After recommending that investors should hold some gold in their portfolios, Nguyen Minh Tuan was asked by a listener: if he had called the market correctly, why had he not advised selling one’s home and borrowing more money to buy gold?

The story, recounted by the director of AFA Capital in the October 27 episode of the podcast “How should you invest with just VND1-2 million ($77.5) left over each month?” on the Tai chinh & Kinh doanh (Finance & Business) channel, illustrates the distinction between a market assessment and an asset allocation decision. Buying gold with a portion of one’s savings and borrowing more to concentrate investment in gold create very different financial obligations.

When prices rise, returns tend to dominate attention. When the market reverses, debt repayments and spending needs may force investors to sell assets sooner than planned. In late 2026, planning for 2027 therefore needs to begin with determining how much capital is available for investment and what is needed to keep it invested.

Work today provides investment capital for tomorrow

For someone with only VND1-2 million ($77.5) left over each month, limited capital can create pressure to seek high returns to shorten the time needed to build wealth. At this stage, however, the scope to increase contributions needs to be considered alongside expected returns.

The director of AFA Capital identifies intangible assets, including professional expertise and work experience, as important resources in financial planning. “To me, work is also a form of investment,” he said. Continuing to develop professional capabilities can help young people improve their earnings and, in turn, their capacity to save and invest.

For example, with starting capital of VND100 million ($3,880), an additional two percentage points in the rate of return would yield VND2 million over one year, before costs. Increasing monthly savings by VND1 million would add VND12 million ($465) in capital over the same period. At this scale, the ability to increase contributions has a significant bearing on how quickly wealth accumulates.

Time spent investing also comes at a cost. If constantly monitoring stock prices interferes with the work that generates most of an investor’s income, that trade-off needs to be factored into any assessment of investment performance. A suitable approach should allow investing and the ability to earn an income to support each other.

A steady inflow of funds also helps sustain a plan through difficult periods. A drop in income may coincide with a fall in portfolio value. An emergency fund can then cover essential expenses and reduce pressure to sell assets at an unfavourable time, allowing capital to remain invested for the intended period.

Portfolios must evolve as life changes

Once investors have established how much they can save and invest, they need to consider which goals that money will serve. At an online panel discussion hosted by VPS Securities Joint Stock Company on October 14, Le Thi Le Hang, CEO of Saigon Capital, suggested asking: “Which financial goal will this investment bring me closer to?”

Only after identifying the amount needed and the time available can investors work out their initial capital, monthly contributions and appropriate asset allocation. Hang suggested setting aside a portion of income as soon as they are paid. Contributions need to be considered alongside spending obligations so that the plan can be maintained as new family needs arise.

These priorities change at different stages of life. Someone just starting work may give priority to long-term growth goals. After starting a family, debt repayments and the cost of raising children call for tighter cash flow management. As retirement approaches, preparing sources of income to gradually replace employment earnings becomes more important.

Age tells only part of the story. A young person with a large loan may have less capacity to bear risk than an older person whose finances are secure. Someone approaching retirement still needs to consider how assets can grow to fund many years of spending ahead.

When assessing bank deposits, gold, bonds, equities and real estate for 2027, each option therefore needs to be considered in light of the purpose of the funds. For money earmarked for an upcoming expense, the priorities are stability and access when needed. Capital set aside for more distant goals has more time to pursue growth, with a level of volatility consistent with the investor’s financial capacity.

Portfolios need to be reviewed when those circumstances change. Paying off a loan may free up more money to save and invest; as a home purchase draws nearer, protecting the savings already accumulated becomes more pressing. Long-term discipline includes making adjustments so that assets continue to serve their intended purpose.

For capital earmarked for long-term equity investment, the next question is how to put the plan into practice: how can monthly savings be allocated according to a clear strategy and the portfolio reviewed regularly, while investors still have time for work and family?