26 Ways to Treat Yourself This Christmas On a Budget (2024)

Treat yourself this Christmas? And on a budget? Yep, If the holiday frenzy has you close to losing your mind you’re going to love all these tips to help you treat yourself this holiday season on a budget.

So, you’ve spent all your coins on everyone else for Christmas and slowly you feel the holiday blues taking over. You give, give, give without any expectation of receiving anything back, but clearly, you can’t continue on this way.

Why do we do this to ourselves? We take care of everyone and think of our own self-care as an afterthought. Especially during the holidays. Well, today that mess is going to end because you can’t give when your own cup is empty.

And this can majorly affect your finances because who likes to shop their blues away? I know I did. And who likes to go to the grocery store without a plan because they are just plain ole hangry and disgusted with the world around them. I still do and maybe you do too.

So, to keep ourselves from experiencing a major financial setback, we’re going to focus on just us for the time being. We’re going to learn how to treat ourselves and we’re going to do it on a budget, okay?

Let’s not waste any more time because our sanity and our wallets are at risk. Here are 26 ways to treat yourself this Christmason a budget.

26 Ways to Treat Yourself This Christmas On a Budget

1. Read a cheesy Christmas romance novel.

So, how can you do this on a budget exactly? Well, Amazon has a ton of free holiday romance novelsthat you can pay zero bucks for. But if these free books don’t exactly tickle your fancy, you can always sign up for a FREE trial of Kindle Unlimitedfor the holiday season and read til your heart’s content.

Related Reading: 10 of the BEST Reasons You Need Amazon Prime This Holiday Season

2. Lift your mood with a holiday-inspired aromatherapy blend.

Put the following into your diffuser: 3 drops of ginger, 2 drops of clove, 2 drops of cinnamon, and 1 drop of nutmegfor a little gingerbread cookie delight.

However, if stress is totally got you bugging, put this in your diffuser instead: 2 drops of peppermint, 1 drop of lavender, and 6 drops of frankincense.

3. Buy yourself a gift.

You’re giving to other folks and you’re not expecting anything in return right? Well, give yourself a gift this holiday. When most people think of giving yourself a gift, they think it has to be a material item.

However, it can be something as simple as opening another savings accountto save money for that trip to Tahiti. Of course, if you want to buy yourself something, that’s cool too. This gift guideshould help.

4. Take a merry little nap.

A nap is something that I don’t like to turn down. When you’re mad and stressed, it’s the one thing that can probably make you forget all about it. You know how you’ll go to sleep bugging out over the slightest thing and when you wake up, you’ve forgotten all about it? Those type of naps are the best, so go get you one.

5. Have favorite things exchange with your girlfriends this holiday.

Spending time with your girlfriends can lift a mood any time of the year. It’s like icing on the cake when you all come bearing your favorite things to share with one another. You can get extra cute with it and exchange Christmas sockswith all of your favorite goodies.

6. Pamper yourself with a Groupon spa service deal or weekend getaway.

Everyone knows that Groupon can help you save money on just about everything. So, why not use them as a means of treating yourself this Christmas? You can save money on spa services, massages, and weekend getaway trips.

I don’t know about you, but a quick 3 day getaway in December to somewhere warm sounds like a pretty good treat to me. Check out some of the specials on Grouponand score a good deal on a budget.

7. Meditate.

One of the cheapest and best ways to treat yourself this Christmasis to simply sit down somewhere and meditate. Clear your mind over everything that’s going on around you and enjoy the peace and quiet. Do this every day for 15 to 20 minutes and be ready for the transformation that comes along with it.

Related: My Treat Yo’ Self on a Budget Essentials List

8. Shave.

Ahem, some of us ladies have the tendency to skip this during the winter time. After all, it’s too cold to have your legs out anyway. But, this means it’s a perfect time.

Why? Well, having smooth legs under those pants that are keeping you warm feels so good. And it’s just a simple way to prioritize yourself during the frantic holiday season. I’ll leave you with a good tip – use coconut oil. Mind-blowing, I know.

9. Create a holiday tunes channel.

It doesn’t matter if you use Spotify, Tidal, or Pandora – all of them serve the same purpose. Create a special holiday channel with your favorite tunes and listen to it when you perform your mundane everyday tasks like washing dishes. It’ll put you into a chipper mood and it’s a fun, cheap way to treat yourself this Christmas!

10. Watch cheesy Christmas movies on Netflix.

Netflix is notorious for having some of the cheesiest holiday movies. But cheesy or not, they are a great way to sit back and unwind after a long day. You might even lift your spirits a little.

11. Make your own Christmas decor.

Instead of spending all of your hard-earned money on new decorations (that will be 90 percent off after Christmas, btw), have a little fun and make your own. You don’t have to be crafty or artsy because you can make holiday decor from the simplest of things. If you don’t believe me, check out these 17 Cheap Christmas Decor Ideasthat won’t break the bank.

12. Check your city calendar for FREE holiday events.

They don’t even have to be holiday related! Check your local calendar for free concerts, museum nights, festivals, classes, and meet-ups. You might be surprised at what you find and it’s definitely my fave way to enjoy the holidays.

13. Red wine and chocolate, anyone?

Don’t be afraid to grab your Godiva and expensive wine, girl! Sit back and enjoy yourself because wine and chocolate are well-deserved anytime, right?

14. Put your cell phone on silent.

This is something I’ve been doing a lot of lately and it does wonders for your frazzled nerves. I can only imagine how helpful it would be during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. No one should have the right to your peace of mind 24/7, so take back control and put your cell on silent. It’s definitely a new way to treat yourself this Christmas, but it’s well worth it.

15. Buy yourself an adult coloring book and the pens too.

I don’t care what anyone says, coloring is the best thing ever. It was fun as a kid and it’s still fun as a grown woman with two kids. And look, no one is judging you if you keep it cheap and grab yourself a Minnie Mouse coloring book and crayons and hiding it from your kids. Totally not judging.

16. Bake some cookies and eat them.

Here’s another “no-judging you” moment. I totally won’t blame you if you bake them while the kids are sleep and hide them. It’s totally cool for us adults to be selfish with our snacks and I can’t think of a better treat for myself than cookies.

17. Stick to your Christmas budget and don’t feel guilty about it.

So, your holiday shopping list doesn’t include your neighbor from around the block’s dog this year. So what? Don’t feel bad about having to say no or sticking to your Christmas budget this year. There’s a reason you created a budget in the first place and that’s so you can have a debt-free holiday. Don’t feel guilty and consider it an amazing treat to yourself to follow through on your plans.

18. Ask for help.

You do not have to do everything yourself! I mean, we all know that we are superwomen, but seriously, who said we had to do everything? There’s a reason we all have likes and dislikes. This means we can delegate the Christmas ham to the family member who actually enjoys cooking. The rest of us can save our talents to making the table look pretty. Don’t be afraid to ask for help beyond the holidays too. Asking for help is a perfect way to treat yourself this Christmas.

19. Say no to hosting if you don’t wanna.

Speaking of likes and dislikes…just because someone says you oughta host Christmas dinner or breakfast at your house doesn’t mean you have to. Hosting people at your home can be overwhelmingly stressful so if you’re just not that into it this year, treat yourself by saving no.

20. Create a gratitude journal.

Think of everything you are grateful this holiday season. Put it in your journal or do a grateful jar with your family. On Christmas morning, read the things you’re grateful for. It would be an amazing start to your Christmas day.

21. Eat something raw every day.

I don’t know about any of you but the main thing I absolutely hate about the winter months is all the heavy food I consume. I mean, I crave salads something seriously during the winter months. Light foods make me feel better and heavy foods make me feel like crap. So, make an effort to consume something raw every day during the winter months to treat yourself this Christmas. Thank me later.

22. Take a nice warm bath.

Put your tub to good use during the winter months and take a nice warm bath. Add essential oils, rose petals, anything that lifts your mood. Light a candle and enjoy that little time to yourself.

23. Do something fun with your kids.

When the kids are out of school, make an effort to do something fun with them this holiday season. Go see a play, make s’mores outside, make snowmen. Let your kids come up with a fun game. The possibilities are endless.

24. Exercise.

Remember that holiday playlist I told you to create earlier? Grab your headphones and do a little exercise to increase all those feel-good hormones you probably need right now.

25. Declutter before Christmas day.

If your home is cluttered, your mind probably is too. Before Christmas day, go through your house and declutter. Get rid of things you no longer use. Throw away broken toys. Sell some stuff to add to your holiday funds.

26. Take a day off and do absolutely nothing.

No Christmas shopping. No errands. No cooking. Just chill and know that this is one of the best ways to treat yourself on a budget.

Now That’s How You Treat Yourself This Christmas on a Budget

It’s so important that we take the time to indulge in self-care this holiday season. The holidays can be depressing for many and taking on too much responsibility can make it even worse. The next time you feel the stress kicking in and feel like you need a moment to yourself, come back and pick one of these ways to treat yourself this Christmas. There’s no holiday like a holiday when your sanity is intact.