Investing in Yourself
Challenge yourself in all the best ways to improve yourself and live your best life. As busy moms, we tend to forget about the one thing that keeps our family and household running, ourselves! Without taking care of ourselves, nourishing ourselves, treating ourselves, we can get burnt out, or worse, fall ill.
Now as a frugal and more minimal mama, I also don’t want to buy all the expensive products, or take a bunch of costly classes that lead to nothing or do anything that will take me away from my family more than needed. I absolutely love being with my family, but also understand a little ME time is important for both my sanity and my health. Both your mental and physical health are important to nurture and can allow you to be an even better, attentive mama.
Below are some ideas for investing in yourself. Investing does not always mean paying for things. There are many ways to invest without spending a dime.
Education
Online Courses – There are so many online courses on the Internet to peak your interests and improve your skill sets. This can be through legitimate schools like online colleges and universities, to sources like Masterclass and SkillShare which offer an array of subjects and skill levels. These sources tend to cost money, but accomplishing the completion of one of these can be extremely rewarding.
Tutorials on YouTube – YouTube is one of the best educators on the internet. Typically always free, there are a zillion videos on any and every subject you could possibly imagine. Quality varying, you can teach yourself how to do just about anything from quilting, sewing, makeup techniques, cooking, gardening, you name it! How to change a tire, how to install flooring, how to clean set-in stains, to how to build an airplane. The options are truly endless!
Podcasts – While podcasts are not typically a visual learning method, they can still be quite educational. There are plenty of podcasts out there dedicated to teaching and educating listeners on all kinds of subjects. While a lot are discussion based, it can be really good to hear different perspectives on matters and reasonings explained, over just reading the facts in a text book.
The Library – I cannot stress this enough, utilize your public library. It is incredible how resourceful a library can be. At our local library, we are connected to the other libraries in our surrounding county. So if a book I am interested in is not available at my branch, I can place it on hold and they will send it over from another branch, for FREE! Plus eBooks, audio books, DVDs, movies, magazines, newspapers and so much more, the library is such a cool and amazing source for entertainment and education.
Self Care
Spa Treatments – Now these can get costly, but damn are they ever worth it. Facials, waxing, body treatments, they are all amazing. This is not something I recommend doing every week, but once in a while, treat yourself! You are worth it Mama!
Hair and Nail Salons – To be honest, I hate manicures. But I know so many women swear by them, and if that is something you love, do it! I always feel so fancy after a fresh hair cut, even a simple trim. The healthier your hair is, the easier it can be to manage. And depending on your style of choice, can be easier to maintain day to day.
Massage – Fun fact: I had never had a professional massage until I was in my early thirties, and I feel foolish for not starting sooner. Trust me when I say, invest in this! And a lot of the time, a majority, if not all, of the costs can be covered by insurance.
Meditation – Our mental health is not something to be ignored. Luckily, after years of this gaining more and more attention with the general public, there are plenty of free resources that focus on this. Meditation, while may be confusing for some, is actually quite beneficial. I will not get into all the logistics of it all as I am no expert, I am one to practice meditation and find it useful to calm my thoughts and ease my reactions to many things. There are so many useful apps and resources to guided meditations, some cost money, but most have free features that are equally as useful.
Health
Splurge on healthy options – When you save money in so many other places in your life due to being cautious and frugal, there can be somethings that are totally worth splurging on from time to time. Try the healthier options when it comes to your foods. Avoid certain additives, unnecessary sugars and sugar replacements and all kinds of toxic ingredients by selecting the healthier options. What is better, is you can also find these products on sale from time to time. Or better yet, make them yourself. There are so many options out there, you don’t have to cheap out on your health and what you put into your body.
Vitamins – Investing in quality vitamins can truly make a difference in how your body utilizes them. Always do your research and talk to a doctor about what your deciding to take and consider other alternatives such as dietary intake over supplements whenever possible.
Treat yourself to a juice cleanse – While these can be quite controversial, it is best to use a juice cleanse as simply to reset your hormones’ and your insides over using it as a way to lose weight. I have personally made this mistake. While you will, of course, lose weight initially, it is not a sustainable way to manage your weight. Instead, I always found I felt more rejuvenated and had a clearer mind afterwards. These can get pricey, but my favourites were from Pulp & Press. You can also make your own juices at home if you wanted to dabble.
Contact a Nutritionist – Usually covered by insurance, speaking with a nutritionist can help you create a personalized food plan, a focus on what you actually need for your wants and desires with your body and a guided accountability to your choices and results.
Fitness
Free YouTube classes – Again, YouTube is an incredible source for just about anything. Fitness has a major platform on YouTube and there are thousands (if not millions) of workouts for all kinds of fitness levels and lengths of time. If you only have 5 minutes, you’re just starting out or you’re a bodybuilder looking to add in home workouts, there is something for you!
Fitness Apps – While there are so many fitness apps to help you in your fitness journey, my favourite is FitOn. I love the instructors, the options, the accessibility, and even better, it is free! There are paid options that have meal plans and access to much more, but what is available for free is amazing and can help you with your fitness needs.
Instagram Live Streams – Based on who you follow, many Instagram fitness influencers have been offering live stream workouts. This stems from the lockdowns of the Covid pandemic and not being able to go to gyms for workout classes, these live streams brought the fitness classes to your home. What is great is they allow you to still workout with others and have a virtual take to the accountability to keep going. And again, it is free!
Go for daily walks – Another free option, daily walks give you some fresh air and movement. It is such a simple way to a healthier lifestyle. Take a different route each day, or stick to the same one so you know your timing. Listen to podcasts, or music or an audio book for entertainment.
What are some ways you choose to invest in yourself? No matter what it may be, it doesn’t have to cost a lot to maintain your budget. But it is important to give yourself that time and effort for your own sanity and health. You deserve it!
Melanie xoxox