Loans
- Choose an EMI that leaves room in your monthly budget
- Keep a buffer in the debit account a few days before EMI dates
- On closure, collect the NOC and check your report a month or two later to confirm it shows "closed"
- Avoid settlement unless there is no alternative, and understand its impact first
Credit cards
- Pay the total amount due, in full and on time
- Keep utilisation low
- Watch for annual fees and small charges that can go unpaid
- Do not use cash withdrawals on credit cards except in emergencies
Applying for new credit
- Check your own report before applying
- Use lender eligibility information first
- Space applications out; several hard enquiries in a short time can be read as credit hunger
This guide is general educational information, not financial or legal advice. Rules can change. Check the latest guidance from the RBI and the credit bureaus.