Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! If you’ve been following our feeds, you’ll know this Valentine’s Day we’re celebrating all there is to love about life with our #LifeLoves campaign.
We wanted to find out what it is that makes you happy – the cheap little things you do to treat yourself on a budget. Our winner will get to treat themselves to something special with their £150 prize, as well as a £150 donation to a charity of their choice to spread the love a little further this Valentine’s Day.
The votes are in and we loved your tips and tricks so much that we’ve put together a list of our favourites. So next time you’ve had a long day and are looking for a way to pamper yourself without breaking the bank, take a look at these handy, money-saving ways to treat yourself for less:
A long bath and at-home pampering session
A lot of you love a classic long bubble bath, candles and a glass of wine to unwind and relax. And no wonder – it’s a classic for a reason. There’s nothing like sinking into a comforting bath at the end of a long day, maybe cracking out a luxurious bath bomb or treating yourself to an at-home facial.
“Mini spa experience at home – essential oil dropped into the shower so with the steam it feels like a spa experience. Homemade face mask, and heated hand mitts with moisturizing cream 👌” – jennakeller126
“I love to pamper myself at home with a face mask and bubble bath, a glass of wine and a few chocolates. It’s inexpensive and I can do it whenever I feel the urge😊” – callyoubetty
“I love to put on a face pack and have a nicely scented bath and a glass of red wine and a little background music. Once I have slipped into my big bathrobe I give myself a home manicure and pedicure before curling up with a good movie 🛀🍷💅” – Fiona Foskett
“A nice smelling rich body cream is a great way of treating yourself…it doesn’t have to be expensive and makes you and your skin feel so much better!” – Sand Henderson
“I love to treat myself to a nice relaxing facial every so often. I can do a lovely oatmeal and honey facial which I make up myself and my skin always feels so soft and invigorated afterwards and I can save myself a bit of money at the same time!” – Elaine Alexander
“My favourite way to treat myself without breaking the bank is having pamper nights with my granddaughter @hannahpriice we do each others nails and put face masks on with some choccies. Doesn’t break the bank and we always feel thoroughly pampered afterwards ❤️🧘🏼♀️” – hazelpricey
Love relaxing soaks, DIY pinterest nail tutorials and face masks? Take a look at our discount codes for ESPA, Boots, Lookfantastic, The Body Shop and more of your favourite beauty and skincare brands to find luxurious ways to pamper yourself for less. Take a look at our money-saving beauty tips blog for some great advice on getting more makeup for your money. Perhaps you’d like to treat yourself to a relaxing spa break, it just might do you a world of good and cost less than you’d think.
A money-saving beauty tip from Savoo to you:
If you’re looking for some new makeup but you’re not sure what to get, or you’re just heading on a big night out and want to look your best, go to a beauty counter to get a free, professional makeover.
The makeover itself is usually complimentary. Learn how to apply new makeup, get recommended the best products for you and at the end just buy the products that you liked best. MAC and Bobbi Brown are some of the top brands that offer this service – head to their pages to find out where to go to get your new glamorous look.
See the world for less or get outside for some fresh air
A lot of us think travelling means splashing out, but there are loads of great ways to go on holiday without breaking the bank. Take Margaret’s little way to treat herself and her hubby for example:
“Love winter seaside trips with hubby eating fish and chips and watching the world go by 🏖️” – Margaret F Payne
This is an amazing money-saving tip from Margaret. Plan your holiday out of season to find fantastic bargain prices and get the place to yourself.
A couple of handy tips from our #LifeLoves travel blog are to travel via coach or ferry to cut the costs and to book well in advance to take the stress out of travelling. Book well in advance to get the best deals or sign up for price drop alerts to book a spontaneous, last-minute budget trip. Check out our current holiday offers and you could be on your next adventure sooner than you think.
Or why not give yourself a break without the price tag by enjoying a staycation? The UK has plenty of stunning and romantic destinations to travel to by train or car. Or keep it simple by heading outside and enjoying the view for free like Lisa and Sarah. Breathe in the fresh air and get away from it all at the peaceful hideaways right on your doorstep.
“My favourite cheap way to treat myself is to take a walk with my husband and our dog somewhere beautiful. We’re so lucky to live where we do with so many beautiful places right at our doorstep.” – sarah_blake12
“I love spending a bit of time on the allotment, it’s a lovely escape 💚” – Zoey Harris
Discover something delicious
Is food the way to your heart? It is for some of our commenters too. Some of you love a cheeky takeaway, while some of you love keeping it simple and cooking at home. Either way, we’ve got plenty of deals to help you fill your stomach with the food you love.
“💖 Netflix and a pizza” – Lorraine Amy
“Pizza delivery…….for a night off from cooking! 🍕” – Jodie 💬
Can we tempt you to a cheeky Valentine’s takeaway…? Savoo has some fab featured deals for Domino’s, Pizza Hut and plenty of other irresistible takeaways. Why not take a look? You know you want to.
Or if you’re a whizz in the kitchen…
“I love to bake myself some yummy cakes! There’s nothing quite as satisfying… I do share though…sometimes 😉!” – Debbie Lea Clarke
“Beans on toast floats my boat.” – Peter Watson
“Enjoy breakfast in bed 🥞 🥓🍳” – Laura
”Save Tesco clubpoints up and treat yourself to a meal or day out.” – Mrs Sharron Page
“Glass of wine cooking the dinner with a good podcast on! 🍷”- melldp85
“I have a sweet tooth and love baking so we make a massive cake together and then enjoy it whilst snuggled up in front of the fire with a super marshmallowy hot chocolate 💕” – worlas3
Prefer cooking up a storm yourself? Take Sharron’s advice and browse our Groceries deals and money-saving advice to get fantastic ingredients, baking supplies and some classic baked beans to make your favourite meals and treats.
Sign up for club cards and loyalty schemes to save on your weekly shop. Plus, cooking your lunches at home rather than eating out can save you a ton of money. We all know how those small £3 meal deal expenses can add up over time.
In our #LifeLoves: Dive into your favourite activities blog, we found that cooking is both incredibly soothing and can save you over £1,500 a year. Relax with your favourite home cooked meal and use the savings to treat yourself to an occasional delicious takeaway.
Find fun and cheap days out
It’s tempting to try to stay in when we’re feeling a bit skint, but there’s a wealth of fun, free and cheap things out there to get stuck into. Take in some culture or enjoy something new and exciting for less.
Go out and live life to the fullest without overspending – that’s what #LifeLoves is all about! Here are a few great ideas from our saavy shoppers:
“I subscribe to movie newsletters. Before the release movies, they always give free tickets for preview screenings. Me and hubby watch loads of free movies at the cinema 🎥” – Maria Hackett
“Look for cheap deals on Groupon etc, or convert store points for days out.” – 🦄 ZobieOne🌈
“A trip around the museum or art gallery is always my treat 🖼️” – Kirsten Murphy
Excellent advice – no matter how much money you have to spend, there’s always something cheap and fun to do. Check out our Groupon deals and other Days Out and Experiences vouchers to find your next budget adventure.
With brands like LittleBird, there are loads of fun activities for all the family to browse, and many of them are free! Sign up for their Family Pass for just £1 for the first month and £34.99 for the year to save hundreds of pounds on unmissable experiences and get exclusive savings for days out, attractions, tickets and family-friendly restaurants across the UK.
Lose yourself in a book
Yep, that’s right, books are still a thing, thank goodness! It’s become an underrated pastime, but reading is good for you in so many ways. It helps our memory, relaxes us and teaches us new things – all from the comfort of your favourite armchair or comfy bed.
“Going to the library and getting a fantastic book to read for free📚” – Sheena Batey
“I browse Amazon for free Kindle books then snuggle down with a cup of hot chocolate and lose myself in a romantic story ☕❤️” – ✨Gillian Byford✨
“Going to the charity shop and getting some new books to read and at the same time supporting a charity.” – Angela Robinson
As Sheena and Angela suggest, head to a charity shop to get a great read for less. Or take Gillian’s advice and browse Kindle’s free book selection to find a surprise favourite.
If you want to find more great books, take a look at our fantastic books discount codes and vouchers. Try out Audible and listen to your first book for free, or grab something that sparks your interest from The Book Depository for up to 61% off.
A cosy night in
For all you homebodies out there, sometimes nothing beats a night in. Get stuck into your hobbies or just chill out in front of the TV.
“My favourite way to treat myself is to buy some craft supplies! Whether that be wool, soapmaking ingredients or a kit to try something new, its great for my mental health, very relaxing 🙂” – Liz Robinson
“I love having a movie night so I buy lots of popcorn and curl up in front of the TV 🍿” – adsyprior
“I absolutely love cookie dough ice cream so I wait until it’s half price and then but a couple of tubs to stash in the freezer 🍨” – Emma Emskii Emzie Walton
“An hour with my phone and laptop switched off.” – Brenda Heads
“2 player video gaming fun with some sweet treats! 🎮” – ✨ RHIA ✨
What do you love doing at home when you get a rare night off to relax? Veg in front of the TV and watch your favourite movies and shows for less with our great discount codes for top services like Sky, Virgin Media and NowTV.
When you sign up to big services like this, there are almost extra free perks such as a free 8-bottle of wine with Virgin Media or a voucher for you and a friend when you refer someone you know to Sky.
Take on new adventures by grabbing exciting new video games at 50% off from GAME or at unmissable rates from Xbox. Sign up for loyalty points to earn great discounts and rewards – you can even save up for a big treat like the special edition of your favourite game.
Try some arts and crafts with our deals for Hobbycraft and more. Explore our #LifeLoves hobbies blog to find more cheap ways to indulge in your interests, enjoy some time in and get some much-needed downtime.
And finally, a few of our wonderful favourites
“My favourite treat is a walk with hubby in the fresh air and sharing a bag of chips as we sit on the park bench. Just as we did when we were kids but we are now 47 and 52 ❤️” – Lisa Williams, Our LifeLoves Winner! 🏆
“Loud music and dancing around the kitchen with my toddler🕺” – Richard Saunders
“Love to chill in my car playing old 90’s music as loud as hell with a kebab and chips #pumpupthejam” – Baggies Fan 1
“A takeaway and a Hugh Grant film.” – Kieran Sandhu
Which one of these great tips is your favourite?
For more great ways to treat yourself on a budget, check out Savoo’s fantastic discount codes and vouchers to get yourself a little something for less. Even better, for every purchase you make through Savoo, we’ll give 50% of our commission to your chosen charity.
No more guilt when you treat yourself – save money and give to charity! Check out our step-by-step guide for how saving money through Savoo can help a cause you care about.
Thanks again to everyone who shared with us, and make sure you keep an eye on the blog to hear about more exciting competitions, coming soon!
