ONCE a year, we are given a chance to celebrate milestones with families and special someone in the form of birthdays, anniversary, and Valentine's Day. As much as we keep on reminding and giving tips to the readers of Twenty Something on proper ways to spend money and to save, it also doesn't hurt to celebrate memorable occasions once a year.
However, sometimes we tend to splurge too much on these things -- sometimes beyond our means and capacities. We even reason that it's just once a year anyway and that we deserve it. Here, in Twenty Something, we try to encourage you to live your life as memorable as possible with your loved ones but also being prudent and mindful of how you spend your money so as not to end up draining your wallet for a one-day celebration.
This Valentine's Day 2021, when the country is still grappling with the pandemic, we asked tips from financial advisers on how they think romance and kilig should still be present but in a much lowkey type of a set-up. This is obviously because we are experiencing economic recession and, if anything, the pandemic has highlighted the impermanence of a lot of things. But of course, let's not allow this to hinder us from celebrating Valentine's Day with our special someone.
Here are some tips from our financial experts that might help you with the date you're planning on the 14th:
Mon Echevarria, Insurance Advisor
Before anything else, know your partner, know yourself, and understand your current resources. With this, you can be thoughtful, and resourceful. Focus on your friendship, your communication. Look for a nice place to take a beautiful walk together, have a meal, and talk.
Things that you can do for free but will really mean a lot to your partner:
* Write something and read it to your partner.
* Draw/paint something (if you have it in you).
* Edit a video of your memories together.
* Go to the beach and spend time together. Ask some what-if's about your future. Get to know each other better in the limited time you have together.
If you both know what you should focus on in your relationship, common sense budgeting will follow. Transport, the meal and the ride home will amount to P1,000 to P2,000 max. Both of you will be happy to spend that money, and afterwards, no stress! You will only have beautiful memories that you created together.
Christine Gay Bayang-Boborol, Financial Advisor - AIA PhilamLife
When I was in my early 20s, me and my boyfriend (now husband) would celebrate Valentine's by staying in and cooking a special dish together then catching up on our favorite TV series instead of going out and eating in a fancy restaurant. Don't forget to prepare some love notes which seem very cheesy but are definitely acceptable on Valentine's Day.
It is very important to stay mindful of our expenses at all times. We can still enjoy and celebrate special occasions without hurting our wallet. There are a lot of ways to make our loved ones feel special -- a simple date night, a picnic or even a stroll at the beach would already mean so much. Spending some quality time doesn't necessarily involve spending a large amount of money. We just have to be creative and genuine about it.
Charles Benedict Matela, Financial Advisor AXA Philippines
Given the pandemic, it is a good idea to stay away from public spaces like restaurants. A better idea is to create a picnic setup and order food from restaurants or foodpanda to still have a good tasting meal at a lower price. Flowers can be pre-ordered so you can have it at a much lower cost, saving you P300 to P500. That way, you can still create a special moment on Valentine's Day without the risk of getting exposed to the virus plus still enjoying the traditional way of dating.
Shelling out huge amounts of money is not the only way to be appreciated by our loved one. Saving for a future is more attractive than spending for a date. These days, people who tend to save more are more valuable than people who spend more.
Merill Jem Llerena, Unit Manager Llerena, Integrated Financial Experts Philam Life Davao
Old is still gold. They say writing letters is old school. But to me, nothing beats a heartfelt, handwritten letter. If you're inclined to give gifts, be creative without spending a buck. If your talent is singing or playing a guitar, sing her a song. If you're into visuals, make her a video montage of your memories. Make gift coupons offering your service like a massage, doing her chores for the week, etc.
If you're really inclined to spend for a gift, set a ceiling -- a negligible amount that won't hurt your pocket say, P100 to P1,000. You will find that the cost won't matter when you see your partner's face light up with your thoughtfulness.
I'm big on occasions. I love celebrating. Me and my partner used to go out on a lot of dates pre-pandemic. When an occasion comes around, we'd be guaranteed to be splurging out -- booking a romantic dinner or staycations, getting each other gifts, and him getting me flowers as a nice addition too.
But that doesn't mean we have to delay our future security whether it's for ourselves, our romantic relationship, or our family. We're able to do all those seemingly extravagant actions because before that were years of saving, establishing an emergency fund, getting insurances and investments, and more.