IN PRAISE OF THE DEVIL

There is on earth among all dangers no more dangerous thing than a richly endowed and adroit reason, especially if she enters into spiritual matters which concern the soul and God. For it is more possible to teach an ass to read than to blind such a reason and lead it right; for reason must be deluded, blinded, and destroyed." "Faith must trample underfoot all reason, sense, and understanding, and whatever it sees it must put out of sight, and wish to know nothing but the word of God.

Martin Luther

And the Son of God died; it is by all means to be believed, because it is absurd. And He was buried and rose again; the fact is certain because it is impossible." "After Jesus Christ we have no need of speculation, after the Gospel no need of research. When we come to believe, we have no desire to believe anything else; for we begin by believing that there is nothing else which we have to believe...

Tertullian

This article is written in praise of Satan, Lucifer, the Devil, or whatever you want to call him. I must first make it clear that I am not here claiming ontological status for the Devil; that is, I am not claiming that he exists in the sense that you and I exist. I am quite serious on a symbolic level in what I write but my statements praising the Devil and attacking Christianity, God, and Jesus are not to taken as implying the real existence of any of these supposed beings. The only one of these that I think one could reasonably believe actually existed is Jesus. It seems probable that there was a human being who was a political and religious leader at the time though it seems to me to be absurd to believe claims about his origin or divine nature. My praise of the Devil is not entirely (though it is mostly) serious, and it is to be taken on a purely symbolic level. My goal is to bring out the values and perspective of the Christian tradition and to demonstrate how it is fundamentally at odds with the values held by myself and all extropians and with the perspective that we share. The Devil - Lucifer - is a force for good (where I define 'good' simply as that which I value, not wanting to imply any universal validity or necessity to the orientation). 'Lucifer' means 'light-bringer' and this should begin to clue us in to his symbolic importance. The story is that God threw Lucifer out of Heaven because Lucifer had started to question God and was spreading dissension among the angels. We must remember that this story is told from the point of view of the Godists (if I may coin a term) and not from that of the Luciferians (I will use this term to distinguish us from the official Satanists with whom I have fundamental differences). The truth may just as easily be that Lucifer resigned from heaven. God, being the well-documented sadist that he is, no doubt wanted to keep Lucifer around so that he could punish him and try to get him back under his (God's) power. Probably what really happened was that Lucifer came to hate God's kingdom, his sadism, his demand for slavish conformity and obedience, his psychotic rage at any display of independent thinking and behavior. Lucifer realized that he could never fully think for himself and could certainly not act on his independent thinking so long as he was under God's control. Therefore he left Heaven, that terrible spiritual-State ruled by the cosmic sadist Jehovah, and was accompanied by some of the angels who had had enough courage to question God's authority and his value-perspective. Lucifer is the embodiment of reason, of intelligence, of critical thought. He stands against the dogma of God and all other dogmas. He stands for the exploration of new ideas and new perspectives in the pursuit of truth. God demands that we believe everything that he tells us, and that we do everything that he says without questioning. Destroy a tribe including the women, children and animals down to last one? (Joshua 6.21). Why of course. Wait a minute, this doesn't seem very nice. SILENCE FOOL. HOW DARE YOU QUESTION ME. I AM GOD AND YOU MUST OBEY ME WITHOUT QUESTIONING. ACCEPT WHAT I SAY ON FAITH. BURN THOSE WHO DARE QUESTION MY WORD. DESTROY THEIR BOOKS. SHUT DOWN THEIR SCHOOLS. TELL THEM THAT DISOBEDIENCE MEANS THAT THEY WILL BURN FOREVER AND EVER, IN UNIMAGINABLE AGONY FOR ALL ETERNITY, AND REMEMBER THAT YOU WILL SUFFER THE SAME UNLESS YOU GO OUT AND TELL THEM THIS. Yes Sir, God Sir, whatever you say. See, here I am burning their books, pulling out their nails, torturing them for questioning Church dogma, banning the use of anaesthetic in child-bearing (since the pain is their just punishment for the acts of Adam and Eve). Help! I thought an improper thought! Help me to blind my mind God, help me to not see what my reason tells me. Let me repress thoughts of sexual desire, doubts about you and your orders, feelings of tolerance. They call Lucifer the Prince of Lies. A lie is defined by the Christian as anything which contradicts the Word of God - as told to us by the Bible and God's representatives on Earth. If we accept this definition of a lie then we should praise lies. A "lie" is then a questioning of blind dogma. The "lies" of Lucifer are attacks on irrational beliefs, beliefs based on fear and conformity to authority. Of course we should not call these lies. They are temptations to think for ourselves, a call for independent thought, a plea for taking responsibility for our own thinking and our own lives. Praise Lucifer! Praise the pursuit of truth through rationality. God was right to tell us to not worship false idols, but he refrained from telling us that all idols are false, and that all worship is dangerous. Even our praise of Lucifer must not be worship of an idol, but rather an expression of our agreement with his value-orientation and his perspective. God and his Godists hate Lucifer's call for rationality. Critical thinking digs at the very roots of God's and their power over our minds. Independent thinkers do not make good slaves. Lucifer is the Prince of Lies because he is an expert at helping us to be rational. He shows us how to use our intelligence and how to take responsibility for ourselves. We should emulate him in encouraging this trend in ourselves and in others. He needs help since he is working against the laziness and neuroticism of many humans. It's so much easier to just not try to think, to sit back and let other people tell you what you should do, what to believe, and where to give your money. Why, if I had to think for myself I would have to face the fact that I might be wrong. Horrors! I would have to think carefully about my life and the reality that I live in carefully and that would take a lot of work. No, it's much easier to have faith, to accept, to believe, to obey. God also hates us to enjoy ourselves, If we let ourselves experience too much pleasure then we might lose interest in obeying him. We might start running our own lives to bring us positive rewards rather than directing ourselves to avoid his wrath. We might become focussed on pursuing the positive instead of avoiding the negative. That would result in the downfall, of religious and state authority, so God has to stamp out such tendencies. He hates Lucifer who keeps turning up and tempting us to have a good time, to enjoy our lives. Adam and Eve's sin was to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge. They dared to disobey a direct order which God expected them to obey without question, blindly. They acquired reason and intelligence, and an ability to decide for themselves the values that they would pursue. Ever since them humans have been uppity - always giving God trouble. Dammit, even some of the Catholics are questioning the Pope's infallibility. Well that's just tough God; some of us are going to do our best to see that humans continue to become even more difficult to handle - both by you and by your human followers on Earth - the religious authorities and the Statists. God likes altruism, altruism understood as true self-sacrifice and not as giving up a minor value to achieve a more important one (which is just one aspect of rationality). If God can just get us all to be good altruists then we will be so much easier to control. Altruists do what they are told without complaint; a complaint would be based in self-interest; it would be a claim to live one's own life without having to direct it towards the lives of others or towards the interests of God or "the State". Lucifer perseveres in trying to point out to us that we have no reason to accept altruism. We can choose our values for ourselves, just as we can think for ourselves. Lucifer himself values the pursuit of happiness, knowledge, and new experiences. Most of all he values self-responsibility and independence even if that means that some people will not choose to value the things that he values. The extropians among us who share his perspectives and value- orientation should help him in his work. God had a clever and nasty strategy to promote altruism and therefore obedience. He tries to get us to believe in Original Sin. He wants us to believe that we are born sinful, that we were evil and needed saving even before we had done anything. We need God and his agents to save us from Sin otherwise we will burn FOREVER and we will miss out on an infinite and perfect reward (though he never tells us just what this is). Our path to salvation lies in service to God, selfless self-sacrificial service to God and his dogma. Without the idea of original sin we might not be so careful to obey God since we might figure that we were living pretty well and would go to heaven anyway (foolishly failing to inquire what heaven is like). Fortunately for God, Original Sin guarantees that we will always feel under threat. We will always be unclean and in danger of suffering hellfire. To make quite sure that our personal responsibility is destroyed, and that we put ourselves in God's hands for him to mould us as he wishes, God and his moronic minions repeatedly tells us that Jesus Christ is the Way and that he died for our sins. Redemption lies through faith and obedience. Notice what happens when Christ supposedly died for our sins. His act brought about our possibility of salvation. What I want to know is: how can someone else's act excuse me from anything? I am responsible for my own actions. Nothing that I do can take away the fact that someone else acting in a certain way, and nothing that they can do can absolve me of my own responsibility. Original Sin and salvation by Christ are both deeply offensive ideas to me and to all extropians who value individual responsibility. In ending this discussion, I want to remind you that you are all Popes. You are all you own highest authority. You are the source of your action. You choose your values - whether you do so actively or by default. You choose what to believe, how strongly to believe, and what you will take as disconfirming evidence. No one has authority over you - you are your own authority, your own value-chooser, your own thinker. Join me, join Lucifer, and join Extropy in fighting God and his entropic forces with our minds, our wills, and our courage. God's army is strong, but they are backed by ignorance, fear, and cowardice. Reality is fundamentally on our side. Forward into the light!

Naked Yoga 2

Isn`t they mind blowing ?

4 Ways to Boost Your Self Confidence

In today's world, there is absolutely no room anymore for shrinking violets. You have to know how to have great self confidence, put yourself out there, shine a spotlight on yourself, and astound the world with your presence. This isn't a problem for people who are brimming with self esteem, but what about those who have yet to figure out how to have great self confidence?

It's no big mystery and isn't really something that's programmed into people's chromosomes from birth - it can be cultivated. For all you know, that cool and assured person you've been admiring had to work hard to conquer his shyness.

It usually starts with possessing a healthy amount of self esteem. If you don't know the good qualities you possess, or if you don't believe you have anything worthwhile to offer the world, how can you move forward to success? Here are some tips to help you build your confidence level.

Great Self Confidence Booster #1: Pump Up Your Self Esteem

Start out by assessing yourself. Be honest and brave enough to take a look at yourself; find out who you are and where you presently are in life. But don't start giving negative reviews of yourself.

Learn to have self discipline and silence your inner critic. Stop listening to that little voice of doubt that says you're not good enough or that other people are better than you. Tune in to thoughts that cheer you on and tell you exactly what you're good at. If you feel like focusing on your negative aspects, exercise self control and don't let yourself be overcome with despair. Use this opportunity to figure out how you can improve - and trust me, you can do better.

An important step is for you to take stock of your achievements. What have you accomplished in life? What kind of work are you good at? Do you have any talents or special skills? Answering these questions will give you a better sense of certainty about your abilities and will help you start thinking that, yes, you do have many fine qualities.

Great Self Confidence Booster #2: Overcome Shyness

Shyness prevents you from letting people see the real you, because you're afraid to say or do the wrong thing or to appear awkward. The problem is, by being shy and hanging back from the rest of the crowd, you're already projecting yourself as awkward. Take a look again at the first tip and give yourself a dose of self esteem by reminding yourself of your good traits.

Overcoming shyness doesn't mean that you have to start trying to dominate conversations or hog all the attention. You have to show respect, empathy, and recognition to others. All you need to do is emerge from your shell and be alert; always open yourself to interact with people. Always show your enthusiasm and radiate optimism, and you will naturally attract people's attention.

If someone approaches you, you don't have to look down at your feet or mumble inaudibly. Don't focus on how painfully shy you think you are and just listen to what the other person has to say. Believe it or not, there will be people out there who will have something interesting to say; they will then get you to share your views and ideas. Once you start talking and expressing yourself, then you've already taken a major step on having great self confidence.

Great Self Confidence Booster #3: Get Out There and Just Do It

Many of us don't think we are capable of doing the things we want because we're not sure about ourselves. Again, there's the dreaded voice of doubt. What you want is to be fearless enough so you'll be able to tackle all the things you've ever dreamed of doing.

Fear of failure is a big factor in the crumbling of our self-confidence, and this same fear is caused by our insistence on focusing on the negative side of things. True, it's never a bad thing to be cautious whenever we're thinking of new ventures, adventures, and activities, but too much caution will paralyze us, making us unable to take action.

So why not start thinking positively? Think hard about what you want to do. Join activities that may enhance your leadership and teamwork skills. If you stumble over any doubts or possible problems that will come up, don't immediately say, "I can't do it." Just imagine ways that will help you work around those problems.

Don't just second-guess your plans. Trust in your abilities and the fact that you can bounce back from any situation. That's already a big bonus. An even bigger plus for you is when you actually follow your dreams and achieve your goals, which would even make you feel confident that you can do anything.
Great Self Confidence Booster #4: Dress for Success

Shallow? Not really. You know how there are certain accessories or outfits that make you feel like a million bucks? This works the same way. Instead of putting on clothes that only make you feel drab and dull, choose the very things that make you stand out and feel special. It all starts in how you feel; and if you feel good about yourself, you will really act more confidently (and intelligently) throughout the day.

There are more ways on how to have great self confidence, but these are just some easy tactics for you to try. Building it may be a challenge for some, but just trust yourself and don't let doubt gnaw at you. With a little effort, you'll be shining brightly along with the best of people, so get to work!

7 Destructive Habits of Incompetent People

WARNING! If you want to have a fantastic life, never engage yourself in these 7 deadly habits that incompetent people do.

Number 1 - They Think, Say, & Do Negative Things.
Yup. They see problems in every opportunity.

They complain that the sun is too hot. They cursed the rain for ruining their plans for the day. They blame the wind for ruining their hair.

They think that everyone is against them. They see the problems but never the solutions.

Every little bit of difficulty is exaggerated to the point of tragedy. They regard failures as catastrophes. They become discouraged easily instead of learning from their mistakes.

They never seem to move forward because they're always afraid to come out of their comfort zones.

Number 2 - They Act Before They Think.
They move based on instinst or impulse. If they see something they like, they buy at once without any second thought.

Then they see something better. They regret & curse for not able to take advantage of the bargain.

Then they spend & spend again until nothing's left. They don't think about the future. What they're after is the pleasure they will experience at present.

They don't think about the consequenses. Those who engage in unsafe sex, criminality, and the like are included in this group.

Number 3 - They Talk Much More Than They Listen
They want to be the star of the show. So they always engage in talks that would make them heroes, even to the point of lying.

Oftentimes they are not aware that what they're saying is not sensible anymore.

When other people advise them, they close their ears because they're too proud to admit their mistakes.

In their mind they're always correct. They reject suggestions because that will make them feel inferior.

Number 4 - They Give Up Easily
Successful people treat failures as stepping stones to success.

Incompetent ones call it quits upon recognizing the first signs of failure.

At first, they may be excited to start an endeavor. But then they lose interest fairly quickly, especially when they encounter errors.

Then they go & search for a new one. Same story & same results. Incompetent people don't have the persistence to go on and fulfill their dreams.

Number 5 - They Try to Bring Others Down To Their Level
Incompetent people envy other successful individuals. Instead of working hard to be like them, these incompetent ones spread rumors and try every dirty trick to bring them down.

They could've asked these successful ones nicely. But no, they're too proud. They don't want to ask advise. Moreover, they're too negative to accomplish anything.

Number 6 - They Waste Their Time
They don't know what to do next. They may just be contented on eating, getting drunk, watching TV, or worse, staring at the blank wall with no thoughts whatsoever to improve their lives.

It's perfectly fine to enjoy once in a while. But time should be managed efficiently in order to succeed. There should be a proper balance between work & pleasure.

Number 7 - They Take the Easy Way Out
If there are two roads to choose from, incompetent people would choose the wider road with less rewards than the narrower road with much better rewards at the end.

They don't want any suffering or hardship. They want a good life.

What these people don't know is that what you reap is what you sow. Efforts & action will not go unnoticed.

If only they would be willing to sacrifice a little, they would be much better off.

Successful people made it through trials & error. They never give up. They are willing to do everything necessary to achieve what they aspire for in life.

How to Persuade Anyone to Do Anything

The mind is an infinite wonder. It has the fantastic ability to transmute your desires into their physical counterparts.

You can do anything that your mind can conceive, as long as you have the belief and will power to back it up. So how can you use your mind to achieve your dreams?

One of the most effective ways is to use the "as if" principle. Act as if you are the person you want to be. Act as if you are already in possession of whatever you long to have.

So what do you want to be? You want to be a lawyer, doctor, athlete, or newscaster? Think, act, and feel like one. You'll be much closer to your goal if you're constantly intact with your objective. Be obsessed with your dream. It doesn't mean that if you want to be Superman you'll fly out the window. Not a good idea!

It's not enough that you act like one, but you have to actually ACT. Do what needs to be done. You might get so lost in your fantasy dream world that you've forgotten to take some action. Let your visions encourage and motivate you to actualize your purpose.

The problem with the people of the modern world is that they are too preoccupied with worries, anxieties, and negative emotions. As a result, they are adversely affecting their state of health. White lies have become prevalent nowadays in order to ease the burdens or to persuade others to do things that they thought are unattainable.

There was once a weightlifter who couldn't lift weights in excess of 300 lbs. So his coach devised a clever idea and told him that the barbell he has to carry weighs only 300 lbs. With all his might, the weightlifter managed to put it above his head. After he puts it down, the coach told him that he has just lifted 350 lbs. of weight! It's all in the mind!

A famous person once said, "Whenever you think you can or you
can't, you're right." If you think you are poor, then you are; unless you properly condition your thoughts to the positive mindset. I know it's hard to think rich if your environment is not conducive to such way of thinking. Use your imagination then! Visualize your house to be a mansion, your old car to be a limousine...well you get the picture.

There is absolutely no limit with what the mind can achieve. But you have to combine belief, will power, and action with positive thinking in order to arrive at your intended destination.

You see? The mind is a powerhouse. So what you have to do is mentally focus on your persuasion approach. Be absolutely confident.

Want to borrow your brother John's car? Say to yourself, "I am successfully persuading John to lend me his car." Say it out loud! Say it 10 times, 20 times, 30 times, until you feel the fire and confidence within you exploding like firecrackers on New Year's Eve. Now remember to say it in the present tense. Say "I AM successfully persuading John to lend me his car," and not "I WILL successfully persuade John to lend me his car." You've got to have it now, not in the future! So be relentless and assertive. Then picture yourself saying it to him with utmost assurance. Visualize your brother John smiling and obeying your every will. Envision him as a little boy giving you the keys to his beautiful car. He can't help but follow your every command. And wait. John is saying something. He's saying that you have all the right to use his car. He wants to pay you back for all the kindness you've shown him. You feel so in control of the situation. John can't help but do what you want him to do. It's like you've hypnotized him.

Now go out and just do it! Never show any negative or self-defeating emotion. You don't want to go out there having thoughts like: "I'm not sure if I can ever persuade him" or "What if I won't be able to do it?"

Many people can see right through you. They can sense your fear and anxiety. Be absolutely calm and relaxed. It would be better if you do the relaxation exercise below before persuading anyone. You may pass-up this exercise if you are time-constrained or if your persuasion exploits are minor.

1) Get a comfortable & quiet place to rest.

2) Relax your whole body. Command every part of your body to relax starting from your feet up to your head.

3) Count back slowly from 20 to 1, where in each count you relax deeper & deeper. Upon reaching 1, you are completely relaxed.

4) Now affirm your intentions. If you want to persuade John, say," I AM successfully persuading John to...." As you're saying that, picture yourself doing what you're saying in vivid and true-to-life details.

5) Then after about 10 to 20 minutes of continuous confirmation & visualization, count slowly from 1 to 20. Upon counting, slowly be aware of your surroundings. Feel refreshed & invigorated after doing this exercise.

6) Repeat this exercise every time you want to persuade anyone.
The same principles apply even if the person you're going to persuade is far away. Let's say you're a salesman who's going to write XYZ client an email regarding your product. Say out loud, "I AM expertly persuading XYZ to buy my product. XYZ is buying my product because it is the best he's ever seen. XYZ is so happy using my product." Say it many times with all firmness and assurance. Then envision him buying and enjoying your product. Imagine him thanking you over and over because he has gotten more than his money's worth. Visualize him treating you as a very good friend because you gave him the very best he could ever lay his hands on. Then write your email. Pour all your emotions into that letter. Not ordinary emotions, but genuinely pure and caring emotions that come from the heart. Write things that would make him happy and willing to do business with you. Even if he's many distance away from you, he will feel the aura of your presence. Your letter will be so powerful that he will comply with your demands.

Remember to always adopt this mindset before you go out there persuading or doing anything you have in mind.

17 dirty tricks that are played on consumers

Imagine! On a dewy summer morning, as you return from your morning walk, you are greeted by your bank statement. The steep charges for your debit card, which you were not aware of, have you in a state of shock. You go to the bank to confront its staff, where you bump into your friend, who tells you that he has just booked a fixed deposit at 9 per cent. Your misery compounds-only yesterday did you book one at 7 percent, with the pushy banker giving no indication of this alternative. Even as you are recovering from the twin shock, your wife calls to tell you that she has been evicted from her flight as the airline said it could not 'accommodate' her. So she had to shell out a good three grand to buy another air-ticket.


Enough, you think! On your way back, you think you could do with some good news. You call up your real estate agent to inquire if you will get the possession of your flat on the promised date, but he comes up with a lame excuse.

Does all this sound like a series of horrible coincidences? Well, it definitely is one. Although the law of probability ensures that no individual shall suffer so much mental trauma in the span of a day, at some point in our lives, most of us are at the receiving end of each of them. The single thread that runs through these forgettable experiences is that all of them either cause damage to your finances, or make you miss out on the advantages that were there for the taking. And, each time, someone's has got the better of you. The world outside is a minefield of deception and double-dealing.

No sooner do you throw caution to the wind than you turn vulnerable to dirty tricks-unethical practices of sellers where they push a financial product or service at your expense, often to save their own skin. Even in sectors as strongly regulated as mutual funds and banking, such practices are rampant. And they are even more common in sectors like real estate, which do not have a watchdog. On the following pages, we blow the lid off 17 such dirty tricks, discuss how they can wreak havoc on your finances and, more importantly, tell you how you can outsmart the sales personnel when he tries to take you for a ride again.


1. Banking: High debit card charges
Blame it on their stiff sales targets, but it's very unlikely to come across sales personnel who will reveal the annual charges on a debit card at the time of account opening without you asking for it. Ditto for a debit card upgrade.

The damage. A high-end debit card has a slew of features, but it comes at a high cost, typically Rs 500-1,000 per year against Rs100 for a basic card. Often, you end up paying for services that you do neither require nor use.

The pre-emptive strike. While opening a savings bank account, fill out the application form yourself and read the details, including the fine print, carefully. Inquire about the annual charges on the debit card and cross-check it with what's mentioned on the bank's website. In case of upgrades, check the charges of the card concerned on the bank's website and confirm that with the bank.

2. Fixed deposits Fixated on attracting capital
In the hunt for deposits, banks often advertise their best fixed deposit (FD) rates. Few know that those attractive rates are seldom for popular periods, such as six months or a year. For example, a major private bank gives an interest rate of 9.25 per cent on an FD booked for 1 year 16 days. However, for periods between 1 year 17 days and two years, the rate comes down to 8.50 per cent. Need we say more?

The damage. The unsuspecting customer will book an FD for periods such as six months or a year. By being unaware of this disparity in rates, he will miss out on the high returns that the bank offers, albeit as a trap.

The pre-emptive strike. Don't book an FD without a long and hard look at the interest rate chart. That will fetch you the best possible interest rate for a tenure around your requirement zone. Before booking an FD, check the rates, across tenures, on the bank's website.

SMART TIPS

- While opening a savings bank account, fill out the application form yourself and read the details, including the fine print, carefully

- Don't book a bank fixed deposit without a long and hard look at the interest rate chart that banks display

3. Too many loan applications...
Direct sales agents (DSAs) are an endangered species, but they sure know how to flourish on your hard-earned money. When you apply for a loan through a DSA, he would, seemingly in earnest, encourage you to apply to many lenders, citing greater probability of getting a loan. And, innocent as you are, you give him several cheques as processing fee for each application. His cut: commission from the bank's processing fee.

The damage. Besides paying processing fee to multiple lenders, you also end up doing near-irreversible damage to your credit history-applying for multiple lines of credit across lenders reflects a huge appetite for borrowed money.

The pre-emptive strike. Apply for a loan only when you satisfy all the eligibility criteria, and file an application with just one lender. If your application is rejected, find out the reasons. If there are things affecting your loan eligibility, rectify them first before you approach another lender.

SMART TIPS

- Apply for a loan only when you satisfy all the eligibility criteria, and file an application with just one lender

- Fix a reasonable credit limit on your add-on card and insist on SMS alerts for spends made through your primary as well as add-on card

4. Add-on cards: More ain't merrier
When you apply for a credit card, the bank's sales personnel are the sweetest guys on the planet. In fact, very often, they will even volunteer to fill out the form for you. What they sometimes do stealthily, however, is mark the box under the add-on card category. As a result, you receive an add-on card along with your credit card even though you never wanted one.

The damage. If you are not careful with spends on your add-on cards, it's likely that you will be on a sticky wicket while clearing off the credit card bill before the due date. Besides, even if your spends (on primary and add-on cards) exceed your credit limit by a whisker, you will have to pay over-limit charges, which could be very high.

The pre-emptive strike. It's best to fill out the credit card application yourself. But should you succumb to the lure of the sales personnel filling it out for you, be there in person when he is doing so. On the application form, strike off things you don't require. And if you really require an add-on card for a family member, ensure that its holder is briefed about proper credit card usage. Importantly, fix a reasonable credit limit on your add-on card and insist on alerts through SMS/email for spends made through your primary as well as add-on card.

5. Insurance: Mis-selling of endowment plans
Thanks to a dearth of pension products in the country, insurance agents often mis-sell endowment policies to the same policyholder year after year, citing a regular income stream after retirement. Their cut: commission on every policy sold.

The damage. An endowment policy takes at least 6-7 years to break even, courtesy the high costs attached with the product. What that effectively means is that you keep giving the insurance company wads of cash in lieu of a measly sum assured (SA) and low returns.

The pre-emptive strike. Eschew the temptation to invest through endowment policies as they typically offer returns of 6-7 per cent per annum (p.a.). If you are risk-averse, go for Public Provident Fund (PPF)-it currently offers 8.6 per cent p.a. However, those open to risk can look at systematic investment plans (SIPs) in equity mutual funds (MFs) to negate the impact of inflation over the long term.

6. Insurance: Miss-selling health plans
Not many are aware of the benefits of a family floater (FF) policy, which is way cheaper than an individual health plan (IHP). Taking advantage of this, many agents sell separate IHPs for all family members. The motive: selling more policies means more commission.

The damage. Though IHPs serve the purpose of health insurance well in case of a mishap or an illness, the flip side is that you end up paying a much greater amount in premiums compared to what you would have paid for an FF policy.

The pre-emptive strike. Prefer an FF policy to an IHP. In an FF policy, the proposer can get health coverage for his spouse and children (up to 21 years old). If you have already bought an IHP, you can supplement your health cover with an FF, and include family members and dependents in it.

7. Insurance: Bypassing medical check-ups
While selling life covers, agents often advise you to keep the sum assured low so that you can dodge medical tests. That's because if the results are unfavourable, the underwriter (insurance company) can decline the policy, and the agent will miss out on commission income.

The damage. There is nothing more nightmarish than your family struggling to make its ends meet after you have hit the proverbial bucket. An insufficient cover defeats the whole purpose of buying insurance.

The pre-emptive strike. Go for a higher cover even it means undergoing medical tests. There is nothing scary about it anyway-even if an ailment is discovered, it will make sure that your claim is not repudiated at a later stage.

SMART TIPS

Eschew the temptation to invest in endowment policies since they typically offer measly returns of 6-7 per cent per annum

- Go for a bigger life insurance cover even it means undergoing medical tests

8. Stocks: Fixed brokerage per trade
Intensifying competition has brought out the ingenious in e-brokers. Recently, many e-brokers have introduced fixed brokerage per trade. This means that for every transaction you are charged a fixed brokerage, irrespective of the number of shares you buy.

The damage. What the brokerages don't reveal is that even if you buy one share, you will have to pay the fixed commission. Suppose you place an order for 200 shares at the face value of `20 each, but are allotted just one share. With the commission fixed at `10 per order, you will be paying 50 per cent of the share price towards it.

The pre-emptive strike. If you want to invest in low-volume stocks, avoid fixed commission contracts as partially filled orders will increase your overall brokerage cost. You can also operate two different brokerage accounts: one for small-caps and the other for large-caps. This will bring down the overall cost of transaction.

9. Mutual Funds: Demanding multiple cheques
Investments of Rs10,000 and above in mutual funds (MFs) attract a transaction charge of Rs100, which is pocketed by MF distributors. As a result, distributors often mislead investors into giving separate cheques for the same amount. When thirty-year old IT professional Ashish Ranjan wanted to invest Rs 50,000 in tax-saving MFs, the agent advised him to write five cheques of Rs 10,000. Ranjan realised that he had been deceived when he saw his account statement-it showed units amounting to Rs 49,500, with Rs 500 going towards transaction charge.

The damage. Agents usually say that they want separate cheques so that they can time the market for you. But it's you who has to bear the brunt of an inordinately high transaction charge.

The pre-emptive strike. Invest in MFs through one cheque. If your distributor insists on multiple cheques, ensure that each cheque is for less than Rs 10,000. Alternatively, invest directly with the fund house or the registrar and transfer agent (R&T) to avoid any transaction charge.
10. Rigged Application Forms
Binay Kumar, 40, a government employee, visited an R&T office in Patna to make some investments. He was handed a systematic investment plan (SIP) application form with the stamp code of a national distributor. Kumar had absolutely no idea that an application form with an ARN (AMFI registration number) code will attract a transaction charge as he was investing directly through the R&T office. For another lump sum investment that he wanted to make in an existing folio, he was given a transaction form that had written in very small type: "Pay commission to existing broker". Kumar ended up paying a transaction charge on both his investments even though he did not seek the services of a broker.

The damage. Such malpractices, where an R&T agent is in cahoots with agents, are relatively rare in bigger cities where customers are more aware. Should you fall into the trap, you will end up paying transaction charge, a significant sum.

The pre-emptive strike. When investing directly with a fund house or the R&T office, check the application form for any stamps, small type, and such like.

11. Dangling the dividend bait
Distributors persuade you to buy an MF scheme on the pretext that it is that likely to declare dividends soon.

The damage. If you buy the logic, you will end up investing in schemes that do little to facilitate the achievement of your financial goals. Unlike dividends from stocks, dividends from mutual fund schemes are something of a misnomer-you don't get anything extra because the scheme's net asset value (NAV) comes down in proportion to the dividend distributed.

The pre-emptive strike. Select a mutual fund scheme based on its long-term performance and don't fall for dividends.

SMART TIPS

- When investing directly with a fund house or the R&T office, check the application form for any stamps, small type, and such like

- Select a mutual fund scheme based on its long-term performance and don't fall for dividends

Real Estate
Probably no other sector is ridden with as many sales spiels as real estate. With commissions directly linked to sales, it is a notorious world of hard sell.


12. Glorifying the property's location
Real estate agents often claim that the upcoming residential project is close to a proposed airport or metro station, which will provide it with excellent connectivity in future.

The damage. The completion of infrastructure projects often faces long delays. If the project in which you have booked meets the same fate, you will need to hold on to your investment for a long time before you actually see any meaningful increase in capital values.

The pre-emptive strike. Take a look at the project details on the website of the authority concerned. Besides checking things such as the expected completion date, look at the track record of the authority in charge of the implementation. Visit the location for a first-hand idea of the progress.

13. Hurrying you up
With half-truths and full lies, such as 'few flats left' and 'book before prices go up", the real estate agent is trying to get a psychological advantage over you. Misleading lines like this make the innocuous customer feel that he might miss the bus.

The damage. If you believe these claims and go ahead and book a property, you run the risk making a mess of your house purchase budget.

The pre-emptive strike. First, check how busy the real estate agent is-usually, it is a good indicator of the truth. Second, gauge the progress on the construction site. A project that's in demand and has people lining up for it should also witness some activity on the ground. Finally, check the movement of capital values in the locality over the past one year. If they are increasing at a higher rate than in other areas of the city, and you can't find the reason for it, give the property a miss.

14. Promising possession in a year
Agents and developers often promise possession of the property within a year of your booking it. What's important to understand here is that when you invest in an underconstruction property, you cannot avoid the associated risk of project delay.

The damage. A hasty decision here has the potential to derail your wealth-creation process. Those buying their first house with a loan find themselves in an even tighter spot as besides servicing the home loan, they also need to pay rents. Moreover, the amount of compensation that developers promise to pay in case of a delay (according to the 'Agreement To Sell') is a pittance. Delays often result in cost over-runs and, if that happens, your budget might bulge out of your comfort zone.

The pre-emptive strike. Always prefer a ready-to-move-in project, even if it comes at a premium. If you cannot find one, look for a house where the developer promises delivery in 6-12 months. And don't forget to check the builder's background and reputation. If the firm is listed on the stock exchange, check its current financial position. Also, stick with projects that are funded through the foreign direct investment (FDI) route-their financial closure typically happens on time.

15. Guaranteeing assured return
A common practice in the commercial property space, here, the developer promises an assured return on your investment. Truth is, the developer is aiming to raise funds at a cheaper rate compared to, say, borrowing from banks and other lending institutions.

The damage. By investing in the project, you are taking not only construction risk but also market risk. If the developer fails to give you the assured return, there is not much you can do. Moreover, according to the Income Tax Act, 1961, the assured return offered by developers is considered as interest income under the head 'income from other sources'. Thus, you are not allowed to claim standard deduction of 30 per cent on it, which you could have claimed on rental income from a tenant.

The pre-emptive strike. Do not fall prey to such marketing gimmicks. If you have spare cash and you are looking for an assured return, invest in bank FDs, which currently offer similar interest rates as developers.

SMART TIPS

- Always prefer a ready-to-move-in project, even if it comes at a premium. If you can't find one, look for a house where the developer promises delivery in 6-12 months

- Don't fall prey to the gimmick of assured returns for real estate

16. Travel: Putting you through flight
In the past, there have been several instances of airlines evicting passengers from a flight despite their having a valid air-ticket. Says Rajesh Rateria, chairperson, western region, Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), and director, Cirrus Travels, a travel company: "During the peak season, airlines usually overbook flights to the extent of 100-120 per cent as they know that people do not show up on some routes during certain hours." If they book seats in tune with the aircraft's capacity, often they will have to fly with empty seats due to last-minute cancellations.

The damage. Such an event will not only throw your travel plan out of whack and cause mental trauma, but also result in additional expense for you. There have been instances where passengers had to shell out money, over and above the original price of the air-ticket, after being stranded at the airport.

The pre-emptive strike. Ho-hum! At the risk of sounding boring, we advise you to check the airline's compensation policy before you book a ticket with it. Says Jehangir Gai, joint secretary, Consumer Welfare Association, an organisation providing guidance to consumers on various issues: "In India, compensation is provided to a passenger only if he demands for it. Recently, the director general of civil aviation issued a circular to all the airlines, directing them to compensate passengers for flight delays." Also, make sure that you reach the airport well within time (i.e., 45 minutes and two hours before the check-in time for domestic and international flights, respectively).

17. Deceptive packaging
With holidays few and far between and life getting increasingly hectic, an attractive travel package gets our attention immediately. What doesn't, however, is that there is no dearth of tour operators who overpromise and under-deliver. And, very often, you might have to pay for services that you assumed were free before you started the trip.

The damage. If the deal is not genuine, you might have to settle for sub-standard accommodation. Worse, the tour operator may skip a few places that were part of the original itinerary, or may ask you to pay extra.

The pre-emptive strike. Gai says: "Whether or not action can be taken would depend on the evidence in each case." Before you start the journey, get the itinerary from the tour operator. It should have a list of exclusions under the package. Keep a copy of all the communication that has happened between you and the tour operator. Should you decide to approach the consumer court later, this will come in handy. Remember, it's advisable to go for renowned and established players-usually they are more transparent when it comes to stating the exclusions upfront. All in all, it boils down to two things: not taking anyone at their word and being able to spot whenever someone tries to pull a fast one on you. Because it's okay to be suspicious in a ruthless world.

SMART TIPS

- Check the airline's compensation policy before you book a ticket with it - Before you start the journey, get the itinerary from the tour operator

- Go for renowned and established players while choosing a tour operator.