[eqvinox]

Anything that does

  create file
  chmod 0600 file

should be

  umask 077
  create file

[SeriousM]

Foe the ones, like me, who didn't know why you recommended that:

By setting umask 077 first and then creating the file, the file gets created with the correct restrictive permissions (0600) in one step instead leaving the file readable for "everyone" for a moment.