Luxury for less: Our favourite affordable luxuries

Epsom salts

"My luxury-for-less item is Epsom salts. I use them to take baths because they’re great to relax sore muscles."

–Stephanie Han, art director

A million-dollar view

"A walk along a beach at sunset—a million-dollar view."

–Margaret Nearing, senior editor

Brunch

"My favourite budget-friendly luxury is breakfast (or brunch) at Boom Cafe on St. Clair Ave. in Toronto. Breakfast for $5.99 (or thereabouts) and it’s a cheery, bustling place to be. Plus if I go on a weekday (to avoid the crowds), I get that extra pleasure of ‘skipping off’ from work!"

–Ruth Hanley, copy chief

Fluffy white bathrobe

"Invest in a fluffy white bathrobe of your own rather than budgeting for regular spa days. Spending a day at home curled up in my bathrobe with relaxing music and a pile of my favourite magazines feels just a relaxing and indulgent as any trip to the spa."

–Jennifer Masseau, assistant editor

Luxury cuisine-homemade

"Luxury cuisine—for less money, and less fat: Homemade risotto. Both my husband and I like to make this dish, using the recipe from Jamie Oliver’s ‘Italy’ cookbook. It’s better than we’ve had at any restaurant. Many people think risotto is a difficult thing to make, but that’s not the case (and it’s certainly not an expensive dish). We dress it up with roasted mushrooms or grilled vegetables, and substitute the butter with extra virgin olive oil—though you can’t get around the fact that you need to garnish it with shavings of good quality parmesan cheese. But that’s something I can definitely live with…"

–Bonnie Munday, editor

Favourite treats

"A little warm-weather indulgence—say, through to October—for our family is to hunt down the best gelato spots in Toronto. We have an A-list that takes us to different neighbourhoods. We also have a favourite pizza joint—out of neighbourhood, and no other pizza will do! The fact that this particular spot was featured on Restaurant Makeover makes it all that much more fun."

–Rhonda Rovan, beauty editor

Spa therapy

"A couple of times a year, I spend a few hours with my girlfriends using the ‘therapeutic waters’ at Body Blitz Spa in Toronto. For the price of a pedicure, I can soak for hours, reaping the benefits—both physical and psychological—of this ancient tradition. In an afternoon, we’ll complete a circuit, going from a hot mineral water pool to a green tea pool and cold pool, as well as a eucalyptus steam room and a sauna."

–Lindsay Borthwick, associate editor

Smoothies

"It may not seem like much, but my ‘latte factor’ is smoothies, from a variety of places around town. At $5 to $8 a pop, they can make a dent in my wallet fast! To compensate, I try to make them at home most of the time instead. I’ve invested in a few quality ingredients, like protein powder, matcha (powdered green tea) and good frozen fruit and berries, but the total cost is much lower."

–Kat Tancock, web editor

What are your favourite affordable luxuries? Share them in the comments below. 

Smoothies

"It may not seem like much, but my ‘latte factor’ is smoothies, from a variety of places around town. At $5 to $8 a pop, they can make a dent in my wallet fast! To compensate, I try to make them at home most of the time instead. I’ve invested in a few quality ingredients, like protein powder, matcha (powdered green tea) and good frozen fruit and berries, but the total cost is much lower."

–Kat Tancock, web editor

What are your favourite affordable luxuries? Share them in the comments below.