Ever since the President declared the Enhanced Community Quarantine, I am task to do the grocery list using Google Keep Notes since it is easy to use and share. Before the week start, my family will gather around to discuss what would be the menu for the entire week and the list of things needed to buy in grocery mall and in the market. Since it became routinary, it makes me feel exhausted to the point that I don't want to do it anymore. Want to know why? Because it is difficult to think for food you are not craving yet. For me, It is spontaneous! Have you felt craving something, like out of nowhere, while you scroll on your social media app? Like a SNAP! "Ooooh, I'd like to eat fried fish with steamed veggies on the side".
It is exhausting to wait until the family decides what would be the meal for Monday or on Friday after suggesting a ton. Worst case? the decision most of the time is not yet final. Imagine typing then deleting an item, and re-typing it again. That's been the case for me every week.
Feeling this way made me think that, if I will not do the list, we will spend more on what we should have. We will no longer have control with our money. We will just buy whatever we think needed but not necessary. This is where we understand the great difference between needs and wants.
During this Enhanced Community Quarantine in the Philippines, people are not allowed to go out of their homes except those who have Quarantine Passes. However, there's a specific time and day indicated differently on each passes. A household family will only receive one pass and he/she whose name indicated on the pass is the only one allowed to leave their home to buy his/her family basic needs.
But what if that person, whose name in the quarantine pass is unable to go out due to WFH or he/she have some urgent task to do? Who will buy the food or medicines? - Some families resort to using the pass and tell officials it is them, it is their name and hope that the officials will not ask for an ID. Would it be best if they give 2 or more passes depending on the size of the family? We filipinos are known to have extended or joint family. It's an another topic that I'd like to share some other time.