Small treats that perk you up…

[Brogues]

Partly because a cost of living thread brought to my mind the fact that nail Polish and lipstick sales soared during the 2008 crash and the fact that I’ve just received some amazing koi nail art stickers from Ali Express £2. I thought it might be nice to have a thread of small/inexpensive treats for inspiration.

Another thing I bought recently was this rollerball pen £6 that takes fountain pen ink cartridges and I already had some mixed colours so I popped a cheery purple ink into mine. www.amazon.co.uk/Herbin-Transparent-Rollerball-Pen-Fine/dp/B009IJIVT6?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1

A packet of love hearts

(Though I hate the new emojis on them!)

A walk through the park after it's rained

Flowers - from the supermarket, not expensive, next to my desk. As I now WFH, it makes me smile sitting next to them and having them in my teams meets. Saddo eh.

Agree also love Scottish fine soap company’s raspberry.

Chips. From the chippy with lots of salt and vinegar, I like to share a portion or I end up hating myself and that defeats the object.

Lindt Lindor Strawberry & Cream Truffles

I like lots of little treats... too many, really 😂 but lately:

• B&M sell a Lindt bar that's white chocolate and whole almonds, £1.29 (iirc) and it's SO GOOD
• samples of perfumes (usually £2-7 per vial) that I can't get or can't afford full bottles of
• stickers! But the kinds you could use on calendars, or in diaries. Matte, slightly translucent ones are the best.

Fabulous smelling handwash. My current favourite isn’t much of a treat though - it’s Paradise from Aldi!

It depends on how much you write and your handwriting. I hate cheap biros, they never look good if you write a lot by hand. DD's handwriting is definitely better with a more expensive gel ink pen.

DH only makes notes by hand and got a Mont Blanc fountain pen for £400+ for his 50th birthday, I would say it's. the most used item on his desk apart from his laptop.

For me it's paperbacks. After years only reading kindle books or library ones I treat myself to my favourite books in paper. Hardcover is still too expensive.

@Brogues
I've just bought the pen and purple cartridges. Who doesn't love nice stationery!

A new paperback for me too. I like my e-books, particularly when travelling, but I love the feel of a paperback.

A bunch of flowers for me. I splash out by having a nice bunch delivered monthly (I get as much enjoyment out of arranging them!) but I also love a cheap bunch of daffs or my favourite - Tulips 🌷

Having a little pamper and wearing a sheet mask

Thatcher’s Blood Orange cider.
A glass in the sunshine makes me happy.

Some miserable sods on here !
I just put that pen on my list , i love a good pen .

Oooh can you link? I'm looking for one!

But if you like writing and it writes beautifully, and has almost negligible on-going costs due to taking ink cartridges what's wrong with it as a treat?

A pint at most pubs is £4 and while some people literally can't even afford to go out for a single pint, or buy a bottle of wine, they are comparable expenses and plenty of people would think buying a bottle of wine was a reasonable treat.

Jesus there are some joy sponges on here tonight

Little, tiny notepads that fit in my pocket and tiny black pens (hospital worker has to be black for medical notes and the ones NHS supply are....... Rubbish to put it politely!) I do love stationery though 😍

Perfume.

I also like that pen and now considering!

Little luxuries / pick-me-ups in our house might include a good / nice steak from the butcher for DP.

My fave is fresh flowers, only supermarket such as lillies or something. A bubble bath or bath bomb perhaps.

We are neither struggling atm (very fortunate as we both have previously), nor well off. But like to be cautious to a degree with the pennies. Most of it goes on the house / projects that need doing.

Baby due any day now so our situation will change and there will be less treats! My lillies and steaks will be out the window for a while 😂

A few years ago we upgraded our glassware.

I really enjoy drinking out of actual red wine glasses. And fizz out of champagne saucers. Providing I don't break them we'll get years out of them.

Bomb cosmetics bath mallows. Around £2 each, not too greasy or too perfumed, love them.
I'd pay £6 for a specially nice pen, I'm not rich.

No OP - I also thought that was quite unnecessary.

Happens every time there's a thread on something that gives people pleasure. Of all threads, 'Christmas fridges' (last-but-one) contained a really unpleasant showdown and one far from fun to witness: this at a time during lockdown when people could have used a bit of a lift.

Some view these threads on life's small comforts as an affront, because in this climate there are people really struggling. Of course that's unfortunate, but no one is trying to rub anyone's nose in it. They're a small, harmless pick-me-up that others can choose to click on or not as they wish, but since the lockdowns in particular they've become increasingly censorious. It's becoming quite tiresome.

That sounds wonderful. I’ve added it to the shopping list.