30 Affordable Self-care Ideas To Try Now!

Self-care can be super affordable!

What is self care?

Self-care is taking actionable steps to ensure that you keep healthy and fit. It is paying attention to you! What does your body need? What does your mind need to be the best that it can be?

It is important to take care of ourselves as we only get one body and one mind, so we need to make sure we take care of it. If we do not take care of our mind and body, we can increase the risk of developing mental disorders and physical disorders.

Benefits of self-care include:

• Reducing stress- With all that is going on around us, it can be quite taxing on our bodies. Not to mention work stress as well! Practising self-care are a stressful workday can help you to unwind and cater to your needs.
• Can help you to be more compassionate- You can not give when you have nothing to give! Giving yourself some tender, love and care; it will make you feel good. Once you have poured into yourself, you can pour into others and you will still have something left in your cup!
• Boots your immune system- Taking care of your bodies can make you less vulnerable to some illnesses. Give your immune system the upper hand, help it to help you!

Like Queen B said, “We have to care about our bodies and what we put in them. Women have to take the time to focus on our mental health—take time for self, for the spiritual, without feeling guilty or selfish. The world will see you the way you see you and treat you the way you treat yourself.”

Self-care doesn’t have to be super expensive. These times have been overwhelming for a majority of us so don’t worry about breaking the bank.

Below is a list of affordable self-care ideas. Enjoy!

1. Take a walk in nature

I am grateful to live near a lot of green spaces. I was never one to go for walks honestly; I would go to the gym to get my cardio. Due to quarantine, the gyms have been closed, so walking is another option for me to get my cardio in.

Now, I wake up and go for a walk. It helps me to clear my head and wakes me up. Walking helps you relieve stress and to walk in nature allows you to focus on the things around you, the trees, the grass, the birds chirping…it is calming and can be used for reflection.

(If you need tips to stay motivated during quarantine, click here)

2. Go for a jog

As mentioned prior, I had to get my cardio in as part of my workout routine. When the gyms first closed back in March 2020, I decided that I wanted to start jogging! I put it off for so long as I live in an area with A LOT of hills and I couldn’t imagine jogging around here but what the heck!

To start jogging, I used NHS couch to 5K, which is a program is a 9-week running plan to help you to progress and be able to run a 5k!

If I was consistent, I believe that I would be able to do a 5K.

Let me tell you it is difficult! But you can go at your own pace. Make sure you stretch and take breaks in between running days but do aim to go for runs 3 times a week if you can.

3. Gardening

I don’t have a garden, but studies show that gardening has benefits for your overall wellbeing. You can plant your own veggies, flowers, whatever you want.

Are you like me and you don’t have a garden? You can buy some plants that help with your mental health. Lavender and snake plant is good for anxiety, and aloe vera is good for sleep. Make sure you do some research if you’re interested in becoming a plant parent!

4. Meditate

There are so many different types of meditation; from mindfulness to spiritual meditation. You don’t need any resources to meditate.

In order to start the meditation process, do the following:

Find a comfortable position and close your eyes.

Focus on your breath and try to keep your attention on your breath while you inhale and exhale.

That is meditation! Simple!

Your mind will wander, which is ok. Just try to bring your focus back on to your breath when it does. Aim for a couple of minutes to start with and then build it up from there. I aim to meditate for at least 5 minutes a day.

5. Yoga

Similarly to meditation, there are many different variations of meditation. Kundalini yoga is a spiritual practice of yoga, whereas prenatal yoga is catered for moms to be. So find which one that meets your needs.

I started yoga when I was 15/16, but I stopped the practice when I started going to the gym around 16/17, but since lockdown began, I started yoga again. And I love it! There are millions of Youtube videos regarding yoga, so if you would like to follow a video, I would recommend it!

6. Journal

I love journaling! It is the practice of writing your thoughts, feelings down on paper. You can write anything you want.

Benefits of journaling include:

• Relieve stress
• Allows you to reflect
• Keeps your feelings/thoughts organised

You make your own journal with just paper, or if you would like to buy one, I brought a journal from Poundland! If you have a bit more disposable income, you can invest in a journal that gives you daily prompts and helps you think about what to write about.

If you would like to know more about journaling, check out my Youtube video below.

7. Draw/Doodle

Drawing in your free time can help you to focus on the present. It can make you feel relaxed. Once again, you can draw on anything, old newspapers, magazines. You don’t need extra resources, paper, pen and you’re good to go!

8. Mindfulness colouring

Colouring is nostalgic and brings me back to my childhood. But sometimes we need to take it back to the basics.

I brought this from amazon some years ago.

It helps to focus on staying in between the lines while boosting your mood and relieving stress!

I have some really cheap ones, but you can use your own templates or print some at home if you like.

9. Tidy/Clean

Having a clean environment can help to have a clear mind. Well, it works for me! I feel more focused when I have a clean environment.

Studies show that women who live in cluttered homes had higher stress levels than those who lived in clean homes.

If you don’t have a lot of time to clean, maybe do a bit a day. Something is better than nothing!

10. Get adequate sleep

What is adequate sleep?

According to the National Sleep Foundation guidelines, “healthy adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night. Babies, young children, and teens need even more sleep to enable their growth and development. People over 65 should also get 7 to 8 hours per night.”

Personally, I aim for 7 hours a night. Mind you, I drink 4 litres of water a day, so sometimes I wake up during the night to use the annoying bathroom, but I don’t feel too tired in the morning. Plus, drinking water gives me energy.

Having a good night routine and going to bed roughly the same time every night does help.

Having a good nights sleep is important to:

• Improve your mood
• Improve your concentration
• Stabilise your weight
• Reduce stress levels

To have a good sleep, ensure that you wind down and prepare yourself for sleep. You can do this by stop using your phone at least an hour before sleep, read a book or even stretch.

I aim to be asleep by 12 am so by 11 pm, I close my laptop and get off my phone as it can be so distracting. I read, journal and stretch. Once I finish stretching, I am ready for bed.

You want to wake up in a good mood in the morning check out 5 Helpful Morning Routine Tips.

11. Make Nutritious meals

Having a balanced diet is not only good for your physical health but your mental wellbeing.

Eating high sugary foods can have an impact on your mood! I try to watch my sugar intake as I have noticed that I feel more anxious when I eat a lot of sugary meals. However, I do enjoy my meals, but I don’t overdo it.

On Saturday, I have my cheat meals which usually consists of vegan ‘junk meals’; a burger, a pizza…whatever I feel like!

Throughout the week, I have balanced meals consisting of high protein and veggies.

Everything in moderation!

12. Stretching

After I work out, I stretch for 10 minutes and then before I go to bed, I stretch for 5 minutes. I try to stay off my phone, and I hold stretches for about a minute.

Benefits of stretching include: keeping muscles flexible, improves your posture, can calm your mind and guess what it relieves stress!

13. Read a book

Growing up, I loved reading fictional books from Malorie Blackman to Anthony Horowitz; I could not keep my head out of a book. Now, I read a lot of self-development/self-care books. Check out some of my book reviews.

You Are A Badass

The Seat of the Soul

14. Head over to Netflix

Lockdown has given us a lot more time to become addicted to Netflix. There are so many great shows right now. I watched girlfriends! I watched it briefly when I was younger, but now that I am older and more experienced, I have a new love and greater appreciation for it!

15. Burn some incense

I brought lavender incense from my local market for less than £1! Super affordable. It helps me to relax and unwind. There are many different types of incense so if you are interested, do your research.

16. Call your loved ones

Due to the pandemic, being stuck in the house, I started to become really isolated. Although I live with my parents, I miss my friends and my boyfriend. Thank God for technology as it helped me to stay in contact with everyone. Check on your friends and while you do so, make sure you read my post on why having friends is important.

17. Listen to music

Music makes me feel so good. There’s music for every mood. I found that soca (carnival music) will lift your mood instantly! Man, I miss carnival. Go away virus!

18. Get a massage

Quite often, I ask my boyfriend to give me a massage because I deserve it! He has mentioned that I have tension around my shoulders. Once it is safe to do so, I will incorporate professional massages into my life to treat me. If you can do so, check Groupon or get a voucher for some offers.

19. Organise

Having things in order will boost your mood and will reduce some stress. Imagine coming home after a long day of work to find that your room is an absolute mess. That requires you to do more work. Oh no, we don’t want to work on top of work. If you super busy during the week, set aside time on the weekend to do some organization. Pinterest has great ideas to get you organized.

20. Get off social media!

Now, I like social media I really do. I get my workouts from Instagram as well as inspiration, but before you know it, you end up down the rabbit hole, 20 minutes have passed, and you’re on your cousins best friends’ boyfriends’ cousins page.

Studies have shown that social media has had a negative impact on our wellbeing! So do make sure you have some breaks from it now and again.

21. Visualation

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? What would you like to see in your future? Close your eyes and take your mind to where you would like to go. What does your career look like? Thnk of every detail. What pay would you like? What area would you work in? What are your hours like? Think of every detail. Be specific!

22. Say No

I have a post about this. Check it out here!

Put yourself first, yes this is self-care too! Sometimes, we feel obligated to say yes and do things for others that we would rather not do. We need to create boundaries for our mental wellbeing. It is hard to say no, but once people understand your boundaries, they will hopefully learn to respect it.

23. Deep breathing

Feeling anxious? Practice deep breathing. It is beneficial as it can reduce your blood pressure and…stress! Breathing is a very, VERY affordable self-care idea. You can’t put a price on your peace of mind. Mindfulness is key y’all!

24. Get away (if you can)

One thing that I really miss is travelling. Travelling brings me so much joy. Being able to learn about different cultures and just getting away from my routine is needed right now. Unfortunately, we can not travel right now but as soon as it is safe to do so, bye-bye London, I am OUT OF HERE!

25. Practice Gratitude

You are reading my post (thank you by the way!) which means you have something to be grateful for…the internet. At times, we may feel like we don’t have a lot to be grateful for. You may not like your job, but it is a job! You are receiving money! That is something to be grateful for.

Do you need help to put things in perspective, check out my post, ‘How To Count Your Blessings and be Grateful’.

26. Say affirmations

Speak kindly to yourself every day! Affirmations are the process of saying positive statements. Say good things every day! Every time you look in the mirror, compliment yourself, encourage yourself, you can do it!

As part of my self-care AND daily routine, I say affirmations. I may read it aloud or repeat it to myself. Uplift your mood, create calmness in your mind and lower your stress while you do it.

27. Ask for help

I have learnt a lot about myself during this time at home. For a long time, I work to try to stay busy to mask my feelings and have something else to focus on. I talked to my doctor and was directed to a therapy service in my local area. If you would like to know more about my experience, check my video below.

28. Vision Board

Do you have goals that you would like to accomplish? Want to tap into your creative side? Making a vision board is a great way of putting your ideas on paper. It is your DIY project. You can make yours online using apps such as Canva or you can do it with some glue, magazines and scissors. Paint a picture in your mind and put it to paper. The choice is yours!

29. Make a Habit tracker

Keeping track of your habits is a great way to stay on top of everything. Having everything laided out gives me peace of mind! It also helps you to identify what tasks you need to do!

Check out mine below

As you can see, I have a lot of things that make up my self-care routine. Although it may not feel like self-care at the moment, I have definitely seen the positive effects of establishing a self-care routine.

30. Have a bath/shower

It has been a while since I’ve had a bubble bath but in my new place (putting it into the atmosphere), I’ll make use of it. Even if I don’t go anywhere, which is common these days, I make sure to shower! I feel clean and feel productive in a weird way. You can even meditate in the shower.

Mindfulness in the shower. Pay attention to your breathing and how you wash your body. Where does your mind take you? Take your time; pay attention to every detail.

Not a lot of resources are required to take care of your body and your mind.

We all need to have a self-care routine!

Please be careful and put YOU first.

Thanks for reading.

Tagged cbt, exercise, self-care routine, stress, therapy