Hello Autumn: Simple Ways to Make the Season Feel Good Without Spending a Fortune

I noticed it this morning on my walk with Jasper. The air had changed. That little chill that tells you summer has packed its bags and gone.

Jasper didn't care. He was too busy sniffing every pile of leaves like it held the secrets of the universe. But I stood there for a minute and thought, right, here we go again.

I'll be honest. Autumn used to make me a bit low. Darker evenings, higher bills, Christmas suddenly appearing in the shops before Halloween has even happened. It all felt like a lot.

So over the last few years I've tried to change how I look at it. Not with big plans. Just small things that make the season feel softer.

Here's what works for me.

1. Get outside while it's light

This one sounds obvious, but it makes such a difference. When the evenings draw in, it's easy to stay indoors from the minute you get home. I try to get out at lunchtime, even for ten minutes. Or I take Jasper for a longer walk at the weekend and actually enjoy it instead of rushing.

Fresh air, crunchy leaves, a flask of tea. It costs nothing and it clears your head.

2. Check your bills before the heating goes on

Nobody wants to do this. I know. But autumn is when the costs start creeping up, and it's so much easier to face them now than in January when the shock hits.

Sit down with a cuppa. Write down what's going out each month. Look for anything you've forgotten about. That subscription you signed up for once and never used? Gone.

If you want something to help, my Monthly Budget Planner Bundle and Debt & Bill Organiser are both in the shop. They're what I use myself.

3. Make your home feel cosy, not expensive

You don't need a new throw, ten candles and a pumpkin spice everything. A blanket you already own. A lamp instead of the big light. Your favourite film on a Sunday afternoon.

Cosy is a feeling, not a shopping list.

4. Cook something warm and simple

Soup. Stew. A big pot of chilli that lasts three days. Autumn food is some of the cheapest food there is, and there's something comforting about the kitchen smelling nice when it's dark outside.

My mum always used to say, "If you're feeling rubbish, make a soup." I used to roll my eyes. Now I get it.

5. Start thinking about Christmas now (sorry)

I know. I'm not saying put the tree up. I'm saying start putting a little bit aside each week. Even £5. By December you'll be glad you did.

6. Check in with yourself

The change of season can hit harder than we expect. If you're feeling a bit flat, you're not the only one. Write things down. Three good things from today. Something you're looking forward to. It sounds small, but it helps.

My Self Care & Happiness Journal was made for exactly this, if you'd like a bit of structure.

To finish

Autumn isn't the end of the good bit of the year. It's just a different bit. Slower, cosier, a bit more honest.

Jasper has already decided it's his favourite season. More leaves to chase, more puddles to jump in, more excuses to come home muddy.

Maybe he's onto something.

What's your favourite thing about autumn? Let me know in the comments. 🍂