Simple Things You Can Do To Feel Luxurious Without Spending A Ton Of Money

(Adapted from Julie's YouTube video)

Let's talk about how to feel luxurious without spending a lot of money to do so.

I've been doing this for years. One example of this that comes to mind is how I used to make and eat chocolate-covered strawberries at my desk in the corporate office. This was probably frowned upon by my superiors,  but I did it quite often–even after I became head of the corporate tax department in the large publicly held company that I worked for. I had an image that I was supposed to be upholding, but this didn't align with my thoughts about how to enjoy time at the office. You see, even then, what was really more important to me, more than that image, was enjoying my days. At the time, I was spending a lot of long hours behind that desk, so I got creative to find little moments of luxury.

I would use the microwave in the kitchen to melt a little chocolate and butter that I had packed in from home and then I would add a little smidge of milk and stir. The reward–a heavenly chocolate dip for my strawberries while sitting at my desk and looking at tax work.

I think it's important to add little bits and moments of pleasure into your days. I don't believe that you have to have a million dollars in the bank to retire or to feel like you're living a luxurious life. 

There are ways that you can minimize your expenses without feeling like you're having to scrimp at the same time, allowing yourself still to feel like you're living very comfortably, if not even a pampered life. It's the little things that you do and incorporate into your life and the choices that you make thay result in how you feel about your life.

I'll share with you today some of my favorite ways of upscaling my lifestyle while still saving money at the same time. You're certain to find at least a few things that appeal to you and use to add a bit more pleasure to your own life right now.

Less Can Be More

One of the first things I would recommend to begin with is to develop a "less can be more" motto.  A good example of this would be, how one tiny flower can brighten your day. I used to purchase fresh-cut bouquets all the time, but if you get yourself a cute little vase, even just a single flower can spruce up a space. If you don't have flowers at home that you can pick, you can get a small bunch at Trader Joe's for just a few dollars.

Food and Dining

Keeping with the keep it the simple theme, let shift to food. When I was traveling through the Mediterranean, I noticed that quite often they would simply serve a salad with olive oil and maybe a squeeze of lemon. Sometimes they would do the same with vegetables. Not only is this really good for you, but it really brings out the flavors too.

When I'm looking for a little bit more than just olive oil and a little more flavor, often still keep it simple. My go-to would be a balsamic reduction–a little bit goes a long way and the bottle lasts a good long time. 

To make a meal feel elegant, china dishes can really do the trick. I'm blessed to have china from my great aunt, but I also have bought much china over the years from Goodwill for just a few dollars. I use these for when I bake  something to give away as gifts.

Linens

One place we save money is by not buying paper napkins. We use cloth ones instead. If you want to try this, I would advise you to go ahead and invest in some good ones, because you will find they don't need to be ironed like some of the cheaper brands do. My favorites are some I purchased from William Sonoma many years ago. They fold up really nice without having to be ironed and they still look almost new after many years of use.

While we're talking about linens, having a set of sheets that feels really good can be another way to make you feel like you are living in a pampered lifestyle.

Some of my favorite sheets were purchased from Land's End. I also have some microfiber ones that I got from Costco for roughly $15 a set. They have a very nice soft silky feel, though they don't last near as long as the ones from Land’s end. 

Another low-cost item with a luxury feel is a pair of soft socks. My favorite pair never ceases to just make me feel pampered, cozy, and comfortable–all the wonderful feels. I'll often wear these in the evening when I'm winding down the day or when I'm getting ready to have a spa day.

Spa and Pampering

Speaking of spa-type things, I often like to make my own infused water. One of my favorites is cucumber and lemon or lime. Sometimes I'll do fruits. These can make you feel like what you're drinking is a little more special.

Don't be afraid to try some "do it yourself" at-home spa treatments either. There are a lot of really great recipes on the internet that you can find. This week I made a facial steam with some dead sea salt, chamomile and mint. It opened my pores nicely for the face mask of honey, spirulina and an egg yolk that I did afterwards. My skin really felt wonderful after this extra pampering

Music

Music is something that can help put you in a luxurious mood as well and there are a lot of great spa and massage channels to choose from on Spotify. Or if you type in "quiet evening" on the search button, you'll find a lot of great options as well. 

Clothing

Another thing that goes a long way to feeling really luxurious, is a really great robe. I got one from a spa in Arizona that my work had sent me to quite a number of years ago and I really love it.  It feels amazing and I somewhat feel like I'm in a spa when I put it on. But you don't need to actually go to a spa to get a great luxurious feeling robe. You can find some really good ones to choose from simply at a place like Target as well.

Actually, some of my favorite tanks that I'm wearing these days I got at Target. The are quite inexpensive but I love how they look and feel. You really can save quite a bit of money if you skip the designer brands and focus instead on what makes you feel really good. 

So to sum it all up,  remember to add little simple comforts to your days and focus on how wonderful these feel. You don't have to spend a ton of money to feel luxurious if you focus on what feels good to you and get creative on how you bring it into your life.