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It’s that time of the year once again when we get to enjoy that extra paycheck. 13^th month season is here and we know you already have a list of things you would like to spend your money on. But as okay as it is to reward yourself every now and then, you should also invest for the future. Here are 7 smart things you can spend your year-end bonus on.

1. Spend on your hobby

Is there an activity you excel at? It could be baking, calligraphy, and/or writing. Your 13^th month can be spent taking an online class or webinar that could hone your skills more. You can also buy a much needed tool that will make your craft better. Invest in new tools or upgrade your existing equipment.

2. Reward yourself

With the anxiety brought by the pandemic, it’s wise to also invest on things that will make you happy. Rewarding yourself doesn’t already mean you have to spend a lot of money. There are a number of activities that promotes self-care you can actually do that doesn’t cost much. Below are examples:

• Watch a film and/or TV series you’ve been meaning to watch for ages
• Go for a walk (don’t forget to wear your protective gears!)
• Take a relaxing bath
• Treat yourself to your favorite drink or dessert

3. Start your travel fund

With all sea, land, and air-based travel on a pause, you might want to use the opportunity to start your own travel fund. Park it for the meantime on a money market fund which provides potential higher return than what typical savings accounts provide. Once it’s already safe to travel, you won’t have any problem anymore because you already have the money to spend.

4. Save on your emergency fund

An emergency fund is 3 to 6 months’ worth of your monthly expenses saved for emergency situations only. This fund will act as your primary cushion in case of unwanted or unplanned situations like job loss, death in the family, sickness, and others. You can use your year-end bonus and consider this as a good starting point for this fund. This way, when an emergency arises, you already have the money ready for it. You avoid getting in debt and other financial trouble for it.

5. Pay-off your debt

Being debt-free counts as a wise investment too! When you are free of debt, you have more money to save and invest for the future. If you suffer from high-interest debts then this is a good chance for you to finally pay-off either part of it or in full. Go and pay the debts that have long been stressing you and make sure you avoid getting in any other debt.

6. Be generous to others and/or help others

The Christmas spirit is all about generosity, kindness, and charity towards others. If you feel like you’ve been blessed throughout the year then why not give back to your parents, siblings, relatives, and friends? Or those who have especially suffered from the recent calamities. Christmas is the season for giving after all.

7. Invest for your future

Last but definitely not the least is to use your 13^th money as an investment for the future. You can open a mutual fund account based on your risk appetite and start investing. Now is an opportune time to make your money work for you. When you invest, you are putting your money at work. Whatever money you invested could give you a higher return compared to saving. Mutual funds can be a solid option for investing your excess funds. In a mutual fund, money from different investors are pooled together to buy a collection of stocks and securities which are then managed by professional fund managers. To put simply, investing in mutual funds is one way you can take the first step towards becoming financially independent. Mutual funds are a suitable avenue for investments if you want to fulfill your financial goals and create wealth for the future. When you invest in a mutual fund you get the following benefits:

1️. Start investing for only Php 5,000. Mutual fund is one of the low-cost investment vehicles which offers a potential for greater returns over time.

2️. Invest in a variety of stocks and securities that may span across industries.

3. Let your money be managed by experts and experienced fund managers who do the investment strategy on your behalf.

  Open an account here - https://fami.com.ph/open-an-account/   We hope you will use your year-end bonus wisely. Don’t forget to invest as well for your future.