This Valentine’s Day, we’re celebrating all the ways you can love life without emptying your wallet.
From showing your pets some love to exploring the world, we’ve got loads of ways to celebrate life while saving money this Valentine’s Day. After all, why should couples have all the fun?
You’ll also have the chance to win big by entering our Life Loves competition. You could win £150 for yourself to spend on whatever your heart desires, plus £150 to donate to charity. To enter, love our post on Facebook and comment your favourite cheap way to treat yourself with the hashtag #LOVESAVOO. The deadline is 13th Feb at 23:59, so make sure you don’t miss out!
Our first topic is treating yourself this Valentine’s Day. Whether you’re single or coupled up, one of your most important relationships is the one you have with yourself. So why not make the most of the romantic season by taking care of yourself for a change?
The benefits of self-care
Although self-care might just seem like the latest buzzword, it’s actually been a recommendation for millennia. The Ancient Greeks saw self-care as an essential need to help us become more honest and caring towards others. Improving both our physical and mental health, self-care allows us to deal with stress and lead more rich and fulfilling lives.
As the mental health charity Mind tells us: “How we view and treat ourselves sets the tone for our mental wellbeing. Looking after ourselves and practising self-compassion is key to a good self-image and helps us cope with challenges life throws at us.”
Similarly, anxiety expert Chloe Brotheridge says that taking care of ourselves sends the important message that we are a worthy and valuable person, worthy of being taken care of.” So even though you may have lots of other responsibilities, it’s vital to take some time out and take care of your personal needs.
Self-care means different things to different people. For some, it’s spending time with friends, or getting stuck into a hobby. For others, it’s about taking some alone time for yourself.
In fact, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that although we spend most of our leisure time with others, we spend 29% of it alone. That averages out at 100 minutes a day – almost two hours. So why not dedicate these minutes to enjoying a bit of peaceful alone time and indulging in what you love?
Recharge and de-stress
One approach is to simply relax and take the time to recharge. Enjoy some much needed TLC to feel refreshed and revitalised.
Don’t worry, there’s no need to splash out on expensive spa treatments to get your self-care fix. Taking time out to recharge could be as simple as getting cosy, having a cup of tea and getting stuck into the book you’ve been wanting to start. Even better, ditch the caffeine and treat yourself to one of Whittard of Chelsea’s feel-good, wellbeing infusions. Forget your worries with a mug of Blueberry Bliss or soothing Golden Camomile. Plus, with Savoo’s exclusive 10% off for new customers voucher, you can enjoy some relaxing luxury tea without breaking the bank.
If you want to feel truly pampered but don’t want to splurge on anything too pricey, stress management expert Elizabeth Scott, reminds us, “a simple but often overlooked form of self-care is having a self-pampering experience on a regular basis in your own home.”
There are plenty of fab at home spa treatments you can enjoy at home in your own space – and with Savoo, you can enjoy these treatments for less. These simple spa treatments can be great for your mental wellbeing. According to the British Skin Foundation: “taking care of your skin is important for mental wellbeing. It’s important to look after your skin where possible using moisturisers and emollient creams.”
Try an ESPA facemask to leave your skin glowing, or perhaps some reviving bath oil to promote inner calm. Bring the spa to you with our exclusive 15% off ESPA discount code for new customers. Or for him, how about some nourishing moisturisers from Bulldog or Gentleman’s Tonic soothing aftershave balm. With one of Savoo’s great Mankind voucher codes, take care of your skin and yourself without overspending.
Healthy body, healthy mind
We all know the benefits of exercise and a healthy diet. It’s no secret that regular exercise improves your physical wellbeing with instant positive effects on your mental health and self-esteem. Keith McNiven, personal trainer and founder of Right Path Fitness, told us that “When working with a new client, I’ll always ask what their main motivation is for getting fit – many say they want to feel better by being healthier, and thus, being happier.”
Not a big fan of the gym? No worries, it’s easy to find fun and cheap ways to get fit. Mental health charity AWARE tells us that keeping active is a vital part of looking after our mental health. They recommend simple changes to our lifestyle and doing more of what we enjoy to keep fit, such as “going for a walk or run, cycle, playing a game, gardening or dancing.”
Most importantly, choose to do something you enjoy doing and which suits your lifestyle. It could be hiking to beautiful new spots, enjoying some calming yoga, changing your diet, having a walk on your lunch break or just getting enough sleep.
To help you get started, explore some of our great sports and outdoors deals to get an endorphin hit and start feeling fab on a budget. You could even try changing your diet and getting into an active routine with a discount code for Muscle Food’s great value hampers to help you achieve your goals.
Look your best to feel your best
It doesn’t take an expert to know that feeling good has a knock-on effect on the rest of your life. Don’t we all feel more confident after being treated to a little makeover? Even the process of getting dressed up and putting on makeup can be a fun, soothing ritual.
Journalist, model and influencer Simran Randhawa recently told Vogue how her beauty regime became a great tool in her mental health journey. Putting on makeup became an “act of compassion to myself when other areas in my life are beyond my control. Beauty has come to act as a coping ritual.” This doesn’t mean adhering to a societal idea of beauty or to changing yourself. Instead, it’s about embracing what makes you feel unique and beautiful.
Treat yourself to some makeup from top brands with a Lookfantastic discount code to get feeling fabulous. Fall in love with a gorgeous (yet affordable) outfit to show off your personality from Hobbs, Land’s End, Evans or one of our many other top fashion brands. Or how about slipping into some stunning lingerie from Leia to bring out your confident, sexy side? It doesn’t take a lot of time, money or effort to give yourself a boost and start feeling your best.
Spread the love with free donations this Valentine’s Day
As well as looking after yourself this Valentine’s Day, look after someone in need. This Valentine’s raise free donations to a list of charities that work tirelessly to make lives better, such as Mind, AWARE and the British Skin Foundation. You can make these donations at no extra cost to yourself through Savoo. Find out how it works with our handy step-by-step guide.
It’s a win-win. Donate to charity without spending an extra penny and bring a little extra love to someone’s life. Enter our competition (now closed) to donate £150 to charity, plus £150 for yourself.
When it comes down to it, you can’t put a price on your happiness. With Savoo it’s easy to give yourself small, affordable treats with our voucher codes and money-saving tips. Keep an eye on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds to see more Life Loves blogs. And remember, this Valentine’s Day it isn’t just about loving your partner – it’s about loving life!
