13 Ways to Buy Yourself Something Nice Today

You don’t need a special reason to treat yourself. That’s why I recommend you buy yourself something nice today.

I spent years not spending money on myself. It’s the behavior that was modeled for me, and the dominant message seemed to be that people of my generation were terrible monsters for spending money.

I remember coming home from work one day and just stopping at the mall. I wanted to grab a really cheap bag a coworker had that I knew I would use. But as I walked into the store, I felt so much anxiety at the prospect of spending money on myself.

Which was super weird, looking back on it.

At the time, I had no debt. I had nowhere I needed to be at that particular time. And I had no reason not to grab the bag that I would use.

But it’s weird how I struggled to do that.

I don’t have that issue so much anymore, but I do know that some folks do.

Why You Should Buy Yourself Something Nice

Here’s the thing: Life sucks and you’ll be dead soon enough.

Too harsh? Okay. Let’s think of it this way.

You don’t really need a reason to do something nice for yourself. You’re already existing in this late capitalist hellscape, and you’re surviving as best you can.

Doing nice things for yourself is not only necessary, but it’s a little reminder that you can enjoy life. Which is hard to do most of the time, isn’t it?

And please know that I don’t mean you have to spend a ton of money to buy yourself something nice. Sometimes, buying yourself something nice means grabbing a candy bar as you leave the grocery store, or replacing your old socks.

So, with that in mind, let’s talk about the best ways to buy yourself something nice.

Ways to Buy Yourself Something Nice

I’ve got some options at all price points, so if you struggle with spending money on yourself, you can definitely ease into it. Whether you’re interested in food, experiences, or physical items, check out these suggestions.

001: Go to the fun coffee shop with all the weird stuff.

Okay. We are not going to the national chain with the drive thru for this. Because getting the McDonald’s of coffee is not something nice.

Instead, go to the small local place with the drink flavors that make you curious. Get that cereal milk latte. Enjoy that lavender cake. Go crazy with the Italian sodas.

Make sure you set aside enough time for this so you can fully enjoy it, and I recommend consuming it while you’re in the shop. No need to get it to go when you’re treating yourself.

002: Get your nails done.

I love getting my nails done, but I rarely do it.

For one thing, it can get quite expensive, and it takes a long time. But still, I enjoy the end result, and it’s so nice to soak my feet in whatever chemicals they put in the water.

I always save this one for an extra special occasion, where I can buy myself something nice and also take my time. Because a mani-pedi is going to take somewhere around two hours anyway.

003: Buy the book you keep seeing people talk about.

I have serious book envy. I always want to get new books, but rarely do.

Granted, I prefer paperback to hardback books. So I generally have to wait. But sometimes, I can’t handle all the spoilers on social media.

So, if you find yourself in a similar place and can’t handle waiting for your library hold to come up, just buy the book and read it. Even if you don’t like it, you can always sell it at a used bookstore.

004: Subscribe to a software that will make your life easier.

This is something I have been trying to do more and more. If a software will make it easier for me to do what I need to do, I want it. Especially when that comes to business stuff.

Bookkeeping software, social media schedulers, and even fitness tracking apps can be great ways to keep your life together.

So, if you see a software or subscription that makes sense for you, go ahead and splurge. You won’t regret it, especially if it makes your day go just a little more smoothly.

005. Three words: garlic cheese curds.

I recently discovered this on a trip to Aldi, and I will be buying them every time I go to the store from here on out.

They are just garlic-flavored cheese curds. And they are amazing.

Put them on your charcuterie board. Bread them and fry them. Toss them on a salad. Eat them in front of the open fridge while wearing nothing but your underwear.

The world is your garlicky, cheesy oyster, and you deserve it.

006: You need a new desk chair.

Yes, a good desk chair is hella expensive. But how much time do you spend in that chair?

This is on my list of things to buy when I feel ready to invest in a Herman Miller chair. I had one when I was teaching, and I want one again.

And yeah, it’s an investment. But I spend a lot of time at my desk. So rather than sit in discomfort all day or let my back tighten into knots, I’m gonna get me a good chair.

You should too. Because if you’re reading this, there’s a non-zero chance that you spend just as much time at a desk as I do.

007: You won’t regret that mug warmer.

I have a simple Mr. Coffee mug warmer and it’s great. It plugs into the wall and it prevents me from drinking cold coffee.

This is a super cheap thing that won’t take up too much desk real estate. But it makes a huge difference for me. I can’t tell you how many cups of coffee I’ve lost to getting caught up in a writing sprint or Zoom meeting.

But now my coffee waits on me. And bonus: It also works as a candle warmer if you don’t want to burn one.

008: Order dinner instead of cooking.

Admittedly, I don’t do this very often, but it’s such a nice treat.

When you order food, it is definitely more expensive than cooking at home. But then you don’t have to do the dishes or worry about what you’re going to make.

And if you’re like me and currently in a rut with no idea of what you’ll make next, this is the best way to grant yourself one night of reprieve. And I usually have leftovers, so I get a lunch for the next day out of the deal too.

009: Just get that tarot deck you’ve been drooling over.

I am currently on a tarot deck buying freeze, but just for now.

I love how pretty so many of the independently produced decks are, and the art is always something to enjoy. I think a great way to keep one of these decks would be to mat and frame it, so that you could look at all the art at once.

And I will probably be doing that with the next deck I purchase.

But don’t be afraid to buy a nice deck you’ll use either. A good tarot deck for beginners will go a long way.

010: Buy that fancy notebook you wan’t.

Good paper is always worth it. The better the paper, the easier it is to write. And you deserve it for your journaling.

Also, we aren’t putting the nice notebooks in the cabinet never to be used again.

Get yourself a fancy notebook to use. It can go in your bag or work as a commonplace book on your desk. Just use it.

That’s what it’s for.ok

011: You know you need a new hoodie.

I have had the same hoodie since 2014. I don’t know why I haven’t gotten a new one, but I haven’t.

So, I’m adding this to the list so I can use this blog post to remind me.

A good zip up hoodie is everything, and I spend the majority of my time in it, especially during the fall. And if it’s an article of clothing you know you’ll get a lot of use out of, it just makes sense to buy one.

Plus, I guess if I keep a hoodie for approximately eight years, it’s not like I won’t get my money’s worth out of it.

012: Grab a candle that will help you work better.

I love to light a candle before I sit down to write. And finding good candles can be tough.

I love the candles from OKCollective, and have owned almost all of their scents. They’re just so good, and they burn for a really long time.

If you are looking for a way to put your brain into the working headspace, try lighting a candle before you sit down to work. eventually, you’ll associate the smell with working, and it will be easier to sit down and get stuff done.

013: You never regret new underwear.

I recently replaced all my old underwear, and it was glorious. I purchased enough new underwear so that I wouldn’t have to do laundry for two weeks if I wanted.

I mean, I still do laundry. But like, if the washer breaks or whatever, I don’t have to. So that’s a win to me.

This is the best purchase I have ever made in my life.

How Do You Like to Treat Yourself?

What do you buy when you want to buy yourself something nice? What’s a little way you like to celebrate when you deserve it? Have you ever struggled to spend money on yourself?

Originally published at https://marisamohi.com on March 28, 2022.