15 Cheap/Free Ideas to Make You Feel Happier
Inside of yesterday's post about dealing with financial discouragement, I started to make a list of these, and I realized it would better to do that in a stand-alone post.
There are plenty of ways to lift your spirits if money is no object (massage! dinner out! a vacation! shopping!)
But if you're feeling discouraged because money is tight, then spending more money is not going to actually cheer you up.
So. I'm going to list a bunch of free/cheap things that come to mind for me, and then I'd love for you to share your ideas in the comments.
1. Move your body.
Go for a walk, dance to YouTube music, or do a home workout. Moving your body will release endorphins, which will make you feel happier.
2. Give yourself one small indulgence.
Take a longer, hotter shower than usual, buy the more expensive chocolate, pick up the block of cheese you really want.
Are these things rock-bottom frugal? Nope. But they're a heck of a lot cheaper than a massage or even one meal of take-out. And as long as you choose one thing here and there, the cost will be reasonable even over time.
3. Make a homemade treat.
Bake some brownies, make slushies, or bake a loaf of bread.
(this is molasses oatmeal bread.)
The cost is minimal and your house will smell fabulous.
4. Help someone out.
Babysit for a friend, bring brownies to someone, or help someone with a project. Assisting other people gets your mind off of your own problems.
5. Call/text/email a friend.
Good friends cheer the soul!
(and of course, it goes without saying that you will be there for your friend when they need an emotional lift.)
6. Read a (library) book.
That's free! And you can get cheap books on eBay or at thrift stores as well.
7. Organize something.
If you hate organizing, maybe skip this tip. But if you love a neat space, find something small to organize...a drawer, a corner, a dresser top.
A tidy space can offer cheer, and organizing can be completely free.
Also, if you happen to be feeling sad because you can't afford a nicer home, you might at least feel a little more cheerful if you organize your current space.
8. Clean something.
Piggy-backing on the previous tip...a clean space usually feels more luxurious than a messy one. Maybe you can't choose to upgrade your home, but you can at least control how clean it is.
Also, aggressive scrubbing can be cathartic. 😉
9. Listen to music.
Music, whether you're listening to it or playing it yourself, can lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
And there are oodles of way to listen to free music (YouTube, the radio, CDs from the library).
10. Go out for dessert, donuts, or coffee.
Cheaper to stay home? Totally. But if you have a little bit of cash to spend, do something other than dinner. You can get ice cream, a few donuts, or a cup of coffee and be out $5 or less.
11. Play a game with someone.
This can be completely free (who doesn't own a board game or two?) and if you pick a game that's funny (like charades), you'll probably end up laughing.
12. Get warm or cool.
Do something that makes your body nice and comfy.
If it's hot and humid where you are, make a cold drink and sit in front of the fan for a little while.
If it's cold, wrap yourself in a fuzzy blanket, put on a warm sweater, and sip a hot beverage.
Being too cold or too hot (especially too hot!) makes me crabby, so fixing that helps my mood greatly.
13. Get enough light.
Darkness can be depressing, so open your blinds/shades, go outside, light a candle, or turn on your indoor lights.
14. Go outside.
Nature has lots of mood-boosting benefits, and you don't have to spend tons of money to enjoy it.
Look for local parks, sit outside your front door and look up at the trees and sky, take a walk in a neighborhood with plenty of trees, or visit a nearby lake/river/ocean.
15. Go to bed on time.
Sleeping in can be more fun, but most of us don't get to choose to delay our wake-up time. We can choose to turn off the tech and put ourselves to bed, though.
As Laura Vanderkam says, "Going to bed early is how adults sleep in."
And a more well-rested you is going to feel way more cheerful about the challenge life sends you.
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#16. Clean out the car. It's a wonderful feeling to get into a nice clean, freshly vacuumed (and possibly nice smelling) car. Cost: $0!
I did this once when I was thoroughly pissed-off at a family member. I was livid, I was loud, I was full of negative energy. For some reason I decided to let that all loose on the cruddy, messy, disorganized car. I bought out the vinegar, the spray pump, the rags, the shop vac. I took seats out.
And lookkit that: I combined FG's numbers 1, 7, 8, 9, 13, and 14. When I was done, I could converse civilly with strangers and my car was in good shape.
That's some serious happiness multi-tasking!
Love your comment! Turning negative into positive is the best.
hahaha I love it
Cleaning the car is one of the best ways I cheer up my husband! He always feels good getting into a clean car and I am not the neatest person. So I surprise him from time to time with a quick vacuum of the interior and a good wipe down of the dashboard/interior.
What a nice idea! Thank you. I am going to do this for my husband sometime!
Also, to add to the main list......cheering up your family and friends is a good way to make you happier. My son's laughter almost always make me smile!
Going for a walk is an instant mood booster for me. I listen to music that I love, and it's a huge endorphin rush. Little makes me feel as good, with the exception of...
Going to the library! Seriously, I don't understand why more people don't use their libraries (although the ones I go to are usually pretty busy, but plenty of people on my local FB groups have made statements like, "No one goes to the library anymore!" No, Wayne, just because *you* don't do something doesn't mean no one does). You can walk out of there with a boatload of books, magazines, music, movies, toys, games, you can attend classes and presentations and concerts and film screenings, you can get free passes to local museums and parks through your library, some places have programs where you can borrow things like art, garden tools, power tools, e-readers, kitchen gadgets... It's basically an entertainment superstore at zero cost. We've moved around a LOT, and when we're considering an area, the local library is the first place I look at, they're that important to me. Going to the library is a free way to raise my mood, guaranteed. 🙂
I agree with you, I love the library. We frequent all the libraries in our local area, and I love love love all the services you can take advantage of for free! My little ones love going, and the planned activities for kids (story times, crafts, themed events, famous character appearances, even tea parties!) are wonderful (and free)! Just lately we've gotten to meet "Mouse" from If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, and one night we went to a pancake themed kids' evening, where the kids heard pancake-themed books, learned about the science of pancake making, and got to enjoy watching pancakes being prepared, and then eating them! FREE!
Your library seems much better than mine... We can borrow books for free. The rest, we have to pay for (dvds, cd, conferences, etc). But I still love it, because I looooove books!!
the smell alone makes me happy!!
Put together a puzzle. They are often cheap at retail stores and can be bought new sometimes at thrift stores for very little, if you don't have any already.
Look on you tube for old Red Skelton or Carol Burnette clips. Laughter is sweet.
Check out a library book on origami and start folding. You don't have to have special paper -- my friend makes cranes out of Double-Bubble wrappers for fun.
I know not everyone lives near a green space, but if you have any access at all to even a bit of open sky and/or green space, I ditto the suggestion of getting outside. Walking through the quiet woods on my grandfather's farm was one of the most peaceful, calming activities I have ever done. I also love to walk in the rain (but not with lightning, obviously).
Doing a puzzle is a great idea! I would add asking friends or family to borrow a puzzle to do. (Ask on Facebook or group text to make it quick and easy!) I think most families have a couple puzzles hanging around their house that probably don't get used very often.
And there is a app for that! The Original Jigsaw Puzzle I found at the App Store. Loads of choices and difficulty and a pause button so I never lose a piece to a roaming cat! Also, a musical selection to add if you like.
Change your bedding and clean the bedroom a little. Then have a bath or shower. Finally have a simple hot drink and snuggle down with a book.
Fresh clean sheets alway make me feel luxurious and pampered!
Ohh that's a good one
When I am down, I tend to want to pick a new lipstick. No idea why. Something pretty and doesn't break the bank.
Me too!! I don't know what it is, but it is a nice little boost.
Yes!
During recessions lipsticks sale always go up apparently. Makes sense!
Go for a bike ride (if you have a bike). After the initial cost, it's totally free. It is great exercise but so much fun! Feeling the wind in your face is a sure way to lift your spirits. Also, boating, fishing, and kayaking are great if you have these options. These go along with moving and going outside!
#13 is especially important if you have Seasonal Affective Disorder like I do.
Per cleaning up and organizing, I absolutely hate doing it but when it's done I am so much happier. Also, once I get going I'm better with it.
Podcasts (NOT related to politics at all) are a great destresser for me. They are also a good way to motivate me when cleaning.
I second (or third) the library. Sometimes I will stay there in a big comfy chair reading magazines for a while; the only thing wrong with that is I cannot have a cuppa tea or hot chocolate;). I also like to color or do some crafting as I have plenty of projects to work on without having to buy supplies. Finishing something feels great! And, of course, move it move it! Especially yoga or zumba (how's that for opposites?!).
I love how you're focusing on happiness this week! I'll add that combining these free ideas helps a lot too, like getting sunshine and a taste of the outdoors with a walk that gets you moving. 🙂
I love pampering myself at home with bubble baths or doing my nails. I also love going to the bakery to splurge on a $5 treat. It's fine every now and then, and sometimes a small treat gives you the energy and excitement you needed to pull through your troubles.
I love how your drawer for the organizing things pic showed "borrowed" or free organizing areas. I frequently use the cardboard Velveeta bottoms to organize all sorts of things, and the plastic containers with missing lids as well. No need to buy organizers! Just use what you have! <3
There's a new-to-me yogurt I really like, Icelandic Provisions Skyr. It comes in little rectangular tubs that are perfect for organizing little things. It'd be even better if they came with lids but I recognize that while I would use the lids intensively, for most consumers it'd just be more trash.
1. A fresh haircut, even if I just let my husband trim it, makes me feel better.
2. Also, going to yardsales on a early Saturday morning is therapeutic for me. I can take just a bag of change, some icy cold water, a few snacks, and hopefully find some thoughtful treasures but if I don't, that's ok too. It's a way to shop that doesn't cost much. Plus, I often meet great people. Just last week I met a family that were searching for a bobtail kitten. I just happen to know of one ready to go.
3. Along with the tidying up, sometimes just rearranging the furniture or wall hangings a bit can make the space feel different in a good way. Even spray painting a small table or picture frame can give a great new look for not much money.
4. A new recipe always distracts me from problems that weigh heavily on my mind. I just google recipes with ingredients I have on hand and sometimes come up with a new family favorite. Last week, I was out of flour but my family wanted brownies and I found a pretty neat recipe for brownies that uses over ripe bananas(of course I have those) in place of flour. They were pretty good and most likely a bit healthier than the carb laden ones I was craving.
5. I don't think everyone should have a pet but it's fun to go browse and love on animals. Sometimes I take my kids to Petsmart or the humane society just to look at the pets for fun and they love that. They have allergies so for a short bit with a good shower afterwards is doable.
6. We have what we call family movie night. I rent a family oriented movie from Redbox or pick one up at the library, pop corn, have low lighting, and a no cell phone zone. I put pillows on the floor and blankets to transform the space so that it feels like a different experience that regular ole' watching TV. In the fall, for a special treat, I make homemade caramel corn for movie night and let the kids help. Not much is better than fresh warm caramel corn!
7. Check out the local events to participate in in your area. Our town has movie night in the park. You just bring a blanket or folding chair and a few snacks. Wizard of Oz under the stars, a cup of homemade cocoa, with a slight chill in the air is pretty neat.
Great ideas. Some museums are also free or will occasionally offer free admission. Picnics are a great option (and we've even done winter picnics on hikes or while snowshoeing). If it's entertainment for kids you need, switching things up (an indoor picnic, a "sleepover" in a sibling's room) can be fun. Outdoor bonfires (or if, like us, you have a real working fireplace) are also good--roasting marshmallows and/or making s'mores is cheap and works with just your family as well as inviting friends over. I have purchased yard games (croquet, a volleyball/badminton set) at the end of the season--along with Kristen's board game ideas, these are great to pull out when you need something a little different to do.
In a similar vein, I think who you spend time with and what you choose to fill your brain has a lot to do with happiness contentment. If you hang out with people whose focus is on possessions and if you watch endless HGTV, you are probably setting yourself up for unhappiness and discontentment.
I love all these ideas!!
Here are a few omore:
1. Do something that makes you LAUGH (not just chuckle)
-Watch funny Youtube videos (search "funny animals", "Holderness Family" or "Jim Gaffigan")
- Read auto-correct Text messages (google it, they get me every time)
- Have a tickle fight. This may sound lame, but silliness usually lightens the mood
2. Walk Barefoot. Outside. Even in the snow, even for just a moment. Changing things up from "everyday" and "normal" is free and can brighten my day.
3. Play! Especially if you have kids or friends/family with kids. Playing pretend, dressing up, playing games like chase and catch or driving around toy cars gets our minds off of ourselves.
looking forward to reading what the rest of your readers come up with!
Oh my goodness, I love auto-correct text messages!
Completing a craft or sewing project gives me a LOT of satisfaction and lifts my mood even if I'm not feeling low. So I head to my craft room to find a project that will inspire me.
All these tips are great I'm glad you did the post Kristen.
Yay for libraries! While there see if they have a copy of Dr. Andrew Weil's book "Spontaneous Happiness." He makes a lot of sense and suggests many tips to improve happiness without resorting to medicine. It helped me a great deal when I was struggling with the blues a few years ago. One of his tips was to bring nature into your home so I started budgeting enough for a weekly bouquet of flowers. Nothing extravagant, even simple carnations cheer me up. I often arrange them into several vases so I get to enjoy them in more than one room. I also regularly spend time in a local park that is so lush and full of trees and flowers. I do some deep breathing there as I have read that trees give off substances that can improve mood and boost your immune system.
Along with reading a library book, Amazon Kindle offers a free app for phones or computers and there are a TON of free books available - some are free to buy or they also have a Kindle Lending Library that you can borrow the book for free for an unlimited amount of time and then return it. So if it’s awful weather and you don’t feel like going out, you can get a new book, grab a cup of something warm (or cold, depending on the season) and curl up with a great story.
The idea of happiness is different for different people. It is not necessary to spend a lot to get a lot of happiness. I go to the city library and gives me enormous happiness. It is the cheapest way I find my happiness. You have listed a few lovely ways to get happiness without spending a lot of money. Thanks for the post.
Painting your nails is a pick-me-up for free or cheap.
Mailing a card to a friend helps me. It's even better if I can get my kids to color a picture or help make a card. Everyone enjoys getting fun mail instead of just bills, but I also enjoy sending mail and knowing that it might brighten someone else's day.
So many great ideas! Although the summer season has ended, many communities offer free music in the park weekly during the season, and picnicking is often encouraged. Some acts are ones you'd have to pay for ordinarily. If you live near a big city with multiple surrounding communities you could find such events nearly every night. Just go to the community's website and check under the parks and recreation department (although most items there do cost, the music events are usually free).
Our local library system has free concerts once a month in the evenings during the school year. Many of the groups are the same ones that play at outdoor concerts in the summer. Also, check local colleges/churches for free or inexpensive concerts. A local Episcopalian church holds monthly concerts during the lunch hour as an outreach to the community. I have discovered fantastic musicians and our family now has a local Celtic band we enjoy hearing.
One word - eggs!
YES.
What???? Lol
Oh I love eggs; especially poached...
In fact I was thinking tonight I'll have eggs on toast tomorrow
Ohh! and I bought sriracha so I can make sriracha bacon! well I'll have to buy the bacon but that's no biggee
A walk on the beach always makes me feel better. For the cost of gas to get there and a discover pass in my state, you can walk for a couple hours and breathe in the fresh ocean air. It is great on a crisp, fall day. Follow up with a hot chocolate or hot tea and you will feel like you just had a real vacation.
If you can't make it to the beach, I suggest a nice bubble bath with candles. In fact, I did just that the other night. I had gotten some bad news about a family member's health- I really needed time to myself to 'recover from the news'. It is important for me to keep myself healthy so I can be there for others in their time of need.
For those of us readers who have a frugal nature and don’t spend money on themselves (hi, sis!) even just a coffee at Starbucks is something that is special. It’s also a big treat for me to buy a magazine. I call it my “brain candy”.
I completely understand!
I love rearranging furniture! It gives the room a new look and helps you see it all new again! Totally perks me up. Even if you can't move the actual sofa and big chairs, refreshing things by moving little tables, accent chairs, planters, ottomans, floor lamps, etc. is so therapeutic! Or revamping the table decor-- clear off all surfaces of any lamps, candles, picture frames, floral arrangements, etc, and reconfigure everything! Plus as a bonus, things usually get cleaned in the process (knickknacks dusted, tabletops wiped, floors vacuumed when furniture gets moved), which is a wonderfully refreshing feeling.
Wash the throw blankets and pillows, and put them in new places. Take the books you've been meaning to read and set them out in a pleasing arrangement (a stack or in some bookends) so you'll see them and actually read them.
Make a list of the things that are bothering you. Just get it out and sometimes it doesn't seem quite so insurmountable.
Make a list of the good things, or how things could be worse. Perspective shift. This doesn't diminish or invalidate the crappiness of what you're going through, it just shifts the perspective a little bit which can be a big mood lifter/reality check.
Take a bubble bath. You don't even need luxurious spa products. Dump some soap into the bath, or even drizzle a little oil into the water to make your skin soft, and just soak. You can even make your bathroom more spa-like without spending money. Roll up a few bath towels and put them in a basket. Set your soap and lotion on a pretty dish by the sink if there's room. Light a candle. Set a little vase with a flower in the windowsill.
I really echo Kristen's advice to go to bed early. Benjamin Franklin wasn't kidding. It's better for you to sleep 8 hours from 10pm-6am rather than to sleep 1am-9am. Your body gets better rest if you sleep earlier and rise earlier.
"Shop your home." Sometimes I find I'm always out to find the new, new, new. New advice, new books, new insights, new projects, new recipes. It feels overwhelming, but then I look around my home... lists, recipes, unfinished projects, photos that need framing. I don't need to seek out anything new, I should seek out what is already here that needs my attention. It gives me a sense of accomplishment, lessens the feeling of overwhelm, and reduces expenditures.
Make a list of things you like about someone (yourself, your spouse, your kids, your friends). Make a list of things you like about your house, your job, your neighborhood, your family, etc. Make a tangible way to focus on what is good.
Take your favorite quote, print it out using a pretty font, and frame it. Set it where you will see it often.
Pay it forward. Think of someone who needs help and help them, and you will feel better. It's paradoxical, but when we are hurting, it soothes us to help others.
What a wonderful idea! The comments are as good as the post. Hmmm. For me? I allow myself to read a book for fun. If possible, on a Sunday afternoon, I snooze (preferably next to my toddler at nap time). I call a friend. Take a walk. Accomplish something, anything. Give a hug. Do something unexpected I know my kids will like. Start laughing and don't stop until you fall on the floor (if you have problems with this, just listen to how ridiculous the laughter sounds. Have kids around when you start laughing.) Sharpen pencils in your pencil holder.
Ooh, a hug is a great one!
If you have a camping stove, get it out and go somewhere lovely. An alfresco cup of tea, hot chocolate, or bowl of soup is always a bigger treat under these circumstances. My favourite is going to the beach early and cooking bacon for breakfast. There's something about the light, the quietness, and the stolen moment that makes my soul sing.
That does sound lovely! I like the idea of taking parts of camping and doing them on their own. I think that's why I enjoy our fire pit...we get to have the fire/marshmallow roasting experience even if we don't have the time to actually go camping.
What makes me happy:
* some time alone (I have a hubby and 2 young kids, so when I am free alone time it feels gooooood!)
* painting my toenails
* taking a long hot bath with bubbles
* paint
* read an interesting book (borrowed for the library)
* cuddle with the kids and hubby in bed (my favorite place to be with all of them at once)
* re-watching favorite tv series on DVD (I prefer it to Netflix) like Parenthood, Big Bang Theory and Modern Family
* swimming (indoor pool) and floating on a noodle afterwards
* driving with my favorite music blasting
* dancing!! Zumba makes me very happy
* kayaking (borrowing a kayak from the city program)
I am an introvert and I enjoy doing solitary activities as you can see....! I totally accept this. This fills me up and THEN I can enjoy people around me.
So many good ideas...I had forgotton how much I love walking along the beach & a bubble bath, I love the puzzle idea especially
Today I made homemade chilli hot chocolate it was awesome
Sometimes when I feel discouraged I list things I have already done & cross them off - weird I know but it makes me feel better!
Spend time outside - today it was cold & blowy here but I sat inside in the warm & watched a bird flit about in the big tree outside my bedroom window was a great mini-break
Walking amongst trees - I really should do this more often
Organising/cleaning makes me feel good too when I have the energy
Turning up the volume on a great song on the radio
Thanks for this post; all these ideas have cheered me up enormously
You've all had so many great ideas I don't know if I can come up with more? I guess I'll just share what works for me. I give myself a pedicure, we all most likely have the stuff to do that at home. Even if it's winter, who cares if you're the only one to see your nails? Repot or divide up a plant you already have. I bought the ten for a dollar pack of blank note cards and randomly send a note to a friend or family member. Snail mail is still fun to receive. If you live in a town of any size, check your local convention and visitors bureau. Also Google "free things to do in (name of your town)". I've been pleasantly surprised doing both of the last two on what's around me that I wasn't aware of. Walk your dogs, or a friend's dogs. When my finances are worse than usual, I keep a list of all these ideas in my wallet where my money used to be. That's all I can think of for now, thank you all for sharing!
I very often get bored with reading so I rarely do/did until I found this blog! Sitting in once place for long periods of time are hard for me so I try to find ways to spend time outdoors, like going rock hunting. I am fortunate to have the Great Lakes at my back door that I can visit when I need to escape (when you live in MI you are never more than 90 miles from a Great Lake!). Sorry, I got distracted thinking about how fortunate I am being so close to adventures. Back to cheap fun things to do, I am a crafter by nature as my dad could make just about anything with his hands. Has anyone every heard of Kindness Rock? If you haven't google it! My grand kids and I enjoy painting rocks with inspirational messages and then leaving them at the park in unexpected places for people to find. My heart is full 🙂 and so is my change purse lol