Protecting and building sustainable finances through small, regular daily steps

Survey Financial Stability Index 2025 conducted by Sun Life shows that 52% of Vietnamese people do not have a financial plan extending beyond 12 months, and only 8% maintain a longer horizon beyond 10 years. The figures reveal a significant gap in Vietnamese households' financial preparedness. How, then, can families build a safety cushion against risk through small but steady steps? When household finances are fragile in the face of unexpected risks Many international surveys, including the World Bank, show that 64% of Vietnamese people try to avoid borrowing even when facing financial difficulties. While this indicates prudent behavior, it also reflects another issue: most families still prioritize short-term spending and rarely plan long-term for education, health protection, or retirement. In the context of rising living costs, saving is often limited to the surplus after expenses. This lack of preparation makes household finances vulnerable when events such as illness or accidents occur. Not a few cases force families to cut back on essential needs, or even miss the golden window to seek treatment due to cost pressures. Rather than waiting for a large sum to start saving, many families are choosing a more flexible approach: saving from small, regular amounts that align with monthly cash flow and by leveraging existing financial tools such as banking apps, digital wallets, or life insurance products. These tools and solutions enable regular accumulation on an annual, quarterly, or monthly basis, fitting cash flow while maintaining financial discipline. In the short term, life insurance serves as a protective fund, helping to reduce financial burdens when unexpected risks arise. In the medium to long term, universal or unit-linked life insurance contracts can become valuable accumulation for goals such as a child’s education fund or a retirement contingency fund. Take proactive protection today with Sun Life life insurance solutions. Beyond the investment and saving aspects, the core of life insurance is the ability to shield families from health and financial risks. Sun Life Vietnam offers a diverse range of insurance products designed to fit varied needs: protection against accident risk, critical illness, health care, savings for the future, … For example, in a young family consisting of a 35-year-old father, a 30-year-old mother, and a 3-year-old daughter with a need to protect the family financially from unexpected risks, provide health care while also accumulating for the future, one can choose a solution package including Sun Life Integrated Insurance SUN – Vì Nhà Mình and Living Insurance Sống Chất 2.0. With an annual premium of about 26 million VND, about 2.2 million VND per month, the family can have a protection plan covering death/disability risk for the father from 800 million VND and inpatient and outpatient health care for the mother and child up to a total annual cap of 250 million VND. If premiums are paid regularly for 20 years, the accumulated amount at the end of the 20-year contract could exceed 680 million VND (illustrative interest rate at 5.39% per year), becoming a useful financial resource for education or other long-term goals. The rest of the text includes related imagery and credits but the core article focuses on practical, scalable steps for risk protection and savings through insurance and disciplined financial planning.