Best Long-Term Investments for Filipino Kids & Teens

Last Updated – Sep 1, 2023 @ 4:11 am

The common notion would be, ‘I’m still too young to start investing. I can always do it later.’

As young as they are, kids are ENCOURAGED to start learning (and doing) how to invest. Because the truth of the matter is, the issue is not the money. The problem is how YOU treat the money that you have. In a way, it’s a ‘relational’ thing. The way you relate to money will change the way you treat it.

Whether they are 5, 6, or 14 years old, they can start acquiring knowledge about it and save for investments to reach a ‘big goal’. As is with everything in life, the ‘snowball’ principle applies: you start with a small snowball, and the longer you roll it, the bigger the snowball gets.

In a way, it works the same way in achieving their lifestyle dreams. When they start early, they get to their dreams and goals ahead of time. So, building up the ‘future’ resources will allow them to start living a comfortable life—even retiring early!

They can get ahead by taking advantage of their youth, saving for their future using key strategies to get the momentum going.

Contents

Benefits of Investing Early

Time is your ally when it comes to investing. The sooner you get started, the less risky it gets in the long run. And while you cannot eliminate risks, you have enough lead time to take the challenges with this arena.

Compound Growth

It can be challenging to get their head around the idea of compound interest—especially if they’re still new to the world of investing.

You can introduce compounding interest to your child by giving them a small amount of money. Offer to add another day’s worth for as many days they can continue saving. From here, gradually increase the daily amounts you provide. This method helps ‘mimic’ compound earnings using real money so that they can build a good relationship with money early in life.

Take risks

There are two kinds of investors: the fearful and the risk-taker. Skittish investors are often on the defensive side, never letting anything (or anyone) take their money and looking to ‘save up for rainy days. The other, the risk-taker, maybe too impulsive and spend everything away on anything that looks ‘promising’.

Any of these extremes are not setting a good example of developing the discipline of smart investing during their early years.

Adults could start introducing this concept by allowing their kids to make a logical and fact-based evaluation of the investments they’d like to pursue. If stocks, what are the elements that they need to evaluate? What factors should be determined if it’s mutual funds, so they’re getting the shares at a bargained rate?

Starting them early also allows them to make ‘mistakes’ early on in their journey. In most cases, several adults who began late in investing fall into the ‘fearful’ spectrum of the scale. It can be stressful when time is against you and still learning the loops with years to compensate before retirement.

When they know from EVALUATED experience, they can take charge of their future investment tools, methods, and selections.

Develop the muscles of discipline

Money is not the root cause of why many Filipinos are still not investing at an early age. The real reason at hand is the lack of discipline that comes with spending and saving.

Building the discipline to save (and not spend) is a habit that needs to be formed early in life. Habits take time to develop. When you start them young, there’s a high chance that your kids will be carrying these good habits with them to adulthood.

Again, it’s never too early to start investing! With a disciplined spending habit, you can teach them not to spend excess money on unnecessary items. And with more capital at your child’s disposal, when the time comes for large purchases or long-term savings goals, they’ll be better equipped than most people in this economy who are struggling to make ends meet—all because they don’t have much extra cash they could use.

Avoid the pitfalls of the consumerism

Do Shopee and Lazada ring any bells? If your child (or you) have fallen to every sale these two platforms have gruelingly showed every month, chances are you have fallen victim to this thing called consumerism.

Children, especially toddlers, observe what their parents do, say, or even behave. As the adage goes, ‘the apple does not fall far from the tree’. It goes the same way for investing, saving, or spending. So, how do you keep them motivated to ‘save more’ and not ‘spend more’?

Intimidating or insisting your children save money (without any explanation) may seem disconnected. There needs to be a logical explanation and a reason behind this action. The best thing a parent could do is help their children define a savings goal and break it down into smaller pieces.

Incentives help them to be more motivated to save more money. For example, if your child wants PHP 5,000 worth of video games after getting PHP 1,250 weekly from allowances, you should tell him how long it will take to save to purchase this game based on their savings rate.

Make better money decisions

Kids need to have some money of their own, so they can learn how much things cost. An allowance achieves this, but you must require your child to do specific chores in return for their pay. It will teach them what hard work looks like and show them there are consequences when actions aren’t balanced (whether good or bad).

But they are not expected to earn for ALL chores. Washing the dishes or cleaning their room will not be counted under ‘paid’ duties since these are everyday tasks they ought to do as part of the family. However, chores like cleaning the car or taking the weeds out of the garden are some you can consider under this category.

To foster this habit further, you can deposit their monthly allowance in their savings account. This way, they won’t be able to touch their savings and spend them on unnecessary purchases.

How to Get your Kids Started in Investing

Your kids can start learning about money as early as they are old enough to understand the concept.

For example, if you invest P25K when your child is 10 (and continue investing yearly), then by compounding interest, they will have earned 1 million upon reaching age 25!

The best way to help your child grow up with sound financial habits is by ensuring they understand the importance of saving and spending their money.

You can teach them what it means, why we do things in this manner—like teaching facts or math lessons—and how these practices will serve them well later on when life throws curveballs!

Open a bank account

For kids, you can start opening a dedicated bank account intended for savings and investment. However, you can open a different account designed for protection and another planned for investments if possible.

You can check BDO Junior Savers, Metrobank Fun Savers Club, and RCBC Wise Savings that allows you to open for your child even if they are less than one year old.

Role Play

Expose them to real-world scenarios like role-playing. Kidzania is a popular venue offering these kinds of opportunities for kids to get a taste of ‘real world scenarios’.

This establishment lets children be grownups for a day and run their city, complete with paved streets, transport system, and economy. Through play, kids learn how to handle money differently while appreciating its value—which could lead them down an exciting path of entrepreneurship later on!

Launch a small business

Exposing your kids to several businesses could inspire them to start their own (with your guidance, of course). Juice stands and selling treats or toys are some businesses they can pursue as a ‘side gig’.

Get Inspired: 150+ Profitable Business Ideas in the Philippines

When started at an early age, entrepreneurship could teach them a lot about the value of money (and how hard it is to earn them!). If you want to go further, they can sell their items through bazaars or online during peak seasons such as the holidays.

Invest in a mutual fund

Mutual funds are great starting investments for kids and teens. Aside from its long-term benefits, this will give them a taste of investing in the stock market—without riding the emotional waves that come with it. Sun Life and First Metro Asset Management are some of the financial institutions offering this type of investment.

Investing in mutual funds for kids (or anyone under 18 years of age) can be done through opening custodial accounts under the minor’s name which can be represented or overseen by their parents/guardians.

Stock trading

Let your children be a part of the economy! Start them off at an early age so they can reap higher returns and learn about public ownership. They may also have input in what company their investment is going into and how much money goes into each share purchase (there’s no minimum amount).

This is one of the reasons why staying invested in the evaluated stock picks is worth the wait. As mentioned earlier (and if it’s done right), kids who have started investing at a young age could reap the profits earned from the compounding interest.

Aside from teaching them the basics of stock market trading and investing, you can direct them to free online resources and seminars to learn more about profitable trades in the market.

Best Long-Term Investments for Filipino Kids & Teens

Here are some of the best financial instruments to invest in for long-term gains in the Philippines.

1. Blue-Chip Stocks

Warren Buffet and Benjamin Graham are probably two of the biggest (and most profitable) people who made billions off value investing¹. People who held on to undervalued stocks for 5, 10, or 20 years may be surprised to see their stocks earning from twenty to a hundred-fold over their original price.

In the last decade, the Philippines has been experiencing economic success. With an annual GDP growth forecast of 6.20%, businesses and economies are expected to bounce back after the recession caused by the pandemic.

How to Invest in the Philippine Stocks for Long-Term

Businesses need long term investing for stability. One of the ways investors can provide this type is by buying shares from blue-chip companies or those with consistent earnings potential.

You can teach your children these simple ‘tricks of the trade’ to set the guidelines for choosing profitable stocks.

Leadership

Well-performing stocks often have innovative and robust thought leaders guiding the company’s direction and vision. Leadership is one of the most vital traits you can teach your kids to look into as part of their checklist.

Exceptional performance

These companies should be in keeping with their promises. They pay the dividends as agreed, history of profitability, and regular posting of their financial statements are some critical factors under this category.

For teens, it would be beneficial if they also knew the economic values and how to best critique the numbers. From here, they would determine whether a company is losing or gaining throughout the years.

Proven and tested business models

Ayala is one of the best examples under this category. This company has been around for several years and have established itself as the leading player in their respective industry.

They’ve done exceptionally well to create innovative models better suited to consumer needs, making investors happy since they can see what works!

After evaluating the companies your children want to invest in, they can start with these simple strategies to help them assess when to buy and sell.

Out of the stocks they chose, they need to trim it down to three to five companies. Although some may make room up to 7, a limited amount of stocks will help prevent spreading the profits too thinly. You’d want them to choose solid stocks that will give them maximum gains in that amount of time.
Create a plan. Your children need to hold out a plan to prevent them from ‘panicking’ when the market decides to take a life of its own. It would be best to orient your kids that the market is a master to none but to its own. And the only way to prevent cutting losses too early or buying at high prices is to create a strategy on the amount to buy and sell—without hurting their future profits or losses.
Buy on dips and hold even if it dips further. Though this may seem counterintuitive, what you’re teaching them is bargain hunting. You want them to buy it ‘cheap’ so they can sell at a higher price. This method is easily one of the best ways to get them invested in the stock market for the long term.

17 Best Stocks to Own for Long-Term in the Philippines

Metro Pacific Investments (PSE: MPI)

Metro Pacific Investments is an investment management company that specializes in infrastructure.

The Philippines-headquartered outfit’s most profitable business segment by far are toll roads, with power and water extraction being significant sources of revenue for them due to their ownership stake on these industries’ fronts.

SM Investment Corp. (PSE: SMC)

SM Investments is one of the most extensive Philippine stocks trading with a market cap of over P1 trillion. It offers investments for retail, property and banking sectors which makes it very diverse yet profitable at the same time.

With three companies under its belt (SMIC, BDO, and SMPH), this company already makes up 30 percent of the PH stock index.

SM’s excellent fundamentals and impressive earnings are worth looking into. It also rewards generous dividends to investors looking for long-term profitable growth, so it makes sense that this stock would be an attractive investment to hold.

Vista Land (PSE: VLL)

Vista Land is one of the fastest-growing real property developers in the Philippines. It has become the largest homebuilder nationwide, establishing Manny Villar as the wealthiest person to date.

Ayala Corporation (PSE:AC)

Ayala is one of the biggest conglomerates in the Philippines and best known for innovative solutions and thriving businesses, making it an attractive investment even for foreign investors. Their popular subsidiaries include BPI, Ayala Land, AC Energy and Infrastructure, and Globe Telecom.

To date, its valuation is pegged at 490 Billion pesos in market capitalization. To add, most of the mutual and equity funds buy AC shares because of their stability. The stock price for AC surged to 170.33 percent on a 10-year spread to date.

SM Prime Holdings (PSE: SMPH)

This is the developing arm of SM Group and is considered a prominent property developer in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. There are 74 malls owned by SMPH here in the Philippines, with 7 in China. They also did several residential, commercial, resorts, and convention centers locally.

SMPH is the largest real estate company in terms of market cap (PPE). It has a strong balance sheet with total assets worth 1.2 trillion and cash reserves for 731 billion last year alone, making it one robust investment to own in a long-term portfolio.

With solid fundamentals, SMPH can continue expanding its business into new property projects or even merge other companies to create an innovative offering tailored specifically towards global growth. An impressive 215.86 percent increase in stock price on a 10-year spread makes this an attractive investment to consider to your list.

Metrobank (PSE: MBT)

Considered one of the Philippines’ most prominent banks, Metrobank’s longevity in this industry makes it a solid choice. Even in the face of an ongoing pandemic, Metrobank has managed to grow and maintain its position as one of Asia’s most profitable banks.

Last year alone (2020) reported 13 billion net income with a 26% change on an average yearly basis in the previous five years.

With assets worth 2 trillion dollars at current valuation levels, MBT continues to be resilient even when faced with challenges like low consumer confidence or economic uncertainty that have afflicted this sector.

Ayala Land, Inc. (PSE:ALI)

ALI is one of the most significant Philippine stocks and an excellent investment now. With a market cap at Php530 billion, they may be even bigger than we think! The company has proven to stand tall in challenging times with its stable balance sheet, which consistently grows assets over time.

This Ayala Corporation subsidiary owns malls all over Metro Manila, including several parts in Visayas and Mindanao. And given how much people love shopping every day without fail, their excellent profit proves AC’s ability as a solid leader to add to your portfolio. A price increase of 102 percent could be noted from 2011 of the same date.

Universal Robina Corporation (PSE: URC)

Universal Robina Corporation is a prominent food and beverage enterprise with an extensive presence across Asia. It has a 318 billion market cap with successful business partnerships in Korea, China, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Oceana, and the Middle East to name a few.

Some of its popular treats include Chippy, Piattos, Cream-O, Nips, and Nissin. If you invested in a few shares of URC in October 2011, you would have gained a 210.85 percent price increase by today.

International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (PSE: ICT)

Considered one of the country’s top terminal operators, ICT has numerous port facilities situated across the Asia Pacific, Africa, Europe, The Americas, and the Middle East. This is the only one of its kind listed in the index, making it a good choice (industry-wise) with its low competition.

ICT was also able to deliver 1.43 percent in dividend yield with various talks of terminal expansion and facilities opening once the country is ready to open up its economy again. The current price shows an impressive 257 percent increase on a 10-year spread.

Puregold (PSE: PGOLD)

One of the most well-known supermarket chains in the Philippines is Puregold. With more than 300 supermarkets nationwide and 116 billion market capitalization, this local ‘Walmart’ offers customers a one-stop-shop for all their grocery needs with fresh produce, meat and seafood section, or even yummy treats.

For the convenience of its shoppers, PureGold’s delivery services have also helped boost revenues during the pandemic. A remarkable 250.21 percent price increase can be noted from 2011 to 2021.

Jollibee Foods Corporation (PSE: JFC)

Jollibee Foods Corporation is one of the largest food chains in the Philippines that is now expanding its international business. In just over ten years, this company has grown from a single restaurant to having restaurants all over Asia and even Africa!

Under its wing, JFC holds popular food chains like Mang Inasal, Greenwich, Chowking, Burger King, Red Ribbons, and its recent acquisition of Coffee Bean Tea and Leaf.

Jollibee has always been on a bullish trend. However, there was some damage from this pandemic that caused JFC stock prices to drop significantly last March but shows promising signs of revisiting higher trends to date.

GT Capital Holdings (PSE: GTCAP)

GT Capital Holdings is one of the top corporate bodies in the Philippines. It holds numerous robust businesses, including banking and property development. This company also owns a variety of companies from Asia, such as Toyota, AXA, Federal Land, and Metrobank, to name a few.

Furthermore, GTCAP is a globally recognized stock index used in the MSCI Philippine Index and FTSE All-World Index.

JG Summit (PSE: JGS)

JG Summit is the holding firm for some of Asia’s largest and most diversified companies. JGS’ businesses include prominent firms like Cebu Pacific Air, Universal Robina Corporation (URC), Robinsons Land Corp, Robinsons Bank, and its own Petrochemicals branch.

JG Summit is one of the best stocks to buy to date. JGS has a diversified business portfolio with many well-established companies, and it also makes up an essential part of PSE index rankings for firms like them.

Bank of the Philippine Islands (PSE: BPI)

BPI is the earliest bank established in the Philippines and one of its top operating to date. With Ayala Corporation taking a majority stake in BPI, it is a leading stock on Philippine Stock Exchange Indexes.

The company shows remarkable financial highlights with consistent revenue growth net income total assets deposits or capital throughout the years, making this an ideal addition to your portfolio.

Alliance Global (PSE: AGI)

Alliance Global is a Filipino conglomerate with interests in food, beverage, and entertainment. AGI owns many popular subsidiaries, including Emperador (globally recognized liquor) and Megaworld that manages transportation infrastructures for the country.

One of their most popular subsidiaries to date is the Philippine franchise for McDonald’s.

Aboitiz Equity Venture (PSE: AEV)

Aboitiz Equity Venture is one of the Philippines best-managed conglomerates. It has a diverse portfolio, including power, food, and infrastructure, that operates with other companies.

Popular subsidiaries under their belt include UnionBank of the Philippines, Aboitiz Land, and Aboitiz Power. AEV owns many well-positioned industries, making them an asset worth investing in for the long term.

BDO Unibank (PSE: BDO)

With 496 billion in market cap, BDO Unibank proves its consistency in delivering efficient banking services in the Philippines. The company reported a net income of 442 last year (2020), representing an increase of 35% YOY.

It also has 1,434 branches nationwide to date to better serve its clients with ease nationwide. Likewise, these consistent growth rates show just how strong this business is—all while still maintaining its high standards for excellence.

Note: Historical data gathered via Investing.com (PH)²

2. Mutual Funds & UITFs

Mutual funds and UITFs are generally low-risk investments with good potential returns when invested in the long term.

Mutual Funds

A Mutual Fund is a pool of money collected by a company from various investors and allocate these in several investment vehicles.

Compared with stock market investing (or trading), mutual funds do all the heavy lifting of analysis by having seasoned fund managers do it for you—while letting you earn good returns at the same time. It’s having your cake and eating it too!

Below are the different types of mutual funds:

Stock or Equity Funds

Stock and equity mutual funds are considered high-level risk investment that could give significant profits in the long term. These types of investment pools use selected PSE stocks or PSEi.

If you’re looking to dip your toes in the stock market but don’t want the emotional rollercoaster ride that comes with trading, investing in this type of fund could help you get the ‘feel of it.

This is an ideal investment for those with high-risk appetites and wouldn’t mind a couple of ‘peaks and troughs’ in the stock market scene.

Money Market Funds

Also considered a cash reserve fund, this type of mutual fund are heavily invested in low risk securities deposits and corporate bonds. It’s supposed to be one of the safest money funds, but it doesn’t provide much earnings for your investment compared with other types.

However, consider taking shares from a money market fund if you’re looking to ‘park’ your money during bear times. It could also perform better than the traditional cash deposit rate. This type of investment is the safest form of mutual fund with some capital growth.

Bond Funds

Bond funds are for investors who want to invest in a fixed-income portfolio such as treasury notes, government securities, and commercial papers.

Investors could take advantage of the less volatile nature of the bond markets and less risk associated with it. It is ideal for moderate conservative investors who want a good earning for their investment.

Balanced Funds

The perfect fund for those with a moderate risk appetite, the combination of stocks and bonds in this portfolio makes it safe to invest in.

The mutual fund is considered an excellent choice by many investors. Its well-balanced nature includes high returns and low risks associated with investments like money market funds or conservative stock investing options.

UITF

Unit Investment Trust Funds, or UITFs, are an investment fund structure compared to mutual funds. However, banks will manage your assets instead of having shares and owning equity in the company like a regular stock market trading system.

Similar to mutual funds, UITFs also have the same category of funds with varying degrees of risks.

Mutual Funds vs. UITFs: Which Type is Best for Your Kids?

While both may look similar at first glance, the methods by which these are processed are different. Here’s a quick look at their differences:

	Mutual Funds	UITF
Who offers the shares	Investment Companies	Banks
Who sells the shares	SEC-licensed advisors & brokers	Trust agents
Product you are buying	Shares of the mutual fund (NAVPS)	Units of participation (NAVPU)
Regulatory body	Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)	Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)
Holding period	Minimum of 1-6 months	Minimum of 30-45 days

Investing in either one (or both) of these instruments will get you to your goal quicker than savings or time deposits. Here are a couple of reasons why these will help improve your portfolio in the long run:

Better returns than banks

Investing in suitable investments can pay off, with your money having better earning potential when invested through a mutual fund or UITF.

Have a professional fund manager who thinks for you

Unlike the DIY trading plan typical in stock trading, riding in a fund planned and traded by seasoned fund managers would be ‘hitting two birds with one stone’. You can rest easy knowing someone with extensive knowledge in trading could do the work for you—and earn a decent profit too!

Diversification

There is a high degree of safety in principle when you invest your money in these financial instruments. It’s considerably safer than investing solely through stock markets because they are diversified across many different asset classes, including stocks, bonds, and other funds like foreign securities or money markets.

Low investment cost

Compared with other investment types, opening an MF or UITF account will only require you to start with at least PHP 1,000.

Keep your portfolio from inflation fluctuations

Protecting your capital is essential because it ensures that you won’t lose out during inflation. This is an excellent feature for both instruments.

With how dependent earnings are on a fund’s performance, it is best to invest in one with an appropriate time frame. For example, a 5-year duration or more will provide higher rates of return than shorter-term investments.

Investors should consider investing mid to long term. These can potentially reap the rewards at both ends from low yields during growth spurts and more significant capital gains when markets decline (though there may also be losses along these lines).

Opening an MF account online

Investors who have the option of enrolling their mutual fund in an online banking system usually do so for convenience purposes. However, more savvy investors with accounts at COL Financial or First Metro Securities can buy and sell shares directly from its trading platforms.

If you’d prefer to talk with a licensed MF agent first, you can approach companies like Sunlife and PhilamLife to get more information on which type is ideal for your risk appetite.

Opening a UITF account

UITFs are offered by banks and can be accessed through any of the branches near you.

Simply drop in for assistance from specially trained personnel who will help complete your client suitability assessment form, which is required before investing money into these funds. They also have all the necessary paperwork on hand, so there’s no need to go anywhere else.

3. REITs

There are many reasons why investing in real estate has become more popular. For example, REITs offer small investors a more accessible and less expensive way to profit from profitable large-scale properties.

Plus, you don’t have to pay the total cost upfront or be stuck with low returns on your investment if you want to sell early.

In the Philippines, several developments have paved the way for REIT investing. The relaxation of requirements to sell REITs (like Ayala Land’s REIT) has attracted big corporations to sell such instruments to the public.

What makes REITs unique from real estate investing, mutual fund and stock investing?

A critical difference between a REIT and a real estate investor is that the former only shoulders part of the cost. The property acquired by these two types usually has much higher prices, so it makes sense for them to shoulder more than just a tiny fraction in form as shares through REITs.

As for mutual funds, this is an investment vehicle that pools cash from several people and invests in bonds or stocks depending on their goals for returns over time (usually between 6 – 12 months).

REIT shares can also provide you with good yields but rely heavily on the drive for rentals from these property assets.

Stocks require you to invest in different companies that will provide you with a good return on your investment in the long run. Investors purchasing stocks may or may not get dividends (depending on how profitable an individual company has been paying its shareholders over time).

For REITs, the company must payout at least 90% of profits as reported generated revenue back into shares themselves.

How to get started investing in REITs in the Philippines

REITs available in the country to date are:

Ayala Land REIT (AREIT)
Filinvest REIT (FILRT)
Robinsons Land REIT (RCR)
Double Dragon REIT (DDMPR)
Megaworld REIT (MREIT)

When a REIT sells its shares through an IPO, you can subscribe to the IPO and trade them on the PSE EASY online platform. Most prominent online stock brokers have many of these available for purchase upon listing or shortly after that as well.

4. Essential Life Skills

The most incredible legacy we can leave our children is their ability to lead fulfilling adulthood.

We must impart these key concepts, principles, skills, and ethics to ensure they are a ‘contributing’ citizen in their respective fields of work and community in the future.

Self Defense

Most schools these days invest in teaching basic self-defense, but if your child’s school doesn’t offer it, don’t hesitate to send them out for classes outside of the building!

Developing this skill not only makes children feel more confident about themselves. It’s an added quirk that they can defend their friends in the process too!

Decision Making

Making decisions is a life skill child need to learn at an early age. This skill will not only prepare them for their future endeavors, but it’ll help them learn how to choose between what might seem like the same options now. This will prepare them for anything that life throws at them.

A great way of teaching kids this important lesson when they’re little are by starting with basic decision-making skills like choosing between ice cream or a cake when you come into their favorite snack store.

Once your kid has learned all about these easy choices, move on to more complicated issues such as instant gratification or delayed gratification, rewards, and consequences.

Do their chores

As simple as cleaning their room and folding the sheets, this life skill is a MUST to enable them to become responsible adults in the future.

If you’re already doing so much for your child, it’s never too late to change this habit. Every day and moment in a child’s life are an opportunity to help them become responsible and serve the community better as they grow into adults.

Time Management

Teach them the value of time will help them focus on more important things. You can instill values about time management by allowing them to decide how and what they will do to fulfill their responsibilities.

For example, instead of waking them up in the morning, you can give them an alarm clock to set themselves and wake up accordingly. You can also provide them with a planner and have them track their school work.

Budgeting

Budgeting is an essential life skill that parents often have difficulty teaching their children. Give them an allowance every week or two weeks, but ensure they can only spend with what they have and no more. If they plan to buy something that exceeds their allowance, ask them to save up for it.

Another way is to check for cheaper alternative products. This way, they can save the excess and spend on what is necessary. Teach them the value of spending within their means and save more than what comes out of their pocket.

Meal preparations

Teaching your children how to cook is an important life skill they can learn at any age. From preschoolers who need help with knife skills to elementary-aged kids who might want a more hands-on experience in the kitchen, teaching them about food preparation will give you peace of mind and provide some great family memories.

Helping them to learn basic cooking and meal preparation skills will teach them independence. As they grow into adults, they will be more capable of doing (and budgeting) for groceries and limit costly take-outs.

Doing groceries

This is another fundamental skill that kids necessary to help them become budget-conscious adults.

Parents should take their children grocery shopping with them every once in a while. If you know where the different categories are shelved, give them a basket and let them get some easy-to-find things while you pay!

You can also teach them the discipline that comes with selecting goods. You can put them in charge of selecting specific food or drinks every month. After selecting, teach them how to pay for these. In the long run, they might be more conscious to choose goods that fit their budget.

Doing the laundry

Teaching your children how to wash, fold, and put away their laundry is not only a life skill that will help them. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to bond with your children while doing this task.

Toddlers are great at sorting clothes by color or texture when given complete autonomy over something as simple as this. As their responsibilities increase, so is their accountability for their actions (or inactions).

Finish tasks by themselves

Let your children do as much packing for school themselves, so they are more engaged and excited. Buy them new bedding or cushions themed around their favorite cartoons, movies—anything that will make it fun.

Fostering independence at an early age will help them decide the best solutions to take and not frequently rely on others for guidance.

Allow them to order their food in the restaurant

Some parents think it’s easier to order for their kids when ordering out, but letting them choose what they want themselves engages them to think independently.

Restaurants often have kiddie menus with colorful pictures and texts on them. You can have them choose what they’d like to eat and let them order from the waiter. Not only will this increase their confidence with their choices, but it would also be an excellent opportunity to teach them basic manners such as saying ‘thank you’ and ‘please’ after ordering.

Communicate in a concise manner

Teach them to speak in short sentences and communicate them so that listeners can understand the flow of thoughts and ideas.

This skill is crucial for establishing an independent child who knows how to express their needs, ask questions, or communicate effectively with others. Practicing this at an early age could have a significant impact on their career choices later in life.

Storytelling

The ability to tell a story is an invaluable skill for a child throughout their life. It is also instrumental in writing and communicating events in a sequential and precise manner.

As kids constantly tell stories while learning new things, tying related concepts into one cohesive narrative can be enhanced as they grow older. Storytelling would benefit them when conveying thoughts or ideas in a way that their audience could easily understand.

Curiosity

A desire to learn is an edge many children could lose along the way as they grow older.

The best way for people interested in becoming successful, happy, and fulfilled adults is by learning new things from a young age where it’s challenging but also rewarding and fun!

5. VUL

Life is unpredictable, and we all know it can happen at any time. So why not prepare for the unexpected? You never know when something might come up that takes you away from your kids (like death).

Insurance acts as if they still have someone there supporting them financially–no matter what happens.

Investing in your future is the best way to ensure that you can provide a bright future for yourself and those who depend on it. You’ll be investing not just money but time too!

If you don’t have enough money, it is a good idea to work on your time. However, with inflation factored in, your savings might not suffice in the long run—such as those with children entering college in 5 years.

Some parents might not have a sufficient income and could only allocate a few thousand per month. This is where VUL trumps on time, resources, and maximizing profits.

To give you a glimpse of the power of a VUL, say you have PHP 16,670 to spare per month. With a PHP 200,000 per year annual premium of five years to pay, you get a projected PHP 3,768,544 in 17 years. If you notice, the projected amount is enough to cover a four-year tuition expense—even for prestigious schools such as Ateneo or La Salle. If you have a newborn today, you could save MORE if you start early and still give them the opportunity of going to college with less stress and worry.

Here are other benefits you’ll likely encounter in VUL insurance.

Life coverage

Life coverage is the amount of money you can leave peacefully to your family without worrying about what will happen to them.

This type of plan offers peace of mind, providing financial security for any situation that may arise in their lives during difficult times so your child can attain their educational goals.

Total disability benefit waiver

This is an optional waiver that you can add to your policy for accidents and emergencies where you cannot work and get sufficient funds to pay for your premiums.

It works AS IF you’re still paying them. Although this incurs additional cost, this could still play a crucial role for unexpected situations and create a ‘fail proof’ solution.

Accidental death benefit

This is the amount your family gets if you die due to unforeseen circumstances. This is usually added to the life coverage to give further financial support for your family.

Things to consider before purchasing VUL insurance for your child

Some experts may argue that there’s only a tiny percentage of children’s deaths, making VULs an expensive asset to own. Furthermore, they say that building an emergency fund would be better than getting life insurance. And getting memorial plans is more affordable for funeral expenses if you have them as well.

Some professional financial experts argue that there are also other ways to grow your money. You may find better chances of earning more from investing in lucrative markets such as stocks and mutual funds directly. They argue that investing in VUL premiums could limit these opportunities for capital growth in the long run³.

Setting aside money for your child’s current needs while allocating a portion of it to high-yielding investments could provide a better option in this case.

Talking with a licensed financial advisor will help you weed out your priorities. Most of the time, VULs are used for retirement, education, and health reasons. It’s best to check for other options if VULs may not be something to your liking.

As many professionals are on the fence on this one, having the right insurance in place could help your child reach their goals in the best way possible.

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