Affordable Ways to Feel Better

14 Affordable Little Luxuries That Make Everyday Life Feel Richer

Discover simple, affordable comforts that make ordinary days feel calmer, richer, and more enjoyable

Photo by Manuel Moreno on Unsplash

You don’t need to make a six-figure salary or own a bunch of flashy designer brands to live a life of luxury.

Luxury actually comes from the little everyday things that make your daily life feel that much more elevated.

And the moment I stopped chasing things like designer brands and logos and started being ridiculously intentional with what I decided to spend my money on and why was when my life leveled up in a way that no designer purchase could ever do.

And this is what it means to be frugal chic. It’s spending intentionally where you see value without compromising on what feels luxurious to you every day.

So, I’m going to share with you 14 of the frugal chic purchases that have quietly leveled up my life.

And I think a lot of these will actually surprise you because they don’t need to cost a lot of money at all.

#1. Splurging on some Really Good Coffee Beans

And yeah, I wasn’t kidding when I said splurging on the good coffee.

DE MELLO is a 5 lb bag of coffee beans that we buy from our local coffee shop right here in Toronto. It’s called Dlo. If you’re ever in the city, definitely try it out. This is the dancing goats blend. It has notes of milk chocolate, vanilla, and cherry. So, it’s just really smooth and just tastes amazing every single day. And this is something that I look forward to drinking every day. I go to bed at night thinking about the cup of coffee that I’m going to make myself in the morning.

And to me, the little extra splurge on coffee beans is pure luxury because even though it does cost a little bit more, I can take that coffee shop experience and taste with me every single day right at home.

And what I love about it, too, is that making your coffee at home, you can kind of romanticize the entire process.

We make pourover coffee in the ChemX, which does take a little bit of time to brew, but to me, it’s truly the perfect way to start my day.

And even though the beans are a little bit more expensive, one cup of coffee can still cost less than a dollar a day.

And if it’s not coffee for you, then maybe it’s matcha or tea.

But I think splurging a little bit more money in these areas that you enjoy, that taste good, and that you can make a daily ritual out of, I think it is one of the best ways that you can elevate your day and introduce a little bit of luxury into it.

You definitely do save money making your coffee at home, but nobody said that you needed to cheap out on the beans to do it.

#2. Having Matching Hangers

In particular, I really like the look of either the wooden hangers or the velvet ones.

And this is such a tiny change, but it really does make a huge difference every day when you open up your closet.

If you have the same hangers, everything is going to look a lot more uniform.

It’s going to be spaced out a lot more evenly, and it’s just going to look a lot more organized, which to me absolutely does feel luxurious because I don’t want to feel like chaos every time I open up my wardrobe.

And when I had mismatched hangers, like plastic ones, broken ones, leftover hangers from the dry cleaner, all mixed in together, it just looked really chaotic and messy, and doesn’t really scream luxury to me.

You can get a box of hangers for under $30, and it will make such a huge difference in your closet. Believe me.

This next one is a bit more of a habit shift in the way you shop, but I absolutely love it, and it feels luxurious every time I do it.

#3. Shopping Local

It is getting your groceries at your local bakery, fruit market, and butcher.

Look, I still definitely shop at places like Costco and my local grocery chains, but every time I go and like pop off into a little market, get a fresh loaf of bread from the bakery, and I recently started getting things like steaks, bone broth, and ground beef from my local butcher.

Every time I go, it just feels like luxury. Sometimes it can actually be more affordable than shopping at a regular grocery chain, but other times, yes, it can be a little more expensive.

But in that same vein, a lot of the time, the quality of the food that you’re getting is a lot higher, and you’re supporting a small and local business in your community.

And I think there’s nothing more luxurious than that.

#4. Solid Wood Cutting Board

I actually got this as a Christmas gift, and I absolutely love it.

It is so heavy-duty. It’s made of teak. It’s very, very heavy, so it just feels really high quality and well-made, but it actually just looks great in the kitchen too.

I suddenly feel like I have a proper grown-up kitchen now that I have this on my counter.

But I also find it very satisfying to use everyday. It’s not frustrating. It stays put.

It sort of just elevates the whole experience of cooking and meal prep for me.

Now, this to me, I feel like is such a nice kind of adult upgrade into the kitchen.

So, let me know in the comments some other kitchen items in particular that you find luxurious.

I’m thinking of getting a really good stainless steel pan and a cast-iron pan as my next upgrade.

#5. Simple Skincare Routine

And this is where I think a lot of people go wrong. And it’s where I’ve definitely gone wrong in the past, too.

And it’s where you think you need to splurge on expensive skin care products in order to have them be more effective and have them be luxurious. And I completely disagree with that.

Not only are a lot of expensive skincare products full of fragrance and irritating ingredients, but a lot of the time, the benefits you’re looking for, which is good skin, you can get in much more affordable products that are just as effective from places like the drugstore.

All you need is a good cleanser that doesn’t irritate your skin, a moisturizer, a sunscreen, a retinoid, and, if you want to be fancy, you can add in a vitamin C.

Some of my favorite cleansers and moisturizers are from the drugstore or K Beauty, which are very affordable and still very effective.

And my retinoid is by prescription, which is probably the least luxurious feeling thing ever.

It’s very medicinal, but the result that they give helps me feel confident, and that to me actually feels like luxury.

If I feel good about my skin, then I just feel like I carry myself better and feel more confident throughout the day.

And the other thing that you can romanticize, even with the most affordable skincare routine, is the process itself.

I think slowing down in a skincare routine and just really taking your time and enjoying the process does absolutely feel luxurious to me, and you can do that with the most affordable products.

#6. Nice Hand Cream

I emphasize owning just one of them because it cuts down on clutter in your bag.

And especially if you have one with fragrance, not everybody will, but if you like a little bit of fragrance, it can also become part of your signature scent every time you go and use it.

And every time I go to use scent after I wash my hands or when my hands are feeling a bit dry, to me, it just provides a little extra moment of luxury that I really love.

It’s just like a little pick-me-up throughout the day. And if you do splurge on one that is a bit more on the expensive side, I think this is where you can really play into cost per use and getting your money’s worth that way.

#7. Garment Steamer

This is a really affordable purchase that is going to serve you so well in your wardrobe because when you’re getting dressed, and your clothes have wrinkles in them, you’re just never going to feel chic or put together at all.

And so having a steamer at home has been an absolute game-changer when it comes to taking care of my clothes.

And making sure that my clothes are always ready to wear and look great. And these are really affordable.

You can get a good one for like $30 or less.

#8. Non-Sneaker Shoe

Sometimes you just want to look a little more put together than what a sneaker can offer.

And that’s where I think having a loafer, a mule, a boot, or some kind of flat will be the outfit game-changer for you.

And these don’t need to be designer or expensive at all, but I would encourage you to make sure that the shoes are made of something like leather or of a higher-quality and more durable material so that they not only look good, but also last a really long time and just get better with wear.

Sneakers go with a lot, but sometimes you just want something a bit more elevated.

#9. Nice Bedding

We spend, on average, about 33% of our entire lifespan sleeping. So, why not make it count and get yourself some good sheets?

It’s definitely going to be worth it to upgrade from a cheap polyester bedding set that usually makes you sweat and really gives you an uncomfortable sleep to something like a high thread count Egyptian cotton, a linen, or a bamboo set.

They’re softer, they regulate your temperature better, and it just feels luxurious.

If you really invest a little bit of time and money into your bedroom and your bedding, not only is it going to improve the quality of your sleep, but it’s just going to feel like a luxurious hotel experience every time.

This next one is something that I think is so small, but really can make a huge difference in your confidence and how you feel about yourself, specifically at the gym.

#10. Matching Workout Set,

you know what? This goes for girls and guys.

I think having a matching set just immediately makes you feel more put together. It’s easy to throw on but still feels effortless.

And I think it can actually help you focus more on what you’re doing in your workout rather than feeling uncomfortable and fidgety in your outfit.

There’s just something so good about a matching set. And to me, it feels like luxury.

#11. The Good Coat

Especially if you live in a cold climate, as I do.

Sometimes the whole coat is the outfit. So, I think it’s really good to invest in at least one that makes you feel amazing and that you can layer over pretty much anything.

And that goes for the most put-together outfit to something as casual and laid-back as a sweatshirt.

Because if you feel good in what you’re wearing, people are not only going to see that, but they’re going to feel it, too.

So, look for coats that are made of a majority wool, cashmere, camel hair, or alpaca in a color that you love, that you feel like will layer well with a lot of things in your wardrobe, and you’re just going to feel that much more put together.

The cost per wear that you get out of it is going to make it worth the money alone just for that.

#12. Reading Physical Books

Whether they be books you buy or ones that you borrow from the library, I think it is so elevated and chic to start reading physical books, especially nowadays when we are overrun by short-form technology and constant dopamine hits and overstimulation.

I was thinking more about it, and I found that I tended to prefer things like audiobooks and podcasts because I liked multitasking when I was reading, and I just found that that kind of defeated the whole purpose.

I think there’s something to be said about the act of reading that forces you to slow down enough so that you can actually absorb and comprehend what you’re taking in.

And you can really only get that by reading physical media. And you know what? Reading makes you chic because,

• It makes you smarter.
• It makes you more interesting.
• It makes you open to new ideas and ways of thinking.

So, my goal this year is to get a lot more use out of my library card.

#13. Buying Some Plants

We keep our apartment fairly minimal in terms of decor, but one of the main ways we like to decorate is through having plants.

I feel like it makes the space warmer. It feels more organic, and a lot of plants actually help to purify the air in your home.

So, there are a ton of benefits to having plants in your home, not just the aesthetic of them.

And they just make me happy. There’s also something really satisfying about taking care of a plant.

It’s like a nice little pastime and hobby, too, to learn about them, to take care of them, to make sure that they’re growing happy and healthy.

Speaking of happy and healthy, I feel like my monstera might need to be repotted.

I think he’s got root rot because he’s just he seems really unhappy. There are a bunch of spots on this leaf. I have a few leaves on him turning yellow.

So, if you are a plant expert, a chic plant expert, let me know how I can save him.

#14. Writing Things Down in a Physical Journal

I find writing things down physically and doing things analog does to me absolutely feel chic and elevated.

Again, just because of the digital and fast-paced world that we live in. I actually find that if I slow down to write things down, I feel a lot clearer, and I’m also able to commit things to memory a lot better through the physical act of writing.

So, it doesn’t matter what notebook, what journal it is that you carry around with you.

I think the habit of slowing down to get things out and writing things down is a practice that will not only elevate your life, but also maintain a lot of your skills and your knowledge.

There is this whole epidemic of brain rot and relying on AI and ChatGPT to think for us.

So, going analog and going back to practices that require more physicality in them, I think, will just benefit us all in the long run.

So those are 15 purchases that feel like luxury but don’t necessarily have to cost a lot.

And let me know in the comments down below some purchases that you made that helped elevate your life.

But living luxuriously isn’t always about what you buy; it’s about your habits, too.

Thanks For Reading :)