Author
LoansJagat Team
Read Time
5 Min
11 Jun 2025
On June 6, 2025, many loan borrowers were happy because of the 3rd repo rate cut this year. But was this good news for savings account holders and Fixed Deposit Holders?
In this blog we will see the effect of repo rate cuts on interest rates on savings accounts and FDs. If you want to earn good interest on your ₹3 lakh savings, then read till the end of this blog.
Repo rate is the rate at which the RBI lends money to the commercial banks. Now, since RBI has cut down the repo rates, the banks will borrow loans at a cheaper rate from the RBI.
Therefore, the commercial banks will offer loans at a comparatively affordable interest rate to the account holders. How would the banks make a better profit then?
This also leads to a corresponding drop in the interest rates offered on savings accounts and fixed deposits, as banks adjust to the lower cost of capital and reduced lending rates. As a result, depositors earn less from these traditional instruments.
So how to earn more even during an economy's sluggish growth?
1. Investment in Liquid Funds
Liquid funds are a type of debt mutual fund that invests in short-term instruments like treasury bills, commercial papers, and certificates of deposit. These funds are known for their low risk and high liquidity, making them ideal for conservative investors.
This is how they are better than the savings accounts:
Category | Savings Account | Liquid Funds |
Interest Rates of ROI | 2-5%-3.5% | 4%-6% |
Tax Relief | 0 | Yes, if held for more than 3 years. |
Withdrawal | Quick, within seconds | At least 24 hours |
Minimum Account Balance | Have to maintain | Invest a minimum amount |
Exit Load | - | No exit load after 7 days |
Now, let’s consider how much will Geeta save in each of these scenarios. For example, Geeta has a corpus of ₹ 3 lakh that she invests in savings accounts and liquid mutual funds, equally. See the table below to notice the difference in return on investments.
Category | Savings Account | Liquid Mutual Funds |
Amount Invested | ₹ 1,50,000 | ₹ 1,50,000 |
Interest Earned (Percentage) | 2%-3% | 5% |
Interest Amount | ₹ 3000 | ₹7500 |
Total Savings After 1 Year | ₹ 1,53,000 | ₹ 1,57,500 |
So, what would you prefer?
2. Investment in SIPs
Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs) are the new ‘IT’ things in the market. They are the best resort to passive investing, where the person doesn’t have to worry about studying the market trends or invest time in reading news daily.
However, instead of pulling out the money in just 1 year, SIPs require patience and time for the power of compounding to work. This is the difference between savings account and SIPs:
Category | Savings Account | SIPs |
Interest Rates of ROI | 2-5%-3.5% | 12%-15% |
Tax Relief | 0 | Short Term Capital Gains and Long Term Capital Gains Tax is levied |
Withdrawal | Quick, within seconds | At least 24 hours |
Minimum Account Balance | Have to maintain | Invest a minimum amount per month |
Exit Load | - | Yes |
If there’s still some confusion, then this is how you earn more ROI from SIPs.
Vaibhav, a content writer, invests ₹10,000 per month in a small cap SIP and plans to keep investing for the next 10 years. Let’s see how his total savings differ from savings account.
Category | Savings Account | SIPs |
Amount Invested | ₹ 10,000 per month | ₹ 10,000 per month |
Tenure | For 10 Years | For 10 Years |
Interest Rate | 2%-3% | 12%-15% |
Savings After 10 Years | ₹11 lakhs | ₹23 lakhs |
So, what would you choose?
4. Investment in Buying Assets like a Home or Property
While ₹3 lakh may not be sufficient to buy a property outright, it can serve as a meaningful down payment or token amount for a home loan. With reduced repo rates translating into lower home loan EMIs, now could be a good time to consider investing in real estate.
Real estate remains a stable, long-term asset class that can provide both capital appreciation and rental income. For young professionals or couples looking to buy their first home or a small investment property, this could be a strategic move to secure future financial stability.
This is how Seeta’s investment would look in a savings account and then in the form of an asset.
Category | Savings Account | Buying a Home |
Amount invested/EMI | ₹ 10,000 per month | ₹ 15,000 |
Tenure | For 10 Years | For 10 Years |
Earnings | 2%-3% | At least ₹30,000 per year |
Price Now | ₹11 lakhs | ₹ 54,00,000 |
Do you still think that investing in a savings account is the best thing to do?
With interest rates on savings accounts and FDs trending downward post-RBI rate cut, the need for more rewarding investment avenues becomes clear. Whether it’s the liquidity and safety of liquid funds, the long-term growth potential of SIPs and ELSS, or the tangible value of real estate, each option offers distinct advantages.
By diversifying across these instruments, investors can strike a balance between safety, liquidity, and returns—making their ₹3 lakh work smarter and harder for them.
About the Author
LoansJagat Team
We are a team of writers, editors, and proofreaders with 15+ years of experience in the finance field. We are your personal finance gurus! But, we will explain everything in simplified language. Our aim is to make personal and business finance easier for you. While we help you upgrade your financial knowledge, why don't you read some of our blogs?
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