My favourite blog post this year was ‘Things that I Love.’
I created this list because I started a No Buy Year and wanted to ensure I was doing things that I love and spending money (plus time) in the right areas, especially since I have stopped shopping. The main point of this blog is to learn simple living to find financial freedom. I want to ensure that my money is being spent on things that I love instead of just buying stuff that are ‘likes’ or ‘meh.’
Every time I read through my list of ‘things that I love,’ I smile.
Throughout this year, I have been trying to do more of the ‘things that I love’ based on this list to replace the time spent shopping. The point of this blog post is to now quantify the cost of ‘things that I love.’
Here’s my list of things that I love and the roughly estimated cost:
- *Sunsets (especially in nature) – free, absolutely free
- Lush, rolling green hills – the cost and time to drive to look at hills
- *The smell of rain – free, absolutely free
- My family – priceless
- Fireworks – the cost and time to drive to watch fireworks
- Candles on a clean table – the cost of a standard soy candle
- A new soft bathrobe – the cost of an average bathrobe
- Brunch/dinner with friends – $20 to $50 per outing (I would like to do this more)
- Dinner/lunch out (especially Korean or Japanese food) – $20 to $50 per outing
- Date nights (especially when I get to dress up) – $50 to $100 per outing
- Beach air, the sound of crashing waves, and a view of beautiful blue-green water – the cost and time to drive to the beach
- Relaxing holidays where I can disconnect and recharge – this depends on location and accomodation – hundreds or thousands of dollars
- A cappuccino – yummy – about $5 to $6
- My friends – priceless
- Twinkle/fairy lights – the cost of some Bunnings fairy lights
- All the Christmas events, including carols – low cost depending on the activity
- *Afternoon picnics in nature with family & friends – the cost of sandwiches
- Hiking through rainforest – the cost and time to drive to the rainforest
- *Cats being cute – free, if visiting a friend’s house who has a cat
- Christmas movies – the cost of a Netflix basic subscription
- High tea – $40 to $60, or much cheaper if at home with friends
- *The sound of saxophone music – free through YouTube
- My little house when it is clean – the cost to buy a house (okay, that is a lot of money)
- Seeing a musical – $80 to $200
- Christmas light hunting – the cost and time to drive to look at Christmas lights
- Leaving home to go on vacation – varies on the type of holiday
- Warm summer nights and outdoor social events – depends on the social outing
- A big bowl of comfort pasta – $5 (or more if GF)
- Deep chats with wine – the cost of wine
- *The colour yellow – free
- Sparkly tiaras – $10
- *Reading a great fiction book with a happy ending – free with a library card
- *Reading a great non-fiction book where I learn something – free with a library card
- Playing board games in a group – the cost of a board game
- Travelling overseas for fun and adventure – varies
- Moments of peace and quiet with my Bible – the cost of a Bible
- *Walking on the beach – free
- Breathtaking views from a mountain and hiking – the cost and time to drive to a mountain
- Coffee out with friends – $5 (I would like to do this more)
- My church family – free and priceless
- Coffee at home with my husband – the cost of a bag of beans and milk
- Coffee on my own when I get to journal – same plus the cost of a journal
- Going to a day spa – ooh, this one is expensive
- Getting a pedicure – $40
- *Going for walks with a friend – free and priceless (I would like to do this more)
- *Being present with my children and spending quality time with them – free and priceless
- Travelling somewhere new – usually expensive, varies in cost
- Buying and giving gifts for people (being generous) – varies (I would like to do this more)
- Typing out my blog posts / writing – the cost of a website and hosting
- Painting / being creative – the cost of paint or a journal (I would like to do this more!)
- Volunteering – free and priceless
- Daydreaming – free and delightful
- Making a new friend – free and priceless
- Getting my hair washed and blow-dried at the hairdresser – $70 to $100
- *Laughing really hard – free and priceless
- *Taking the time to enjoy the moment – free and priceless
- Roasting marshmallows over a fire – $5
- The smell of flowers – free, if out in nature
- Spa baths / jacuzzi when on holidays – varies depending on location
- Fishing on a pretty beach or jetty, ideally at sunrise or sunset – the cost of a fishing rod and bait (I need to do this again)
- *Clothes swaps – free and awesome
- Fun nights out with a group of friends – varies
- Having friends over for dinner or lunch at our house – the cost of food (I would like to do this more)
I put an * on the ones that are usually free.
It is interesting, because there are a number of low cost or free activities on my list. How great is that! There are some on my list that are quite expensive (such as a day spa and travel) and those are ‘occasional’ activities. But the ones that are low or free activities, I am trying to do more of those activities. Since prioritising the activities on this list, I’ve noticed that I feel happier this year.
I am almost at the six-month mark for my No Buy Year, so my next post will be to celebrate the six-month mark. Clap!
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