Pampering on a shoestring budget

**creativemommy430** · 10-21-2008, 04:18 PM

Hi, I am a wahm of three little kids... how do I pamper myself on a shoestring budget?

**Lori Biever-Launder** · 10-21-2008, 04:48 PM

Hit the dollar store! Bubble bath and a fancy bar of soap will do for a start. Check out any nice lotions and a new wash cloth. Light a candle, make some of your favorite tea or a glass of wine and soak in the tub.

**Cricket1** · 10-21-2008, 04:52 PM

There's an older thread somewhere around here about this. Off the top of my head:

Paint your nails and toenails.
Buy a new lipgloss--check coupons and Walgreen's sales/rebate savers for this
Take a bubble bath.
Light a scented candle.
Borrow a book from the library that you're really interested in and look forward to reading a little bit of it every night after the kiddos are in bed.
Are there any other parents around that you could swap nights with? If so, an evening without kids can sometimes seem like a luxury.

**_kit** · 10-21-2008, 05:21 PM

When I'm really watching my pennies I go to the kitchen for pampering supplies...

Make a sugar scrub with sugar and olive oil. If I have a little bit of fragrance oil I add that but it's not necessary. At the end of a hot bath it works great to soften my feet.

Mayonaise and a hot towel work as a good deep conditioner on my hair that I can just rinse out at the end of my bath. It's a nice treat.

I pull out my makeup and try something new just to feel dressed up and fresh. I feel better when I've taken time for myself and like the way I look.

Mostly, to me, pampering is about having some "me" time where I get to take care of myself and do things that I normally put off for other priorities. Sometimes this is taking extra time for bath stuff, sometimes it's reading, sometimes it's pulling out the cookbook and trying a new recipe that sounds like a good treat.

**creativemommy430** · 10-21-2008, 06:04 PM

Wow Thanks!

**McD** · 10-21-2008, 06:17 PM

There are tons of pampering things that you can make yourself with ordinary household items that are very comparable to what you would get in a spa. Here's a good link to get you started.

http://allnaturalbeauty.us/hbr_ingredients.htm

I love taking hot bubble baths with a candle while drinking a pop and reading a book, even if it's one I reread before.

And the best way I pamper myself: I wear sexy underpants everyday, even if I'm in grubby-wear-around-the-house clothes.

**Jskell911** · 10-21-2008, 07:11 PM

Nichole, I found that the underwear idea really does help! It's like a special secret just for yourself

**cheles2kids** · 10-22-2008, 08:00 AM

Do you have a favorite drink? A special coffee, tea or even an alcoholic drink?
Buy some and keep it hidden away for those "special treats".

You can buy a HUGE bottle of bubble bath for around $4.00, get a box of votive candles and subscribe to your favorite magazine.

Splurge one or two weekends a month and stay in bed an extra hour & let your hubby get up with the kids, it won't hurt him.

Go for a walk-alone.

Rent your favorite movie and watch with your hubby after the kids go to bed.

Buy some new underwear.

Make a lunch date one day a month to meet with a friend, again, hubby can keep the kids for a couple of hours. If your not married? Ask a family member.

If your kids are still napping age, take a nap occasionally while they sleep, if only for an hour.

Some of these do call for spending some money, but depending on your budget you can decide how much.
Like a magazine subscription, you can usually get one for around $20.00 a year, waaaay cheap.