117 Frugal Self-Care Ideas For An Amazing You in 2021

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Self-care ideas for an amazing me? Yes, please and thank you.

Seriously, adulting isn’t easy. I will never understand why we’re in such a rush to get through childhood to do this whole adulthood thing. It’s seriously gotta be one of the biggest bamboozles of all time, but I digress.

We have to survive this adulting thing and the best way to do it is by indulging in all of the frugal self-care activities you possibly can. I know there are tons of self-care tips out there, but a lot of them require spending a lot of money and nobody got time for all of that.

I need some frugal self-care ideas and if you’re here, I’m guessing you need some too. While some of these may require a little coin, I can guarantee that anything listed here will be extremely cheap. Because like I said, adulting is hard and expensive enough in and of itself. So it’s only right to find some ways to treat yourself without emptying your wallet.

Today I’m going to share with you some frugal self-care ideas that will be easy on your budget and nourishing to your soul. I’ll complete this round-up with a daily self-care checklist that you can print out. That way you’ll always have easy access to some quick things you can do every day to maintain your sanity. Without further adieu, let’s get into these self-care tips that will help you become an even more amazing version of you!

 

117 Frugal Self-Care Ideas For An Amazing You 2021

 

Emotional Self-Care Ideas

1. Give yourself permission to experience and express any and all emotions in a healthy manner. It’s okay to be angry, sad, and happy all in the same day.
2. Write down 5 things you’re grateful for every day.
3. Look at pictures that bring back happy memories.
4. Print some of those pictures and hang them in Dollar Tree frames.
5. Stop criticizing yourself and compliment yourself for what you do well more often.
6. Release your emotions through art – paint, draw, create music, write books, art therapy, etc.
7. Create a playlist of nostalgic songs.
8. Post affirmations that keep pushing you forward.
9. Schedule me-time on your calendar.
10. Pick up the phone and tell your loved ones hi.
11. Take yourself on a movie or dinner date.
12. Talk to a baby and tell them all about your day — they’ll more than likely attentively listen!
13. Make an inspiration collage and frame it. Keep one at your work desk and one at home where you can see it.
14. Spend a day this weekend at the soup kitchen.
15. Write a love letter.

 

 

Mental Self-Care Ideas

1. Retrain your brain to focus on the good stuff in any situation.
2. Unfollow negative social media pages and friends.
3. Cut off toxic people, period.
4. It’s okay to say no. No, you’re not being selfish.
5. Create a solid morning and nightly routine to begin and end the day the right way.
6. Read a fiction book.
7. Replace should/have in your vocabulary. Instead of saying I have to go to work, say that I get to go to work, etc…
8. Learn a new board game (hint: you can rent these from the library, pick up some at a thrift store, or buy cheap ones on eBay).
9. Do a crossword puzzle.
10.  Gather your coloring supplies and indulge in some adult coloring.
11. Learn a new skill through free and cheap online courses.
12. Tidy up your personal space…this does wonders for your mental health.
13. Declutter and sell stuff you no longer need on Decluttr.
14. Put your cell-phone and tablet on top of the refrigerator. Now walk away.
15. Empty the dishwasher and clean out your sink (I know I’m not the only one that gets satisfaction from this).
16. Work on a jigsaw puzzle.
17. Start journaling your thoughts instead of keeping everything on your mind.
18. Forgive someone who’s hurt you in the past…it’s not for them.
19. Shorten your to-do list. Work on completing three major things a day.
20. Go to a support group to listen and share with others.
21. Find a new podcast to listen to.
22.  Take a tour of your town and learn about the history.
23. Learn a new language.
24. Listen to an audiobook — Grab a free trial of Audible and two free books here.

 

Financial Self-Care Tips

1. Create a budget.
2. Track your expenses.
3. Create and automate a savings plan.
4. Open up an IRA.
5. Try a new side-hustle.
6. Sell things you don’t need and put the money in savings.
7. Create a debt repayment strategy.
8. Organize your bills and your finances.
9. Build your credit.
10. Talk to your spouse about money.
11. Create a meal to eat at home instead of going out.

 

Spiritual Self-Care Ideas

1. Attend church or listen to an online sermon.
2. Meditate.
3. Do something kind for someone else in secret.
4. Try relaxation techniques.
5. Do a body scan to see if you’re holding emotions in certain parts of your body.
6. Pray.
7. Create a prayer journal.
8. Donate money to your favorite charity.
9. Go on a social media fast.
10. Volunteer at a local shelter or nursing home.
11. Challenge yourself to random acts of kindness.
12. Choose NOT to entertain or join an argument.
13. Practice being more empathetic to others.
14. Read daily motivational or spiritual cards.

 

Social Self-Care Ideas

1. Go on a date with your spouse.
2. Do a family movie night this weekend.
3. Have a game night and invite some friends over.
4. Smile and speak to others when you pass them.
5. Send an encouraging email to your friends or loved ones.
6. Ask for help when you need it.
7. Accompany a friend while they are running errands.
8. Be nice to someone working in customer service, they probably could use a little kindness today.
9. Have a picnic with your family this weekend.
10. Take a sweet treat to your neighbors.
11. Find the poke button on Facebook and poke your friends (it’s still there, I find it occasionally!)
12. Send a postcard or letter to an out of state friend or family member.
13. Send a care package to someone you know could use a little pick me up.
14. Take someone to lunch.
15. Go on a weekend road trip with your friends.

 

Frugal Luxe Self-Care Tips

1. Take an Epsom salt bath.
2. Take a shower with your essential oil diffuser on.
3. Buy yourself the flowers at the grocery store check out.
4. Buy a good essential oil diffuser and luxury essential oils to create your own spa at home.
5. Make your own Starbucks.
6. Light some candles.
7. Give yourself a salt body scrub.
8. Go wine tasting.
9. Give yourself a mani/pedi.
10. Allow someone else to wash and massage your head (this is the only reason why I usually ever go to a hair salon!)
11. Check out some of these other self-care items you didn’t know you needed!

 

Crafty Self-Care Activities

1. Plant some veggies, fruits, or plants.
2. Paint some art for your home.
3. Build something with your kid’s Legos when they are at school.
4. Make a homemade face mask using a DIY recipe.
5. Sew, quilt, or crochet something.
6. Repaint or refurbish a piece of furniture in your home to give it new life.
7. Bake or make a sinful dessert and enjoy it without the guilt.

 

Physical Self-Care Activities

1. Go swing on a swing set.
2. Do some stretching exercises throughout the day.
3. Sign up for a free complimentary gym visit.
4. Sign up for a complimentary martial art, boxing, pilates, or yoga class.
5. Do some breathing exercises.
6. Go on a walk during your lunch break.
7. Drink more water. Make a batch of infused water.
8. Increase your fruit and veggie intake.
9. Spend 10 minutes outside every day.
10. Ride a bike.
11. Grab a massage deal off Groupon.
12. Go to bed early (a fave of mine!)
13. Learn how to self-sooth (hint: mine is rubbing my feet together until I go to sleep).
14. Take the stairs.
15. Dance naked (hey, you get no judgment from me).
16. Sleep in this weekend.
17. Take a quick nap.
18. Play with your kids outside.
19. Turn up the music and perform for yourself.
20. Take a pole dancing class.
21. Feed yourself first for once.

 

Daily Self Care Checklist

I’ve rounded some of the ideas above into a neat self-care list that you can print out and keep in your journal, your desk, the mirror, or where ever you see fit. When you need it most, just look at the daily self-care checklist and check in with yourself. Just ask yourself, “Have I indulged in a little frugal self-care for the day?” If not, cross off one of these easy-to-do items on the list to ensure you get your daily self-care. You can access the free printable in the Life and a Budget Library Resource Page. Just drop your email in the box below and you’ll receive an email with the password.

 

Frugal Self-Care Ideas In 2021 Made Easy

If you need some ideas to put on your 2021 self-care list, I’ve provided you with over 100 ways to be good to yourself in the new year. These frugal self-care ideas are budget-friendly and I dare you to do just one of them every day this year. Make sure you print your daily self-care checklist, keep it near you and indulge in some self-care activities the next time you need a little pick-me-up.