Gift these 8 Financial and Meaningful Gifts to Your Mother on Mother’s Day

While flowers and cards are classic gifts. They somehow fail to show you care. On Mother’s Day, we all want to show we care and bring meaning to our gifts. A Hallmark Card is a beautiful gesture. But let’s add something truly remarkable which translates into care, security and love. Say Happy Mother’s Day with these financial gifts. Some of them are free. Some would require investment and your mother would reap the benefits for years. Thus making the gift a beautiful memory in the long run. So here’s the list of 8 financial gifts for Mother’s Day:

1. Make an investment in a mutual fund

Indians are fans of secure investments. We love Fixed Deposits, RDs and PPFs. Our zeal for them has not changed with time. I suggest you gift your mother a mutual fund. Research to pick one that has shown good performance in the last 5 years. Don’t go for 100% equity or 100% debt. Keep it balanced – with a right mix of debt and equity and gift it to your mom. Buy open-ended fund as there is no lock-in period in them. She can redeem them as per her needs.

Additional Reading: What are mutual funds and how to invest in them?

2. Teach her a finance app to manage finances better

What better gift to the women who made you independent than this? Teach her technology so she can manage her bills, bank accounts and investments at the click of a button. Most of our mothers carry smartphones. Download the app of her bank. Link all the monthly payments to it. Teach her how to operate it so she is self-reliant. While at it, download a money management app, pick our in-house MoneyView app and teach her to keep an eye on her spendings. She can budget and track her spendings using our app.

3. Start a fund to help fulfil her dream

My mother has always been fascinated with Singapore. She is a cleanliness freak. Since the day she came to know that Singapore is the cleanest city in the world, she has dreamt of going there. But as luck would have it, she has not been there yet. This Mother’s Day I’m thinking of starting a fund where I would contribute monthly so I give a trip to Singapore a concrete shape in the near future. You can do the same. Travel, piece of jewellery or anything your mother fantasises – make a fund to turn her dream into reality.

4. Help her with her entrepreneurial dream

I read many inspiring stories of women who started their entrepreneurial journey after retirement. My friend’s mother started her bakery 2 years ago. She is successfully running it with the help of her family. She had some savings and the rest the pooled in by her children. You can also do the same. If your mother has a talent or desires to start her own venture, you  can help her with it. You can ask your siblings to contribute. This would help to speed up the process. Contribute both in terms of money and effort.

5. Buy stock of the company whose philosophy she believes in

Mothers are very passionate about certain ideas. My mother loves organic products and handicrafts. She is an environmentalist at heart. She supports farmers, craftsmen and potters. This Mother’s Day I’m taking her endeavours to the next level by giving her the stocks of the company which has the same philosophy as hers.

Additional Reading: Basics to Keep in Mind while investing in Stock Markets

6. Arrange all her financial paperwork online and teach her to manage it

My father always blames my mother for misplacing the documents. He always hands it to her for safekeeping and apparently she always forgets. If this seems to be the story of your parents too, teach your mom to scan documents and store it on her phone, tablet or save it in email. Download any scanner app on her phone. I’d suggest to buy her a subscription of a good app. Tiny Scanner is the best in my opinion. It’s fast, easy to operate and has many features. Initially you store all her existing paperwork as it would be too daunting for her. Then teach her to scan, attach to an email or store it an online so your parents can fetch it anytime.

7. Assess her finances

Be her CA or Tax Consultant for a day. Asses what she owns. Calculate if she has any debt. By that I mean if she keeps an account with the neighbourhood grocery store. Check how she makes sure she is billed properly and pays on time. Help her streamline the process if you feel there is any discrepancy. Double check her life insurance. Note down the premium payment date for future reference. Remind her next time so she feels cared for or set up an auto reminder on Google Calendar for her. Buy her home insurance or insure her jewellery if she keeps some with her all the time. Take steps to make sure she feels secure and stress-free.

8. Make a donation to her favourite charity

Spread some goodness on Mother’s Day and donate to the charity your mother believes in. You can pick her favourite NGO, orphanage or old age home. But don’t think of only writing a cheque. Go with her and spend some time too. It would make your mother proud and special.

What are your plans for Mother’s Day? Are you giving your mom something special? Do you have some unique ideas to add to the above list of 8 financial gifts this Mother’s Day? Please share with us in comments below.