The monthly shopping list

So this is a page from my Amma’s cookbook, which had the list of monthly needs of our 4-member household. Well, this is not the exhaustive list, but it gives a sense of what needs the family had. And then I look at the apps on my phone that let me order anything I want, and I have the means to pay for it instantly with the money from my savings account via an online payment app. Does this mean I do not have to budget for the month? Actually, it just means that all this list making that was done when I was a child is no longer needed. I do not have to carry the burden of thinking of lists to make and take stock of what is empty and what needs to be refilled.

I find it a personal relief that I can make plans depending on what we feel like having, and buy items only when we actually need them rather than forecasting the need for items. We still do the monthly shopping at a local grocery store and rice mart, but they are more for items that we consume more frequently and in larger quantities, and hence are economical to buy in bulk instead.

The age of the apps also helps, as I no longer need to scramble to get some item that my son needed for school and remembered at 9pm the day before it was due. Over the last few years, I have found this liberating. Some men might comment that women have gotten lazier or that they have too much access, and these are the same people who complain about the constant “nag” they have to endure from the women of the house asking them to go fetch something. Well, there is no winning, is there? So, do what saves you from losing yourself, protects your peace of mind, and spares you the burdens that can very well be avoided.

Also, as I grow older, I am not judging anyone else for any of their choices, whether it is their aversion to online shopping or their affinity towards it. You do you! While I remember Amma with this hand-written list of hers, my son will probably look at this hand-typed post to remember me.

Until next time, Happy being!