What is life without problems? And around mid-February, life’s problems only seem to double.

From no partner to not having enough money to give your partner the gift that you want to.

Well, we can’t help you with the first one. Sorry. But we may help you with the problems relating to planning your money for the gifts.

After taking a look at your measly savings and even smaller budget to be spent on Valentine’s Day, you need to make a list of things you actually want to give to your partner and not just what you can afford right now.

For e.g.:

Take him/her shopping: Rs 5,000

Romantic dinner at a 5-star restaurant: Rs 15,000

Weekend trip to Bali: Rs 45,000

A biker jacket: Rs 8,500

A branded watch: Rs 9,400

So on and so forth… you got the gist, right?

• Next, look at the numbers. You might just have enough for flowers this year but you need to up the ante next year. So, assign a priority. Year 1 will be that biker jacket or watch; year 2 will be the romantic dinner, etc. This might coincide with your ability to earn money. So, plan your timing right.
• Take the Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) way: At this point you could invest in a mutual fund with small SIPs every month and seek to create wealth.

So how do you invest for different gifts every year? Don’t worry. Just follow this plan.

For the next year: You might think of investing the monthly amount in a Liquid Fund. This is a scheme of Mutual Fund that’s used for investing for a very short period of time. It usually has very low risk.

For the two years after: You have more time on hand. So, opt for a short-term Debt Fund. This Fund usually invests in low-risk options based on the investment strategy of the scheme with an aim to generate returns over a period of 1-3 years.

For the fourth year: After three years, you could possibly invest your money in a mix of two Mutual Funds—a short-term Debt Fund and a Balanced Fund. Alternatively, you could invest your money in a Debt-based Hybrid Fund. This invests a small portion of your money in Equity. This helps you to generate potential returns with moderate high risk.

5-10 years: As the time period increases, so can your Equity exposure. You may opt for Funds that invest more in Stocks. However, ensure you still have a little bit invested in low-risk Debt Funds. This helps you safeguard from losses. There are many options like Equity-based Balanced Funds, Large-cap Equity Funds, etc. wherein you may invest. If you invest in an Equity-Linked Savings Scheme for saving tax, you can even use some of that money after 3 years.

Want to be more thoughtful? Gift an investment

If you really care for your partner and want to sweep them off their feet, show them you care for their future. And nothing reflects this better than gifting them the option of wealth creation to aid with any financial needs later. Give them an investment. Start a SIP with your partner as the joint holder.

Remember, even Rs 500 matters. If you invest that every month, you could possibly have enough to have an amazing valentine’s day every year. So, safeguard all your future V-Days with a SIP in a Mutual Fund today. You may consult your financial advisor before investing in any schemes offered by Mutual Funds.

Mutual Fund investments are subject to market risks, read all scheme related documents carefully.