Self-indulge on a shoestring

Everyone has responsibilities: bills to pay, kids to raise, family to look after, jobs to do. Even so, people tend to skip one of their biggest duties when checking other items off their lists: taking care of yourself. Everyone needs a little pampering in their lives. You are never too busy or distracted to show yourself a little love. Lest you begin to feel guilty, relax: self-indulgence doesn’t have to break the bank. Often, even a small change or five extra minutes can make all the difference between “frazzled” and “refreshed.” Refer to our list below for sweet treats ringing in at $10 and under.  1. Try a new beauty product. Sometimes the simplest of changes can perk you up or reinvigorate confidence. A new lip gloss could bring out the sexy in your pucker, or a different nail color might look bright and cheerful against your drab keyboard at work. Check out Empowermint Lip Shine by philosophy ($7.50 at www.Sephora.com), Lip Balm #1 by Kiehl’s ($8.50 at www.Kiehls.com) or Lipkick Ribbons Lipgloss in “Taffeta” by jane ($4.99, at Walgreen’s) for lips. For nails, check out colors by Wet ‘n’ Wild ($.99 to $1.99, at Walgreens and Wal-Mart) or O.P.I. ($7.50 to $10; check www.OPI.com for local retailers).2. Give yourself a pedicure. We’d all love to pay $30 every few weeks for a little star treatment, but such treats can add up over time. If you can’t swing the spa, do it yourself with an at-home pedi. Some tips for a lovely result: soak your feet first with some household ingredients that loosen dead skin cells, like milk, Epsom salts or baking soda. Follow your soak with an exfoliating foot scrub. You can buy one (like Sally Hansen Just Feet Deep Callus Foot Scrub, $5.99 at Walgreen’s) or make your own: combine 2/3 cup olive or almond oil in a small bowl and add approximately the same amount of sea salt, table salt or sugar.3. Take a bubble bath. Nothing says relax like a good soak in your bathtub, and it can be one of the cheapest indulgences of all. You can buy bubble bath at the store for only a few bucks (a 10-ounce bottle of Black Raspberry Vanilla bubble bath is $9.50 at Bath and Body Works, while a 48-ounce bottle of CVS Aloe Vera Foam Bath is $4.99 at CVS). For a little extra flavor, turn off the lights and light a few candles.4. Movie marathon. You’d like to watch John Travolta sashay in “Hairspray,” but your significant other/family/friends are much more interested in “Transformers.” While you might occasionally take one for the team, have a night where you let yourself watch those movies no one else wants to see. Rent new titles at Blockbuster for $3.49 apiece, or check out Family Video’s movies for $1. Pop a bag of popcorn or buy a bag of candy at the grocery store to complete the movie ambiance.5. Wine and relax. Unwind at the end of the day with a tasty glass of wine and some soft music. Grocery stores around the area carry a good selection of wines, and plenty of labels retail for $10 and under. Suggestions include Barefoot Chardonnay ($6.99), 2005 Rioja Vega Joven ($8), and yellowtail Shiraz ($7.99).6. Help yourself to literature. A good book can satisfy your mental taste buds, and best of all, there are no calories involved. New to 2007 were the New York Times favorites “Man Gone Down” by Michael Thomas and “Out Stealing Horses” by Per Petterson in fiction and “Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq’s Green Zoen” by Rajiv Chandrasekaran and “The Rest is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century” by Alex Ross in non-fiction. Granted, some books aren’t exactly cheap to buy, especially in hardcover editions, but you can find plenty of good reads for free at the Lima Public Library.7. Chocolate indulgence. Stop telling yourself “no” and eat your favorite chocolate treat: it could be as simple as M&Ms or as delightful as a Snickers Dark made with dark chocolate. Dark chocolate fans might enjoy the Hershey’s Extra Dark bars with dried cranberries, blueberries, almonds and macadamia nuts. Sweet treats like this cost little to nothing, but are great for perking up your mood. One tip for the chocoholics out there: savor the flavor. If you don’t finish the snack, save the rest in your freezer for a rainy day.8. Fancy up your food. If you’re cooking for one, let yourself eat what you want to eat, or add a little oomph to your standard food fare. If you’re eating spaghetti for dinner, enhance the Italian experience. Buy a small bottle of olive oil, dipping spices and some crusty artisan bread, and you’ve got a tasty antipasto. Instead of making a blah peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich, slice fresh strawberries instead of jam and serve it on a whole-wheat pita. Making creative changes to your food doesn’t have to cost more, but it goes a long way toward making you feel good.9. Have some quiet time. This self-pampering tip costs a big fat nothing, but it’s the perfect way to rejuvenate your brain after a strenuous day or week. Find a quiet room in your home that’s free of distractions (these include TVs, radios, computers, children, pets, etc.). Take 10 to 15 minutes to take big, calming breaths and let the day’s stresses fall away. Find other meditation tips on Web sites like www.how-to-meditate.org and www.nccam.nih.gov.10. Have a little splurge. This might not ring in under $10, but hey, you can’t always be thrifty. If you’ve been eyeing that patent leather clutch at the store forever, or you’ve been dying to buy a new baseball cap, go ahead and indulge yourself. As long as you don’t make spending on luxury items a habit, it’s OK to let loose and buy something that makes you happy. Really. We give you permission.  Sources: KGMH-TV and www.thedenverchannel.com, www.footcandy.com, Lily Organics.com, www.Walgreens.com, www.CVS.com, www.Walmart.com, www.foodandwine.com, www.barefootwine.com, Meijer, www.nytimes.com.