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It’s Monday. Let’s Do a Giveaway, Shall We? Today’s Theme: Little Luxuries!

candles

I don’t think it will come as any surprise to hear that our family has been on a tight budget for a long time. Why? Well, that’s the only way we could manage to take the family to Australia for six weeks this past summer.

Like most people, I find the constant monitoring of pennies to be tedious. Enough to make you want to buy a lotto ticket, even. Sometimes, even though you know it not to be true, it feels like you are being deprived. I mean, talk about first-world deprivation! Pedicures at home, hair cuts at First Choice Haircutters, and no bottles of wine that cost more than $12 a piece.

Regardless of where you stand on the spectrum of “deprivation,” you might be able to relate this: little luxuries. Because sometimes it really is the little things that make you feel grand. And special. And even a touch decadent.

For my mom, I know she likes to pick up flowers from the grocery store and make beautiful little bouquets around her house. I’ve also tried this. It totally works, by the way.

Lately though, I’ve found myself relying on two favourite little luxuries. The first is to light a candle in the evening.

My friend Vanessa has started to make her own hand-poured, pure soy candles. It took me forever to pick a scent because there were so many that I loved (which is rare since I usually find scented candles overbearing). So far, my two top choices are Pink Grapefruit and Brown Sugar Fig. The cost of this luxury? $10.

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The second little luxury that I’ve been thoroughly enjoying was inspired by my friend Andrea’s post. “It’s about soap, but not really.” She shares that she goes out of her way to stop at Terra20 to buy soap. And that this soap costs $5. She talks about buying local. She talks about the ingredients in the soap. But really, what it comes down to is this:

“Turkish fig is unlike anything I have ever smelled before. It’s fresh and uplifting without being sweet, like something botanical without being floral. I can’t put my finger on it but I love it. There are poppy seeds embedded into the soap as well, which gives it a really great feel. Whenever I use it I just think: ahhhhh, HEAVEN. And 30 minutes later I realize I’m still in the shower, remembering I have actual work to do.”

Reading Andrea’s words back in February of 2013 made me feel a little better about paying $5 for good soap too. My husband and I both really enjoy our handmade cakes of soap. And I actually find that they last a long time. Like Andrea, we forgo lattes at Starbucks, but give in to this little luxury of a great bar of soap. It really does do the senses good.

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So, I’m curious: Do you have any little luxuries that you build into your day … your week … your month? Let me know.

And while you’re at it, please enjoy this giveaway to win some little luxuries of your own from Terra20. With this giveaway, two Coffee with Julie readers will win a $50 gift certificate to Terra20. The gift certificate can be used online from anywhere in Canada. Contest is open to residents of all provinces with the exception of Quebec. Two winners will be selected via random draw and a follow-up skill-testing question at midnight, October 13, 2014.

 

*** this giveaway is now closed *** feel free to continue to share your little luxuries! ***

Comments

  1. Natalie F says:

    My favorite little luxury is taking myself out for breakfast and having an hour to be alone and read.

  2. Very good quality tea is my little luxury.
    Cheers.

  3. like you guys, our luxuries usually come in the form of travel. but, at home, little luxuries usually are food related… also, sharing a cuppa with a friend always feels like a luxury, even if we are in one another’s living rooms :)

  4. Food related usually. One is trying a different type of cheese when I go to the cheese counter or cheese store.

  5. A small amount of quality tea goes a long way — and is a perfect pick-me-up on a grey day!

  6. I have to agree there is nothing like a great cup of tea, and one with friends make it that much better! I have also started to share books with friends, a great way to save and indulge in reading that I don’t often get to indulge in unless I am on a plane.

  7. My luxury is time with good people. I need to laugh, it’s imperative to my well being.

  8. My luxury money all goes to paper products – notebooks and novels. I just can’t seem to resist! It’s totally for work, right? :)

  9. Every other week or so I spring for a $6 bouquet of flowers from the grocery store. Fresh flowers in the house feels like such a luxury.

  10. I make my own coffee most days, but on Fridays I indulge and buy a 2nd Cup latte.

  11. Excellent quality coffee (brewed at home – usually), quality time with my NS BFF, a terrific regular fitness class (or event/outing – like a daily walk with the aforementioned BFF), movie night with my kiddos and husband where movie popcorn is absolutely required.

    There are lots of little luxuries that make life enjoyable – and many of them don’t *even* come with luxury pricing! 😀

  12. Suzanne G says:

    My one little luxury I love to indulge in is to have a great scented bath every night. I light candles, have a glass of wine and just relax. It is a great way to end my day.

  13. My little daily luxury is a piece of toffee covered macadamia nut chocolate that we bought back from Hawaii. It makes me happy as the chocolate melts in my mouth.

  14. I love to indulge in a good bottle of wine.

  15. Adam Harrison says:

    Every once in a while I treat myself to a deluxe bunion spacer.

  16. Reading travel blogs/books and dreaming! Not QUITE as good as the real thing, but it’s better than nothing!
    PS I lived AU again through you and your posts!

  17. i LOVE candles and I love to curl up with a good tea with a book.

  18. Really good chocolate!

  19. A delicious drink of hot apple cider !

  20. Elizabeth says:

    I have a coffee date with my best friend twice a month, and try a new coffee drink each time. I’m pretty sure it’s the friend time that actually perks me up, but the chichi coffee is a luxury for me.

  21. My little luxury is buying fresh flowers in the dead of winter! They do wonders for the winter blahs!

  22. jessica eapen says:

    My little luxury: long baths =)

  23. I love a nice chai latte and a good book :)

  24. We don’t have a budget for a lot of luxuries, but my hubby and I love our friday night ritual of eating after the kids have gone to bed and having some quiet grown up time. He usually BBQs me something nice that is a little bit of a splurge compared to our regular meals, although certainly less than ordering in or going out. I look forward to it every week!

  25. SUMMER PLEWES says:

    I like to indulge in good books from my favorite Authors. I am a sucker for a beautiful new release from someone I love to read!

  26. A good salon quality shampoo

  27. Kristine Ewald says:

    Love to go to the spa :)

  28. coffee! From Tims, or Starbucks, or McDonalds – my tastes are simple :)

  29. I love taking long hot baths

  30. Candles and melters from Wick Witch in Merrickville. Lovespell is our household favorite.

  31. Really good quality chocolates.

  32. Angela Mitchell says:

    I love having hot baths and the occasional late night chocolate bar:)

  33. Neighbour says:

    A new magazine with a cup of tea in my comfy chair is a little luxurious excape for me!

  34. josephine evans says:

    Coffee, wine & baths <3

  35. Karla Sceviour says:

    a good piece of chocolate!

  36. I’d really love to spurge on nice decorations and scents for my place!

  37. I like to indulge in pumpkin chai tea from David’s Tea with French vanilla creamer in it. Thanks for the chance to win!

  38. Okay, this probably sounds weird, but my luxury is nail polish. I have many different colours, but there’s always another to try! (Thank you for the awesome giveaway.. if I win, I’ll try some of that soap… and maybe a new nail polish!)

  39. Charlene Argaez says:

    My favourite luxury is my daily Starbucks fix…and the occasional new book or cookbook.

  40. My luxury is caviar. Unfortunately, my kids like it too and I don’t like to share 😉 Speaking of which, I’m due for some…

    Besos, Sarah
    Blogger at Journeys of The Zoo

  41. My luxury is good quality tea!

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