free activities Archives - Sweet Frugal Life

How to self care without spending a lot of money.

It’s no secret that self care is important! If our physical, mental and emotional needs aren’t being met, then we won’t be able to feel or perform our best in all of the many responsibilities in our lives. Often times we might feel like the only way to self care is to spend a lot of money….you know, more of a treat-yo-self mentality. But, I’m here to remind you that you do not have to spend any money at all to take care of your needs! Below are some free self care ideas to help you feel more renewed and content.

Sweet Frugal Life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Cheap Ways To Self Care

You do not need to go out and buy all of the newest and greatest objects in order to self care. You can self care for cheap using the ideas below.

1. Take A Bath

One of my favorite ways to self care for free is to take a nice, long, hot bath (emphasis on hot). There is just nothing better than soaking all of your worries and stresses away from the comfort of your own bathtub.

If you want to splurge a little, buy some inexpensive bubble bath or a bath salts.

2. Go For A Walk

Fresh air and exercise are both so important for our mental health. If you are feeling down, make sure to take some time out of your day to go outside and walk. Even if it’s just a short walk down the road, it will do you good!

3. Take A Break From Social Media

I love social media and think it’s a great way to connect with others….I mean my entire business started from instagram! But! I also know that social media can begin to affect our mental health in a negative way if used excessively.

If you are ever feeling low mentally or emotionally, I recommend taking a break from social media. The break could be anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks. I always feel awesome after taking these breaks! It’s the best time to focus on being present with my surroundings.

4. Have A Dance Party To Your Favorite Music

A good old fashioned dance party is one of the best ways to boost our mood. So, crank up your favorite music and move your body! You don’t even need to be in a group, some of the best dance parties can happen all by yourself in your home or car!

Related: How To Listen To Audiobooks For Free

5. Declutter Something

I know that cleaning and decluttering are not the first things that come to mind when thinking of free self-care ideas. However, tidying a space in your home can truly help clear your mind.

6. Read A Book

There just isn’t anything better than getting lost in a good book (where are my fellow book nerds at?!?!). Take some time to relax with one of your favorite books, or try a new one. Let your worries drift away as you focus on the story. Don’t forget that you can check out books for free at your public library!

Some of my favorite books are: The Orphan Keeper, Pride and Prejudice, The Secret Keeper, Before We Were Yours, Listening For Lions, and Little Women.

7. Keep A Journal

Have you ever tried journaling? It can be a very therapeutic way to release stress and worries. Start a journal and write about all of your fun memories, your favorite activities, things you are looking forward to, your feelings about the day, goals for the future, etc.

There are so many ways to keep a journal. You can start one online, use your Notes App from your phone, or buy a pretty journal to write in.

8. Take A Nap

Sometimes all our body needs is some extra rest to feel ready to tackle the day. Give yourself an hour or two of peace and quiet and take a power nap. It’s ok if you don’t even fall asleep, laying and resting in a quiet place is often enough to give us the self care we need.

Related: How To Exercise For Free (or crazy cheap!)

9. Watch The Sunset

Take a drive or walk to a place where you can watch the sunset. Enjoy being in nature and set your worries aside for a few minutes.

10. Try A New Workout

Get your endorphins up with an at home workout. I’ll be the first to admit that it’s hard for me to make time for working out, but whenever I do, I feel so much better mentally! There are so many free workouts you can find on YouTube. I love Grow With Jo, Yoga With Adrienne, and Pop Sugar Fitness.

11. Meditate

I’ll be the first to admit that I use to not like the idea of meditation. But, that was before I actually understood it. Now, I love resting my eyes and mind for 10-20 minutes of meditation. It can make a huge difference in my mood for the day. You can find free meditation exercises on youtube that will guide you through the process.

12. Drink A Large Glass of Water

Self care also includes taking care of our bodies, and drinking enough water is one of the best things we can do for our bodies. When we drink plenty of water we will have much more energy and feel better for the rest of the day. If you are feeling down, pour yourself a large glass of water and take care of your body!

13. Watch Your Favorite Movie

One of my favorite free self care ideas is to watch your favorite movie or tv show. There is nothing better than snuggling up on the couch, or in your bed, and let your mind turn off as you enjoy some on screen entertainment.

Related: Cheap At Home Date Night Ideas

14. Call A Friend

Don’t forget to make time for your relationships, it does wonder for our mood. I love calling up my sister and discussing the things that are on my mind, letting her ease my worries and listening to her advice. It’s a vital form of self care!

15. Pick Wildflowers

Bring nature indoors with some beautiful wildflowers! Maybe you have flowers in your yard, or can pick some from the side of the road. Either way, try to pick a big bouquet of flowers to bring inside. Put them in a vase or a jar and place them somewhere you can see them regularly. There is just something about nature that renews my soul!

16. Invite Friends Over

Give yourself some self care by inviting over a few close friends. You could host a game night, clothing swap, movie night, BBQ, book club, or just get together to chat and munch on some snacks! Taking the time out of our day to spend quality time with others is really good for our mental health.

17. Give Yourself An At Home Mani or Pedi

Give your hands and feet a nice soak and then paint your nails with a fresh new color. We love using this UV light nail dryer for fresh gel nails!

18. Light A Candle

Candles are such a great way to change the mood of your living space. I instantly feel happier when I smell the crisp pumpkin spice scent from my candle and can watch the beautiful light of the candle flicker in the dark. This is such an easy, but wonderful way to self care!

19. Get Dressed Up

There is just something about looking our best, that makes us feel our best! So, take an hour or so to dress in the clothes that make you feel amazing, fix your hair, and give yourself some glam makeup. Even if you are just running errands or sitting around at home, you will feel amazing!

Self Care On A Budget Is Possible

You can give yourself the self care and treatment you deserve, without spending a lot of money. I hope you try a few of these ideas today. And, don’t forget that you are loved, you are important and you matter! Tell yourself that 3 times every day!

Don’t Forget To Pin This Article:

I hope you enjoyed these free self care ideas!

The best at home date ideas!

Looking for some cheap at home date night ideas??? You’ve come to the right place!

I’ve been married 17 years and life has HAPPENED. Right now the majority of our time is spent taking care of our three kids, working our jobs, and maintaining our home. It’s been far to easy to become consumed with all of our long list of “to dos” and leave less time for each other. We have learned that we MUST make date night a priority, or else it probably won’t happen.

However, dating can be expensive! Just dinner and a movie could easily cost you a quick $50. PLUS, when you have to hire a babysitter….those dates can add up fast. I have BEEN there!

We learned quickly that if we wanted to have regular date night, without breaking the budget, we needed to start having them at home. We brainstormed some fun at home date ideas, schedule a night each week, put the kids to bed, turn off the TV, put away all phones and other distractions and we spend time together. It has done wonders for our relationship!

I’m excited to share our cheap at home date night ideas with you! I hope you can find something that you and your partner will enjoy together.

For even more free date night ideas check out my post, 20 FREE Valentine Date Ideas.

Our Favorite Cheap At Home Date Night Ideas

Remember that a good date night is all about spending time together. There are so many free things you can do during a date night at home! Enjoy these easy at home date ideas!

1. Candlelight Dinner

There’s no rule that says you have to go out to a fancy restaurant in order to enjoy a romantic dinner. You can have it right at home!

Put your kids to bed and enjoy a quiet dinner, just the two of you. Set the mood by lighting some candles, dimming the lights, and adding a pretty tablecloth.

Make sure to cook your favorite dinner before hand to enjoy together. It doesn’t even need to be fancy, as long as it’s something the two of you both love!

2. Put Together a Puzzle

Grab a puzzle and spend some time putting it together. This is such a great time to talk and laugh. We love having a project/goal we can work towards together.

Bonus! If you choose a more difficult puzzle you can turn your date night into a multiple night date! My husband and I love Dowdle Puzzles.

3. Would you Rather

Ask each other “would you rather” questions to get to know each other a little better. This is such a fun way to learn more about each other.

You can ask serious questions, or be a little more lighthearted and fun. I’m still surprised at all the random idiosyncrasies I keep learning about my husband!

Here are some fun Would You Rather questions to help you get started!

4. Food Tasting

Get brave in the kitchen by trying out some new foods together. When planning for this date look for new food at the grocery store that you normally wouldn’t buy. Perhaps, some fancy cheeses and unique fruits. You might even find a few new favorite foods!

5. Personality Quizzes

I’m a bit of a nerd in the fact that I seriously love personality quizzes. I’m betting there isn’t a personality quiz out there that I haven’t taken.

For a fun date night you could both take a personality quiz and then read each others results. This is such a great way to get to know each other and understand the other better. Understanding your spouses personality can really strengthen your marriage.

6. Dream Board

Another cheap at home date night idea is to put together a dream board together.

A dream board is a board where you put your dreams, goals, and aspirations on. This can be done using pictures or words. Being able to voice your dreams and then visualize it is a great way to achieving it!

Spend some time together dreaming up your future and then put those dreams on paper with your dream board. Print out a few pictures that represent your dreams to add to your board.

Make sure to gang it up somewhere that you will both see it regularly. This part is important to see success!

7. Outdoor Picnic

If it’s warm outside, set up a little outdoor picnic. This is so easy to do! Just lay out a blanket to sit on, pack all your favorite finger foods, and enjoy time together in your own backyard.

Try to schedule it right before the sunset so you can enjoy dinner and a show. Be sure to bring an extra blanket for snuggling.

Related: 50 FREE activities to do with your kids over the Summer Break

8. Ice Cream Sundaes

Ice cream is definitely not just for kids! My husband and I have a serious deep love for ice cream. It’s fairly common for one of us to buy a pint of ice cream as a sweet gesture to the other.

How about turning an ice cream sundae into a cheap at home date night! Grab some ice cream and your favorite toppings and enjoy a sundae with your sweetie. Finish it off with a cherry on top (of course!).

9. Play Name That Tune

Are you and your significant other music lovers?? Test each others music knowledge with a friendly game of name that tune.

You could travel back in time and play some of the hits from when you were kids or listen to the current hits. Turn it into a friendly competition with a small wager (maybe loser has to make the bed the next morning????).

10. Learn a New Skill

Is there a new skill you have been wanting to learn? Why not learn it together, as a couple! Watch some YouTube videos about the skill, or sign up for an online class together. These could be a few weeks worth of dates, as you continue to learn and improve your new skill.

Perhaps you will want to learn about photography, cooking, art, or a foreign language? The options are endless! Maybe you could each pick a new skill you would personally like to learn and you can take turns supporting and learning the others chosen skill together.

11. Game Night

I have a serious love for all games and it’s one of my favorite ways to spend an evening, it also makes a great date night.

Get out a few of your favorite board games and have an old fashioned game night. Pop some popcorn, or your favorite snack choice, and enjoy a night of friendly competition, food and good laughs.

12. Star Gazing

Spend a quiet evening together watching the stars. You could download a free astronomy app onto your phone to help you find some new constellations.

This is such a great date for snuggling, good conversation and a beautiful view.

13. Indoor Smores

Did you know that you can roast marshmallows indoors??? Because you can! Spend the evening together roasting marshmallows over the stove top and make indoor smores.

You can make the treat even extra special with gourmet smore toppings. Consider adding caramel, peanut butter, or any other goodie to your smore. It’s OK to act like a kid again with this fun treat!

In Conclusion

You do not have to spend a lot of money, or even leave your house for a special date night. I am challenging you to start making date night a priority….even if you have to do it while staying at home!