Valentine’s Day is celebrated across the globe as a time to express love and appreciation to those closest to us. While spoiling your loved ones with carefully curated gifts, why not take a different approach this year?
Instead of considering only traditional gifts, like jewellery and flowers, why not consider gifts that offer lasting value, and that will in time contribute to a brighter financial future?
Instead of considering only traditional gifts, like jewellery and flowers, why not consider gifts that offer lasting value, and that will in time contribute to a brighter financial future?
Chantal Marx, Head of Investment Research at FNB Wealth and Investments says, “there are many ways to express your love. From investment instruments that grow over time to long-term financial strategies, you can secure your loved ones’ well-being that will have long-term positive impact. Whether it’s ensuring they are cared for in future or giving them a financial boost through the gifting of a portfolio of shares, it goes beyond sentiment and empowers you to ensure that your loved ones are more financially secure.”
There are several ways to approach your Valentine’s gifts differently this year, without losing that spark.
A love letter
We often share heartfelt notes or cards on Valentine’s Day, but why not consider leaving a legacy through a Will and personalised estate plan. “It may not seem romantic, but it is the most meaningful gifts of love and security. A Will and an estate plan protect your loved ones when you are no longer around and ensures that your wishes for them can come true,” says Carin Meyer, Product Head, Wills and Deceased reporting.
Perfume
Selecting a fragrance is a deeply personal choice with each fragrance blended in a unique way and the actual smell of that fragrance differing depending on the person wearing it. You can own more than one bottle of perfume – for day-to-day wear or for special occasions – and can they last either for a short or very a long time. Developing a financial plan with your specific goals and risk tolerance in mind will help you find the perfect blend of products, asset classes and investment instruments tailored to your specific short- and long-term needs.
Candles
A staple in many homes and a gift of choice for many, candles provide light, ambiance and offer relaxation without complexity. They burn at a steady pace – much in the same way ensuring that you have emergency savings in an easy to access money market product to cover those unforeseen circumstances.
Chocolates
Chocolates are a popular choice. They are not only delicious, rich and indulgent but also hit the sweet spot. When stressed, or even in a casual setting chocolate offers a sense of comfort and relaxation. In the same way, a tax-free savings or investment account hits the sweet spot (without the calories) – by saving on taxes, investors can indulge in higher compound returns over time while ensuring they build a nest egg either to meet a specific goal or to complement their other targeted investments or savings.
A Gift Voucher
A gift voucher is a great way of outsourcing the responsibility of choosing a gift to your loved one, and to eliminate the possibility of you picking the wrong gift! Investing in exchange traded funds on the JSE that offer exposure to the world’s largest investment indexes provides opportunities for growth without having to choose the underlying investment instruments. Another way of accessing both local and global opportunities and avoid this additional complexity would be to invest in unit trusts. Managed by professionals, returns are seen over time as the value of the underlying assets grows and the risk is also spread across different investment instruments.
Personalised Jewellery
Jewellery is personal and very sentimental. Just as its designed to match your unique style and taste, consider a personal share portfolio that provides you with an opportunity to buy companies and other assets that you like and where you see a future of strong returns. Like you will own different piece of jewellery for different occasions (our outfits!), the blending of different companies in a portfolio will provide diversification benefit and provide the holder with an opportunity to grow their wealth over time. Your personal portfolio can include local shares, global companies, exchange traded notes and funds and even other asset classes like bonds and listed property.
Curated Experience
Curated experiences have become popular and is something that you remember for a long time. Booking a special dinner or hiring a private yacht is great but consider investing in structured products, which are structured investment solutions that are designed to track a unique or niche market with a payoff structure and capital protection. Just like being exposed to new experiences, you can get exposure to global markets and shares while preserving your wealth – much like the memories of that hot air balloon trip.
A well-defined financial plan is perfect way to show love, not just for today but for the future. “This doesn’t mean letting go classic Valentine’s traditions. So, make this Valentines Day celebration special, by combining romance and financial foresight – because just like love flourishes over time, so too do smart investment decisions,” concludes Marx.
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