Self Care that Doesn’t Cost You

Self Care is a buzzword. I mean, after all, it’s a GIF option to add to your Instagram story. You’ll find “treat yo self,” “self care Sunday,” “love yourself,” “self love,” with a simple search of self care. You’ll see people share how they’re putting themselves first by getting a massage or a mani-pedi. Sure, that sounds great, but those “treats” start to add up and hit your wallet hard.

What are some things you can do to still “treat yo self,” but save your hard earned cash at the same time?

Before we get into some strategies to focus on loving yourself, we need to know what self-care really means and what the goal is? According to PsychCentral, self care means an “activity we do deliberately to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health.” When these three areas of our life are addressed and tended to, the result is a decrease in anxiety and an overall better mood.

What areas of your life do you feel like you aren’t addressing? Is it your mental health, emotional health, or your physical health? Once you pinpoint which area needs some TLC, you can decide what to try out and what helps.

For me, it’s my physical and emotional health. At 29 weeks pregnant, everything is starting to hurt. Since I’m also chasing around a toddler, I’m not getting my daily workouts in that I was during my first pregnancy.

Here are some things I’ve done that keep self-care budget friendly:

Soaking in the bath

I save up all of the gifts and samples I get like face masks, bath bombs, lotions, bubble bath, or Epsom salts and store them in a drawer in my bathroom. You know that one relative that always gives you bubblebath and lotion every year? Store it all in a set place. Once a week (I like to do this Sunday or Monday evenings), fill up the tub and go to that drawer to pick what you’ll be trying that night.

Take your bath to the next level by doing a face mask at the same time. Turn the lights down and light a candle. The goal is relaxation. The water should be still and your breathing should be calm. Clear your mind of your to-do lists and just enjoy the stillness of the water, the quiet of the bathroom and the scents that come from whatever candle or soap you’re using.

Get Outside

Weather permitting, fresh air is great for your mental, emotional, and physical health. Breathing in fresh air reduces stress and increases relaxation and energy. Taking a walk gives your body a break from sitting in front of the computer, which most of us do all day, and provides you with a good stretch. It also doesn’t hurt to get some fresh air for the little ones too! Take a family walk once a week or take your walk alone and practice some deep breathing.

Breathing & Meditation

The great thing about deep breathing and meditation is you can do this anywhere! If you need help getting started, calm.com is a free app that has breathing exercises and guided meditation. You can set timers of how long you want to practice your breathing or meditation and go from there. You can also find their videos on Youtube (like the one below) if you don’t want to download an app or if you’re out of storage space! Even if you’re not feeling anxious or overwhelmed practicing mindful breathing and meditation is a great way to stay regulated and emotionally stable, especially when a stressful situation strikes, you’ve already got the tools!

Reading or Listening to Books

Feed your brain with fiction, non-fiction, self-discovery, or whatever genre you’re craving. Do you sit in the car and listen to the mindless banter of radio hosts or music, but you’re not really listening because you’re thinking of your to-do list or a conversation you had, or maybe your next drop off? This was me. I had a good 15-20 minute drive from work to daycare pickup and I wasn’t really listening to the music. I was rehashing my day in my head, overthinking and overanalyzing details, basically driving myself a bit crazy. I decided to start listening to books through Audible to fill the time and get something more out of my commute. Audible has a library of free books and you can also get free e-books through your local library. If you are an Amazon Prime member (I mean, who isn’t?), you also receive free e-books through the Kindle app. I now use my morning and afternoon commute to chip away at my list of books to read in 2019.

Here are some I have already finished in the past year:

Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes, (Read my review of the book here.)

Becoming by Michelle Obama (featured in What We’re Into here.)

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo (Contributor Claire, reviewed here.)

The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty (featured in What We’re Into here.)

If you aren’t an audiobook gal and prefer to hold the actual book in your hand, then devote 10 minutes to reading each day. Whether that 10 minutes is before bedtime, a great way to prep your body for a good night’s rest or first thing in the morning, before everyone wakes up and you can enjoy a cup of coffee or hot tea along with it. Those 10 minutes are just for you and can set the tone for a great day ahead or close out your day in a more relaxed state.

There are several low or no-cost options when it comes to self-care.

If you can afford to get a massage or mani-pedi once every couple of weeks, then, get it gurl. If massages and mani-pedis are the only ways you can relax, then when birthdays and holidays come around tell your significant other or family that you would really like gift certificates for them! Or check out Groupon for discount experiences at a local salon.

But for the rest of us, we need to get a little creative. Keep in mind that self-care should help you feel relaxed and restored. Pinpoint which areas of your life you need some R&R, what symptoms you are experiencing and what remedies will help you get back to feeling like you!

What are some low or no cost self-care things you like to do?