Self-Care On a Budget

For some, self-care has become synonymous with spending. How else are you going to pamper yourself if you’re not spending money, right? Wrong.

Google’s online dictionary defines self-care as: taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health; the practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.

Why then, do we have the habit of defining self-care as shopping sprees, spa days, and beach vacations with luxurious amenities? It would be nice to hop on a plane and fly to a resort in Antigua whenever things got too stressful, but that’s not always a realistic option. Neither is spending unnecessary money in the name of “treating yourself.”

Even if you’re not breaking the bank with your self-care habits, it’s always nice to have some options that require little to no spending.

Here are 7 Ways to Soothe While Saving:

1) Take a Walk. Walking has been proven to have numerous mental and physical health benefits. Had a rough day? Rough conversation? Too much on your mind? Go outside and get some fresh air. Taking a solo walk is an excellent way to clear your head and re-focus your thoughts.

It’s also a great form of low-impact exercise. Come up with a regular walking routine to increase your overall health and well-being. Try out different areas to mix it up a bit—parks, hiking trails, your neighborhood, or a school track. Go by yourself to get some alone time. Take your friends or partner if you’re looking to turn it into a bonding activity. Self-care doesn’t always have to be a solo venture.

2) Try a New Recipe. Get creative in the kitchen. Try a new dessert, or try finding a recipe that’s similar to your favorite take-out meal and see if you can replicate it at home. A quick Google or Pinterest search can help you locate a recipe with as few as three ingredients! Try some of these to get started.

3) Meditation. I know this is probably in every article you’ve ever read about self-care, but that’s because it works. And it doesn’t take much time! If you can spare five to ten minutes before walking into work, then you’ve got enough time for a meditation session. There are free apps out there (most offer in-app purchases) that have sessions as short as three minutes.

If there’s a possibility that you could calm your anxiety, relax, get better sleep, or refocus your thoughts just by trying something for a few minutes, why not give it a chance?

Try these for starters: Calm; Stop, Breathe, and Think.

4) Read a Book. A large part of self-care is setting aside some time for yourself. It doesn’t have to be a whole day that you’ve planned out, or some big event. Unwind with a good book at the end of the day. Reading to gain knowledge is wonderful, but reading purely for entertainment has its value also. Lose yourself in a suspense, romance, or fantasy novel. Don’t like reading long novels? Check out some short story or poetry collections. There’s something for everyone.

5) Watch a Movie. If the thought of reading puts you to sleep, try catching a good movie. There are days and times that you can get discount pricing at movie theaters, and of course there are all kinds of streaming options for television and movies these days. But one of the biggest perks about choosing a book or a movie for self-care is that it doesn’t have to cost you anything at all. Check out the selection at your local library. You may be surprised at what they have to offer.

6) Write, Paint, or Draw. What kind of creative things do you like to do? How do you best express yourself? Or, what is something that you’ve always wanted to try, but never took the time to do? Give yourself permission to try it. And if it’s a skill you already have, use it!

Check out apps like Groupon to find painting classes in your area at a discount. If you’re not up for going to a class, grab some supplies and try a painting or drawing tutorial on YouTube.

7) Get Organized. I know, this one might not sound like much fun, but it may be necessary. Are you feeling overwhelmed or anxious? Have so much to do in a day that you can’t keep everything straight? Take some time to get organized: write out to-do lists, get a daily planner, plug appointments into the calendar on your phone, set reminders. You’re always going to feel overwhelmed if you find yourself having to stop in the middle of a task because you just remembered something more important that needs to be taken care of right away. Getting organized is like preventative maintenance for self-care.

There are endless possibilities of things you can do for self-care, but hopefully this list is enough to get you started without costing you too much money. What are some things that you do, or want to try, that you would add to this list? Let me know in the comments, and share with others. We could all use a good reminder every now and then to take better care of ourselves.

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Written By: S.M. Grady

© 2019 S.M. Grady