After a summer of living lean as a result of being a one income house, I’ve been trying to keep the spirit of minimalism going now that I’m back to being gainfully employed. So here are a few things that have made me very happy lately, for very little money, that you might like to try…

Loose Black Tea {cost: $7 per 1/4 pound of Assam}

There is something so homey and indulgent about loose tea for me. My mom always had a pot of tea on in our home when I was growing up, and coming in from the shocking cold, leaving your hat on the radiator to warm up and grabbing a mug of tea was the best thing to melt the frost from your eyelashes. It tend to have a thermos around in the evenings so Mister & I can help ourselves.

S’mores made with Vegan Marshmallows {cost: $4 per metric tonne}

I stopped eating meat when I was five or six years old (that’s a whole post in its self) but being vegetarian means that some things treats, especially ones containing gelatin, have been off my radar for 18 years now. This month my local Organic Mega Mart started stocking vegan marshmallows, and I nearly leaped off the bus when I saw the sign. Mister drove me down, we bought chocolate and graham crackers and made s’mores in our toaster oven. They tasted exactly like I remember and I’ve been having them every night since. Home made s’mores are decidedly brilliant- put assembled s’mores on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for 3-5 mins for perfect camp fire effect.

The Library {cost: $0}

Ever since the library in our city had a massive renovation that turned it into something of a marvel, I had an epiphany about the library: it exists! And it’s free! Libraries are something we tend to take for granted but every time I receive an e-mail reminder that a huge hardcover retrospective on french fashion, architecture, or american city history is in for me I get giddy. And the best thing is you can usually renew them online so you can really take your time if you need to.

Finding a work schedule that works {cost: 8 hours a day}

After having not worked, having a job is an incredible thing. I feel so lucky to have somewhere to hang out during the day, and so glad to have something meaningful to do all day, even if that’s paperwork. Even better is that I’m working part time for the first time since I was 18 and having two week days to just study is amazing. I’m never exhausted, and our pocketbooks are breaking even again. It’s a unique arrangement but I’m really enjoying the flexibility.

Television {cost: $40 a month}

Last year Mister and I gave TV a proper go, and I’ve become addicted to a number of shows- Good Eats, Fringe, Castle and Dollhouse in particular. I love having designated time to stop and cuddle in the evenings, and I can’t wait to start up again with these. As long as I don’t get hooked on reality TV I think about 3 hours a week is still pretty healthy.

Seasonal Cooking {cost: depends on the wine you have with it}

I just bought Earth To Table: Seasonal Recipes from an organic farm {cost $23} and I can’t stop reading it! The book is divided up by season, contains stories about running an organic farm and then a section of recipes for each season, as well as amazing basics for year round. I’ve already had a few days when the smell of fire wafts into the city as the farmers burn the stubble on their fields, and there’s nothing that says fall to me more than that. I kind of can’t wait to dig into this!

Losing the soundtrack {cost: $0}

Most of the time that I’m out in public I’m on the phone, listening to music, or scrolling through twitter updates- but taking the time to just experience a commute on public transport, the sounds outside your office building at lunch, or the background noise of your coffee shop is an experiment in its self. Every place has its own sounds and rhythm that are just as interesting and absorbing as the new Radiolab podcast. Listening to the places you pass through every day can be a pretty zen experience if you try it here and there, and you never know what can happen when you unplug- you might even fall into a conversation.

What’s your best simple happy suggestion?

{image: etsy store, whimsyandspice}