Cheap Things That Make You Happy

[Dicey]

The cold. I've been sitting on the front porch in the evenings listening to the night sounds and our dog sniffing her way around the yard. I've been testing colder and colder temps. 50s were nice. Then started sitting in the 40Fs with a blanket. Last night I sat outside for 30 minutes in ~35F weather. I think I outlasted the dog.

Sometimes, spend the time reading stuff on my phone, or using the internet, or  ...listening to my 50 year old AM/FM/SW radio. Analog dials, etc. Runs forever on a set of cheap D-cell batteries. Sitting on the cold front porch, running up and down the dial on all the frequencies, listening to this and that from far and near. Listened to the HAM guys the other night, lots of foreign places, AM radio (WSM Grand Old Opry) one recent Saturday night. Avoiding all the political talk radio with opinions based on ??? Hearsay? Don't want to inhabit the world those people think they live in.

I like you.

[lifejoy]

Podcasts. Homemade crepe pancakes. The tv show Ted Lasso.

The strangers that smiled (understandingly) at me when I accidentally blocked the cross walk with my car today.

Going on vacation using visa points.

Reading this thread :)

[lifejoy]

Writing and giving thank you cards.

[FrugalShrew]

Reading this thread :)

Same. Thanks for creating it, @lifejoy!

[Kris]

I love a good cup of black coffee at 6 am.

I also love a good, crisp apple.

[RWTL]

I love a good cup of black coffee at 6 am.

I think that is my most favorite part of the day. 

[mspym]

Writing and giving thank you cards.

Seeing you around these parts.

[Dicey]

Writing and giving thank you cards.

Seeing you around these parts.

Ditto!

[Extramedium]

Podcasts. Homemade crepe pancakes. The tv show Ted Lasso.


Reading this thread :)

Podcasts and Ted Lasso are right up there for me, too.

A fire in our fireplace.  Good hot soup.  The satisfaction of a shoveled sidewalk.

[jeninco]

Writing and giving thank you cards.

And making them!

There's a fancy hand-made paper store in our town, and I go past there and buy (honestly, not super-expensive) sheets of various kinds of beautiful paper-y things. Then I cut them into rectangles and squares (and hearts for Valentine's Day) and glue them onto card-stock that I buy by the ream at a regular office supply store, along with A4 envelopes. A half hour being low-key craft and we're set with really lovely cards for the next couple of months.

[Sandi_k]

- A heating pad for my neck and shoulders on cold winter days/nights.

- A cat curled up next to me on the couch.

- My milk frother. It was a Christmas gift, cost ~ $12, and I've used it every day to make my creamer a bit frothier for my morning coffee.

- Mai Tai Fridays. During lockdown, DH and I perfected our Trader Vic's mai tai recipe. On Fridays now, we make them and serve them in our Trader Vic tiki glasses.

- Silicone straws. I bought them at BevMo when we were stocking up for holiday party beverages. We cut some of them in half for shorter drinks, and just toss them in the dishwasher's silverware basket when used. I LOVE THEM in comparison to paper straws. They don't stick to my lips, or disintegrate after 10 minutes in the glass.

[Loretta]

I successfully got an old white paint stain out of a thrifted Patagonia fleece this morning using a splash of paint thinner as a spot treatment before laundry day!  Shite like this is a VICTORY! 

I also was cheaply happy today when I took a free afternoon nap. 

[Serendip]

Longer days, the sun now reaching directly into our living room for a portion of the afternoon again :)

[mspym]

The free weekly film screenings at the art gallery. They are tied to whatever exhibition is on and I generally catch at least half of them.

[Trifle]

I successfully got an old white paint stain out of a thrifted Patagonia fleece this morning using a splash of paint thinner as a spot treatment before laundry day!  Shite like this is a VICTORY! 

Great job @Loretta!  I love wins like that. 

[scottnews]

On days like today, my balaclava

[Weisass]

On days like today, my balaclava

Out here in pa my version this week is my raincoat.

[mspym]

Post-run stretching. It feels so good and is so good for your body.

[Extramedium]

A clean kitchen sink.  Dinner cooking.  Fresh sheets, laundry folded.  Cat box clean.  Little but real satisfactions.

[Trifle]

A clean kitchen sink.  Dinner cooking.  Fresh sheets, laundry folded.  Cat box clean.  Little but real satisfactions.

Those are really good ones @Extramedium -- agree completely.

[okisok]

A day sunny and warm enough to have an indoor plant field trip. I put them on the back porch out of the wind but in the sun and give them a nice thorough watering.

[Serendip]

-The smell of dinner being cooked downstairs (and since it's pesto, potato & bacon pizza tonight it's particularly tantalizing)..
-an afternoon nap

[Dancin'Dog]

Repairing my dead motorcycle without needing to buy any parts.  Discovered it was only a dirty battery connection.  :)!

[Josiecat22222]

@Serendip, YES to the afternoon nap. I always say that my favorite simple pleasure is being able to eat when I'm hungry and sleep when I'm tired.

Other cheap things that make me happy:

Being known by name at my local library
Long walks on the beach with my dog and son
Sunday morning snuggles with DH

[mspym]

Ice cream on a blazing hot afternoon. Reading a good book that I found in a street library. Listening to an interesting podcast while doing embroidery.

[Dicey]

A day sunny and warm enough to have an indoor plant field trip. I put them on the back porch out of the wind but in the sun and give them a nice thorough watering.

What a good plant mom you are!

[Sandi_k]

A battery operated milk frother. My sister got it for me for Christmas, and I've used it every morning since then to make my coffee taste even better.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09D8T11YS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Bateaux]

My oldest bicycle.  Bought it almost new in 2000.  I ride it places where it may damaged or stolen.  It may be beat up to the point now that it isn't worth being stolen.

[Josiecat22222]

lighting a lovely scented candle on a cool overcast day and curling up with a library book.

listening to my teenager pick out a song he likes and attempt to play it on the guitar for which I bartered for a bottle of bourbon!

[MMMarbleheader]

I put on new windshield wipers, went a little pricey for ones that said they were good for ice.. WOW wished I did that a loooong time ago.

[zolotiyeruki]

Laying down in the grass for a nap while four of my kids LARP battle in the park. It's mid February in northeast Illinois, and we are enjoying a beautiful nearly-50-degree day with a nice, warm sun.

[Kl285528]

My 2 cups daily (maybe 3!) of Moka Pot coffee - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moka_pot
Love this with oat milk and a smidgen of honey and cinnamon

[Frugal Lizard]

Leaving a box out and watching my cat play in it.

[Extramedium]

My morning ritual of cheese omelette with salsa, and good coffee.  Making an omelette perfectly is so difficult to do consistently, and the practice is fun.

[sui generis]

Leaving a box out and watching my cat play in it.

Yesss.  I recently collected a bag of leaves and added a bunch to the box and she is so happy.  It's adorable and hilarious to watch her.  Real role models about enjoying the simple pleasures of life!

[Linea_Norway]

My self-sown seeds sprouting.

[Zamboni]

Getting really comfortable in my bed makes me happy. What a luxury it is to have such a warm, comfortable bed!

[sonofsven]

Chamomile tea with a teaspoon of honey.

[englishteacheralex]

A battery operated milk frother. My sister got it for me for Christmas, and I've used it every morning since then to make my coffee taste even better.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09D8T11YS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So funny! I bought one of these three weeks ago because I was envying my friend's new $$$ espresso/milk steamer combo and I figured I could achieve almost the same thing with the Aeropress I already have and a milk frother. I felt frivolous buying such a gadget, but I have very much enjoyed my lattes! And the frother has come in handy for emulsifying home made dressing and for my 6 year old daughter to help me whisk eggs with no mess.

And here someone is posting about it as something cheap! Thanks for the validation!

[Trifle]

Going for a run in the woods with my dog. 

[jnw]

My dog. $117 SPCA special.  $10 /mo dry dog food :)

[Sandi_k]

A battery operated milk frother. My sister got it for me for Christmas, and I've used it every morning since then to make my coffee taste even better.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09D8T11YS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So funny! I bought one of these three weeks ago because I was envying my friend's new $$$ espresso/milk steamer combo and I figured I could achieve almost the same thing with the Aeropress I already have and a milk frother. I felt frivolous buying such a gadget, but I have very much enjoyed my lattes! And the frother has come in handy for emulsifying home made dressing and for my 6 year old daughter to help me whisk eggs with no mess.

And here someone is posting about it as something cheap! Thanks for the validation!

Ha! I may have posted it on your journal at some point.

And I may have purchased two for friends this past month. ;)

[zolotiyeruki]

The endorphins that come after a nice, long, easy run.  I'm working to get back into shape.  Ran 5.2 miles last night at about a 9 minute mile pace.  Not very fast, but that's not the primary goal.  The goal is to feel and be healthier.  The faster times will come on their own if I can exercise consistently.

[Weisass]

That sounds great, @zolotiyeruki ! Keep them coming, those miles build and they can feel super awesome.

[Extramedium]

The endorphins that come after a nice, long, easy run.  I'm working to get back into shape.  Ran 5.2 miles last night at about a 9 minute mile pace.  Not very fast, but that's not the primary goal.  The goal is to feel and be healthier.  The faster times will come on their own if I can exercise consistently.

Don't knock your 9:00/mile pace!  No matter fast you are, there are people faster than you and slower than you.  Run what you run, and love the experience.  Glad you're feeling good and getting faster.  I'm around your pace and distance, and it comes and goes.   I keep track, but don't get attached to any times.  As long as you're getting healthier and having fun, like me!

[zolotiyeruki]

The endorphins that come after a nice, long, easy run.  I'm working to get back into shape.  Ran 5.2 miles last night at about a 9 minute mile pace.  Not very fast, but that's not the primary goal.  The goal is to feel and be healthier.  The faster times will come on their own if I can exercise consistently.

Don't knock your 9:00/mile pace!  No matter fast you are, there are people faster than you and slower than you.  Run what you run, and love the experience.  Glad you're feeling good and getting faster.  I'm around your pace and distance, and it comes and goes.   I keep track, but don't get attached to any times.  As long as you're getting healthier and having fun, like me!

Being now middle-aged, I look back at what I did in high school in absolute awe.  My dad asked me last week to look up my times (he was talking to a current HS student), and I ran a 5k in under 18 minutes as a freshman, and under 17 minutes as a junior.  My 3-years-older brother has been a big motivation, but he's got an extra inch of height and 15 lbs less weight than I do :)

[GuitarStv]

Running vs cycling is kinda weird how different they feel.  With cycling I'm always up and down.  There will be lows and then huge highs where I get adrenaline flowing and feel great from the pumped up hyper-aware feeling.  It's an extroverted good feeling.  With running I find that it's more even keeled, introverted, and also feels good . . . but in an overall whole body very different kinda way.

[okisok]

Hand-me-down clothes. My office wear outfit consisted of 2/3 gifted and 1/3 thrifted.

[Gerard]

Transportation that lets me smell plants and air and stuff. I spent last week birding in Arizona, and all the travelling was by car. Back home now, Toronto is full of spring blooms, and riding my bike is super energizing and nice-smelling.

[Serendip]

I'm newly into birding and finding out the names of all the sweet little creatures around here is a joy.
The free Merlin app is a great tool.