Barbadians are not known for splurging, as too many in our society do not have the level of disposable income that would predispose them to such luxuries.Given the austere and unpredictable times that we are living in, people are more prone to setting aside what excess funds they may have for the inevitable rainy days.The events surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic which resulted in massive, sudden, and sharp job losses have made most citizens acutely aware of how easily their livelihoods can unravel.We have, of late, heard admissions from Government officials that our unemployment rate reached a staggering 40 per cent or more during the height of the pandemic in 2020/2021.Unemployment that rises to such high levels, would have had a major ripple effect, not only on the economy, but the psyche of the breadwinners that were impacted and their families.