A Minimal/Low Spend Fall

Fall is fast approaching (my favorite season!) and with the excitement also comes the urge to spend money! There is something about a holiday season that makes me want to buy things- decorations, gifts, new clothes, things that make life feel cozy. But, in an attempt to be mindful this season, I’m creating a list of ideas that will hopefully keep spending to a minimum, without sacrificing the joys that this season brings.

-Learn How to Make Your Favorite Coffee at Home: There is a reason this one is first on my list and its because this is where I spend the most money! There is something about a crisp morning that makes me want to buy a hot, fall-flavored, coffee (lets be real, I also do this on a 90 degree, hot, humid morning too lol), but there are plenty of ways to try to recreate the magic at home! This fall, I’m going to try making my favorite coffee shop’s salted caramel syrup as well as an at-home pumpkin spice latte!

-Clothing Rental: Instead of buying a bunch of new sweaters that 1. I hate washing and 2. only are wearable for about 3 months of the year here in Texas, I’m planning to rely on rentals for my cold-weather clothing needs this fall! My favorite way to do this is through Nuuly, and I find I especially love their sweaters/jackets/cardigans so fall is the perfect time to rent with them. If you’ve never tried Nuuly, do it! You can use my code for $30 off your first month!

-Movie Nights In: There is nothing cozier than bundling up with your fam/dog/self, popping some popcorn, and watching a movie on the couch. Some fall favorites we will be pulling out this year include: Hocus Pocus + Halloweentown (of course!), Dead Poets Society, and possibly a Harry Potter marathon?! Not a movie, but important to note that it is also Gilmore Girls season and this will be my go-to background show for the next few months!

-Football Watch Parties: This is one of my favorite inexpensive fall activities! Inviting friends over to watch your team play is a cheap (or free!) way to get to spend time with people AND do something fun! You can make it a potluck or order pizza, but either way, this is a super inexpensive and fun way to spend a Saturday!

-Firepit Hangs: One of my goals this fall is to finally invest in a propane firepit (instead of the wood burning one we have now!). Obviously, the investment may not be low spend/cheap, BUT once we’ve got it going, the possibilities are endless! I’m envisioning lots of nights having friends over or drinking wine with my husband after we’ve put our son to bed! Sounds like a lovely way to spend an evening!

-Hiking/Getting Outside: As the temperatures finally start to cool down for us in central Texas, I’m planning to be outside as much as possible! While we don’t have the incredible changing of the leaves or mountains to climb, getting out and taking a hike as a family is still a great, free way to enjoy this fall and something we plan to do a lot. Bonus if you live somewhere with seasons and can really enjoy all that comes with that!

-DIY Crafting for Decorations: Walking into Target or Hobby Lobby, I’m tempted to buy all the fall things to decorate our house, but ultimately I know we don’t need it. For starters, we have no more storage in our 1,100 sq. ft. house, but I also know that whatever I buy will probably be something that I’m sick of by next year and it’s not worth the waste of money! I’m also trying to practice just consuming/purchasing less in general. So! With all of that in mind, I’ve been trying to get creative with the fall craft projects I can do that are both inexpensive and don’t look too DIY. Last year, I created this ghost garland out of a book and some string we already had on hand and I plan to pull it out again this year! I also am going to attempt a dried orange wreath for this fall - will update on how that goes!

-Host a Friendsgiving: I LOVE a good Friendsgiving! Games, good food, and time set to be with the people we love most - its such a great excuse to get everyone together! Hosting Friendsgiving has been a tradition we’ve stuck to for the last few years, and each year, I look forward to it! You can read a little more about my tips for hosting Friendsgiving here.

-Stroll Through a Pumpkin Patch: A great photo op, and generally free (or cheap if you plan to buy a few pumpkins)! There are a few local ones to us that we plan to visit each year and its fun to try to find the cutest/weirdest/most perfect pumpkins in the patch!

So there ya have it! I’m hopeful that in writing this, it encourages me to practice a low spend fall & that it gives you some great ideas as well!