Dear Self Care Girl: I Need A Spa Day Badly...But I Am Short On Money & Time

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” - Robert Brault

There are few things that a good day at a Spa won't cure....

Work rubbing you the wrong way?...A therapeutic massage will help you get you back on your game.
Kids driving you crazy?...A nice body wrap will feel like a really good hug.
Winter blues?...A bright new pedicure will put some "spring" in your step.

Only problem:  Spa days can be very expensive...and when was the last time you had a day when you could actually step away and indulge yourself with the Queen for a Day package?

I have no perfect solution to this except to say that Mother's Day is coming and if you drop enough hints and perhaps ask for a spa gift outright starting today,  your loved ones should be ready to bestow one upon you by the time May gets here.   (Your birthday and Valentine's Day are also opportunities to ask for this)

A few other ideas that will never completely make up for the absence of a spa day in your life, but might make you feel a little better:

1. A hot bath, with bubbles...and candles...and no interruptions.
2. My local pedicurist-extraordinaire charges $15 for a pedicure.  Shop around and save up if you need to!
3. Clear a corner of your home for peaceful escapes.  A good comfy chair, a small end table and a few of your favorite things about you can take you miles away -even if its just enough time to drink a cup of tea...or count backwards from 20!
4. If your grandma never crocheted you a blanket or made you a quilt of your very own, go buy yourself a nice blanket.  Seriously- you will be warm and comforted. 
5. Keep a hidden chocolate stash.   Invest in good quality chocolate. Eat slowly. 
6. Take a quiet stroll, engage your senses- be one with nature and inhale lots of that fresh outside air.
7. Call a friend...or a sister...or your mom
8. Go back to bed.
9. Have your own spa evening.   Put on a facial mask...soak your tired feet in a tub of warm water...give your hair a hot oil treatment.
10. When I was younger and money was tight, I used to find that a small personal purchase was enough to lift my spirits.  A new set of pillow cases from Ross freshened up my tired bedroom, a cheery new nail polish brightened my outlook, a springy bouquet of flowers, a fragrant candle, or a new pair of trouser socks can have a huge impact with little expense.

Let me know if you have any additional solutions!  We love your comments and ideas!