The world we live in is crazy and life can get really hectic sometimes. With all the, “go, go, go.” I try to find little moments to indulge in simple pleasures. Basically, to keep myself motivated I give myself “treats”. Yes I realize it sounds a little bit like your first grade teacher giving you a star at the end of the day, but I swear it’s something that’s been really effective for me.
Personally, I think we work too hard not to have treats. Not big or expensive treats, but fun little things that keep us going and make us feel good.
To keep my, treat spending in check, (a “rule” I put in place during my student debt payoff days), I keep the cost of my treats under $20 or so. When I was in, “hardcore” debt paydown mode, I found that bigger treats didn’t necessarily mean bigger satisfaction. That’s right, it really is the small things in life that really matter–cliche, but it’s totally true! To me at least.
Here are 20 of my favorite “treats” under $20:
Burt’s Bees lip balm. I’m a die hard Burt’s lip balm
Macaroons and/or Macarons. I love both the French variety Macarons and the chocolate-dipped coconut macaroons.
Hot chocolate. Or my summertime favorite, frozen hot chocolate, yum!
Bigelow “I love lemon” tea. One of my favorite daily indulges. I have a cup every morning when I get to work.
Essie nail polish. Taking the time to paint my nails
Yarn. Alpaca is so soft and luxurious. One of my favorite producers is Good Karma Farm in Belfast, Maine.
Flannel PJ pants. I buy them at target and wear them until they are holey and I have to buy a new pair. I hate being cold and wear them year round (Eric likes the house cold in the summer).
Caramel popcorn. My local TJ Maxx/Homegoods often has Harry & David’s “moose munch” in the specialty food section. But I’m not picky, I eat Fiddle Faddle (who named that product?) or crunch and munch just the same.
Bottle (or box) of wine. Trader Joe’s 5-buck chuck opened my mind to wine when I was in college. 10 years later I’m still enjoying their inexpensive prices and good variety.
Lindemans Framboise (Raspberry Beer). This was one of the first beers I ever drank and enjoyed. I used to think beer was gross (imagine!). The raspberry Lambic is so fruity and delicious I could drink the whole 750ml bottle by myself.
Cupcakes. If you have a Crumbs nearby you might want to see if they participate in “Throw Back Thursdays” You get whatever the weekly special cupcake is for just $2.99!
Cheese. Brie, blue, cheddar, if it’s cheese I love it. Add some crackers, grapes and strawberries and I’ve got a meal.
Photo books. I get deals in my inbox to make inexpensive photo books all the time. I recently made one for my grandmother with photos from our trip to Cancun. She loved it and so did I. It’s fun to look back at the photos and remember how much fun we had.
Journals. Dear diary, journaling is so relaxing. It’s even more fun when you have a dedicated journal in a paperback book. Paper Source makes some really pretty ones for less than $15.00
Seltzer water. I have a seltzer obsession. Plain seltzer with a lemon slice is my favorite. Sometimes I get sassy and add a splash of cranberry juice and a lime. Depends on the day.
Cotton T-shirts. V-neck, scoop neck, boat neck. Lands End has a bunch of nice ones and they go on sale all the time (watch for discounts and coupons). I dress them up with necklaces and scarves and wear then year round in layers.
Flip flops. LL Bean’s Maine Isle Flip-flops are my absolutely favorite. They are lightweight and comfortable and the last forever (I have one pair I’ve been wearing for 3 summers now!). The are $24.99 at the retail store, but I buy them at the outlet for less than $20.
Cold Stone’s Strawberry Blonde “creation”. Cake is already on the list, and you can’t have cake without ice cream right?
Massages. If you have a sig. other maybe you can manage this one for free? If not, you can get a quick 10-15 chair massage for less than $20.
Music & Books. After so many years of downloading free music, it’s sometimes hard for me to “justify” paying for music, but when I do I’m always happy that I did. Downloading a new album always brightens my day. Ditto for downloading a new e-book.
Tell me your favorite treats under $20.00
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Image: Louis Beche