How to Treat Yourself This Summer on a Budget

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IzKaIU1kIQ

Welcome back to the collaboration between Mint and Brewing Happiness. I’m Haley, the girl behind Brewing Happiness – a blog about celebrating the small healthy choices we make in our lives, complete with recipes for everybody!  I’m here to give you tips on living a healthy, happy life on a budget.  

If you’re lucky, summertime also means more free time and a more relaxed mentality. Weather you’re heading to the beach, laying by the pool, or just hanging in your backyard with friends – summer is the perfect time to chill out and treat yourself. However more playtime usually means less work (aka. less money) and more expenses. So I put together a list of recipes, tips and tricks to help you “treat yo self” this summer on a budget!  

We’re going to dive into making your favorite summer treats in your kitchen, as well as how to make a DIY spa day from home. It’s really easy to live your best life without spending tons of money. Let me show you how:

#1 Make your frozen treats at home

Popsicles, frozen yogurt, and ice cream can all be made EASILY at home. No need to buy them every time you’re at the store or out on the town. You can make your decadent summer treats by using seasonal fruit!  

Recipes to try: Key Lime Pie Chia Pudding Popsicles, Dairy-Free Golden Fudgesicles, Blackberry Acai Frozen Yogurt, Coconut Melon Mint Ice Cream, Pumpkin Coffee Almond Banana Ice Cream

 

#2 Stick to one kind of fruit

You don’t have to create a 14 layer multi-colored Pinterest dessert in order to treat yourself this summer. If you stick to one kind of fruit, especially one that’s at its peak seasonality and on sale, you can have a delicious and cheap summer treat! (Hint: a watermelon cake is one of my favorite, fun summer treats!) 

Recipes to try: Watermelon Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Icing, Healthy Pineapple Upside Down Cake

#3 Use your pantry staples

Your favorite summer treats like cobbler or pie can be incredibly cost effective if you are using your pantry staples like flour, sugar and butter! A well-stocked pantry makes it easy and cheap to throw together delicious desserts anytime you want them.  

Recipes to try: Healthy Berry Cobbler

#4 Make spa water! 

You don’t need to go to the spa to feel pampered – make a large pitcher of spa water with cucumbers, lemons, limes or strawberries – and sip on it throughout the day. You’ll feel like a fancy person in no time. Plus all of those ingredients are incredibly inexpensive! 

Recipes to try: Goji Berry Sparkling Lemonade 

#5 DIY a hydrating face mask

Surprisingly enough a face mask is probably hiding in your refrigerator right now! Combine yogurt, raw honey and wham – your face feels nourished in minutes. This is especially great if your skin feels dried out by the hot summer sun. Forget spending hundreds at the spa, just head to the kitchen! 

Recipes to try: Blackberry Basil Healing Mask 

#6 Buy an aloe plant

If you got a little too much sun, or are prone to sunburns – keep an aloe plant around! They’re super cheap at Ikea or your grocery store, and are easy to keep alive. Next time you get burned just cut off a leaf, peel it open and rub it on your skin! It’s a much more natural way to take care of your skin than those bottles of green goop!  

Pamper yourself like a royal this summer, all while staying on budget. A happy and healthy season is just around the corner, and you should enjoy it to the fullest. Treat yo self! You deserve it.   

 

Follow along! 

 

As always, if you want more summer-centric recipes or healthy lifestyle tips and tricks head over to Brewing Happiness!