I love going to the library to treat myself. I can luxuriate while choosing and then come out with as many books as I want and I haven’t spent a thing. Cookbooks can be particularly satisfying to check out because they have such lovely pictures and it gives me an opportunity to thoughtfully decide which books I might want to own later. I also like collecting branches, leaves, a cool rock, or wildflowers while out for a walk. It’s another free treat that makes our home feel more special.
That one point is so good!!! My mom bought me a book which looks good on the outside as a birthday gift and I like the gesture but I am looking inside like hm not sure about it... Therefore I got really a different look at presents now bc I am like do I need it, is it what I wanted, the best present this year were cashews (yeah the nuts) for me, I don't even remember the others, I mean I love surprises but on the other hand I just feel like money was wasted if I happen to not love or at least like the present I got 😅 And that is happening a lot with books and other stuff so great point thanks!
I also go to the library to treat myself. It kind of like free shopping, i come home with so many new things, some books i read, some i dont, and after a few weeks when the new stuff is not that interesting anymore i can just return them :D
One of my treats when I lived alone on a small salary was every pay day I would go out for the day with a pack lunch, buy a good book and read in a coffee shop with a nice coffee, then go for a walk and sit and eat my lunch someplace beautiful. I would look forward to it all month planning what book I wanted to read next.
I like your point about priorities. Ever since I focused on music, I have stopped craving new clothes all the time. Sure, it also costs money but it is really fulfilling and gives me a feeling of having plenty.
It's so important to have hobbies and a life. I do sports, my passion is horse riding and running. Shopping for clothes, and makeup is so down my list of priorities. As as you say, this too costs money buy when in ride I feel alive and never regret spending money on lessons and coaches. I used to feel so much guilt when I spent money on clothes.
When I started creating wishlists for shopping, it helped me realize that most of the time I get over that craving to buy a new thing, as I seem to look at it more objectively after a few days/weeks/months. That is why I don't like offline shopping in most of the mass market stores because I instantly get overwhelmed by the variety of products around me and cannot think straight.
Pinterest (and sometimes Karma) has been really good for saving and getting an overview of items I like - aside from being on a student budget, I find that it makes it easy to return to my boards/items to look back and narrow down the items I actually need and really like!
The redecorating tip is super true! Not for everyone tho. I noticed this with my sister and I, it does wonders for her and she is always moving things around for that “freshness” but it is rarely a move I take, change stresses me out because routine is so essential for me. I’m a contradiction tho hahaha because I’ve moved so many times and I never minded that and live traveling 🤷🏽♀️😂 In terms of shopping habits I rarely ever shop and when I do I only do it out necessity or if I have thought about it many many times and I am willing to let go of the thing it is replacing… I don’t enjoy accumulating things
Decluttered and clean home is the ultimate luxury for me! And when i have a self care day, nice clothes and makeup on (i work from home so too often dont prioritise that), makes me feel like i have some of my shit together 😁 great tip also to not spend money when you are in a bad mood, i try to just go for a long walk in nature with nice music or podcast.
Great video! Last year I've been really trying to figure out how I can live my best life, without wasting money. I agree that prioritizing is so important. Combined with having priorities, I also think moderation/minimalism is key in feeling rich on a budget. I love clothes, but I keep it at basics and neutral colors which make me feel amazing. I love wearing good quality makeup, but I stick to one look that I go for everyday, alternating between two lipsticks to change up the look. I'd love to see some of the world, but I've narrowed it down to a few places that I absolutely want to go to. I love interior design, but I keep it minimalistic so that it's affordable (less furniture and also Ikea has some great basics) and clean, and still cosy when you go for warm neutral colors and warm lights. And I love spending time with loved ones in restaurants and bars, but I don't do that more than 1-2 times a month and I make sure it's a good place. That means I have something to look forward to and it becomes more precious if you don't do it too often. And I also love nature and walking and that's pretty much free so that makes me very happy as well ❤️
My one luxury, that I haven't quite gotten to afford, is pottery, ceramics, and stoneware. I absolutely adore craftsmanship and something about earthen textures makes me happy
When I go shopping, I try things on, take some photos and then go home without buying. If I can't get this piece out of my mind, I can still go and buy it another day :) Between this two days of shopping, some beautiful jeans went on sale from 70€ to 32€, so this is another argument why this method works for me 😄
I love this! Even though my boyfriend and I are poor university students, we always put money aside to treat ourselves to a really nice meal out every now and then, having those treats makes budgeting way more doable!
Gardening is a great free stress reliever for me and pretty much inexpensive bc I focus on growing my own seedlings from seed. Fantastic one, Jenny, again :)
The anticipation!! It really IS half the fun; I love planning even little tiny things like a trip to the bookstore with a friend because the whole week just feels so fun.
once I heard an interesting tip for those who like luxury brands: invest on a brand pin. Like a Chanel pin. Any bland shirt or belt will turn into a luxury item with a pin on it. It's magic.
I’m becoming a minimalist when it comes to my things, but I love thrift shopping for designer stuff for my trendy 18 year old son - he loves it. Beautiful, thoughtful video as usual. Pus pus Lesley England xx
Great tips! I always have a visual wish list for both clothing, furniture, books, music etc. Then I can watch my wish list over and over and think about if I really wanted that piece or not. I tend to delete some things after a couple of days and thats how I only shop things I love!
though i love the tip on redecorating and decluttering in the hopes of liking your living space a bit more, i want to note that for some people, a little mess is necessary to feel at home. Minimalism isn´t for everyone! i think the important thing is loving everything that you surround yourself with.
I went zero waste about 2 years ago because of climate crisis! One of the best decisions I made especially with the pandemic and current supply problems! Would recommend to anyone not just for the financial, climate and chicer the the crappy plastic bottle or kitchen paper!
another tip that works!!! save the things you dont use so much/ you dont like so much, so then, when you find them again, you can either surprise yourself with things you now would like to use (and you will be happy as if they were new) orr, if you still dont like them or you wont use them, you can re-sell them or even gift them like letting them go
Frequent traveling and good haircut, definitely. Also I cook from scratch and pretty healthy, but I wouldn't call that a luxury, rather something necessary.
Fun fact I remembered when you were talking about treating yourself inexpensively. During a recession, lipstick sales go up! Buying a new lippie is such a treat for a relatively small amount of money.
I‘ve gotten to know myself better throughout the couple of years & it turned out I only impulse shop when I feel stressed or anxious and that short adrenaline rush is really not worth it. It’s so easy to get addicted to that feeling but afterwards you feel a bit ashamed & a little regret, too… !
During the pandemic I created a small shopping addiction, now i am mentally in a better place and have good things going on, your videos are really helping me to create good habits and more fullfilling lifestyle.
I like "shopping". Walking around, looking at Windows for Inspiration, having a coffee and watch people... If I find a "love at first sight"-piece I might buy it. But usually I view the trends online, put the pieces I like in my virtual basket and then compare if I have something similar in my wardrobe (what is the case in like 95%)
Great tips! One of my "expensive on a budget" favorites is to buy a really nice, preferably sustainable, coffee cup or thermos and bring your own coffee. It not only makes you have your to go coffee to feel that extra lux without spending money, but you can even have it in places where there are no places to buy coffee, and it will still be warm ;) And if you have a favorite coffee place or barista, take you cup there and ask for a discount, they save a cup and you the environment!
My fave little luxuries, Christmastime edition - baking saffron buns (thanks to you, Jenny!) for a warm make-in-one-day treat, or German stollen for a treat I'll get to anticipate (turns out candying orange and lemon peel takes several days once you factor in having to let it all dry thoroughly). There's so many delicious sweet things this time of year but it makes me doubly appreciate those delicious baked goods that aren't overly sweet.
Hey guess u are German If u want the peel of an orange u can use it fresh too! I honestly think it tastes even better u can use a little more since it is more watery but still if u need it fast just use it fresh u can still dry the rest too make your own spices and safe money like that
@@kimlee205 Thank you for the suggestion, I'll have to give that a try with the fresh peel! My husband's family is of German heritage and I wanted to make something extra special to take to our first Christmas celebration with his grandma (I was told it was something his grandfather always had at the holidays but I sadly never got the chance to meet him). I loved how it turned out and I'm looking forward to it this year!
Maybe that’s what I am missing : a priority! Lately I’ve been troubled by my own lack of interest in pretty things. Not a year ago, I could treat myself with cute jewelry, a nice top or underwear. Now: nothing. I lost my vision of my ideal wardrobe, there are no clothes or jewelry out there which excites me, or if they do, they are so expensive that it makes them unavailable for me. I was kind of sad about it, because I am actually longing for a change, but I have no idea what is that change I am looking for. So, maybe I miss my priority… I have to think about it.
I am very olfactory focused and I love to read. So my primary luxuries are new books I am reading in series and also beautiful perfumes (I only buy the ones I love.)
This is such a good video Jenny. I have recently relocated to a new country and I have been living in a hotel apartment , which is furnished of course. It’s been very liberating not being able to buy any home decor because I am a designer and my whole life revolves around decor and interiors and it has been extremely healthy for my bank account to not be able to buy anything because I don’t have space or a need for it. As you say , priorities are the key
I had a class of 17/18 year old ladies for basic mathematics and set out to do a budget which would end up on a computer spreadsheet. It was hard work getting out of them the things that they spent on and how much items cost. They missed off any budget for clothes, make up, hygiene, entertainment and transport and had little clue about the cost of their diet. I also go them to work out what was left as net income from their prospective careers. Adding what they spent and what they might earn at the end of the course it was clear that they could not afford to leave home unless they found someone to support them as well as their parents/family currently did.
Love these tips Jenny! If I'm feeling like I need some retail therapy I'll splurge on consumables instead of 'stuff'. For example some lovely gourmet food or wine. And my treat is coffee from my favourite barista. Mmmmm.......
About shopping, even though I go to shops and buy nothing most of the times I often find myself regeting that I didn't buy, or regretting I buyed. I in general don't go shopping often as I don't really enjoy it too much, I like it but only if I dont have a pressure. Also I do like to have a certain that is how my room looks and don't like changes too much. As I am chaotic I am already happy if I managed to keep things rather tidy.
Well fitted minimalist clothing, slicked back hair, groomed eyebrows and eyeshadow she seems to use as blush/contour as well to get that runway look. Red lip and evened skin tone plus she’s slim
Prioritising is really a hard thing. But I think to me it's diving into other worlds of religions, cultures and fairytales. I'd like to build a cosy library for myself in my next flat.
The thing is I don't want to spend my money on any brand because brands are giving no quality! Not a single brand! Fashion brands are making everything with plastic and I'm sick and tired of sweating in plastic shirts or blazers! There is literally no brand that makes affordable clothing items decently designed in cotton or natural fabric. It's all made in plastic and they have the nerve to expect we'll pay thousands of euros for that crap made with polluting methods by underpaid people: I'm so sick and tired of the fashion industry.
How do you feel about investing as a anti-capitalist/socialist. (That’s what I’m assuming your values are😅✌🏻) I’ve been really strugling with this thought and thinking is it okay for me and my values to invest? On the other side I want to get myself out of poverty and that seems like the only way to do so. Love from Finland 💗
