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.

I love this thread! Yesterday I made jam with a crop of early ripened strawberries from the garden. Each jar worked out at about 50p and made me so happy I bothered weeding all the buttercups out of my strawberry patch!

I made 4 jars of jam, so I gave one jar to a neighbour, one to a summer fair collection and kept two for myself. It made me happy to share it, and the jam tastes like summer on a spoon.

For me gardening, is my number one cheap pastime. I wish I had more time and more land!

Early morning runs.
swim in the sea after work.
picnics for just me and my dog
Making bread/baking/cooking
Lighting a candle or two
Coffee outside
Very plain but well cut clothes with chunky silver jewellery

Salt/sugar and olive oil as a body scrub (not too often as can get cloggy!). Best face wash Cetaphil, best eye cream Cetaphil, both affordable compared to the over expensive rubbish I’ve tried! Boots brand amazing but the best is their hyluronic acid, also their tea tree foot spray is all I need after a long day! Also want to repeat about the library, all you’ll ever need under one roof!

Do you have special hashtags you look for?

Embarrassed to say this brought a tear to my eye 😊
Utter joy..
On a similar subject, having an early shower, getting into my pyjamas while it's still daylight, closing the curtains and snuggling down with my dogs and cats to watch Springwatch.
They love it! 🐾

This thread is just full of such magic, thank you all for cheering me up...

I've actually started a little note book and jotted down all the lovey ideas.

Ive made some lemon curd this morning ready for lazy weekend mornings in the garden, feel and smells like a little jar of sunshine in itself.

I've also for the last few days been playing some albums (very guilty on a Spotify playlist) while pottering with some housework.

it’s both lovely to reminisce of an album of a certain time which brings back so many memories and emotions but equally to listen to the songs in the order they were meant for, in a very bizarre way it’s reminded to slow down and be more mindful.

My library card gives me access to hundreds of magazines online. I bring my tablet to our local park with a coffee and sandwich and read to my hearts content. Sandwiches seem to taste better outside

Just ordered one! So excited.

We’ve rediscovered the joy in playing cards with DS. Old favourites like chase the ace and rummy.

I often do a posh afternoon tea along the lines of your plan, OP. Properly laid table, a jug of iced something or other. Cheap ‘pimms’ type thing, with summer fruits squash, chopped fruit and mint (from the garden), plenty of ice.

Scones are so cheap to make and we have them with jam and clotted cream. Clotted cream freezes perfectly, I discovered during lockdown.

Sitting in dining room, doors wide open to garden, birds cheeping and splashing about in bird bath . Cat laying on floor next to me asleep.

Am going to sit outside with my library book and catch up on some reading later this afternoon as only went back to library for books last Saturday after nearly two years of buying books from charity shops and got a new one I've not read from one of my favourite crime writers.

I love our library and it's Bookworm cafe, so glad to be back in it. 😄

If you want a cheap bird Bath, I recommend this at only £12. It looks great for the price- put stones in bottom to weigh it down.

www.dunelm.com/product/bronze-bird-bath-1000142868?defaultSkuId=30514354&ds_c=Garden_Decoration_%5BGOO-PLA+PSB-GARDEN-DECORATION%5D&gclid=CjwKCAjwqauVBhBGEiwAXOepkXCEtPqOgNzssajRWrDYEnvRgD_4wKJ34zmEkpAJmmClS5wFnHZwWxoCUr4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Afternoon off with DH, drive to a beauty spot (with retro tunes blasting out) for picnic lunch, followed by afternoon nap in camper van. Mooch back home at our leisure.

This is a fantasy as I have young kids and no camper van!

I read the first few words and wondered where you were going with it (says a lot about what's going on in my mind 😆)

Opening both patio doors to the garden.

Obviously, the doors cost me and the garden cost me but now this simple activity is free. On warm days, both doors are opened wide so that the kitchen/diner has a massive portal to a small but overplanted and lush garden. Makes me smile everytime I walk by.

Walking the dog. The dog's not free but the walk is and we have some really lovely fields with old hedgerows to walk along. This time of year it's idyllic.

Sounds lovely!

I also love walking the dog
Walking along the beach
A cup of herbal tea
Coffee
Crocheting
I love the library and visiting op shops
Hiking in the mountains
Takeaway pizza or a picnic at the beach/park etc
I love the idea of the table laid out nicely for afternoon tea. I want to do that.

The smell of lavender on ironed sheet's and pillow cases when I get them out of drawers. Getting into said sheet's. Amazing!

Lady grey t bags.

Hand and foot cream.

My flowers and plants.

Lovely thread. I also love going to the library and feeding the birds. I recently put up a squirrel feeder and that's a lot of fun watching the squirrels antics. I love a glass of fizzy water with a small amount of apple juice, frozen lime slice, ice and a spring of mint, always feels like a special drink. A real treat for me on sunny mornings is to have my breakfast in the garden early on. Especially if no-one else is awake I always feel like I'm on holiday sitting in the sun listening to the birdsong. I find meditation a real treat when I make the time for it. It's like going on holiday in your mind.

I’m really happy that others are now going to get bird baths!! You’ll not regret it. The sparrows are in mine now, taking it in turns for a splash, the babies have to wait and go after the adults or they get right scolded 🤣

For those that love reading, join Netgalley. You get lots of books ,all free , often from your favourite authors all before they are published.
All you have to do is write a review that they remind you to post to various. places , Amazon, Goodreads , WH Smith.
I'm in love with it.

I would love some tips on how to go about this! Where do you find the competitions and what are your tips for winning?

Had a look at this. It seems you have to be a professional reviewer or instagrammed. How do I get round this?

I would love a bird bath but my cat is a vicious killer..

@TequilaSunriseforme

I don't have Instagram , and wouldn't call myself a professional reviewer but I started doing it during the first lockdown and during that time have only been declined for 15 titles and I've read scores that accepted me .

@TequilaSunriseforme

Hi again , I just checked my profile, this is the biography I wrote , and I guess they must have liked it to accept me :

Member of many social media book groups / forums.
I also hold regular Zoom book groups where we discuss authors , and new book titles.
I participate on many Facebook groups set up for sharing and reviewing our love of books.