What Sharon Cuneta thinks is the best investment
Actress Sharon Cuneta admits that one of her biggest expenses over the years has been books—and she has zero regrets.
“I can leave the books to my kids. I can donate them to libraries when I’m gone. There’s no wastage; they’re actually an investment,” she told with Lifestyle in a recent interview, adding that some of her prized possessions include books printed as far back as the 1800s and 1900s. “I even had a couple restored in a museum because their pages had started to disintegrate,” she recalled.
Interestingly, her collection includes vintage cookbooks. “I really love cooking and the science behind it. When I get interested in something, I want to understand everything about it—even its history. Like, how did people cook in old Europe? Even my cookbooks, I read like novels,” she said with a laugh.
Cuneta considers Stephen King a master storyteller. “I’ve liked him for so long because I’m an actor. I like Danielle Steel, too. I was addicted to her books as a teenager. She was my escape,” she explained.
Beyond fiction, she enjoys books on architecture, interior design, home improvement, biographies, and even business. “Lately, I’ve been reading about Airbnb. I might just get into it as an investor,” she revealed.
When asked how to encourage more Filipinos, especially younger ones, to read, Cuneta was quick to point out the power of books. “Books give you so much—if you read the right ones. There’s a whole treasury of knowledge. It starts in childhood, then school. If you nurture that love for reading, you’ll see what a gift it is to be able to read and understand things in more ways than one.”
Read to write
She added: “If you want to be a good writer, you need to read a lot. You also learn from great writers. I know there’s YouTube, but books are a different kind of friend. The magic in the written word takes you to another land, another time. Kids need to realize that books do that for you.”
Cuneta believes reading is more interactive than simply watching something. “You can go back to certain paragraphs again and again, and each time, they might hit you differently,” she pointed out.
Her passion for books ties into her views on financial wisdom. As someone who has been in the public eye for decades, Cuneta understands the importance of securing one’s future. She was recently launched as brand ambassador of InLife’s Retire Assure.
“I’m happy,” she said, adding that, at her age, she has learned to embrace life with a newfound sense of freedom. “When you reach 50, you realize you can do things without making excuses. Show biz requires you to protect a part of your privacy, but now that I’m pushing 60, I feel freer. I’m comfortable in my own skin. I’m happily married, I have great kids, and God has been so generous. I’ve been blessed so much that I’m trying to stop feeling guilty about it, that, maybe, I deserve it.”
She recently released a vlog, titled “Mag-Sharon para sa Kinabukasan,” as part of InLife’s Dreamweaver Stories, where she shared insights she has known since childhood. “I always heard my parents say, ‘When you retire, your money should be working for you.’ If you still work, it should be because you want to, not because you have to.”
Start saving up early, she advised. “The younger you are, the more years your investments have to grow. The power of compounding is the secret,” she added.
Never too late
But she reassured those who didn’t start early that it’s never too late. “Before I endorse anything, I make sure it’s something I believe in. You don’t want to be borrowing money when you retire. You want your investments working for you. Filipinos work so hard, but we often prioritize taking care of others first. We have to learn to take care of ourselves, too, so that later on, we can give even more,” said the star of the ABS-CBN-produced drama series “Saving Grace.”
Cuneta knows people who choose to retire young, and while she thinks that’s fine, she urges them to be smart about it. “Your best earning years are when you’re young. If you retire early, make sure you have a plan. Find something you’re passionate about and turn it into a business or money-making venture.”
She even gave an example: “If you love surfing, why not invest in a surfing school or a little resort? That way, you’re doing what you love while still earning to support your hobbies and passions.”
To sum it up, Cuneta said, “When you get your basics covered, you then start thinking beyond yourself. What about your loved ones? You want to give your parents a good life when they retire. You also want to help your brothers or sisters. Not everyone is on the same page. While you still have energy, while you’re young, keep working.”
