Not low income but still "empty wallet"
Being promoted to Marketing Team Leader at the age of 25, Phan Tan Viet (HCMC) set a goal of owning a house in the city by the age of 30. But after more than 2 years, he admitted that he still does not have any significant savings.
“Every month when I receive my salary, I save some money in advance, and spend the rest. But the problem is that whenever I see cheap airline tickets, I book them, buy shoes on sale, and I often travel , go to restaurants... so most of the money I save is used to pay off credit cards,” Viet said.
As for Le Thi Ngoc Vy ( Hanoi ), although she has been working for more than 4 years with an income of nearly 20 million VND per month, she still has no "savings".
“Last month I got hit by a car, luckily it wasn’t too serious, but I had to borrow some money from a friend to pay the hospital bill because I didn’t have enough money, and I didn’t dare ask my parents,” Vy said. She admitted that her hobby of constantly “hunting for sales”, “going to” concerts and “healing” trips made her quite passive when she needed money.
Viet and Vy’s cases are not uncommon. According to a survey by the Navigos human resources group published in 2025, the average salary of “experienced/non-managerial” workers ranges from 12.7 to 38.1 million VND per month, depending on the industry and region. For some specific industries, this number may be higher. However, many young people still face the situation of “lack of money” due to uncontrolled spending habits and not knowing how to manage their income.
The 40/40/20 Financial Rule
According to financial experts, for Gen Z, the problem is not the level of income, but the way they spend it. To avoid the situation of "spending all the money before payday", young people can apply the 40/40/20 financial rule, in which 40% of monthly income is spent on essential needs, 40% is for savings and investment purposes, and the remaining 20% is used to pay for personal hobbies and other expenses. This allocation can be adjusted based on each person's goals and reality.
“If you take 40% of your gross income and use it to invest — not to live on — I guarantee you will create wealth,” says millionaire Grant Cardone, who recommends the 40/40/20 formula. “This rule ensures that you don’t spend money too early, don’t spend money on things before they’re due,” says Cardone.
In Vietnam, especially in big cities, Gen Z can balance fixed expenses such as rent, food, transportation, etc. to no more than 40% of total income. As for the 40% income used for savings and investment according to the suggested formula, young people can set aside 15% for bank savings, 15% for health and life insurance packages, and the remaining 10% for real estate investment or open-end funds and stocks.
Nguyen Thanh Nhan, 27 years old, a designer at an interior design company, shared: “To control spending, on payday, the first thing I do is not to pay the electricity and water bill, nor go to the supermarket, but immediately deduct 15% of my salary into a savings account, deduct 10% to pay for the Manulife insurance premium I am participating in, and 10% to the MDI Dynamic Investment Fund. Then I calculate the remaining spending. In my opinion, savings and insurance should be mandatory expenses, not the remaining after spending.”
Inflation, medical costs, housing, spending… can all be pressures for young people. However, financial experts say that if they are disciplined in managing their finances, Gen Z can completely take control of their lives and “reach the finish line” with big goals. Starting with small changes today such as reducing unnecessary coffee dates, limiting emotional sales hunting, focusing on regular investments, choosing the right protection solution…, you can make a clear change after the age of 30.
Thu Loan
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/quy-tac-quan-ly-tai-chinh-thong-minh-danh-cho-gen-z-2410056.html
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