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If you are trying to lose weight, you might know that many diet plans include some “cheat meals” which bring to you a little enjoyment and help you stay motivated to stick to your plan.
The same can be said as the budget. When you are making effort to live on a tight budget, put your money aside for a rainy day, you still need to take a day off and treat yourself to something special. After all, how can you deny yourself a few pleasures in life – which you’ve worked hard for?
However, don’t get me wrong. An off-day here doesn’t mean that you are able to go out and blow a whole load of money on clothes or whatever else took your fancy. Those madness minutes will take weeks – or even months – to recover from.
Then, it raises a big question. How can we treat ourselves without blowing our budget?
Fortunately, below you will find a few ideas to reward for all your efforts on a limited budget.
1. A peaceful night’s sleep
“Go to bed at 10PM? Are you kidding me?”
When I was teenager, the idea of going to bed early seemed like something that went wrong. You know, I had a marvelous social life and sleeping before midnight was like I wasn’t making the most of my youth.
However, with the passing of time, everyone get older. Life becomes busier than ever. We don’t have enough time for spending out at the pub or watching some Korean dramas till the early hours of the morning.
These days, a peaceful night’s sleep is actually a dream come true. Imagine, going to bed early and then waking up feeling relaxed and refreshed the morning after. How awesome!
From a financial perspective, obviously sleep costs nothing. All you need to do is climb under the sheets at 10PM or whatever you class as early and enjoy a long and restful night of pleasurable sleep.
2. A walk / a bike ride in the “countryside”
Whether the “countryside” means a local park or a stroll along beach or even your sunny garden, sometimes separating ourselves from the buzz of everyday life can serve as a real treat.
Even better, you can take a bike ride. Your rides will definitely make you healthier and happier.
That would be wonderful if you combine a walk or a bike ride with a picnic. Sitting outside on a rug with friends and family, enjoying a sunny day is worth a try.
Returning home afterward, you will feel calmer, more relaxed, like the pace of life has slowed down in a good way.
And for sure, it costs very little money at all.
3. Family night
In today’s busy world, many of us forget to spend time with our family. We spend 8 hours or even more each day at work and feel exhausted when coming home. Then, there’s sleeping time, and of course all the household chores.
Even though we do spend together, we still focus on something else, whether that’s checking email while eating dinner or watching a TV show.
Picking a time each day when you’ll call it your “turn-off” time, sticking with it and actually spending these time with your family. No “I just do one more thing”, no checking emails while having dinner, no more work phone after 8:00PM.
Imagine if you don’t call anyone after 8:00PM, they don’t have to call another one at 8:15PM. And this one won’t call others at 8:30PM. See, that means many people can enjoy their evening with their lovers, their friends or their family.
That’s my favorite list. Your turn! What do you do to treat yourself on a budget? Please feel free to share your ideas in the comment below.
