13th Month Pay

Our 13th month pay was given a little bit late for this year, compared last year; we received it before the end of November. My wife and kids were already getting impatient because they're used to early shopping. But now since it was late we need to complete our shopping in just one trip to the Shopping Mall. I only have two days off remaining before Christmas day and the second one is already too close to Christmas day, so we cannot use that day to go shopping, so we really need to do it in just one trip. Unlike before, we keep returning to the Shopping Mall until we haven't spent all my 13th month pay and this cost a lot in transportation expenses.

Since we only have one day allotted for shopping, we need to prioritize buying those important things we need to buy. We need to make a list of what we need to save us time and avoid buying unnecessary things. The list includes clothes, shoes, gifts and food for the Christmas Eve. There are plenty of things that I want to buy like car stereo, cabinet and double deck bed for my kids but I having a second though because of the current financial crisis. Anyway, what I want only is to have a complete Christmas for my kids. If the kids have new clothes, shoes and toys their Christmas is already complete.

There is an ongoing infomercial about global warning that advise people to just buy only what they need to help reduce carbon emission and garbage. And being self proclaimed environmentalist, I think I have no choice but to do the same. Actually I am planning not to buy new clothes for me, even though I am doing it only during Christmas season. In our office I am one of those few employees who still wear the t-shirt given to us by our company. Most of the employees wear new and branded clothes. I think I will just be proud of wearing old clothes because this has good impact to the environment and just think that the late 13th month pay is actually a blessing since we will be able to save a lot in transportation expenses and likewise help reduce carbon emission.