Whether you’re feeling overworked, stressed, or anxious, a little self-care can go a long way. Self-care is crucial to maintaining good emotional, mental, and physical health. While it’s easy for work, family, and new challenges of life to get in the way, self-care should be a top priority. Even just spending a few minutes doing something kind for yourself each day can increase your mood and reduce anxiety.

Although there are plenty of cost-effective self-care activities it’s easy to get carried away with luxurious self-care items or services. So, to ensure you don’t bust your budget on taking care of yourself, here are some ways to balance self-care without going broke.

INCLUDE SELF-CARE IN YOUR BUDGET
To avoid self-care spending guilt, it’s wise to include self-care activities in your budget. If you need to make some extra wiggle room in your budget to fit in your self-care expenses, try reviewing your current expenses and identify areas where you might be able to cut back. For example, if you’re not using your Hulu account, maybe it’s time to cancel it. Perhaps, you could cut back on dining out and make more dinners in.

TRY FREE SELF-CARE ACTIVITIES
Some self-care experiences can be costly such as getting a monthly massage or going to the gym for a personal training session. But, while there are many expensive ways to take care of yourself, there are also plenty of self-care activities that don’t require a dime. Some of these free activities include:

• Taking a walk
• Sleeping in
• Meditating
• Starting a journal
• Breathing
• Sitting outside
• Playing a game with your family
• Binging a new TV show 

Try mixing some of your luxurious activities with some inexpensive ones to help you stick to your budget. You never know, you may even like the free ones more and cut the expensive ones out altogether. 

USE THE INTERNET TO MEET SOME OF YOUR SELF-CARE NEEDS
Who doesn’t like receiving packages in the mail? It feels like a celebration each time the doorbell rings and a box is at your doorstep. If this is the case for you, you may want to consider signing up for subscription services. Signing up for subscription services can not only meet some of your self-care needs but can save you money as well. Companies often offer discounts on products if you choose the subscription option.

You may also want to use the internet to find some online classes such as kickboxing or other guided workouts. While some classes may cost a little bit of money, you might be able to engage in a variety of low-cost activities right from your home.
  

DO YOUR SELF-CARE ACTIVITIES WITH A FRIEND
You’re more likely to stick to and achieve your goals when you have an accountability partner. Therefore, if you want to prioritize self-care while balancing your budget needs, an accountability partner can help you stay committed to this endeavor. After all, you are using your hard-earned cash to pay for self-care, why waste it by not engaging in your self-care activities?

For example, let’s say you want to get in better shape, so you sign up for an online workout service. Ask a friend to sign up with you so you can both hold each other accountable for participating in the classes. Not only will you feel more motivated to take the classes, but it will be more fun since you’re sharing it with a friend.

THE BOTTOM LINE
Self-care doesn’t have to be expensive. You can find ways to cut out expensive habits and have fun taking self-care into your hands. Self-care can include personal pampering, taking care of your physical health, and spending time with loved ones. You can find ways to combine your social needs with your self-care needs or make your physical fitness routine more budget-friendly. The possibilities for self-care on a budget are endless.