Yes, I am one of those. The girl that loves saving money as much as she can. The girl who scopes over the online weekly ads for local grocery stores and checks out online sales before purchasing anything.

That doesn’t go to say that some of my splurge purchases are worthy of their cost – because they are! Some things are meant to have a large price tag that accompanies it, however – there is no reason to spend, spend, spend without saving money.

Whether it be a dollar here or there or saving hundreds at a time – at least, you will have some money to fall back on in the future if needed. I am obsessed with saving money, any way possible – but here is how I learned to treat myself.

Working on a college budget, there are books to order, supplies to purchase, and groceries that need to be bought in order to survive everyday life, as a College Student. Here lately, I have attempted to save $15-$20 a month to buy myself something nice. It doesn’t have to be extravagant – but maybe a cute tunic, or a pair of earrings you’ve been spotting for a while now. This month, I purchased myself a new laptop case. Amazon has fantastic deals and the two-day shipping is a huge plus!

Checking out the weekly specials at the local restaurants near you is never a bad idea. For example, on Mondays, Mellow Mushroom has the $5 small pizza special. This, my friend, is a reason to treat yourself! When are you ever going to get Mellow Mushroom with a drink for less than $10? Kickin Chicken’ also has daily specials for their loyalty members throughout the week. Going out to dinner with your friends can be difficult when you are on a budget – but be sure to take advantage of those restaurants specials!

Another way that I have learned to treat myself, is taking advantage of the free things in life! Go for a walk, enjoy the beach, plan an adventure to somewhere new. These activities have been seemingly less stressful, than buying an item. It’s not every day that I am able to go for a walk or lay out on the beach. It is a treat for me to take 1-2 hours of my time to treat myself. Besides, it gets annoying every time I see the beach in passing – take time and enjoy it for once!

Treating yourself can be accomplished in many ways throughout our daily lives. It doesn’t always take extra money. Next time you get paid, go shopping at Marshall’s or TJ Maxx – these companies pride themselves on providing quality clothing for lower prices. The next time you want to have dinner with your friends suggest the restaurant with the dinner specials – I can promise you won’t be the only one that is thankful. Lastly, take time to yourself to enjoy the free things in life. As the old saying goes, “Money can’t buy happiness’ can be found true in many settings, however – having money to buy things that make you happy, is totally acceptable – your decisions don’t’ have to break the bank!