10 ways to give yourself a break
Small indulgences are worth the money when they reduce unhealthy stress levels by bringing peace of mind or some much-needed downtime.
- Rent a movie. It’s one of the best, cheapest ways to “escape” for a couple of hours when you need a breather.
- Hire a cleaner. Get a head start on spring cleaning or tackle a stubborn area of the house that refuses to shape up with a one-off visit, or make it a part of your routine.
- Call the babysitter. Whatever your reason — dinner with your partner, an afternoon at the art gallery with a friend or a morning at the gym by yourself — the babysitter’s rates can be well worth it for a much-needed time out.
- Buy a healthy lunch. Rather than fall off the heart healthy wagon when you don’t have time to prepare lunch, treat yourself to a healthy restaurant or take-out meal.
- Consult an accountant. Getting your income tax return prepared by a professional is like taking a vacation from worrying about your taxes.
- Get a financial planner. RRSPs, GICs, RESPs… Yes, a professional advisor will cost money. But wouldn’t it be nice to stop worrying about whether you’re managing your money wisely?
- Use a personal shopper. If you’re planning to buy some clothes this spring, consider using a store that has a personal shopping service. You’ll get coordinated pieces that work for your body type and with key pieces in your existing wardrobe.
- Hire a dry cleaning/laundry service. Laundry can seem endless, but with a service to pick-up, clean, and deliver your clothes, you’ll be able to take a deep breath and say, “ahhh.”
- Contract out snow/gardening maintenance. An hour or two a week spent on outdoor maintenance adds up over the course of a year: What would you do with up to four extra days of spare time?
- Dining with a personal chef service. From a family chef who plans and cook a weeks’ worth of meals to stash in the freezer, to a franchise where you create meals in advance from a set menu using prepared ingredients — there are options for almost any budget that will save you hours of daily dinner-time headaches.