Most of us Filipinos when it comes to income, we rely only to one source, and that is our salary. But when the pandemic hit, many of us lost this primary source.
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| "lady-in-stripped-dress-with-piggy-bank" by Kristina Paukshtite is licensed under CC0 |
As we pick up the pieces and start again, it is now clear that having multiple sources of income is the very best solution to stay afloat in both good and bad times.
The question is how do we do it?
First, you need to accept that this is a very hard process. Having to set aside something for the future when your income is not that enough to cover all your needs. As you journey to this path, you will fail several times but don't ever give up!
High Liquidity Account for Emergency Funds
Life is full of surprises, emergency situations come in two ways; good or bad. Jobs can be lost in a blink of an eye, at the same time, opportunities emerge suddenly. That is why, having a cash reserve is a wise move. Most Financial Experts advise an amount equal to six months of living expenses.
What investment vehicle to use?
You can park your fund on a high interest savings account. You can also use money market accounts or money market mutual funds as an investment vehicle. Make sure though that the investment vehicle you will use don't have a lock up period, and can be withdrawn anytime without loss of value.
Get Life Insurance
As mentioned above, life is full of surprises both good and bad. Might as well prepare for the inevitable. On a typical family, only one is the income earner. If something happens to that individual, the whole family foundation shatters.
What investment vehicle to use?
You can go to either Traditional or Variable Life Insurance. Traditional only have a life insurance benefit while Variable have both Life Insurance and Investment Benefit.
Revisit Your Goals
This pandemic gives us a clear look of the situation that everything can change in an instant. This is the right time to revisit, revise, and re-prioritize goals.
What investment vehicle to use?
A good investment plan starts with a good and realistic objectives. These objectives are:
- Capital Preservation
- If you are risk averse or you know that you will soon need the money, this should be your objective.
- Capital Appreciation
- If you are risk tolerant and want your money to increase over a period of time, this objective is for you.
- Constant Income Generation
- If you are retired or nearing retirement, you need an investment that generates income.
Decide On How To Invest
Let us be honest, to be a financial savvy, you need to dedicate time to learn and gain the necessary skills and knowledge. Not everyone has the time and energy to do so. This is why you need to choose if you want a "Do it Yourself Plan" or have a third party investment company handle it for you.
Let us lay out the major differences:
- Do It Yourself
- You have full control of where, what, and how much you need to invest.
- All of the research will be done by you.
- You will then create accounts to these investment companies of your choice.
- Tracking their progress can be cumbersome if you have many investments.
- Third Party Investment Company
- Research and Tracking is done on their side, all you need to do is scan and choose from their list of recommendations.
- They may have a minimum amount requirement to open an investment.
- They offer a wide variety of investments (one stop shop), no need to create several accounts.
As we accept the wind brought by this pandemic, we also need to adjust the sails of our ships in both life and investments.
"The world is different now, the old rules no longer apply.”
Adam Jensen
- Your Life In Perspective by Ælfræd (Elf Counsel)
