This Valentine’s Day, skip the flowers and chocolate and give your wife what she really wants.

 

 

Yes, men, you’re in luck. With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Give you a peek into that vast and terrifying thing called a woman’s mind. What do women really want?

 

We like flowers. They are beautiful, smell good, and make us feel thought of. But then they die. And we have to throw them away and wash the vase.

 

We like chocolate. Especially Lindor truffles. We enjoy the smooth, rich taste as they melt in our mouths. But then we have to brush them off our teeth. And we feel bad about the indulgence. Especially those of us who are trying to watch our weight. We feel like we’ve sabotaged our good habits for a passing moment of bliss.

 

So what can you get your wife for Valentine’s Day that won’t fade away within a week or come with a side of guilt? Financial security. No, I didn’t say you have to be rich. I said she needs to feel secure. Here are three ways you can give her that warm and fuzzy feeling that will last long past February 14.

 

Start An Emergency Fund

This winter I was snowed in with my two little kids when the roof started leaking. It was incredibly annoying and inconvenient. But I didn’t experience fear, anxiety or worry. I didn’t lose any sleep over it. Why not? I’m not superhuman, I just have an emergency fund.

 

Having an emergency fund gives a woman confidence that no matter what may come her way, she always has one less thing to worry about: money. Accidentally rear end someone because your kids are fighting in the back seat? At least you know you have the money to cover the repair. Your daughter jumps out of a tree and breaks her leg? At least you don’t have to worry about paying the medical bills. A parent dies on the other side of the country? Finances aren’t going to keep you from jumping on a plane to be with the ones you love.

 

Research shows that women are more prone to worry and anxiety than men. Love your wife enough to make it so that when hard times come, she has one less thing to worry about.

 

Buy Life Insurance

Have you ever experienced the death of someone close to you? It’s hard, isn’t it? The shock, grief, sense of loss, all of the emotions can be overwhelming. Now imagine that combined with having your source of income taken away. Terrifying? What if you add in some dependent children? Do you really want your wife to have to go through that?

 

If your wife or family depend on your income at all, you need life insurance. Death happens. You don’t have to be old or a skydiver, it can happen to you. Your death would be a tragic and traumatic loss for your family. The least you can do is ensure that they would be financially secure in the midst of all the pain.

 

Save For Retirement

I know someone who literally told her husband, “For my birthday this year, I want to open a Roth IRA.” Now that’s a smart woman. Did you know that women are 80% more likely to be impoverished in retirement than men? This is because women tend to live longer than men.

 

In my situation, my husband is 5 years older than me. According to this handy life expectancy calculator, my life expectancy is 96 and his is 95. That means I have a good chance of living 6 years longer than him. When we plan for retirement, we need to plan to have enough for 6 more years than if he were planning on his own. I don’t want his end-of-life medical bills to leave me in poverty in my final years.

 

Unless you married an older woman, there’s a good chance your wife will outlive you. The calculator I used said that among our peers, women are expected to live 4 years longer than men. That would leave me 9 years as a widow. What’s the age difference between you and your wife?

 

Give your wife the sense of love and security that comes from knowing that you are planning for the future- even after you’re gone. Start saving for retirement. And start saving in such a way that your nest egg will outlive you so that your beloved wife will not spend her last years in poverty as so many women do.

 

This Valentine’s Day, give a gift that will keep on giving for years to come. Give a gift that will outlive you. Give your wife financial security. Isn’t she worth it?