Treat Yourself (On a Budget)

In this era of TikTok Target hauls and drawers full of every skin care product imaginable, it can feel like treating yourself is out of reach. Or, even worse, we can treat ourselves when it’s not in reach.

It’s true—everyone deserves a little treat now and then. There’s even evidence that building “fun” spending into your budget helps cut down on unnecessary spending overall. But if you don’t plan for it, you usually end up spending more than you should on big or little treats.

Our best advice? Build fun spending into the budget. This is easier than ever to do with the Wish List feature on the Andi app. Give yourself anywhere from $10 to $100 a month to spend on treating yourself. You can even set aside weekly “fun spending” goals if that works better for you. This fun budget Wish List serves two purposes: it lets you spend money yourself without feeling guilty and ensures that you don’t overspend.

Need inspiration for affordable treats? Here are some of our favorite ways to spend our fun money:

• Buy a bath bomb and give yourself a soothing spa night
• See a matinee at the movies (hint: many theaters have extra discounts on Tuesdays!)
• Pick up your favorite takeout for dinner
• Buy a fancy drink from your favorite coffee shop
• Visit a museum (many have free or discounted days)
• Gift yourself a bouquet of flowers from the grocery store
• Pack a picnic and head to the park
• Visit your local library (they often offer free passes to local cultural attractions)
• Get a new pair of pajamas and have a cozy night in
• Buy a new candle
• Find a new plant to spruce up your space (stores like Lowe’s, Home Depot, and even Trader Joe’s often have great deals)
• Get a pint of ice cream and binge your guilty-pleasure show
• Go on a hike or a walk in a new place
• Give yourself a day to play through a new video game (bonus points if you buy it on sale)

Happy (fun) spending!