Are you looking to treat your mom, but don’t have much to spend? Maybe you’re the mom and you want to treat yourself without feeling too guilty. You need low-spend treats for mom, and you’re lucky I’ve got a bunch for you right here!
Happy New Year, everybody! I hope you’re feeling like this year is off to a great start. I’m hopeful that this will be the year we need it to be. When I was thinking about how I wanted to start off the blog this year, I decided to focus on the moms.
Moms just pulled off Christmas and dealt with kids home from school for the last few weeks. They deserve a treat! But I’m also very aware that many of us watch our spending in January after the crazy spending in December. Trust me when I say that moms can have treats without spending much money!
If you’re a mom looking for a treat or you’re looking to treat your mom, here are ideas for low-spend treats for mom. Heck, some of these are even no-spend! What a great way to start off a new year!
Low-Spend Treats for Mom
No-spend
If you’re really strapped for cash or doing a no-spend month, these no-spend treats for mom are the best low-spend treats for mom for you! You don’t have to spend any money to treat mom (or yourself)!
Walk
Mom is overstimulated. I say that with absolute certainty most of the year, but especially now. One of the best things you can do to help her regulate her nervous system is to allow her to significantly reduce her input, even for just a few minutes. A great way to do that is to let her take a walk by herself (or with the dog if she has one). This treat for mom costs nothing but can really help mom recenter and avoid flying off the handle.
If you really want to make her walk count, you can curate a playlist for her to listen to while she takes her time out. A special playlist can be a treat for mom all on its own, but paired with a solo walk it’s perfection! Make sure to pick music she enjoys and stay away from anything too jarring. She needs calm!
Nap
Another no-spend treat that should be high on your list of low-spend treats for mom is a nap. Moms don’t get the opportunity to nap very often. Giving her the time and space to relax and take a nap is the ultimate luxury.
Bath
If mom isn’t a napper (I know many of us wouldn’t be able to nap if we tried at this stage), maybe a bath is a better treat. If it’s been a while since mom has been able to take a bath to relax, set her up for success so she can really make the most of this treat.
Edible
If you want to spend a little money treating mom and you know that the way to her heart is through her stomach (I mean, whose isn’t?), try some of these edible low-spend treats for mom. Fill her up with all the good feels and with yummy food!
Beverage
Sometimes all mom needs for a quick pick-me-up is a special beverage. It doesn’t have to be a specific beverage or even a beverage that’s all that out of the ordinary. Heck, even a little swig of water with lemon can sometimes be all mom needs to turn it around. For me, especially in the winter, a mug of hot tea can be lifechanging. It provides a few minutes of calm that acts as the perfect little reset.
Baked goods
There’s something about baked goods that just lifts the soul. If you really want to make mom feel like she’s being treated, give her baked goods. These low-spend treats for mom can be homemade or store bought, sweet or savory. Trust me, it doesn’t matter. Any baked good that she enjoys will feel like a treat when she didn’t have to bake it!
Lunch
After I became a mom, lunchtime all but disappeared from my life. Sure, I often eat something in the middle of the day, but it doesn’t feel like lunch. It feels like cramming something in my mouth purely for sustenance to get me through the day. I hardly ever sit down and eat a proper lunch. When I do have the opportunity for a slow lunch, it feels like the ultimate treat. It doesn’t have to be fancy food or a fancy environment, but a lunch that is made with care and intention and that can be eaten deliberately and while sitting should be high on your list of low-spend treats for mom.
Practical
If you or your mom are like me, practical treats are the way to go when you’re looking for low-spend treats for mom. These practical treats kill two birds with one stone. Mom gets a little treat and she gets something useful that’s going to serve her well. It’s a great combo!
Socks
Mom stays on top of who needs socks in the family. She knows when the kids have grown out of the socks they’ve been wearing. Mom sees the stash of socks dwindling from being lost or developing holes. She is the sock queen! This is true for every member of the family except for mom. She probably hasn’t bought herself new socks in a while.
If you really want to make mom smile and feel seen, bring her new socks. There is truly no bigger treat than warm feet in the winter. You don’t have to buy expensive socks (but they are really nice). A simple pair you find at T.J. Maxx or a multipack from Sam’s Club will serve the same purpose.
Car wash
One of the best gifts my husband got me for Christmas this year wasn’t wrapped and placed under the tree. Heck, it wasn’t even purchased as a gift! A few days before Christmas, we ran my salt-covered car through the car wash. The car wash was running a promotion that would give us the unlimited package for a month for only $1. Somehow, my husband talked them into giving us three months for $1 a month. My car is the cleanest it has ever been and I’m giddy about it. Too bad the automated car wash doesn’t also vacuum the inside of the car….
If your car wash isn’t running a deal, you can still treat mom to a car wash. Either grab the bucket and sponge and give her an old-fashioned car wash if the weather cooperates or buy her a basic wash. It shouldn’t cost more than $15.
Fun
If you want low-spend treats for mom that have no nutritional or practical value, this is the category for you! Treats for mom can just be fun!
Photo
Moms take approximately 100 pictures a day, but hardly ever print any of them off their phones to enjoy in their daily lives. If you want to give a mom a really fun treat that won’t cost you much money at all, print a picture of her kids (I usually use Walgreens photo) and put it in a nice frame. You can find really beautiful frames at places like T.J. Maxx for only a few dollars. Talk about bang for your buck!
Stationery
I know that I’m living in a digital world, but I’m a paper and pen kind of girl at heart. If the mom you want to treat is like me, give her a pack of new pens or some notepads to make her day. You can’t go wrong with Zebra Sarasa Clip pens and a simple notepad.
Book
My favorite hobby is reading. It always has been. So, when I think of a low-spend treat, I immediately think of a book. You can get really nice used books for only a few dollars at your local used bookstore or thrift shop to keep your cost low. And if you really don’t want to spend any money, give mom a list of book recommendations she can get from the local library. If you’re looking for a few book recommendations, I always have some to share.
A Winter in New York
A Winter in New York by Josie Silver is technically a Christmas book, but I really think you can gift it any time of the year. It follows Iris, a chef who is running away from the trauma of her past life and runs smack into her next adventure.
American Dirt
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins is the story of a mother and son fleeing cartel violence in Mexico. It’s a heavier book than my typical read, but I really enjoyed it.
Happy Place
Happy Place by Emily Henry is an introspective piece masquerading as a rom com, this is a book for everyone.
Crafts
If mom isn’t a reader, but she likes to craft, you can gift her some craft supplies for not very much money. A cross-stitch kit doesn’t cost more than $5, or a coloring book and colored pencils can be hers for about $10.
Journal
Writing is good for the soul. Even just one line a day can be immensely helpful for mom’s mental health and creativity. That makes a journal a great little treat for mom that doesn’t cost you much money. Sure, you could get her a fancy journal. Or you could get her a single-subject notebook for about $1. Either works just the same.
Lip balm
Mom’s lips need some help, especially in the winter. They’re probably chapped and cracked, and if she’s my age or older, they’re losing color at an alarming rate. Help her out by heading to the drugstore and buying her a fun lip balm. I’ve been very happy with my latest find, Revlon Glass Shine Balm in Glossed Up Rose. It’s super conditioning for the chapped situation and provides a beautiful wash of natural color. All for about $10. It works on my very pale complexion and also on my friend, who is not quite as translucent
Other posts
Looking for more ways to spoil mom? I’ve got some ideas:
So, what low-spend treats for mom are you gifting your mom or yourself this year? Share below or over on Instagram @sarainseason!
What a cute pic of you Sara! Love the lip color and the outfit!