Give Wings to Your Travel Dreams This Women’s Day

“As a woman, I have no country. As a woman, my country is the whole world” These words from one of the most notable 20th-century authors, Virginia Woolf, reflect the life goals of modern women. As per estimates, India is expected to generate 20 million outbound tourists in 2020. With the number of female travelers rising, it would be safe to say a large proportion of an estimated 20 million would be women. Traveling around the world is a life goal for many women. But traveling is not cheap, especially visiting a foreign country. Women travelers also have to spend more due to safety reasons.

A week-long trip to any of the European destinations can cost in lakhs. Savings become a critical tool when the life goal is to travel around the world. Indian women are smart spenders and generally save a major portion of their income. The habit of saving has been passed down generations. Even women who do not have a source of income, save small amounts from their spouses’ income. The fascination with gold jewelry is also a sign of a mind focused on savings and investments. Gold serves the dual purpose of jewelry as well as investment. However, just saving or inefficient investments may not be enough to fund your travel dreams. It is important to make smart investments.

Savings vs investments

Putting aside a portion of your income regularly is a commendable habit. Savings are the foundation on which investment assets are built. But let us understand the difference between savings and investments.

Savings are putting aside money in liquid form such as hard cash or in a savings account. It can be used for emergencies or for future purchases. Money in the savings account generates interest income, but it is not considerable. Savings can help you accumulate money, but it cannot build wealth for the long-term or fund expensive life goals. A few months of savings can help you buy the latest television, but to fund regular trips, you will have to accumulate substantial funds.

When the funds collected as savings are committed for a relatively long period to assets such as stocks, bonds or real estate, it is known as investment. The asset class doesn’t matter as long as there is a probability of receiving acceptable returns over the long term. The value of an investment in financial products fluctuates in the short-term but always delivers considerable returns over a period of time.

How inflation affects life goals?

Smart investments can help you achieve the life goal of traveling around the world in a short span of time, but with savings, it will take a very long time. There are two major factors that work in favor of investing. One of the biggest factors that affect money is inflation. It erodes the value of money if not invested in assets with optimum returns. When you keep your money in a savings account, it just earns an interest of 4% per year. If we consider average inflation of 6%, the value of the money in the savings account will erode by 2% every year. Some women save a substantial sum as hard cash, which witnesses a steeper erosion.

On the other hand, investments like a unit-linked insurance plan, have been known to generate returns in high-single-digits or even double digits over the long-term. With ULIP plans, you can easily beat inflation and accumulate wealth.

Where to invest?

The second factor that works in favor of investing in the relatively high rate of return. A decent rate of return helps in nullifying the effect of inflation and grows wealth faster. There are many investment products available in the market, but considering the specific requirements of women, ULIPs can be the ideal choice. Due to a responsible and protective nature towards the family, women do not make financially risky decisions. With ULIP Plans, you can get the protection of life insurance along with market-linked returns. You can reap the benefits of compounding through investment products like ULIP plans.

Conclusion

One of the biggest ULIP benefits is the flexibility it offers, which allows you to customize ULIP plans. With ULIPs, you can protect the future of your family as well as save for your life goal of traveling. You can invest in Bajaj Allianz Life ULIP plans, available on Bajaj Markets, through a transparent and easy process. ULIPs bought through Bajaj Markets have lower cost without any hidden terms and conditions.