When people talk about saving money, they usually talk about numbers: how much they've managed to set aside, how much interest they're earning, how much more they need before they reach their goal. But behind every savings account is usually something much bigger: a long-awaited trip, a child's education, a first home, an emergency fund, or simply the peace of mind that comes from knowing you're financially prepared.
A look at anonymized and aggregated savings data from Maya, the country's leading financial services platform, shows that while financial priorities differ across stages of life, many of the reasons people save are surprisingly universal. Across generations, they aren't simply putting money away—they're building toward the lives they want.
Travel is one of the biggest savings goals
If there was one insight that stood out, it was this: travel isn't just a Gen Z goal.
Travel or vacation ranks among the top two savings goals across every generation in Maya’s customer base.
That same behavior is reflected in Maya Personal Goals, where travel is one of the most frequently created savings goals. With users able to create up to five personalized savings goals, many are carving out dedicated funds for everything from overseas adventures to family vacations, while keeping other priorities on track.
Perhaps that's because some of life's biggest milestones aren't things we own, they're moments we remember.
Peace of mind is just as important as life's milestones
Travel may be one of the biggest aspirations, but it's far from the only one.
Across generations in Maya’s customer base, savings and emergency funds repeatedly appear among the leading financial priorities, pointing to a shared desire to feel more financially prepared regardless of age. Investments, retirement, and other future-oriented goals also emerge depending on a person’s stage of life.
While people may define financial security differently, the motivation behind it feels surprisingly similar: wanting to feel ready for whatever life brings.
For many people building that financial cushion, Maya Savings offers a way to grow their money while keeping it accessible for both planned milestones and life's unexpected moments. Users can earn up to 15% interest p.a. as their savings continue to grow. Because sometimes the best financial goal isn't buying something new. It's knowing you're prepared if life doesn't go according to plan.
Long-term goals evolve with every stage of life
Although people continue saving throughout their lives, what they're saving for naturally changes differs across generations.
Education, gadgets, travel, and other early-life milestones feature prominently among younger Maya users, while retirement and long-term financial security become more visible among older generations.
Maya offers different ways to save depending on what users are building toward. While Maya Savings helps users grow money they may still need access to, Maya Time Deposit Plus, with rates of up to 6% p.a. and the flexibility to top up funds during the deposit period, has become an increasingly popular way to grow money that's meant for the longer term.
Younger Filipinos are already thinking ahead
One of the more surprising findings is that Millennials, Gen Z, and even Gen Alpha account for the largest groups of active Time Deposit Plus users, suggesting that younger Filipinos aren't simply saving for what's next, they're already setting money aside for the long term.
Older generations, meanwhile, made larger average deposit per transaction, not because they're necessarily better at saving, but because they've had more time to build their financial capacity.
The data suggests that saving isn't defined by age, but by life stage. While financial goals change over time, the habit of preparing for the future remains constant.
If Maya's latest savings insights reveal anything, it's that people rarely save for the sake of saving. They're saving for the first plane ticket they've been dreaming about, for the emergency fund they hope they'll never have to use, for a child's education, for the freedom to upgrade their home, start a business, or simply say yes to opportunities without second-guessing their finances.
In many ways, money is just the means. The real goal has always been the life it helps make possible.
To know more, visit maya.ph or mayabank.ph, and follow @makeyourmoneymaya on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok to stay updated. Maya Philippines, Inc. and Maya Bank, Inc. are regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. www.bsp.gov.ph. For 24/7 assistance, visit the Help Center in the Maya app or call us from 8 AM to 7 PM daily at +632 8845-7788.
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