Two days ago on my birthday, D and I went to the shopping mall to run some quick errands. I needed a new journal for the new year, gifts for the nephews and niece, and beers from AH. Because it was a Monday afternoon, most shoppers consisted of older people and people who have Mondays off. The lack of bulging shopping bags and short lines at the check-out counters meant that most people are at the mall just to be out of their homes. No mad January sales crowd this year.

Amongst the many lessons that 2020 had bestowed upon us, one of it is to be mindful with our finances. People are learning to spend their hard earned (and maybe diminishing) funds on only the essentials. And that is not necessarily a bad thing.