8 Easy Ways to Upgrade Your Life on a Budget

What does it really mean to upgrade your life? Often we associate it with luxury and think that we have to spend a lot of money in order to upgrade our lifestyles, move to a bigger home, treat ourselves to more vacations, go out to trendy restaurants, own the latest and the coolest.

While I agree that a few of these luxuries can definitely add value, we should not forget about the small habits and mindset shifts that can drastically transform our lives from the inside out.

Luxury ultimately is just a feeling, and it can be achieved even on a budget.

Here are eight smaller things to do if you are wondering how to upgrade your life without spending too much money.

1. Explore your own backyard

Sometimes we feel like we need to travel far to feel a sense of adventure, but what if we can apply that same mindset to explore our own backyard?

Not only is this budget-friendly way to inject some adventure into our lives without having to travel, but also it can give us a new sense of appreciation and a deeper connection to where we live, instead of taking our surroundings for granted.

Try deliberately venturing outside of your normal route, and perhaps you will rediscover familiar places through fresh eyes.

2. Celebrate your wins

We live in a society where we are constantly pushing ourselves to strive for the next goal and often our accomplishments go unnoticed.

Make sure to take the time to pause, reflect and celebrate even the smallest victories because this can add more meaning to our work and ultimately to our lives.

Whether it is buying some fresh flowers, treating yourself to a favorite dessert, planning a fun day or taking a night off, having an intentional reward system is not only a fun way to achieve your goals, but this might be the motivation that you need to work towards your next one.

3. Invest

Investing is crucial, and I wish that I knew how important it was earlier on. It is one of the best ways I can upgrade my life for the future and grow my wealth over time without putting in too much effort.

There are plenty of apps and websites where you can start investing and learn how to. Time is our biggest asset when investing, so it is always better to get started sooner than later.

4. Audit your relationships

Make a list of the people you interact with the most in your life. How do you feel after your interactions? Do you feel energized, drained, inspired, loved?

We all know that the relationships in our lives can have a huge impact on our quality of life. It can shape our conversations, emotions, thoughts, how we feel, even our actions, so it is vital to have an honest assessment of the people we allow into our physical space and our headspace.

Distancing yourself from superficial or toxic relationships and putting more effort into the genuine connections with those important to you will truly change your life for the better.

Even auditing your social media following can make a big difference.

5. Recreate favorite restaurant recipes

Instead of going out to expensive restaurants all the time, try making your favorite dish at home. This way you can eat it anytime you want for a fraction of the cost, and even customize the flavor to your liking.

Eating at home can feel just as special as going out, especially if you go that extra mile and light some candles, play music and set up the table nicely to recreate your favorite restaurant experience.

6. Let go of perfectionism

I am a perfectionist by nature. I would hesitate so much to get started on anything because I was so obsessed with doing things perfectly. This made me procrastinate, it affected my confidence and I missed out on so many opportunities.

This is something that I am still working on, but slowly letting go of perfectionism has freed me to try new things, get out of my own head, and it taught me to have fun in whatever I am doing.

Yes, I have made a fool out of myself countless times, but now I do not waste my time worrying about not meeting my own impossible standards. I am no longer holding myself back, which means I get to try all the things I want to do in life.

7. Quit fast fashion

There are so many reasons why we should quit fast fashion. The exploitation of workers, negative environmental impact, low quality clothing, just to name a few big reasons.

Replacing cheap, poor quality fast fashion with higher quality clothing will encourage us to be more selective about what goes into our closet and make us pay attention to quality over quantity.

When we feel good in the clothes that we are wearing, the more comfortable and confident we will feel. If buying more expensive clothes is not an option for you, try shopping second-hand or join low-buy or no-buy Facebook groups.

8. Keep an inspiration list

An inspiration list is my version of a vision board. It is a master list of all the things I want to watch, read or listen to.

It is also where I write down all the best quotes, phrases I come across, new vocab that I want to remember, and topics I want to research more into.

Inspiration plays a huge role in upgrading our lives because it can open us to new possibilities and allow us to go beyond our ordinary experiences.

When I feel a lack of inspiration, I find myself referring back to this list and it always fuels me with so much creativity and zest for life again.

Upgrade your life

These are some small ways that we can upgrade our lives on a budget. How do you think one can upgrade in life?

What changes have helped you feel like your life has become better than it used to be? Leave a comment below!

Next, check out these Minimalist Habits That Make Me Happy.