Celebrating the Wisdom of Money-Wise Mums in Abu Dhabi

Our first lessons in life about finances generally come from our parents and when it comes to being money-savvy, it is Mum we need to thank. Research has shown she holds the purse strings and teaches us the difference between ‘want’ and ‘need’, while Dad dishes out the pocket money. 

 

Senior Wealth Manager forHer Finance and Mother of four grown children Debbie Younie shares her top tips on laying strong financial foundations, right from the start.  

As a Mother of four children, the worst thing for me would be if I was unable to help any of my children go to University. I remember the bittersweet moment when I took my youngest son Tom to collect his exam results. On the one hand, the elation he felt that he would be going to the university of his choice. And on the other hand, the devastation he felt for his highest achieving friend whose parents couldn’t afford to send him. From that moment, my son was really able to appreciate just how hard his dad and I had saved for the futures of him and his three siblings.  

From a very early age, we have encouraged our children to save their pocket money and pay it into the bank. It is a beautiful way to teach them to respect the value of money, and it is such a great sense of achievement for them when they see their small contribution gradually grow into something bigger. 

 

We don’t know what the future holds for our children, and whether-or-not they will even have the luxury of a state pension. But what we can do is encourage good saving habits from the moment they start working. Putting a little away every month from the start will pay dividends in the future. 

SEE ALSO: The Homemaker’s Guide to Avoiding a Retirement Crisis

Even when our children become young adults, it is important to warn them about stranger danger. In this digital age, so many aspects of financial life are conducted online and that’s where the danger lies. I believe in the importance of dealing with a reputable financial company, meeting your adviser face-to-face and verifying their qualifications and credentials. 

I am a huge advocate of encouraging mums of young adults to invest in products like Life Insurance and Critical Illness Cover as early as possible. The younger and healthier your child is when they invest, the cheaper these products are. It just makes good financial sense.