I am a woman who unabashedly loves the finer things in life. A beautiful 5-star hotel, travels to Paris or London, a fine dining restaurant, a day at the spa…these are things I love to indulge in, but they come in very sporadic moments and are not part of my everyday life. However, I have cultivated for myself a luxury life on a budget that I get to enjoy every day. The good news is that one does not spend a lot of money to infuse everyday luxury into their lives. Despite the fact that luxury can be conflated with extreme wealth, luxury is actually defined as a state of great comfort and extravagant living, and one does not need a lot of money to achieve this in their day-to-day life. Listed below are some ideas to create an everyday luxurious life in delighting the senses, but on a budget.
a nespresso machine
If you are a coffee person like I am, then having a quality cup of coffee will most likely be on your list of daily luxuries. While I love to go to coffee shops as a way of enjoying a good coffee while out and about, I didn’t want that to be the only time that I could enjoy a good latte or flat white. I wanted to be able to have this luxurious experience each and every day, so I made a small investment into a Nespresso machine. Most machines are less than $200 with many that go on sale for $99.99 around the holidays. One can order pods online on the Nespresso or Amazon website as well purchasing pods being sold in stores such as Target and even local grocery stores. The pods are also recyclable as you can request recycling bags from the website for free when purchasing pods and they are also free to ship. With a Nespresso machine you can enjoy a quality cup of coffee in the peace of your own home and for a fraction of the price you would pay at a coffee shop.
use a genuine french soap
This item seems to make its way onto nearly all of my luxury lists and for a good reason. A French soap is different from its American counterpart in that the soaps are triple milled to remove as much moisture as possible, so the soap itself lasts much longer and provides more of a silky texture when using it. The soaps create a luxurious experience when showering with its lush foam and delicate scent. You can find French soaps on Amazon as well as other sites such as Pre De Provence. The skin feels smooth and hydrated after using a French soap and is a daily luxury that costs on average less than $10 a bar, but a single bar will last for several months as it will not melt due to its low moisture content.
purchase cashmere at quince
Of all the fabrics available for garment creation there are none that is more luxurious than cashmere. While many other natural fabrics makes for clothing such as wool and silk, cashmere is soft and luxurious on the skin that it still is still superior when purchasing clothing items. Cashmere items are also great because they can be worn year-round as they can help keep you cool if it’s warmer and help keep you warm when it’s cooler. However, cashmere can get pretty pricey depending on where it’s purchased from, but this is where Quince is here to help. Quince has many cashmere sweaters available for less than $100 and even has many options for as low as $50. The site offers many different variations as well such as cashmere tees, cardigans, turtlenecks, V-necks, and so much more.
use truffle oil to elevate a meal
Walk into almost any fine dining restaurant and will most assuredly see a dish on the menu incorporating truffle. If you are unfamiliar with truffle, basically truffles are one of the world’s most expensive and legendary ingredients. Truffles grow worldwide, although most of those harvested in the wild come from Europe, notably Italy and France. Truffles grow underground near the roots of “host trees” such as beech, poplar or oak. Truffles are known for their earthy, umami-rich flavor and heady, musky aroma. Their flavor is sometimes compared to mushrooms, although truffles are more intense and complex in taste and far more fragrant. The exact profile varies by variety, season and quality, incorporating nutty, garlicky or floral notes. There are two types of truffles and that is the black truffle and white truffle. There are also many products created from the truffle including truffle butter, truffle salt and truffle oil. Truffle oil is a finishing oil that can be used on many ways including drizzling onto eggs, potatoes, veggies, pizzas, and pastas. This flavor enhances the dish into one of luxury. You can get either a black truffle oil or a white truffle oil. While the choice to use either one depends on personal taste, it is generally agreed that white truffle oil tastes better on light or creamy foods, while black truffle oil is good for heartier, stronger dishes. Elevate your meals and infuse this daily luxury into your life by purchasing a bottle of truffle oil from places like Amazon, Sur la Table, William Sonoma or even the local grocery store. You can get a bottle of truffle oil on Amazon for less than $20 or you can get a 3-pack for truffle oil for $35. As stated above, truffle oil is used as a finishing oil and a little bit goes a very long way so a bottle will most likely last for months.
subscribe to the simply luxurious life blog
Many here on my blog also visits the Simply Luxurious Life blog as well, but if you have not yet subscribed then you are missing out on luxurious inspiration each and every day. Shannon Ables provides a wealth of information for luxurious living as well as creating a podcast and cooking show as well. But it’s her blog that is the heart and soul of the luxurious living inspiration that is well worth the monthly price of only $8.00 a month to be a top tier member. Shannon delves into many subjects on luxurious living including style, beauty, everyday contentment, travel, and so much more. You will be greeted every month with A Cuppa Moments and start the weekend every Friday with This & That. Get inspired to live luxurious each and every day by subscribing to The Simply Luxurious Life’s blog. It well worth the price and then some.
SUBSCRIBE TO LUXURIOUS PUBLICATIONS
And speaking of subscribing, also look into subscribing to some luxurious publications to be delivered to your house every month. While the world may be more digitized than ever, there is something luxurious and pleasurable about picking up a physical copy of magazine to read rather than perusing the endless number of articles available online. Why no subscribe instead to enjoy a physical copy of an elevated publication such as Vogue, Town & Country, Bon Appetite, The New Yorker, Victoria, My French Country Home or Teatime magazine to name a few. Put on luxurious playlist of music and enjoy them with a cup of tea or coffee for an everyday luxurious moment on a budget.
have a luxurious playlist
Music is truly a luxurious way to elevate the everyday experience. There are so many ways in which to enjoy music throughout the day. One can listen to music in the morning, while working, gardening, reading, cooking, and so much more. Having a luxurious playlist or two is great way to enhance the moment even more. If objects are how we decorate our space, then music is how we decorate our time. I use Spotify to create and save playlists that I enjoy. Some luxurious playlists that I have created are Luxury Hotel Vibes, Cooking, Instrumental and Parisian Mood and I have subscribed to Jazz in the Background as well. Music elevates those moments in our life at home where we can sit and enjoy the stillness of the day and a playlist is a budget friendly way to incorporate some luxury into your everyday life.
SHOP AT THRIFTBOOKS
If you are an avid reader or are looking for a few good coffee table books, then look into Thrift Books. This such a great site for many reasons with one being the great prices they offer on used books (most of them less than $10). But they also offer free shipping when you purchase over $17.00 worth of books, but often charges around $1.99 if you buy just one book, you can create wish lists to check back to see if used books are offered for that particular title, and you can also earn points to get free books. Newer books may not be offered, but otherwise I will check here first always whenever I am looking to purchase a book because their prices are very budget friendly. See below for a previous order that I made.
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