Getting ready for the new year
Another year will be passing by us soon. With all the challenges that we've faced in this year and the one before, the most important things that we should consider are the learnings. But what did we learn? For the most part, it's being prepared. Be it on financials or surviving prolonged unexpected events, having a fallback or a lifeline will allow us to sleep easy through the nights of the coming year.
Save up
If you have extra disposable income, don't blow it off on the fads and latest trends just yet. Set some aside to make sure you have enough to last you a minimum of 6 months. 2020 has shown us that life becomes tough in times when we have no choice but wait out a pandemic. Resources get depleted fast. And the lesser your reserves are, the harder it would be for you overall.
Invest in your family's safety
As the saying goes, "better safe than sorry". In dire times when resources become scarce, some people resort to crime. Protect yourself and your family. Regularly check the condition of your doors (including the locks, latches and hinges) and windows to see if there are weaknesses that opportunists can exploit. If someone in your family has the habit of leaving some of the house openings open unnecessarily, you may invest in alarms (audible and silent) and remote cameras with intrusion notification. A combination of high definition cameras and sensor-triggered flood lights are sure deterrents to would-be thieves.
Invest in maintaining your house
Got a leaking roof that stopped leaking? Or a slowly draining sink that seemed to have fixed itself? Don't celebrate and let them be? All of it may be temporary. And once the heavy rains come in, you'd be in for a rude awakening. While you have a little more time on your side and some Christmas bonus on hand, start checking out those recently problematic parts of your house. Better yet, check anything and everything that are possible areas of wear and tear. Houses aren't built to last several lifetimes. Even if everything seems fine, it is best to do routine checks yearly for good measure.
Once you find an issue, check if a patch can be done. This is applicable for areas which aren't totally exposed to the elements. Otherwise, a complete replacement should be considered.
Invest in your family's health
Health is wealth and our family is the most precious in the world. So it only makes sense to keep everyone in the household safe and healthy. In this day and age, air purifiers are a must. Hands-free disinfectant dispensers are also important. Virus prevention chemicals are also vital. Make sure all of these are within reach in your home to ensure we all stay happy together.