Tell me your inexpensive small luxuries and moments of joy

[sendwineandastraw]

With the price of living at an all time high, it all feels a bit hopeless and dismal atm doesn’t it, I’m even second guessing the price of a pint of milk and loaf of bread and for the 1st time ever had to say no to one of my DC to a social event they wanted to go to as would take us out of our budget...

Beauty treatments, cinema trips and even coffee and cake out are not things I can impulsively decide to do and it’s just making me feel a bit...sad!

I wondered how you all keep morale up and enjoy small life’s little luxuries without breaking the bank, what inexpensive things still bring you moments of Joy...

I’ll start...

I have my back door open, a cake in the oven and I’ve popped a white table cloth in the wash, I’m going to peg it on the line once it’s done and then set up the table outside.

once DD’s get in from school we can enjoy a pot of tea and some cake at in the garden at a properly set table.

Sounds lovely. As much as I enjoy eating out I do get a lot of pleasure out of making eating at home into an event.

I've recently cancelled my kindle unlimited and have started going to the library again. I've forgotten how lovely it is to have a good browse and come out with a bag of lovely books to read. I found a load of old Maeve Binchy novels that I read about 20 years ago so I'm looking forward to rediscovering those.

Aldi Rose & Rhubarb hand wash £1.09, smells exactly the same as the Molton Brown hand wash

I’ve put a birdbath outside the living room window and it’s like a little birdy lido out there, they are bloody loving it, time of their lives. That makes me happy.

@Playplayaway on goodness, this has gone straight on my list, I used to love and use the library lots and you’re right there is nothing better than bringing home a bundle of books that you’re excited to read and deciding which one to get stuck into 1st...

And free too!!!

Love the Birdy lido 😀

This is a great idea!

the sun is shining, I’ve got the radio on and my patio doors open.

I’m going to defrost some bolognaise I made a while ago so DC have a lovely tea as we are so overdrawn it would be beans on toast otherwise.

tonight I’m going to a concert I paid for years ago. Would never be able to afford it today.

You can also get most books as ebooks and audio books for free using your library card.

Yes to library visits! Forgotten how much enjoyment there is from wondering around and choosing books to bring home. It is one thing I really missed during the pandemic and lockdowns.
One thing I do is plan to wear a nice outfit on my day off work as when I am working its a heavy navy (ugly) uniform. So it doesn't matter what I am doing on my day (mostly housework and errands) but I always dress nice even if its favourite t-shirt and shorts rather than my comfy joggers. Somehow it makes me feel better about being at home in my rather tired house.

@AgathaMystery are you at Billie Eilish? I'll see you there

It’s my day off today and I’m sat in the sunshine eating my breakfast (which is bliss!)

Love library visits and bird bath.
I put a bird feeder out and love seeing all the visitors. The pigeons would come and peck at the dropped food on the ground until a cat came and killed one

Picnics. You're going to eat lunch anyway, so pack it up and take it out somewhere nice.

Bike rides. Not luxurious but so much fun.

Clean and declutter your home and go out lots. There's something really lovely about coming home to a nice relaxing home.

Love this thread! And I agree OP, losing the ability to impulse purchase treats can make life seem very bleak.

I am focusing on the little pleasures and finding appreciation where I can - lovely smelling bed sheets drying on the line, am going to make myself eggs for brunch and eat them in the garden on my work break, and later I am going to stick a cheap hair mask on my hair!

Lucky enough to live by the coast, so sitting on the prom in the sun with a small 99.

Loving these.

if anyone has a spare hour or two throughout the day I definitely suggest online competitions (I mainly do mine on Instagram)

There is something so lovely about both a message to say you’re the lucky winner and receiving something posh/nice through the post, from a posh bubble bath on a Friday and planning a nice weekend bath to (one of my best wins last year and something I would NEVER have been able to afford) a gorgeous Kitchenaid to brighten up a Monday morning!

I’m not!!! I’m not cool enough for Billie!

I would l, however, genuinely meet up with a MN person at a concert if we’d been chatting libraries and bird baths!!

We were paying £240 a term for swimming lessons for our 2 children which we can no longer afford... Now take them myself once a week for £3.35 - it's lovely to be in the water with them and seeing them enjoy it 😊

Doing my yoga and pilates in the garden instead of the in the living room. So silly but it makes me feel like I'm on a lovely yoga retreat.

I treat myself each morning to a Costa pod from the coffee machine. It gets me up.
Also if you have a Sparks card, use the app and check your offers regularly, there are often freebies which make my day!

Sometimes I just lie on the grass and look at the sky for a bit.

Headphones on with my phone and listen to a bit of music.

Walk up high somewhere and just take in the view.

Take a flask of coffee somewhere.

Paint my nails.

Have an early night so that I feel fresh in the morning.

Drink Pukka nighttime tea - it smells lush - you get two cups from one teabag.

Sitting down for a cuppa with my DH in the garden or living room in the middle of a busy weekend day, and having a proper chat.

Think of something lovely that happened in the past and refresh my memories of it.

This thread has inspired me to go get a library card this weekend!

Might also buy a birdbath although Ddog really wants to eat birds so will have to put it in the front garden where he isn't allowed to go.

Today is so lovely I'm taking some flexi time off to enjoy the garden before the kids come home and start fighting about who pushed who first on the trampoline. Finding nice cheap ways to enjoy life is easy when the sun is shining.

ICE IN DRINKS! So so simple but I always feel like I am bring a bit extra. Sometimes I like to buy a bag of frozen ice and a fancy bottle of cordial, add in a bit of mint etc. Pretend I am on holiday and not in the burbs of South London....

What a great thread! My list below:

A whole afternoon browsing the lesser known charity shops (the more popular ones are far too expensive). I did this the other day and got some beautiful antique embroidered baby pillowcases for 50p each.

Mowing the lawn whilst listening to a true crime podcast.

Baking something delicious.

Sitting down with the kids in the evening with a glass of wine and watching Superstore.

Reorganising and decluttering.

Some sweaty exercise followed by a coke zero in the bath.

Same here! I have several feeders dotted around the garden, and I can happily spend hours watching the birds coming and going. My garden is very sheltered with some bushes and trees, which robins and blackbirds nest in every year. Makes me so happy

Your library card will also get you access to free e-magazines. I'm finding that I can't justify buying magazines, so this is a god send.

The first time I went to the Buddhist Centre I used Aveda Brilliant conditioner. That smell reminds me of being all peaceful and chilled out.
So now I only use that shampoo and conditioner, it lifts me whatever my mood is!