Blue Monday – cheer up your day without splurging

Blue Monday is often dubbed the saddest day of the year; post-holiday debt is mounting up, the weather is about as miserable as it can get, and there’s a good two weeks to go before payday.

Retailers know this. They’re banking on it. That’s why there are so many Blue Monday deals around trying to get you to splurge on stuff you don’t need to make yourself feel better. All those credit cards and buy now, pay later (BNPL) arrangements make it even easier to impulse buy without thinking. But spending for the sake of it usually only makes things worse, even if you feel good in the moment.

Does that mean you shouldn’t spend at all lest you fall for some cleverly orchestrated corporate trap? Of course not. Everyone deserves a little treat once in a while. But it’s all about keeping things in perspective, spending mindfully and not causing any financial hangovers.

Here are a few easy ways to keep costs down and still brighten your day.

Keep in mind that Blue Monday isn’t necessarily the gloomiest day of the year

You might think – well, I’ll be feeling pretty awful anyway, so I’ll need a little pick me up (or ten). Retail therapy, here we come. In reality though, there’s no scientific evidence proving that the third Monday of every January is when everyone’s mood plummets inexplicably.

The concept was invented by psychologist Cliff Arnall back in 2004 after a holiday company request, but its accuracy has been widely debated since.

Sure, January as a whole is a bit of a downer for many reasons, but there’s no real reason why you should feel down on "Blue Monday" specifically. Except confirmation bias and a self-fulfilling prophecy, that is. Framing things this way helps you put things into perspective and perhaps even avoid impulse buying to make yourself feel better.

Need a pick me up? Try something free first.

You don’t need to spend a penny to make your day feel a bit brighter. Here are some free ways to make yourself feel better:

• Take a quick 10-minute walk first thing in the morning; even short bursts of exercise release endorphins and dopamine and reduce stress which can be natural mood lifters and help you start the day as you mean to go on.
• Host a movie night in; chances are your friends are just as skint, so why not have them over for a movie and whatever leftover Christmas chocolate is still lying around?
• Do a free guided meditation; there’s tons on YouTube that are totally free and can help calm the mind and enhance your mood – especially if you make it a habit.

Really want to splurge on a treat? Just do it sensibly.

If you really feel like treating yourself, that’s totally fine. Just keep your spending sensible so you’re not suffering the effects of Blue Monday long after January has passed. Here are some tips:

• Give yourself a budget – if all you can afford is a fiver, stick to it; buy yourself a fancy coffee or a reduced-to-clear house plant and call it a day.
• Don’t “stick it on BNPL” - there might be tons of enticing offers around, but there’s no point adding to your debt unless you really need the thing you’re contemplating putting on a credit card.
• Really want something? - just pause for a bit; if you see a great deal and you’re terrified of missing out, leave your phone on the sofa and get a brew to mull it over and see if you still want it afterwards.
• Ready to buy? - if you’ve decided you’re buying the thing after all, make sure you check out PlusSave^ if you’re a thinkmoney SmartPlus customer; you can get discounted gift cards and stack offers to get the cheapest deal possible.

Just remember, any treat you do buy should feel good today and tomorrow. Not leave you wincing at your bank balance.

^Offers are subject to change and may vary. Check the thinkmoney app for the latest offers.