IF you are the kind who leaves a lot of money idle in your savings accounts, this news is going to make you happier and richer!
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) made a key announcement last year that there will be a change in method of calculation of interest on your savings account. This change is effective from 1 April 2010, that is today.
Till yesterday, banks calculated interest on your savings account as follows:
3.5 per cent per annum or 0.29 per cent per month on the minimum balance in your savings account between the 10th of the month and the end of the month.
What was a little unfair here was that interest is paid on the minimum balance in your account between the 10th of the month and the end of the month. But how many of us are left with large bank balances at the end of the month anyway!
While the rate of interest has been maintained at 3.5 per cent per annum, the good news is, that from today, interest will be calculated as follows:
3.5 per cent per annum or 0.0095 per cent per day on the daily balance in your savings account.
If you can't make sense of these numbers, allow us to explain.
Suppose your bank statement in April reads like this:
| Date | Deposit (Rs) | Withdrawal (Rs) | Balance (Rs) |
| 1 April | 5,000 | ||
| 2 April | 30,000 | 35,000 | |
| 3 April | 4,000 | 31,000 | |
| 5 April | 4,000 | 27,000 | |
| 10 April | 12,000 | 15,000 | |
| 13 April | 2,700 | 17,700 | |
| 18 April | 4,500 | 13,200 | |
| 25 April | 5,500 | 7,700 | |
| 30 April | 7,700 |
Before:
Under the old method, you would get an interest of Rs 22.46 for April, that is 0.29 per cent on Rs 7,700 (the minimum balance in your account between the 10th and the 30th of April).
Now:
Your interest would be a handsome Rs 48.82 for April. That is, 0.0095 per cent everyday on your balance of that day.
Easily, your idle money is going to make you far richer!
That doesn't, however, give you an excuse to leave your money lying idle in the savings account. Read our expert column 'Idle Money, Devil's Delight ', to find out how you could lose out by leaving too much money in your savings account and what you can do to invest smartly!
Illustration: Vaibhav Shirke
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