established to service the growing non-life insurance segment in India. At Kotak Mahindra General Insurance, we value customer service, quality and innovation above everything else.

The company aims to cater to a wide range of customer segment & geographies offering an array of non-life insurance products like Motor, Health, etc.

Kotak General Insurance has a national footprint of 13 branches spread across India (as on 31st Dec 2017) and an employee base of 354 professionals. (as of 31st Dec 2017)

As a practice, the company seeks to provide a differentiated value proposition through customized products & services leveraging state of art technology & digital infrastructure.

Car Insurance Premium Calculator.

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Bottom Line

Insurance has become a prime necessity of life these days and car insurance is mandatory, you can calculate insurance by above given topmost car insurance premium calculator.

Stock Investment Decision Making

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Stock Investment Decision Making

Stock investment is a savings game. For conducting every game you need to know and follow prescribed rules and regulations. Any violation means, you are penalized. The penalty is in proportion to the severity of violations of the rules.

Just as navigation is easy through the calm waters of the sea, apart of the extensive knowledge you possess about investing in shares, the prime condition is that you need to deal with the issues related to buying and selling with a calm mind. Let it be perfectly understood that your emotions have no role to play when you deal with the volatility of the exchange. Even in the normal market, they have no role. When you are not in the proper shape of mind, you make the trade decision at the worst possible moments.

Fear and greed combined with emotions is a bad scenario that an investor can create for himself.

Some of the points for consideration before trading in shares are:

1. To start with, do not go with the killer instinct. Look out for modest returns.

2. Adopt the time-honored tactic of long term returns. Invest the same amount of money in regular intervals and buy in small lots. Naturally you will buy more shares when the prices are low and fewer when they are high.

3. Avail the services of a broker. Before engaging him, meet him face to face at his office. Have a preliminary discussion about your financial objectives. Get a copy of the firm’s commission schedule. Determine what type of services you need from the broker. You may need recommendations, research reports and investment advice.

4. Once you zero in on engaging a particular broker, give the correct information about your objectives, personal finances, net worth and your previous investment experience. This will enable the broker to take appropriate decisions for you.

5. Now you come to the pivotal point. Who will control decision-making for your trades? You need to specifically give in writing that the broker is the authority to take decisions, if that arrangement suits you. Once that authority is vested with the broker, he will take decisions without consulting you. Those decisions will be the best for you under the prevailing conditions. Whether you suffer losses or gain profits in a particular trade is not the concern of the broker. The discretion, therefore, needs o be given after very careful consideration when you are fully convinced about the capability of the broker and past records of success.

6. Never invest in a share about which you have no knowledge and avoid guesswork. Know the basic financial terminologies and the fundamentals of investing.

7. You do invest for profits, not to lose money. At the same time, you need to know that share investments are always associated with some degree of risks.

8. The past performance of a company is no guarantee for future success. Do not make hurried investment decisions on the strength of intensity of the salesperson’s appeal. He is doing his business, you please do yours!

9. Be wary about the catchy phrases often used in share trading, like ” inside information” “confidential leak” ” an acquisition is in the offing”, “a dynamic product,” etc. Your money can never double in six months as promised by many!

10. Try your best to limit the transactions. The more the transactions, the more commission you will pay.

11. Do not concentrate on a single product. Let your portfolio take care of different segments of the industry.

12. Broadly speaking, there are four types of investment strategies: Fundamental approach, Psychological approach, Academic approach and Eclectic approach. Each approach requires detailed study. Keep your knowledge up-to-date about these strategies and you may have to change your strategies depending upon the conditions and volatility in the market.

You will evolve as a good investor gradually through your experience and theory knowledge. Both are important. Never lose concentration and deviate from the tracks, while investing. Years of hard labor and profit can be nullified with one wrong trade.

Premium Bonds – Advantages & Disadvantages

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Premium Bonds – Advantages & Disadvantages

Back in May last year I invested £1000 in Premium Bonds. So far, I’ve won nothing and still have my £1000 worth of bonds. My plan was to keep them for 12 months before re-assessing whether I should keep them or not. This article will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Premium Bonds as an investment vehicle and conclude with my decision.

How They Work

Basically, the monthly interest earned on every Premimum Bond is lumped together to make the prize fund. Then, a prize draw takes place using a computer (ERNIE), which randomly picks the winners.

The Details

To be eligible to purchase Premium Bonds, you must be at least 16 years old and must invest at least £100 (or £50 via a regular standing order). Premium Bonds can be bought as a gift for a child under 16 by their parents and grandparents. The most that can be invested in Premium Bonds is £30,000.

Premium Bonds are provided by National Savings & Investments, which are backed by HM Treasury so your capital is extremely safe.

The Numbers

According to the National Savings & Investments website, there are currently £26 Billion worth of bonds issued. The interest rate used in the calculation of the prize fund is 3.60% (from February 2007), there are 1,417,836 prizes every month and the total prize fund values £102.1 Million.

Prizes are tax-free and range between £50 and £1,000,000.

Chance of Winning

National Savings & Investments state that the chance of winning (any) prize is one in 24’000 per bond. Using the other figures on their website (1’417’836 prizes and 26 billion bonds), I calculate that there is a one in 18’338 chance of winning something per bond although it’s worth noting that these figures may be out of date. Obviously they can’t update the figure every time a bond is sold 🙂

It is also worth noting that should you win, you still only have a one in 708’918 chance of winning a million, making the odds of grabbing the big prize over one in 17 billion.

How Does It Compare to the National Lottery

The National Lottery (or Lotto, as it is now called) gives each ticket a one in 14 million chance of winning the jackpot, which is usually at least a million. This compares with a one in 17 billion chance with Premium Bonds. There is a one in 54 chance of winning a prize with Lotto, compared with a one in 24 chance of winning a prize with Premium Bonds. However, with Premium Bonds, you retain your capital of £1 per bond and it can be used in multiple draws. With Lotto, each £1 spent on a ticket is lost and the smallest prizes are lower than Premium Bonds (£10).

Advantages & Disadvantages

To summarise, below are the advantages and disadvantages of investing in Premium Bonds:

Advantages:

  • Chance of winning a more than you have earned in interest
  • Exciting Investment
  • Prizes are tax-free
  • Capital is retained
  • Capital is secure (backed by HM Treasury)

Disadvantages:

  • Poor interest rate/prize fund
  • Poor odds

My Decision

My personal opinion is that, having looked at the numbers in depth, the disadvantages far outweigh the advantages, so I’ll be cashing them in after the June 2007 draw has taken place. This is because the June draw is offering 5 £1 million prizes instead of the usual 2. I may keep a minimal amount (£100) in there for the fun aspect. I’ll be using the money to fulfill one of my goals for 2007 – to invest £1000 in something that will yield more than the best savings account.