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Living the beautiful life on a budget sounds a bit like an oxymoron, right? When I think of “the beautiful life,” I think of luxurious vacations, gorgeous homes, and designer clothing labels. Truth is, however, living a beautiful life doesn’t necessarily have to cost thousands of dollars. When your life consists of penny-pinching, sometimes investing in beautiful things is totally worth it.
Fresh-cut flowers. Sounds so simple, right? There is nothing more gorgeous than fresh-cut flowers, and it always makes my space look so much more lively. It’s peony season for a few more weeks, so get on it!
Travel. Learn to look for major deals because they’re out there. Even if you’re not a bargain hunter, there are ways to travel affordably. Craving a trip to Paris, but can’t afford the plane ticket? How about a drive to Quebec instead? While it’s not the same, you get a European feel that’s drivable! Or, go to a ski resort in the summer… Obviously, you won’t be skiing, but there are some killer deals out there, and so many fun things to do during the off season, like hiking and kayaking. Another place to get killer deals in the summer is Florida. I have seen round trip flights to Florida for less than $120!
Learn how to cook. Is it fun to get all dressed up and do a fun dinner with friends out? Absolutely, but you might be very pleasantly surprised by how much fun hosting a dinner party can be too! Now that it’s grilling season, the possibilities of even more amazing dinners are out there! I learned some really fun techniques from a Sur La Table cooking class, and from my dear friend, Chef Gabriel. In fact, Gabe came to visit a few weeks ago, and we made the meal below. I’ll give more details on a future post, but errrmygoshhh, was it amazing and one of the best nights I can remember. It felt very luxurious, to say the least.
When you shop, buy “investment” pieces. For some reason, our culture tells us that we need bulging closets to be fashionable, and that’s simply not true. Instead of stocking up on tons of inexpensive, low quality clothing items, buy a few and mix them with nicer pieces, like a designer pair of jeans or a second hand Louis Vuitton. I tend to buy very basic tops and accessorize them. When you’re wearing True Religion jeans and a Forever 21 top, no one will ever think you are skimping.
Go to free concerts and events. Living in DC, this area is chock-full of amazing events that are absolutely free. Jazz in the Garden is my personal favorite (unless it’s sweltering, which it often is). Friday nights from Memorial Day through Labor Day, there are free live jazz concerts in the Smithsonian Sculpture Garden. Back in Cleveland, the Cleveland Orchestra does affordable concerts at Blossom over the summer… Also, local libraries often hold really great events throughout the year for free.
Speaking of the Library… The resources at your local library are endless, and totally free (or tax payer-funded…). I decided to take a Great Courses class this summer, and it’s been totally free from my local library. Pretty cool!
Watch documentaries, rather than trash TV. Intelligence is a luxury, and there is so much free or inexpensive information out there. Rather than binging on The Bachelorette or Real Housewives, why not use that time to learn something valuable? Some favorites of mine from Netflix, as well as recommendations from friends are:
- Food, Inc.
- Cooked by Michael Pollen (my personal favorite)
- Fed Up
- Prescription Thugs
- The Seven Five
- Amanda Knox
- The Hunting Ground (so disturbing, but so well done)
- Happy
- High Profit
- Poverty, Inc. (totally watching this one stat.. Sounds amazing)
- 13th
- Chef’s Table
- Somm
- Somm into the Bottle
- Bad Kids
- The White Helmets
- Dior and I
- First Position
- Ballet 422
- Spinning Plates
- Mind of a Chef
- Minimalism
- Abstract: The Art of Design
While cruises along the French Rivera and $1,500 bottles of wine may not be in your direct future, you can still live a gorgeous life on a budget.
Wishing you all a great and relaxing Memorial Day Weekend!!!