Danielle McCarthy
Beauty & Style

8 cheap and easy ways to pamper yourself

If you love the idea of being able to pamper yourself at home without spending a fortune, read on.

We’ve got eight ways to relax and rejuvenate, all in the comfort of your own home (BYO fluffy robes).

Relaxation is not just nice, it’s actually essential for a healthy lifestyle. Having downtime allows our body to repair itself, and also decreases stress.

1. Eat out for less

Whether it’s online websites such as Dimmi (for restaurant discounts), shop-a-dockets (for cafes and take away style offers), or the Entertainment Book (for everything from restaurants to experiences), there are discounts to be found if you know where to look.

2. Let students practise on you

There are always deals to be had if you let a student cut your hair, give you a facial, or cut and colour your hair. Often for a nominal fee you can enjoy the treatments, knowing that the student is being closely supervised by their teacher.

3. Cook a decadent dessert

Peruse your favourite recipe books, or jump online and find a recipe that you’re keen to try. Buy good quality ingredients and spend the time enjoying the process of cooking and baking (as well as eating, of course). It can be even more fun to share a dessert with a partner or friend.

4. Deep condition your hair

The chemist and supermarket have a great range of leave in conditioning masks or hot oil treatments that you can easily do at home. Get the shine back in your locks with a half hour soak in the tub while the products set to work.

5. Grab a load of magazines

You could spend a small fortune on mags if you wanted to, but did you know that your local library is a great resource? If you love cooking magazines for instance, pop to the library and grab a handful of past issues of your favourite title. Then spend an evening perusing them at your leisure.

6. Treat yourself to a manicure kit

If you love having your fingernails and toenails done, invest in a small kit of tools so that you can do it yourself at home. Spend the money on some good quality polish too, and you can have great nails every day of the year for a fraction of the cost of a manicure.

7. Swap houses with a friend

Not all of us can afford a weekend getaway in a fancy hotel. But living like a tourist in a friend’s house (even if they live close by) can be a lot of fun. Treat each other like a ‘real’ hotel guest, with fresh linen and a welcoming bottle of wine. Leave notes for great local spots for coffee or fish and chips.

8. Take a candlelit bath

It’s not just a cliché, a warm bath really helps to relax you. Turn out the lights and put on some candles and nice music to really help you get into the zone.

Have we missed any great (cheap) ways to relax? We would love to hear from you in the comments.

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beauty, cheap, easy, yourself, pamper, ways