Mother's Day 2021: Empower your superwoman financially with these five gifts

Here are some off-the-beat gifts you can consider for her.

>Nothing on this planet trumps a mother’s love, care and devotion, right? This Mother’s Day, celebrate her spirit, your pillar of strength and the iron lady of your family in the most empowering way possible. Move over the conventional presents, jewellery and cards this Mother’s Day and give her the flight of financial independence and empowerment. Here are some off-the-beat gifts you can consider for her.

Invest in her upskilling

“Our mothers were often brought up with the message that they are incapable of making money-related decisions. While they realise their lack of financial aptitude and make sure their daughters are financially confident and strong, years of patriarchal conditioning and messaging has definitely deterred their own confidence in money matters. That needs to change,” says Hansi Mehrotra, a financial wellness coach and the founder of Money Hans.

Sign your mom up for a personal finance 101 session online or get her to talk to a financial planner. Walk her through the basics of financial planning and let her gain a better understanding of her goals, ambitions and then come up with a solid investment strategy that incorporates adequate funds for all key milestones in her life like retirement, travel, passions and more.

Anuriti Goyal, a Ludhiana-based CA, believes the best gift you can give your mom is to grant her a sense of control, confidence and familiarity over her finances. “I’d prefer investing in an FD (Fixed Deposits) or RD (Recurring Deposits) for my mother." She prefers safer financial avenues like these over mutual funds or the stock market, since it is something the older generation is more comfortable with.

Bring her dream destination closer

What’s that one place your mother has always wanted to visit? Make her dream come true and give her an all-expenses-paid trip to her favourite destination. She will not just love it, but it will also give her the much-needed time to unwind and let her hair down!

Yumna Ahmad, who works as a communication management professional at the O.P Jindal Global University, Sonipat, wants to do exactly this. “Mom has always wanted to visit South India, but has never had the time. I would love to save up and fund a long trip for her, so that she can relax and travel all she wants, "she says.

Start SIPing for her ambitions

Our mothers have been our biggest cheerleaders for the longest time. From the races you’ve won in school to the debate competition trophies you’ve brought home, your mother has always had the proudest smile and constant encouragement for you, right?

Take the mantle of being your mom’s support and fund her passion. A Delhi-based freelance journalist recently started an SIP (Systematic Investment Plan) in mutual funds to support her mother’s love for plants. “A part of our house has been re-fitted into a small nursery. I’ve also started investing some money so that Mumma never runs out of funds to buy and learn what she wants,” she says. Painting, dancing, writing or cooking-make sure your mom pursues her dreams and is never thwarted by a lack of funds to learn more about it!

Make sure she is adequately protected 

Living through a pandemic has taught us the value of health. Life can be unpredictable, but the best you can do is to be prepared to battle those. Make sure your mom has adequate health insurance cover, so that when needed, she can afford the best medical treatments without having to worry about burning the family’s pockets. Regular check-ups cannot just help you stay on the top of your mother’s health, but also help you add the required top-ups and riders to protect her health comprehensively. 

Independent financial advisor Sharmila Joshi agrees. “Having a sufficient health insurance cover is paramount. Women should not discount on these personal finance fundamentals at any cost," she says.

Buy her gold 

Our mothers love gold because they think it is a great investment. Well, they are partially correct. Gold is a great asset class that diversifies your investment portfolio and serves as a cushion against market downsides and lows.Invest in gold mutual funds, gilt ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) or sovereign bond funds for her, instead of buying her jewellery. The fixed interest income these investments generate, in addition to her love for the yellow metal can be a superb starting point to get your mother interested in money management!

This Mothers’ Day, be the wing beneath your mother’s wings.