Enjoying Yourself Inexpensively

We are somewhat conditioned to have the belief that to enjoy ourselves, and to experience pleasure requires us to spend money. To a large degree, pleasurable activities ofte require a certain expenditure – fine food, amusement parks, massages, holidays – and the list goes on.

However, there are many ways to spoil ourselves that cost no or little money.

1. Give yourself the day off from chores that really can wait. Leave the mopping, vacuuming, mowing …and instead spend that time sleeping in a little, talking on the phone to a friend or watching one of your favourite television programmes. The world won’t come to an end if these tasks aren’t done today. You probably will come back to them with a renewed vigour if you give yourself a break.

2. Give yourself a makeover. It doesn’t matter if you’re not going out. Grab all your favourite products to spoil yourself – a perfumed moisturiser, that new lippie you haven’t tried, some sparkly nail polish. Enjoy a self-pampering session.

3. Watch one of your favourite old movies. Grab some cushions, a hot chocolate, and whether it be “Sleepless in Seattle” or an inexpensive DVD of a flick you haven’t seen before, give yourself permission to forget about the world, get comfy and enjoy yourself.

4. Look at old photo albums Take a trip down memory lane as you look over photos of the past. You can do this on your own, or invite a friend round, and share each other’s albums, and have a chat about the memories they evoke.

5. Go to an art gallery. It doesn’t cost a cent, and it can be relaxing, as well as fascinating to take in the talent of artists…even if you are not artistically inclined yourself, many pieces of art are a real treat to look at…a visual feast.

6. Enjoy the nature of the city’s many council gardens. Perhaps you can take a picnic lunch and enjoy the many free walks that are available.

7. The Brisbane City Council has many free (or inexpensive) classes – exercise, art, cooking, self-help…and I am sure that the other capital cities do also. If you just google it, you will find something to satisfy all tastes. You can filter activities usually by the price you're willing to pay, where they are located, and age group they are targeted for.

8. Go to a pet shelter.. You don’t have to have the goal of buying a pet, but many of these places welcome people who just want to come and have a cuddle. And you will be really making a little kitten or puppy’s day.

9. Go for a ride on the city cat. This mightn’t be totally thrilling, but I love the feeling of gliding down the river, wind in my face, passing the many places that can be fodder for future activities…

10 Go to the markets or a garage sale. You don’t have to buy anything, but enjoy the textures, the sights, and it usually costs very little if you do end up buying. It will also be probably something you won’t find anywhere else..

Go to the beach...walk and enjoy the time to reflect...You don't have to swim but the salty water is a definite revitaliser if you want to...it's exercise, it's relaxing, you can chat with a friend..and there's something about the beach which reinvigorates the mind, too...

You don’t need a lot of money to enjoy yourself…but if you carry the right attitude you will find novelty and 'life' in itself rewarding.


#_relaxation
#_pleasure
#_solitude
#_creativity
#_life_skills


%selfavenue