What are your cheap extravagances

[DominoLover51]

On the back of the thread about extravagances, I thought I would start one for cherish things that feel like treats. I am on a big money diet at the moment cause I’ve lost some contracts, so I’m really trying to do things to help me feel ok. Disclaimer, I don’t think there is anything wrong with extravagant treats, life is for living.

Anyway, here goes:

Superdrug shower gels, they quite often do limited edition ones. I particularly like Pumpkin Spice and Pear Crumble.

Books for my Kindle from Amazon, quite often only 99p.

Hair dye and lipstick from an Afro-Caribbean shop near me. I’m very happy dying my own hair for £2.99 a month. Lipsticks are also very reasonable and I prefer the colours.

Crochet, wool and a hook don’t cost much. Thrrres loads of tutorials on YouTube.

Duolingo. That’s not really cheap cause it costs me £89.99 a year, but not too bad

Morrisons flavoured teas, Jam Doughnut and Custard Cream are my favourites. Pretty sure they are only about 99p a box.

Aldi nuts. Love the Yeast Extract flavoured mixed nuts and the Salt & Vinegar peanuts. Know they are fattening, but at least they are protein.

Dove soap

Cheap days out.

There's a promotion starting tomorrow that runs until Sunday 15th, where you can get into places that have received lottery funding for free or very cheap. I've just booked to visit a RHS garden for £1 instead of £13. There's a few NT places too, google lottery days out.

I also look out for regular train journey offers, there's often one in the tabloid newspapers or online sales so I can get the train very cheaply. One of my best bargains a couple of years ago was to go on the Leeds to Carlisle scenic line for £10 return.

Make sure you take a picnic if you're trying to limit the cost as food and drink out is £££s (and also often poor quality and at the end of a long queue).

I also have a national art pass. This costs about £70 a year (you can also get a 3 month trial for £20) but it gets me into free a lot of places or discounted exhibitions. It pays for itself for me because I like to go to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, so I can do this for free whenever I like instead of £11.

Always look for a deal before buying anything. We currently have Now TV entertainment and movie packages half price for a year from the black friday sale.

If you've never looked for deals before and tend to just pay full price for things, you can save huge amounts compared with just paying the full price on the door.

I love a walk to the library, the calm, and a mooch around the books. It's been my go to when feeling stressed and in need of a time out since I was a child. Even cheaper than your 99p Kindle books and you can order any book that's ever been printed, all for free.

For an edible treat, anything from the Lidl bakery.

Price's scented candles. £5 from our local hardware shop, and just as nice as your fancypants Jo Malone ones IMO. Last for ages too.

Books. Yes I know the library exists but Demand Avoidance is a thing so I rack up fines.

I scour charity shops but I am partial to a £5 sprayed edge book from The Works.

You just renew them on the app now. I used to be bad with fines, but not now.

I promise you that I am even awful at this! It is cheaper for me to buy a book 😬

I just went crazy and bought a four pair pack of rubber gloves. I can't do dishes without them 😁

I also spent an M&S voucher that I got for Christmas in their food hall.

I like a browse of a library or bookshop, but for reading, I stick to my 99 p kindle books.

Yes you can reserve books, but they can take months to become available and if someone else has reserved it, you can't renew it anyway, so only have 3 weeks to read it.

Kindle Unlimited
Moser Roth chocolate.

Currently a weekly bunch of daffodils, only £1.

Pukka pads of paper and paper mate biros. I could go cheaper for both but won't.

Same, or tulips. Such a simple cheap happy joy.

With you on the crochet @DominoLover51 and will add knitting and sewing to that. My ds has finally completed on his first house with his gf and I can now redecorate his bedroom into my guest room come craft room and I Can't Wait!

My local charity bookshop. Stuffed with books, 80p each

I now live back in the area I lived in as a struggling new graduate and have picked back up the little summer routine I had then: every Friday late afternoon after my most recent payday, I walk a particularly walking route which takes me along a scenic waterway, through a lovely park, and through a very nice neighbourhood. I buy a particular bunch of flowers from Waitrose (the exact arrangement has changed slightly over the years but is still materially the same) and then I have a glass of wine in a particular pub which has a really nice garden, in the sun. I usually try to sit at the same table. I’m nothing if not a creature of habit. The whole excursion still feels like a luxury, even though my financial situation is now different.

I also have a ceramic plant pot habit. I buy a nice one whenever I see one and have a rotation, like the National Gallery, for my houseplants every month or so which changes up the splashes of colour around the place.

I love, love, love buying a Starbucks coffee then browsing our local charity shops. I see it as like going on a little treasure hunt. It's so much more exciting than just walking into John Lewis and picking up very generic items.

So far, this year, I have discovered; a large, gold framed Laura Ashley mantle mirror for £10, a beautiful Folio Society edition of 'A Country Child' by Alison Uttley for £1.50, an immaculate set of 6 x Denby espresso mugs for £5 and a leather boxed, travel chess set from Jacques of London for £2.

And so many pristine hardback books. Recently picked up Alchemised for £2 and it has beautiful sprayed edges!

Ditto to 99p Kindle reads. I read too fast to pay full price!

@Arramintathis is what we do every Sunday with the dog. He gets a puppacino and he is allowed in the local chazzas. Not sure who enjoys it more!

Nice soap from the likes of TK Max/Home Sense. Lovely wrapping and scents, always feel special, and last much longer than shower gel.

I buy bulbs for the patio. Cheap and looks beautiful when the flowers are in bloom.

Book a cheap flight out of season and stay in more affordable countries Poland, Riga, Tallin. Money goes SO much further.

Nomadic Yoghurts, Iove them. I buy a pack of 6 from Costco at 5.99. They are 2.49 each elsewhere.

Kindle unlimited because it has the best stash of chick lit and cozy mysteries, with so many authors that aren’t anywhere else. Makes me happy!

Sanctuary shower gel, Aimee Connolly primer. Even when I’m short money wise I’ll still top these up as miserable without!

Oh and grapes!!!!

Cookbooks from the charity shop.
My local one does 4 books for £1!

Oh doing it with a dog would be perfect, but we travel too much to justify one.