MARCH 2026
ĠEMMA newsletter THANK YOU
Dear Readers, The new year has begun and is already well underway. As always, our team remains committed to delivering initiatives and products that cater to everyone, from the youngest members of our community to the oldest. Today we are pleased to share that we started the year with another series of webinars aimed at SMEs. Once again, these sessions have proven to be a successful initiative. They highlight the strong demand within our community for concise, informative, and reliable information. With topics ranging across key areas relevant to businesses, the response has reaffirmed the value of providing accessible knowledge and practical guidance. Along the same lines, this year we have reached another milestone in our service provision. We recognise that life has become increasingly busy and that, while many of us wish to stay informed, learn, and improve, time constraints can often make this difficult. With this in mind, and with the aim of empowering each of you to access
information whenever it is most convenient, we launched our new series of podcasts. These podcasts are designed to provide bite-sized information that is both easy to access and easy to digest. The series was launched in February 2026 and is available on our website, our Facebook page, as well as on Spotify and our YouTube channel. March also marked another important milestone for us at ĠEMMA. In collaboration with Bank of Valletta and MAPFRE MSV Life, we launched the RetireSmart App. This application is designed to help you better understand, in a timely and practical way, where you stand in relation to the lifestyle you hope to enjoy during retirement. You can learn more about the app and
the insights it can provide in this newsletter. Looking ahead, our efforts will now focus on a number of upcoming events and initiatives. As always, we look forward to sharing more details with you in our forthcoming newsletters. While we thank you for your continued support, we also encourage you to follow our podcasts and to keep up with the regularly updated blog on our website, where we share interesting insights and updates about our events. Warm regards, The ĠEMMA Team
Ġemma newsletter CREDITS All Members Ġemma Team All Contributors Freelancers Content Coordinator Daniela Xuereb Proof-Reading Grazio Barbara Helena Holland Graphics Production & Distribution Peter Miceli Saydon Media Editor MSPC Tonio Bonello ĠEMMA Newsletter is another publication produced and distributed by the Ministry for Social Policy and Children’s Rights. Along with this newsletter, the Ministry produce several other publications under the brand name FAMILJA. FAMILJA AĦJAR is an annual publication aimed at informing the general public about the measures announced after each budget. Once a year, SUPPLIMENT SPEĊJALI FAMILJA is produced conveying content related to a specific entity and it’s services within MSPC. On a bi-monthly basis, RIVISTA FAMILJA seeks to inform the readers with the holistic works of the Ministry combined with socio-cultural themes of general interest. If you would like to subscribe in our publications, please click here. All information provided is kept in the most confidential manner and in line with the data protection law of Malta. If you require further information or would like to contact us, you can write to ĠEMMA Team on our email address: gemma@gov.mt or visit ĠEMMA website: www.gemma.gov.mt You may also write to the Ministry Communications Unit about anything related to media and communications on familja.media@gov.mt
GOOD MONEY HABITS FOR YOUR FAMILY AND KIDS Smart money lessons for Easter Another Easter break is fastapproaching. A visit to the supermarket should be indication enough! We’re sure you spotted the chocolate eggs and figolli at every aisle or on the counter, tempting you to take them home with you. Easter is a good break, especially for the kids but it can also bring extra (unwanted) spending. The good news? You can create meaningful family moments without a costly price tag. In fact, we think Easter might be a good opportunity to teach valuable money lessons in simple and everyday ways. Give children an Easter budget Provide a small budget to plan a simple Easter family activity. It can be a picnic, movie night or egg hunt. This helps them make choices but within their limit. It will teach them decision-making and how budgeting means prioritising. Go to the supermarket together This is a great opportunity to turn grocery shopping into a fun money lesson. You can compare Easter egg prices across brands, hunt for offers together and discuss what the product offers vs. its value. Needs vs. wants A little heads-up. The trip to the supermarket, as you may already know, might come with a string of whining and complaining. But as a real-life experience, it can help the kids
learn the difference between needs (e.g. basic essential food items) and wants (e.g. extra sweets, toys). You can use Easter treats as an example. Wanting chocolate eggs is fine but they should be planned for. So how can they plan for wants? How to build good habits Easter break might be the perfect time to introduce longterm thinking. And the easiest way to do it is to start a savings jar. During this time, you can plan for a summer goal. Start by helping them set a (realistic) goal: a toy, outing, or holiday spending money. Create a savings jar and label it. You can use a clean honey or jam jar and let them have fun decorating it. Every week, encourage small contributions and make sure to celebrate every little milestone. Financial education doesn’t have to be complicated at all. These everyday moments and occasions like Easter can be the perfect opportunity to help them build smart habits. Amanda Lia ĠEMMA Team Member
IL-PENSJONI Hekk kif in-nies qegħdin jgħixu aktar u l-istil ta’ ħajja jinbidel, l-ippjanar għall-irtirar qed isir dejjem aktar importanti. F’Malta, is-sistema tal-pensjonijiet hija mibnija fuq tliet pilastri ewlenin – l-ewwel, it-tieni u t-tielet pilastru – li flimkien għandhom l-għan li jipprovdu sigurtà finanzjarja waqt l-irtirar. Il-Pilastru 1 huwa l-pensjoni statali, imħallsa mill-Gvern u ffinanzjata permezz talkontribuzzjonijiet tas-Sigurtà Soċjali. Din il-pensjoni tibqa’ sors kruċjali ta’ dħul għal ħafna pensjonanti, u tgħin biex ikopru l-ispejjeż bażiċi wara li jieqfu jaħdmu. Madankollu, jista’ jkun li l-pensjoni statali waħedha tista’ ma tkunx biżżejjed biex iżżomm l-istess livell ta’ għajxien li kienu mdorrijin bih jew biex tlaħħaq ma’ spejjeż mhux mistennija.
Il-Pilastru 2 jirreferi għal skemi ta’ pensjoni marbuta max-xogħol, ġeneralment organizzati mill-imgħallem, flimkien mal-impjegat. Dawn l-iskemi huma mfassla biex jipprovdu dħul addizzjonali fuq il-pensjoni statali. Fil-fatt, fil-Budget ta’ Malta ġie mħabbar li l-Gvern qed jaħdem fuq l-introduzzjoni ta’ forma ta’ pensjoni supplementari għall-impjegati tal-Gvern, li jista’ jkun ser tixbah lil Pilastru 2. Qed nistennew aktar dettalji dwar kif se tiddaħħal din ilpensjoni privata u kif se taħdem għall-ħaddiema tal-Gvern. Il-Pilastru 3 jikkonsisti f’pensjonijiet privati u prodotti ta’ tfaddil għall-irtirar li wieħed jagħżel b’mod volontarju. Dawn il-pjanijiet jippermettu lill-individwi jibnu dħul addizzjonali tul is-snin tax-xogħol tagħhom, skont il-kapaċità u l-għanijiet personali tagħhom. Kontribuzzjonijiet regolari, anke jekk żgħar, jistgħu jikbru b’mod sinifikanti maż-żmien. Barra minn hekk, ħafna minn dawn il-pjanijiet joffru inċentivi fiskali, li jagħmluhom aktar attraenti bħala mezz ta’ tfaddil fit-tul. Madankollu, huwa essenzjali li wieħed jifhem ir-riskji involuti u jkun konxju minn kwalunkwe ħlas jew spejjeż qabel ma jimpenja ruħu. Mhux il-prodotti kollha huma l-istess, u dak li jaħdem għal persuna jista’ ma jkunx adattat għal oħra. F’ĠEMMA, inħeġġu bil-qawwa lil persuni ta’ kull età jieħdu kontroll tal-futur finanzjarju tagħhom. Qatt mhu kmieni jew tard wisq biex tibda tippjana għall-irtirar li jixraqlek. B’għażliet infurmati u ppjanar għaqli, il-pensjoni tista’ ssir aktar minn sempliċi dħul bażiku – tista’ tkun pedament ta’ paċi tal-moħħ u stabbiltà finanzjarja fil-futur. Mark Bezzina ĠEMMA Team Member
QATT MHU KMIENI JEW TARD WISQ BIEX TIBDA TIPPJANA
ICY COLD FOOD ITEMS It is a good savings practice to buy foodstuff when sold on special offers such as ’buy two, get another one free’ or when in season offered at a lower price. It is also a good practice to buy such items and freezing them for future use if they are suitable for freezing.
top. This way you can easily detect which food item is soon to expire and use in time before expiration, thus saving on your pocket and eliminating any undesirable waste. Happy Freezing and Cooking. Foods that freeze well:
However, have you ever been asking yourself how much time this particular item has been in my freezer?
• Baked Goods: Bread, muffins, cookies, cakes, and even cookie dough can be frozen.
Have you ever been wondering whether it expired or not?
• Meat and Fish: Both raw and cooked, including poultry, beef, pork, and seafood.
Have you ever thrown away frozen foodstuff because it has been in your freezer for too much time beyond expiration? It is a good practice when buying foodstuffs which you intend to freeze to have a good clear plan of when you are going to cook these items. This applies to both fresh items and already frozen ones. It is also advisable you clearly mark the items with an expiry date. A record of the items in your freezer helps in no small manner. Records must show expiry dates. There are easy applications you can download for this purpose. However, beware of applications which are not free, or which are loaded with advertisements. Be careful which application to download. An easy alternative is a simple record on your computer which you can quickly sort by expiration date – the earlier date on
• Fruits: Berries, bananas, and other fruits can be frozen for later use in smoothies or desserts. • Vegetables: Many vegetables, including broccoli, mushrooms, and even mashed potatoes, can be frozen after being blanched or cooked. • Dairy: Milk, cheese (especially hard cheeses like cheddar), butter, and yogurt can be frozen. • Other: Cooked rice, cooked pasta, eggs (cracked into a container), herbs (chopped or pureed), and even wine can be frozen. Foods to freeze with caution or that freeze better with preparation: • High Water Content Foods: Foods like watermelon, lettuce, and cucumbers tend to become mushy when frozen and defrosted. Blanching or pureeing vegetables with high water
content can help them freeze better. • Eggs: Eggs should be cracked and placed in a freezer-safe container, or beaten before freezing. • Cheese: Some cheeses can become crumbly after freezing. Hard cheeses like cheddar and parmesan freeze better than soft cheeses. Foods that don't freeze well:
• Foods with high water content: As mentioned above, some produce with high water content, like lettuce and cucumbers, don't freeze well. • Foods with a high fat content: Some sauces and cream-based dishes may separate or curdle upon thawing. • Foods with delicate textures: Some meringues and icings can become soggy or weepy when frozen. Tips for freezing: • Cool food completely before freezing. Warm food can raise the temperature of the freezer and affect the quality of other foods. • Use airtight containers or freezer bags. This helps prevent freezer burn and maintains the quality of the food. • Label and date all frozen
items. This helps with inventory and prevents food from being stored too long.
Peter Miceli Saydon ĠEMMA Team Member
RETIR€ SMART L-ippjanar għall-irtirar huwa wieħed middeċiżjonijiet finanzjarji laktar importanti li persuna tista’ tieħu tul ħajjitha, iżda spiss jiġi pospost minħabba nuqqas ta’ ċertezza jew informazzjoni ċara. Biex jindirizza dan l-isfida, RetireSmart jipprovdi kalkulatur tal-irtirar online, bla ħlas, li jgħin lin-nies f’Malta jifhmu aħjar x’jistgħu jistennew mill-pensjoni tagħhom fil-futur. Il-kalkulatur RetireSmart jimxi pass pass u jitlob informazzjoni bażika bħall-età, l-istatus tax-xogħol u l-kontribuzzjonijiet tas-sigurtá soċjali. Abbażi ta’ dawn id-dettalji, l-għodda tagħti stima tal-pensjoni statali u tal-età mistennija tal-irtirar. Aktar minn hekk, tispjega kif dawn ir-riżultati jistgħu jinbidlu skont l-andament tax-xogħol, nuqqasijiet fil-kontribuzzjonijiet tas-sigurtà soċjali, waqfiet fil-karriera jew
deċiżjonijiet dwar lirtirar. Minbarra l-kalkoli, RetireSmart jagħti importanza kbira lill-edukazzjoni. Spjegazzjonijiet ċari jakkumpanjaw kull pass u jgħinu biex kunċetti relatati mal-pensjonijiet isiru aktar faċli biex jinftiehmu. Dan jagħmel l-għodda utli b’mod speċjali għaż-żgħażagħ li għadhom jibdew jaħsbu dwar l-irtirar, kif ukoll għal dawk li jinsabu fin-nofs tal-karriera tagħhom. Il-pjattaforma hija aċċessibbli kemm fuq il-kompjuter kif ukoll fuq il-mobile u hija mfassla biex tkun faċli u intuwittiva. Mhemmx bżonn ta’ għarfien finanzjarju speċjali, u l-utenti jistgħu jesploraw xenarji differenti bilkumdità tagħhom. Importanti wkoll li l-kalkulatur ma jaħżinx data personali, u b’hekk jipproteġi l-privatezza tal-utenti.
Għalkemm RetireSmart ma jissostitwixxix parir finanzjarju professjonali, huwa punt ta’ tluq siewi biex in-nies isiru aktar konxji u jieħdu deċiżjonijiet infurmati. Billi jħeġġeġ lippjanar bikri, jgħin lillindividwi jibnu futur finanzjarju aktar sigur u sostenibbli. Bernard Mamo Assistant Director Pensions Strategy Directorate
HAPPY EASTER TO ALL OUR READERS