One of the things that makes getting ones finances in order difficult is the assumption that pleasure costs money. The truth is that it really doesn’t have to. The more that you enjoy the simple pleasures in life that don’t cost anything, the easier it is to get yourself out of the consumer mindset that happiness is derived from spending money.

The problem is that many of us forget the simple pleasures that we truly enjoy because there never seems to be enough time in the day to do all the things that need to get done. I think that it’s good to step back every once in awhile and remember all those little things that bring you happiness that don’t cost a cent.

The following is my list of simple pleasures. I started out with the goal of writing 100 simple pleasures that don’t cost a dime, but found that when you start to think about it, it’s actually not difficult to find that there are a lot of these pleasures out there (and I actually had to double up some in the list below to make them all fit). I added the 101st simple pleasure so that you know it doesn’t end there and you can continue the list to make it much longer.

I’m sure that my list will look different from yours. That being said, I hope that it helps to get your imagination going so that you can remember those things that you love to do and give you that deep satisfaction that only simple pleasures can. Once you have remembered, hopefully you will make the effort to sprinkle in the ones you can among all the other things that must be done in your daily schedule or whenever the opportunity permits.

1. Watching lightening storms out the window

2. Listening to the sound of rain on the roof while snuggled up in bed

3. Walking in the rain

4. Catching snowflakes on your tongue

5. Walking barefoot at the beach

6. Searching for sea glass

7. Having deep conversations with friends

8. Hiking somewhere new

9. Looking at tide pools

10. Learning something new

11. Watching the sunrise

12. Being surprised by the beauty of the sunset

13. Stumbling upon unexpected beauty

14. Hot showers

15. Getting lost in a song

16. The smell of newly mowed grass

17. Watching a baby smile

18. Getting hugs from my nieces (or anyone else)

19. Laughing so hard my side hurts

20. Turning off the alarm and staying in bed

21. Finding a coin on the ground

22. Reading a good book

23. Snorkeling

24. Giving a well deserved compliment

25. A knowing glance with a stranger without saying a word

26. Morning walks

27. Popping bubble wrap

28. The swish of a basketball going through the net

29. Blowing dandelion puffs

30. Skipping rocks on a glass like lake

31. River stick or leaf races

32. building snowmen and creating snow angels

33. Jumping into a pile of leaves

34. Walking hand in hand

35. Snowball fights

36. Pillow fights

37. Blanket forts

38. Jumping up and down on a bed

39. Swings

40. A good game of tag

41. Exploring slot canyons

42. Spotting a plant or tree that is growing somewhere it seems impossible to grow

43. Old teddy bears

44. Tree ropes over a lake

45. A hammock on a warm day with a good book in hand

46. Lying in bed under a warm comforter on a cold morning

47. Somersaults down a hill

48. Dangling bare feet in water

49. The view from the center of a bridge

50. Finger painting (also fun with mud)

51. Watching a garden grow

52. Finding waterfalls and spotting rainbows

53. Ladybugs, fireflies, and hummingbirds

54. Watching kittens or puppies play

55. Feeding ducks at the park

56. Secret meetings in a tree house

57. Running through sprinklers or fountains on a hot day

58. Unexpectedly finding something thought lost forever

59. Long overdue reunions

60. The smell of freshly baked cookies or homemade bread

61. A warm fire on a chilly night

62. Pumpkin patches

63. Corn mazes

64. Rocking chairs on a porch

65. The slide at the pool

66. Lazy Sundays

67. The smell of freshly dried laundry

68. Watching children play

69. Holding a door open and other simple ways of helping others

70. The wilderness night sky

71. Genuine smiles

72. Making sandcastles

73. Gentle breezes

74. Rain puddles

75. The process of creating something

76. Dew covered spider webs

77. Skipping and hopscotch

78. Autumn colors

79. Firework displays

80. Picking out shapes in the clouds

81. Smelling flowers

82. Getting to the top of the hill

83. Sitting on benches placed in the perfect spot

84. Wandering farmer’s markets

85. Sand dunes

86. The smell of mountain air

87. Spotting the red tail of red tail hawks

88. Hidden paths

89. Secret doors and drawers

90. Drawing on the sidewalk in chalk

91. Turquoise waters

92. Collecting sand dollars and sea shells

93. Putting your feet up on a table and lying back

94. Flying kites on a windy day

95. Connecting with art

96. Inspiration at 2 in the morning

97. Walking under cherry blossom trees

98. Nighttime stories

99. A water fountain quenching your thirst after playing hard on a hot day

100. Taking a leap

101. Writing something that others find useful

In the end, I left eating all food off the list because that can cost money. I’m sure I could easily double this list to 200 simple pleasures that cost very little with my love of food. Hot chocolate and pie come immediately to mind, not to mention blueberry waffles. I’ll stop there, but you get the idea. There are a lot of simple pleasures out there and many of them cost nothing to very little. Embrace them. Actively seek to find them daily. Enjoy life on the cheap.

(Photo courtesy of Robert Couse-Baker)