Better Ways to Spend Your 13th Month Pay and Bonuses in 2021

With a bittersweet smile from our small Zoom window, we realize that there’s really only so much we can do to celebrate the Holidays with our hard-earned bonuses and 13th month pay. On top of the limited options for our safety, they’re probably not exactly as big as we can hope for. The Christmas spirit is primarily found in gift-giving, and as a time that comes only once a year, we usually want to go all out.

In the middle of online shopping, though, you should probably not forget that you are the most important recipient of this gift-giving. And as far as going all out on Christmas goes, you should probably take “treating yourself” to the next level.

Although it can happen, treating yourself doesn’t always equate to shopping until you, together with your wallets and bank accounts, literally drop. In the most adult-like way, you should also do it strategically: budgeting according to what you can afford, (painfully) ignoring the temptation to buy the next pretty thing that’s on sale, and prioritizing the things that you really need so you can live your best life yet.

Invest in your health.

How else can you treat yourself better by protecting your mind and body? Aside from regulating your diet and fitness, you can also ultimately ease the external, monetary factors that come with getting sick or going to the hospital. Pandemic or not, investing in health is crucial because it is one of the things that you don’t need until you do. And realistically, you will.

On a large note, most companies should have a healthcare provider that gives you the comfort to go to a physician anytime without worrying so much about the fees, but if you don’t, then it’s probably time to consider getting one for yourself. Healthcare insurances come in many forms and mixes, and you can choose which one fits your needs the most. For an average worker, paying hospital bills is almost as painful as the reason for going into one. To remove that additional burden, especially in the time that you still can, make sure that you’re insured.

But if the time does not apply for bigger investments yet, you should at least go to the check-up that you’ve been delaying and avoiding. Now that you have the time and the extra money this holiday season, make it a point to allot some of it for a general consultation just to know. Making sure that you’re all well inside is a nice gift to give to yourself.

Nobody would wish anything bad to happen to you, but in any case, you’re better off celebrating Christmas—or the rest of your life—with that worry eased.

Invest in your future.

Your future may include you, living alone in your own condo, or sharing a home with your loved ones. Your future may also include you starting your own business after employment. What about owning a car? Paying off your debts and loans? Do you have any unfinished obligations somewhere? Or maybe you’d like to create and replenish your own emergency funds first!

Starting with a clean, fresh slate before the year ends might just be the best thing to come out of it. The additional boost in your salary will make you think about all the different things you want to achieve by yourself someday, but life will also remind you of the need to plan, prioritize, and spread it out. Investing doesn’t necessarily mean spending huge amounts of money insofar as it burdens your everyday needs, especially if you’re only starting out. It means committing to it, and taking it one step at a time.

As long as you care, your future will be okay. This year, though, you can focus on building on one that you can live with so you don’t end up getting too worked up and overwhelmed. Investing is good practice, but it also comes with knowing what you can afford and not—and with believing that it’s all worth the wait and the build-up one day.

Invest in yourself.

Finally, you can choose to invest in the happiest way that you will be. Investing in yourself requires huge amounts of trust, courage, and motivation, because there’s about a million things you can think of that “need” to come first before you. Reward yourself with the class that caught your eye for the past year. Look at that graduate school website that you have been avoiding, or have forgotten.

Allowing yourself to embark on the opportunities that will both amplify your professional credentials and better you as a person is something that is never too risky for spending your money on. In fact, it is something that you will never waste your money on. Whether you’re in your dream company, or looking for a new venture, you can always create a better version of yourself that, as a bonus, can get you noticed by the top employers in the industry.

Despite all the (obvious) evidence to the contrary, you can have a merry, all-out Christmas this year, too. Whatever treat you decide to give to yourself eventually, the most important thing is that it puts a smile on your face and floods comfort in your heart. Especially for a hardworking professional like you, that’s what holiday gifts should be all about, anyway.