Sarah Geronimo admits to being hesitant to talk about finances before

In a media launch held at Sofitel last July 1, 2023, Sarah Geronimo was officially introduced as Sun Life’s newest brand ambassador. With her was her husband Matteo Guidicelli, who has been a long-time ambassador for the brand as well.

“So thankful to share a special moment from last night,” posted Matteo on Instagram a day after the event. “After 8 years as an ambassador for @sunlifeph, I got the amazing chance to welcome my Other Half, Sarah Geronimo-Guidicelli, into the Sun Life family! Feeling blessed and excited for a ‘Brighter Future’ with Sun Life!”

They also treated the company to a special concert at the World Trade Center on the same day. 

Sarah admitted that she used to have a lot of worries when it came to conversations that dealt with finances since she felt that she didn’t know much about it. 

“Ninenerbyos po talaga ako kapag dating sa usaping pera,” she revealed. 

Sarah bared her worries, sharing that even she would have moments of doubt as to whether others would accept her should she make mistakes. 

“Mahirap pong magkamali kapag nasa public eye,” said Sarah. “Paano kung makita nila ‘yung mali ko, baka layuan na nila ako.”

It was actually Matteo who managed to ease her worries. 

“My husband is very self-assured and confident about his Sun Life family, at sabi niya sa akin, ‘Love, don’t worry. Don’t be afraid to ask questions from the team,’ “ she shared. “His Sun Life family really guided him all the way: sa financial planning, how to grow your money.” 

This knowledge really came into play once they got married. 

Sarah and Matteo tied the knot just weeks before the pandemic lockdown happened. While it was an unusual situation to be in, the two welcomed the challenges and discoveries that they encountered both as individuals and as a married couple. 

“We stayed in a condominium for six months, kaming dalawa lang at ‘yung isang aso namin,” Matteo recalled. “It was actually a challenge, but I loved the challenge. I had a great time.”

“Maraming learnings and discoveries,” added Sarah. 

Married life marked a new chapter in their lives, and it pushed them to start being more responsible about their decisions. 

“That was the first day na adulting na kami,” Matteo realized. “Eto na yun. This is our life together. Let’s start it off properly.”

One concrete way was by being mindful of their expenses. 

“Feb 21, 2020 was our first log of our first expense. From that day until today, all our expenses are there,” Matteo revealed. 

Both Sarah and Matteo have their own careers, and they make sure that their finances are handled properly. Now that they are together, they make it a point to sit down and discuss how they want their financials handled. 

“Sarah and I always talk about how to do this and that, how to budget,” shared Matteo. 

Sarah has since learned that it’s normal to not immediately know things, and that it is best to seek advice from the pros. 

“Don’t be afraid to ask, to seek help from the experts,” she advised others who may still be newbies to financial literacy. “I’m very happy and proud to be part of a company who values the future of Filipino families, whose goal is to really educate people about financial literacy.”

As someone who hopes to start a family, Sarah felt the importance of preparing for the future. 

“Napakaimportante nun. I think, kapag nagka-anak tayo, ‘yun ang kailangan para equipped ang anak natin for the future,” she said. “No matter how small the amount is, you can start investing.” 

With this in mind, she opened herself up to learning more from those she trusted to have her best interests at heart. 

“We need to be surrounded by people who are trustworthy,” said Sarah. “‘Yung hindi ka matatakot to be yourself. ‘Yung hindi ka mag-aalangan. It’s important to be with people who will ground you, who will be honest with you.”

“Importante na makakita ng mga tao who are after your well-being, hindi lang physically, but mentally and emotionally,” she added, taking note of Sun Life’s dedication to all-around wellness.  “Kapag nakita mo ‘yung mga taong ‘yun who will love you for who you are, for keeps ‘yun.”