How do you reward yourself if not with food?

[hannah_phi]

This was prompted by a realization a had last week that I tend to always reward myself with food when I do a good job on something. I've been trying to find new ways to reward myself, but other than bubble baths and new shoes (really special occasions) I can't think of much.

So how do y'all reward yourselves for a job well done?:D

[Cinnamon Crazy]

For major accomplishments, a deep-tissue massage. For small rewards, a movie (either at the theater or I rent one).

I will admit to using a slice of Cheesecake Factory cheesecake as a reward once or twice a year. :)

[KCSoccer]

Food is #1 on my list, but other things include kitchen gadgets (to go along with the food!), and spa pedicures.

[Wendy w]

Shopping. :o :rolleyes: But...this can get dangerous. Massages, pedicures and a visit to my favorite day spa run a close second.

[wallycat]

A special bottle of wine, a kitchen gadget, or a cheese I'd normally not spend lots of $$ for...I guess that's food :o ;)

[Jodi]

Sometimes wine, but more often shoes:D
Jodi

[greysangel]

manicures
pedicures
cd's
movies
nail polish/makeup (Sephora is our friend or MAC when it's a bigger reward)
magazines (I'm a magazine junkie!)
scheduled time for myself
shopping
new spices
colorful journals
hair accessories (a cut/coloring when it's a bigger reward)
jewelry (I wear mostly silver which isn't too expensive)
charms for my charm bracelet!

[memartha]

wine

um, also, massages, manicures, pedicures, time off for good behavior (go out somewhere instead of home to do laundry, etc.), shopping, yoga

[ccooney]

FABRIC!!!!!!!!

ok, it's a weird addiction. what can i say?

[claire797]

Wine.

Okay, I was just kidding. Wine is food.

I reward myself with expensive magazines and books.

[kima]

Books! Gourmet Coffee, Timbits...I am a recovering magazine junkie JeAnne! Send all discarded mags my way. I especially love the glossy big British ones-at 10.00 each!!:)
Okay DH says I am still a magazine junkie as I get or buy at least 10 a month.:( My other addiction is newspapers..I have been known to buy local papers as I drive through towns I have no connection with..
Oh another treat to myself-phone a friend long distnace!;)

[acookinNYCity]

Cookbooks - food with out the calories. ecookbooks.com great place to get any cookbook imagainable at a discount. This site is for Jessica's biscuits which is also a catalog.
Do you collect anything?

[AndreaU]

Aside from food...

Books (cookbooks included!)
Magazines I LOVE magazines, not just cooking related ones; travel, home improvement, gardening, fashion, etc...
Clothes Lately, a trip to Kohl's serves as a reward for a job well done. I could live in that store!
CDs & DVDs

[Little Bit]

I adore playing with color cosmetics, so I've put a bit of effort into building myself a stash of wearable colors. I love finding high end products on sale, so I can get exactly what I want without paying full price.

Other than that, I love books, LUSH bubble bars, and kitchen gadgets, not quite in that order, lol!!

[Alethea]

Great question.

My most often used reward is indeed food, usually along the lines of splurging on seafood or produce. Though somehow I seem to be rewarding myself once a week. That can't be right...

Running pretty dang close to food rewards are wine and books. (Am in good company with Ana, Anna, and Maureen!) I can do some serious damage in liqueur or book stores, and I love to browse to my heart's content AND purchase something special.

Occasionally fresh flowers(I love them, but they're so fleeting I don't justify them often), plants, or CDs.

I've never had a massage (even though my work offers them at lunchtime for $.50/minute) because I KNOW I would become a massage addict.

[lisalee]

Flowers or going to a bookstore and buying a book or two or three;)

[d_ferrero]

Good question and a great thread... I'm getting all kinds of ideas. I use food (or food occasions) more often than I should. One thing that's worked for me in the past is to reward myself with a little "me time"... a bubblebath and a good book (or magazine), a quiet walk on the beach... that kind of stuff. Kind of a mini-vacation.

[Paula H]

Oh no! This thread made me suddenly realise that I don't really reward myself much at all (beyond walking around the house thinking "man I'm good" when I've done something pretty cool). I think my total lack of cash is a big contributing factor in the lack of rewards!

But I do do some things to "reward" myself from time to time. I swap massages with a friend every few months - not often enough! (we're both massage therapists) Occasionally I'll have a nice long bath (but I can't really afford all the hot water, so this is a once or twice a year reward). Every day that I work out I pay myself $1 (money is a big motivator when you're this poor!) and from time to time I splurge and buy a new workout video to pat myself on the back. Over the last month I've spent far more than I should on new clothes (to congratulate myself on losing some inches).

Mainly little little things, very occasionally, for me.

Sigh.

[claire797]

I just thought of another thing. Occassionally, I'll buy a $1.00 or a $2.00 lottery ticket. I rarely ever buy them, but it's fun to play once in awhile.

[lakelady1]

Books and shoes!

[Natasha]

A fun book or magazine or two, a nice bottle of wine to share with family and friends, or maybe a cool new piece of sporting equipment. OR a teddy bear for my ever-expanding collection! :D Not really clothes or shoes, though, or cooking stuff, since I already have so much cooking stuff (and just buy it anyway -- no excuse required :rolleyes: ).

Hey, Maureen -- how come you never call ME long distance?? ;) :p

Natasha

[Mareli]

Spices from Penzey's

[hannah_phi]

Thanks everyone for all the great ideas!:D Some are within my budget and some I'll keep in mind for post grad school.

BTW What is Penzey's? I've seen it mentioned several times and am just wondering...:)

[badunnin]

Penzey's is a company out of WI that sells superior spices and herbs. You can find them online at www.penzeys.com (http://www.penzeys.com)

[cloudybay]

I must say WINE. Wine with great food even better.:D
What can I say... I dont like to shop... Dont like the beauty salon.
You have to have some vices

[CompassRose]

Books. I don't know if that counts as a reward, though. I always have books.

I do reward myself with food, like many others here... I'm trying, however, to make the rewards less, er, devastating. Really fancy organic tuna, for instance, instead of the cheapo Prezzie's Choice. Whole-grain sprouted breads. Smoked salmon. The odd Medjool date. Organic nut butters. Low-fat goat cheese. Very small (and still $5!!!!) bars of Michel Cluizel chocolate. Dinner out at the really nice sushi place.

As opposed to, for instance, Blizzards or slabs of cake or appropriately-named "Great" Canadian Bagels, which are approximately the size of one and a half loaves of bread.

[hannah_phi]

How cool that this thread showed back up! I was just adding to my list of non-food rewards. Since I never really shared my list here's the whole thing:D

nice thin lined pens
cooking gadgets
trips to thrift stores/garage sales
hair jewelry
long baths
long drives out of the city
books (philosophy, cooking or photography)
long phone calls to friends in other states
essential oils
plants
movie nights
naps :rolleyes:
magazines
coffee at a nice coffee shop (DBF is allergic, so i can't make it at home)

I think that's about the full list. :D

[colleency]

Gosh, I really don't seem to reward myself a whole lot. I hadn't noticed. I guess I give myself little incentives for cleaning, like "I will put in the laundry and sweep the floor before I can read a chapter out of a book."

[sharris315]

As I scanned the responses, I realize that I don't think about a reward--so, don't give myself one, either. At least I don't consciously do it--maybe I do little things that I don't realize. :confused:

Shar

[Kay Henderson]

Both of these are kind of short term -- when I need reinforcement every couple of hours.

Going for a walk. When I was teaching, I would typically work at school one weekend day a week. Every two hours, or when I finished a particular task, I would walk around the block or something similar (maximum 15 minutes).

Reading a chapter or whatever. Again, maximum of 15 minutes per couple of hours.

These rewards work just as well in my present life. I don't have the pressure of working, but I have found that the tasks I currently do (housework and yardwork, which I didn't do when I was working, and community activities) have their tedious side too, so my little reinforcers are still useful.

As far as less than scintillating tasks are concerned, I like to combine an activity I enjoy with something necessary but boring. For example, I have just discovered that I enjoy listening to books on a Walkman while doing housework. When there is something I can do watching television (such as ironing or polishing silver), I will turn on Home and Garden TV. Unfortunately, this doesn't work for activities requiring concentration. (For me, this is most desk work.)

Good luck!

[Grace]

I don't "reward" myself either - as in, I can get/do/eat this if I do that first....

It just doesn't work for me. I do indulge myself though - in basically anything I want! :o :o (I have definitely spoiled myself.)