One of the things that makes getting ones finances in order difficult is the assumption that pleasure costs money. The truth is that it really doesn’t have to. The more that you enjoy the simple pleasures in life that don’t cost anything, the easier it is to get yourself out of the consumer mindset that happiness is derived from spending money.
The problem is that many of us forget the simple pleasures that we truly enjoy because there never seems to be enough time in the day to do all the things that need to get done. I think that it’s good to step back every once in awhile and remember all those little things that bring you happiness that don’t cost a cent.
The following is my list of simple pleasures. I started out with the goal of writing 100 simple pleasures that don’t cost a dime, but found that when you start to think about it, it’s actually not difficult to find that there are a lot of these pleasures out there (and I actually had to double up some in the list below to make them all fit). I added the 101st simple pleasure so that you know it doesn’t end there and you can continue the list to make it much longer.
I’m sure that my list will look different from yours. That being said, I hope that it helps to get your imagination going so that you can remember those things that you love to do and give you that deep satisfaction that only simple pleasures can. Once you have remembered, hopefully you will make the effort to sprinkle in the ones you can among all the other things that must be done in your daily schedule or whenever the opportunity permits.
1. Watching lightening storms out the window
2. Listening to the sound of rain on the roof while snuggled up in bed
3. Walking in the rain
4. Catching snowflakes on your tongue
5. Walking barefoot at the beach
6. Searching for sea glass
7. Having deep conversations with friends
8. Hiking somewhere new
9. Looking at tide pools
10. Learning something new
11. Watching the sunrise
12. Being surprised by the beauty of the sunset
13. Stumbling upon unexpected beauty
14. Hot showers
15. Getting lost in a song
16. The smell of newly mowed grass
17. Watching a baby smile
18. Getting hugs from my nieces (or anyone else)
19. Laughing so hard my side hurts
20. Turning off the alarm and staying in bed
21. Finding a coin on the ground
22. Reading a good book
23. Snorkeling
24. Giving a well deserved compliment
25. A knowing glance with a stranger without saying a word
26. Morning walks
27. Popping bubble wrap
28. The swish of a basketball going through the net
29. Blowing dandelion puffs
30. Skipping rocks on a glass like lake
31. River stick or leaf races
32. building snowmen and creating snow angels
33. Jumping into a pile of leaves
34. Walking hand in hand
35. Snowball fights
36. Pillow fights
37. Blanket forts
38. Jumping up and down on a bed
39. Swings
40. A good game of tag
41. Exploring slot canyons
42. Spotting a plant or tree that is growing somewhere it seems impossible to grow
43. Old teddy bears
44. Tree ropes over a lake
45. A hammock on a warm day with a good book in hand
46. Lying in bed under a warm comforter on a cold morning
47. Somersaults down a hill
48. Dangling bare feet in water
49. The view from the center of a bridge
50. Finger painting (also fun with mud)
51. Watching a garden grow
52. Finding waterfalls and spotting rainbows
53. Ladybugs, fireflies, and hummingbirds
54. Watching kittens or puppies play
55. Feeding ducks at the park
56. Secret meetings in a tree house
57. Running through sprinklers or fountains on a hot day
58. Unexpectedly finding something thought lost forever
59. Long overdue reunions
60. The smell of freshly baked cookies or homemade bread
61. A warm fire on a chilly night
62. Pumpkin patches
63. Corn mazes
64. Rocking chairs on a porch
65. The slide at the pool
66. Lazy Sundays
67. The smell of freshly dried laundry
68. Watching children play
69. Holding a door open and other simple ways of helping others
70. The wilderness night sky
71. Genuine smiles
72. Making sandcastles
73. Gentle breezes
74. Rain puddles
75. The process of creating something
76. Dew covered spider webs
77. Skipping and hopscotch
78. Autumn colors
79. Firework displays
80. Picking out shapes in the clouds
81. Smelling flowers
82. Getting to the top of the hill
83. Sitting on benches placed in the perfect spot
84. Wandering farmer’s markets
85. Sand dunes
86. The smell of mountain air
87. Spotting the red tail of red tail hawks
88. Hidden paths
89. Secret doors and drawers
90. Drawing on the sidewalk in chalk
91. Turquoise waters
92. Collecting sand dollars and sea shells
93. Putting your feet up on a table and lying back
94. Flying kites on a windy day
95. Connecting with art
96. Inspiration at 2 in the morning
97. Walking under cherry blossom trees
98. Nighttime stories
99. A water fountain quenching your thirst after playing hard on a hot day
100. Taking a leap
101. Writing something that others find useful
In the end, I left eating all food off the list because that can cost money. I’m sure I could easily double this list to 200 simple pleasures that cost very little with my love of food. Hot chocolate and pie come immediately to mind, not to mention blueberry waffles. I’ll stop there, but you get the idea. There are a lot of simple pleasures out there and many of them cost nothing to very little. Embrace them. Actively seek to find them daily. Enjoy life on the cheap.
(Photo courtesy of Robert Couse-Baker)
Jeffrey strain is a freelance author, his work has appeared at The Street.com and seekingalpha.com. In addition to having authored thousands of articles, Jeffrey is a former resident of Japan, former owner of Savingadvice.com and a professional digital nomad.
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