No matter the economy, we all deserve to reward ourselves now and then with something special. Maybe you got a promotion at work or did well on a project. Maybe you have reached your weight loss or financial goals. Perhaps you simply just need to remind yourself that you are a fabulous person worthy of respect. Whatever your motivation, why not treat yourself by indulging in something fun, which has the added benefit of balancing your work with your personal life? Below, you’ll find some great ideas for how to pamper yourself on any budget.

Food

Oh, how we all love to eat. Whether you say “potato” or “potato,” food is a fun way to treat yourself. Some suggestions include:

• Trying out that little cafe you walk by every day on your way home from work
• Stopping by a coffee shop and picking up your favorite frappuccino when you lose 15 pounds
• Buying yourself a delicious cupcake just because you are worth the indulgence
• Sitting down in front of Netflix with a takeout pizza and your favorite wine for an evening of binge-watching your favorite series
• Cooking a batch of pasta and side of vegetables on a rainy day
• Eating something exotic like oysters while kicking back in a park on a Saturday
• Making chocolate-covered waffles on a Sunday morning and eating them all by yourself

You get the idea! What food speaks to you? Every once in a while, go a little crazy and remind yourself that food is one of the best parts of our lives.

Leisure

With so much of our days caught up in family, work, and, well, more work, it can feel positively decadent to step back from it all and do something for ourselves. Depending on where you live, you have a ton of options:

• Take a solitary walk along a pretty country road (or better yet, bring your dog along)
• Go to a local museum and check out that exhibit you have been meaning to see
• Sit in an outdoor cafe, order some coffee and dessert, and people-watch
• Call in sick to work, go to a bookstore, buy a new novel, and read it to your heart’s content
• Sleep all day. Enough said!
• Take in a play, musical, or movie
• Turn off the phone, fill up the bathtub with hot water, and soak for as long as you want to
• Sit in your backyard and watch the stars come out

Shopping

Treating yourself to a purchase can feel wonderful (so long as you stay within your budget, of course). Depending on what your tastes are, you might try any of these suggestions:

• Buy yourself some new plants or flowers for your windowsill or backyard
• Purchase some new pillows or blankets for your sofa or bed
• Get a cheap plane ticket to “somewhere” and start making plans to go
• Buy that sweatshirt, sweater, or pair of shoes you’ve been eyeing forever
• Bring home some new slippers, bath towels, or pajamas

Travel

You don’t have to go around the world to pamper yourself, though that’s definitely recommended. Remember that you can explore your city or state, too, and have just as much fun.

• Go to a neighborhood in your town that you have never visited before
• Visit a university’s campus and see what there is to see
• Google what’s within an hour or two of your city and plan a road trip
• Get your passport, a good guidebook, and start exploring the globe

There is never a better day to treat yourself than today, and you don’t have to break the bank to do it. The trick is to give yourself permission and to focus on what pampering means to you. Life is short – smell the roses now and believe in your own worth as a human being!