"Rejected." That is the message you will see when you apply for your first Personal Loan or Credit Card if you have no CIBIL score. In India, "No Credit History" is almost as bad as "Bad Credit History." Whether you want to buy an iPhone on EMI, get a bike loan, or apply for a Premium Credit Card, you need a CIBIL score of 750 or higher . But how do you build a score if no bank will give you a loan? This is the classic "Chicken and Egg" problem. Fortunately, in 2025, there are 3 guaranteed ways to build a perfect score without having a job or salary slip. 1. The "FD-Backed" Credit Card (The Golden Ticket) This is the fastest way to build a score from scratch (0 to 750). How it works: You give the bank a small Fixed Deposit (e.g., ₹2,000 or ₹5,000). In return, they give you a Credit Card with a limit of 90% of your deposit. Why banks love it: Since they have your deposit, there is zero risk for them. Best Cards for this: IDFC First WOW...
The start of a new semester is exciting until you see the price of the textbooks. In India, engineering and medical books can cost anywhere from ₹500 to ₹2,000 each. Buying brand new books every 6 months is one of the biggest wastes of money for students.
If you are still buying "First Hand" books from the campus bookstore, you are doing it wrong. Here is how smart students save 50% to 100% on their study material.
1. The "Senior" Network (The Golden Rule)
Before you go to a shop, go to your seniors.
The Strategy: Most seniors want to get rid of their old books to clear space.
How to ask: Don't just ask "Can I have your book?" Offer to buy it for 40% of the price.
Bonus: Seniors often leave useful notes and "Important Questions" marked inside the pages. That is worth more than the book itself!
2. Second-Hand Markets (OLX & Quikr)
You buy second-hand bikes and phones, so why not books?
Where to look: Search for "Your City + Used Books" on OLX or Facebook Marketplace.
The Price: You can usually get books for 50% off.
Pro Tip: Check the edition. If the syllabus hasn't changed much, a 2-year-old edition works perfectly fine.
3. Famous "Old Book" Markets
Every major city in India has a famous market for second-hand books.
Delhi: Daryaganj Sunday Market or Nai Sarak.
Mumbai: Fort / Matunga.
Kolkata: College Street (Boi Para).
Chennai: Moore Market.
Benefit: You can buy books by the Kilo (Kg) sometimes!
4. Digital Editions (Kindle & PDFs)
Why carry a heavy bag?
Legal Free Sources: Websites like Google Books or Project Gutenberg often have older reference books for free.
Kindle Editions: On Amazon, the "Kindle Edition" (eBook) is often 30-40% cheaper than the paper book. You don't need a Kindle device; you can read it on your phone app.
5. The "Buy & Resell" Loop
If you must buy a new book, treat it like an asset, not an expense.
Keep it clean: Do not use a pen. Use a pencil. Keep the cover fresh.
Sell it fast: The moment your exam ends, list it on OLX or sell it to a junior.
Result: If you bought it for ₹500 and sold it for ₹300, the book effectively cost you only ₹200.
Conclusion
College is expensive enough; don't make it harder by paying MRP for paper. Use these tricks, save that money, and invest it in a skill course instead.
Want to learn those skills for free?
Check out my guide: 👉
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