9 Feel-Good Ways to Reward Yourself Without Crushing Your Progress

Savings goals make up your most important life priorities. Money in the bank helps you live out your dreams, provide for your family, sleep soundly, and make the world better.

Plus, studies show that rewards help you stay motivated when life gets tough.

So, if you’re ready to skyrocket your progress, these incredible ways to reward yourself will get you there without derailing everything you’ve worked for.

So you can stay on the path to achieving your heart’s desires.

Break Down Your Big Scary Goals

Instead of taking on $100,000, $10,000, or even $1,000, split your goal into smaller chunks. This makes each marker manageable. Each time you hit the next milestone, you’ll create momentum. And this leads to one heck of a snowball effect.

Key Takeaway: Small wins make you feel like you’re flying toward your destination. And each win gives you an extra burst of speed.

9 Motivating Self-Rewards

It will feel amazing when you cross off that debt, graduate with freedom, buy the car, or accomplish whatever else you’re dreaming of!

1. Have a Movie Night With Your Favorite Childhood Movie

If you’re a product of the 90s like me, this might be Good Will Hunting, Forest Gump, or Twister.

2. Invite Friends or Family Over to Celebrate

Celebrate your milestone with friends without the fuss. Start a firepit, cook a nice meal, or have a trivia night that’s all about fun.

Find more great affordable ways to have fun with friends >>

3. Test Out Your Dreams

Give yourself a taste of what you’re saving for. You’ll be even more motivated to commit!

• Walk through a similar home model if you’re saving for a house
• Test drive a similar car
• Look through a brochure of the vacation

4. Indulge in Affordable Self Care

At the end of a recent workout, my class instructor said “I’d rather you reward yourself with a massage than junk food.”

Unless you get your partner to do it, a massage can be expensive. But his point was well made. Treat your body as part of your reward! You’ll have a win-win.

Here are a few affordable ideas:

• Take a nap
• Let yourself sleep in
• Have a pajama day. Allow yourself to stay in your jammies all day
• Re-read your favorite book
• Spend extra time working on a hobby you love
• Have DIY spa day at home and lounge in the bathtub
• Paint your nails or toenails

5. Spend Time at a Library or Bookstore

Bookstores with coffee shops are my happy place. If they are for you too, spend a few hours checking out the latest magazines and books. Grab a small coffee or just go for the experience.

Your local library can give you the same effect!

6. Reward Yourself With Laughter

Get on Netflix or YouTube and look up the latest comedy movies or stand-up acts. Then, spend an hour laughing until your sides hurt.

It’s a therapeutic and mood-boosting reward!

7. Bask in Nature

Nature is free, beautiful, and in most cases, easy to get to. What’s not to love?

• Head to a park and watch a sunset. (Bring a bottle of champagne to toast a bigger accomplishment!)
• Enjoy a healthy picnic
• Lay in a hammock for several hours
• Take a joyride in the car to see a pretty view
• Pick out something beautiful to plant in your garden
• Hit the beach for a day
• Go stargazing
• Try forest bathing. Walk in the woods for an hour. Wander, think, and let nature calm you.
• Explore a simple natural beauty nearby (cave, hidden trail, hill, lake beach)

8. Give Yourself Time to Stay Inspired

If you are busy, you may not have time to think about your most exciting goals and dreams.

So, as a reward, give yourself an afternoon to get lost in what makes life worth living for you. Most importantly, remember your “why”. Envision your life once you’ve achieved your major goal.

• Watch an inspiring TED Talk
• Make or update your vision board
• Make a bucket list
• Write out why you’re pursuing this goal in your money journal. Will it give you security, freedom, or flexibility?

9. Buy Something Small That Reminds You of Your Goal

These items can be found for $10 or less. Every time you look at them you’ll be reminded that you are well on your way to achieving that big audacious goal.

How awesome is that?!

Examples:

• An air freshener for the car you’re saving for.
• A plant or candle for your workspace if you’re starting a business.
• $10 in fun money every time you pay down or pay off a debt.

Try Free Trackers to Stay Motivated

Printable trackers show your progress visually. Add your reward to your visual tracker so that you have it to look forward to. Between the tracker and rewards, you’ve got a plan of action that can’t be beat!

• Car Savings Tracker
• House Savings Tracker
• Debt Payoff Trackers
• Disney Vacation & Vacation Savings Tracker
• Baby Fund Tracker (coming soon)

What’s Next?

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