Affordable Ways to Upscale Your Life
When you think about things that are upscale, what is the first qualification that comes to mind? Expensive, right? Well, it’s true that upscale items are often costly, but when you think about upscaling your life, it really has more to do with making your time, space, and overall lifestyle work better for you.
There are actually tons of things you can do to feel better about the way you live on a daily basis that don’t cost much money, if any. It’s all about prioritizing, getting creative, and setting goals. Stay right here to find out how to live your best life on a budget.
Upscaling Your Space
Upscale furniture and décor can certainly take a chunk out of your savings, but sometimes all you need is to rearrange the furniture you already have. Study design blogs or magazines to get ideas on how furniture placement affects the overall look and flow of a space, then start experimenting.
A room also feels more upscale if there is a place for everything. Organizing and getting rid of things you don’t use makes a huge difference. For example, if you are constantly tripping over your gym bag, carve out a dedicated space for it. Hang inexpensive hooks to hold sweaters, jewelry, or keys that usually get tossed on a chair.
When you do have a little bit of money to spend, new art or décor goes a long way toward upscaling a space. Throw pillows, canvas prints, plants, duvet covers, or couch/chair covers can be quite inexpensive for the impact they make in a room.
Upscaling Your Diet
Besides housing, food is one of the biggest line items in most families’ budget. The wealthiest among us enjoy many fancy meals prepared in four star restaurants or by personal chefs at home. The rest of us often make do with a few standard dishes thrown together at home or a quick trip for fast food when time is short.
But there are ways to upscale your diet without breaking the bank. Consider joining a co-op program run by local farms for fresh organic produce. Your dollars will skip the middle man and go right into the pockets of family farms. If you have the freezer space, this is also a great way to buy meat. You can get a quarter, half, or full grass-fed cow for much less per pound than at the store, and this includes some top tier cuts.
Another way to upscale your diet affordably is to get creative with recipes. Try dishes that are based on low-cost pantry staples, like rice or potatoes, but elevate them with a small amount of some fancy treat, like lobster, caviar, kobe beef, or fancy cheese.
Sometimes just garnishing your dishes and paying attention to plating can make the dining experience feel much more upscale.
Upscaling Your Wardrobe
Clothes are expensive, especially good ones that can last you for years. But fashion being what it is, sometimes you don’t need your clothes to last forever. If you are going to compromise on anything, make it the trendiest elements of your wardrobe. Pay more for basic pieces that will never go out of style.
You can get extended life out of an item of clothing by dyeing it – for example, that white T-shirt with pit stains can go another few years if it is dyed a darker color. You can also get creative with any of a thousand methods of tie-dye. Some are quite elegant and do not resemble the stoner concert T-shirts of your youth.
Consider making a deal with a friend of similar size to trade clothes a couple of times a year. Thrift store shopping can also yield surprising finds that refresh a wardrobe.
Accessories are another way to upscale your wardrobe without a huge investment. Honestly, pricey fine jewelry is not a great investment anyway, as you will rarely be able to sell it for what you paid. But dig out some of that heirloom jewelry you have inherited over the years, clean it up, and start wearing it. You can also break down less expensive jewelry and combine the elements to build brand new pieces.
In the end, upscaling your life is about putting priority on the things that matter most to you. If you really want an expensive new toy, be prepared to save up for it. Often, buying the highest quality version of a thing means you’ll get a longer life out of it.
Sometimes putting priority on something is more a matter of being creative. Perhaps your closest neighbors would be willing to share their wifi in exchange for your Netflix and Hulu passwords – everyone gets more value for less money.
If nothing else, you will be shocked by how much difference can be made with a coat of paint or a layer of patterned contact paper. All of a sudden that rickety MDF nightstand is a custom piece of furniture, and what is more upscale than that?
