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Netizens Reveal 31 Affordable Home Upgrades That Scream Luxury On A Dime
There’s something undeniably magical about transforming your space into a little slice of luxury without blowing your entire paycheck on fancy couches and expensive light fixtures. Call it clever, call it crafty, or call it what it truly is: brilliant.
A curious Redditor asked folks online what frugal home hacks make them feel fancy, and let’s just say people got creative with their answers. From motion-sensor light to cloth napkins that make you feel like royalty, these ideas prove that luxury isn’t about how much you spend but how you spin it.
More info: Reddit
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Cloth napkins. We haven’t bought paper napkins in years, and the cloth ones are so much nicer anyway.
PeepPeep the duck 2 days ago
As a kid having a chef dad, I thought everyone just had millions of tea towels like us 😂 culture shock when I went to my first sleepover diner at 6-7 yrs old 😂
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#2
Carrying everything on trays. I might be overdosing on *Downton Abbey*, but having trays of various sizes readily available is nicer and easier.
#3
I like to selectively place motion sensor switches in rooms where I would normally turn on the light every time. a walk-in pantry, closet or small interior bathroom.
iseefractals 2 days ago
We have 6 cats, so that would be annoying. I've replaced all 47 lightbulbs in our apartment with dimmable, RGB Wifi/bluetooth connected bulbs. All of them top out between 1200-1800 lumens, consume 9-15w, every single one is named, grouped by room and able to be controlled using voice commands from our phones or watches. If no one is home, all the lights turn off automatically. Say no one is home and my wife and i are coming home, as soon as we're within range of the home network the entry light will turn on automatically, as will our bedroom lights. Which lights turn on are configured depending on the device that re-connecting to the network. Our video doorbell, pet feeders and thermostat as well, All run off a raspberry pi, using Open source home assistant, which can integrate with google home. Cost a fraction of the price to do it this way, and it all it required was several days of loss of sanity to get it all set up and working properly. Still very worth it.
You know how, when you step into a well-organized, cozy room, you suddenly feel more peaceful? Well, that’s no coincidence. Studies in environmental psychology show that our surroundings play a huge role in shaping our mood and productivity.
Turns out, that plant on your coffee table isn’t just perfect for those morning Instagram shots – it’s also a little green therapist. Pair that with good lighting, well-planned layouts, and a few organizing bins, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for a great mood. Because, you know, clutter increases stress levels, which negatively affects your mental health.
#5
Having indoor plants - especially the ones that have low light needs and are easy to propagate. My pothos plant is the gift that keeps on giving since its cuttings have allowed me to have greenery in every room of my place. I’ve gotten all my plants frugally - cuttings from friends, inherited plants from moving neighbors, rescued plants from work, and occasional purchases from places like Aldi or Trader Joe’s. I’m lucky to have a southeast facing room and all of my plants thrive in there. I feel so freaking fancy sitting among my plants, reading a book with my dog by my side.
But here’s a little secret: you don’t need to spend a fortune to achieve this. Something as simple as swapping out harsh overhead lighting for warm LED bulbs or adding a strategically placed mirror to bounce light around can completely transform a space. And there’s a bonus also – it’s kind to your wallet and the planet.
The trick to making your home feel high-end with a limited budget is focusing on the little things. It’s all in the details – that’s our mantra here. You’d be surprised how much of a difference a few small upgrades can make. Think plush throw pillows, fancy coffee mugs, a couple of chic rugs, and maybe even some art projects that add a personal touch. I don’t know about you, but I have a collection of colorful decorative pillows in every room.
#6
Changing my toilet seats out to the easy to slide off versions so you clean everything more thoroughly without fighting crevices is a game changer.
#7
Home hack adjacent, but my car‘s remote start! I bought my car used , didn’t even realize it had it but the previous owner had an after market remote start installed and it’s heavenly.
#8
I bought a big pack of white washcloths for general use and I keep a stack neatly folded in half on the bathroom counter. Feels hotel-core and 'prepared' for little effort.
#9
My door catchers and door stops.
For the room doors that are almost always open, I installed magnetic door catchers on the baseboard. This holds the doors in place, creating clean lines in the rooms and predictably large openings.
I also had two 5 lbs kettle bells which I spray painted chrome and use as door stops at my front and back doors. They are easy to place, look good, and securely hold heavy exterior doors open. I love them.
Bec 2 days ago
I would stub my toes every day. We bought a metal bedframe for our spare room, and I swear, my toe and the metal post in the middle have some kind of magnetic attraction. I finally cut up a pool noodle and wrapped the darn thing up so I wouldn't stub my toe every time I went to change the sheets.
If you want to feel fancy while saving cash, organizing is pretty much the way to start. Use affordable matching storage containers or vintage trays that you can find at the flea market if you need to get rid of clutter. It’s a small change, but it screams sophistication because clutter is the first thing that makes a home feel less elegant.
And let’s not forget about the scent, because smells really do matter. Walk into a room with citrus or vanilla, and you’re instantly transported to a high-end retreat. And your guests will too, as smell is probably the first thing we notice when we enter a new place.
Personally, I swear by lighting a lavender candle—it makes my cozy apartment feel like a fancy spa retreat. But even just simmering herbs and citrus peels on the stove can do the trick and create an atmosphere that feels indulgent, but without the hefty price tag.
#10
Growing anything from seed. I feel like my family is so lucky to have me if the world goes completely insane. I have a 5 ft tall lemon tree I grew from a seed 2 years ago. We’ll be lemon wealthy in a matter of a few years. We live n the north east so I am babying my tree during the winter. 🥶 😉.
#11
Eating off of Bone China. Find mismatched plates and dinnerware at a thrift store. Right into the dishwasher and they’re cheap enough that if it loses its lustre away they go. Also sipping my coffee or tea from bone china cups and saucers makes the experience better. Drinking wine from crystal goblets. Hey I do a lot of luxocheap!
#12
Auto sensor soap and water dispenser for the kitchen so I don't have to clean the faucets when I might have gotten raw meat juices on them.
There’s a certain kind of satisfaction in being resourceful, isn’t there? Frugality isn’t just about pinching pennies; it’s about finding creative ways to elevate your space while sticking to your principles. Take a cue from the minimalist movement, which champions the idea that less is more.
By curating your belongings and investing in timeless, multifunctional pieces that you don’t have to change every season, you save a ton of money, and it’s good for the planet, too. I don’t know about you, but I’m all for it.
#13
My Spray Mop!
I've got kids with hardwood floors, so keeping them clean was a daily routine. Enter the swiffer sweeper: it sucked.
Moved up to the swiffer mop with the disposable wet wipes, and the floors were magnificent. But those refills were expensive as hell.
The compromise was the swiffer wetjet (are you noticing a trend?). *Now* the issue is keeping up with mop heads, liquid refills, and batteries. From there I found youtube videos that showed me how to open the refill bottle that you're not supposed to open, so I could refill it with cheaper cleaners. After that it was the washable cloth mop heads. I'd always used rechargeable batteries, so they weren't an issue. But the damn mop was flimsy as hell, and I'd gone through three mops in under 5 years.
I finally decided to sit down and research a replacement for when the mop I was using finally ate it. I won't brand-drop, but it's basically a swiffer wet mop with manual-pump spray nozzle. The included mop head is removable, washable, and very durable. The reservoir is intentionally detachable, with included instructions on water/cleanser ratios. The mop itself is metal with durable plastic for the handle & spray trigger, with just enough heft to it that makes me confident I'm not gonna break the damn thing while trying to clean a tough spot. Best of all: it's saved me so much money!
EDIT: by popular demand, my mop is an O-Cedar ProMist MAX Microfiber Spray Mop.
Captain Awesome 2 days ago
That mop is fantastic. I switched to it years ago and didn't want to go back.
#14
Not sure if this is a hack but ... Learning to cook and trying stuff from cookbooks from bougie restaurants. Got a refurbished espresso machine during the pandemic and got serious about learning everything espresso. No need to get my fix at coffee houses anymore. I can make it just as good if not better. Learned to cook lots of ethnic food so I don't have the need to do takeout anymore unless there's some unusual circumstance. When all that is happening along with giving myself a bang trim every couple weeks I can say I feel quite fancy.
Lee Gilliland 2 days ago
If you really get into cooking, treating you to Famous Chef's restaurant and famous chef's cookbook pays real dividends. You know what the food should taste like.
#15
I don’t have any glassware, it’s all crystal from the thrift store.
Flat sheets become napkins, table cloths and nightgowns. The gowns I like retail for almost $100, but I can make one in under 2 hours.
Silver plate is cheap at the thrift store, and it makes the house glitter.
Besides, feeling like you live in a luxurious resort year-round doesn’t have to be the same for everyone. For some folks, simply adding light sensors to their kitchen or using fancy trays to carry their coffee can instantly boost their mood. While for others, a fresh set of white washcloths or a practical spray mop can make them feel just a little bit posh every time they use them. Hey, no judgment here. You do you!
So, the next time someone brags about their designer throw pillows or $500 lamp, just show them your freshly installed shower head. You know the truth: living luxe is less about the price tag and more about the vibe. And thanks to a little frugal ingenuity, your vibe is absolutely priceless.
#16
An led bulb that I programmed to do sunrise/sunset wakeup and sleep routines. Silicone trays to put skincare products on.
#17
A $15 eight inch shower head, with the flow restrictor drilled out. I take 5 minute showers, and bring under a true shower instead of 3 streams of high pressure water needles feels amazing.
#18
Meal prepping, my instant pot, homemade bread, having a weeks worth of homemade cold brew and fancy iced tea in the fridge, napping. Big little luxuries.
Joshua David 15 hours ago (edited)
Ive been a user of instant pot for years now and I am fully hooked with 0 plans for recovery.
#19
If you make a stew or a pot roast you can use the leftover liquid for a ramen and it’s one of the best broths you could imagine.
#20
Homemade bread! It's better and cheaper than store bought, and elevates every meal.
Kerri 2 hours ago
Just curious, does anyone have any tips for making bread in dry places? I tried making rolls for the first time over Thanksgiving. They tasted fine, but the texture was off. I think it might have something to do with the dry atmosphere or higher altitude I live in. I'm not sure, as I'm not an expert on bread. But I'd love to make good homemade bread, if only I knew how to make it right
#21
I bought the LED candle lights with a remote from Costco some years back— I feel like a wizard from Harry Potter when I turn them on or off, and they last for ages, and really do look like candlelight!!
#22
Purchased a French door from Lowes and replaced my sliding glass door. It made the room " pop." They have doors in every price range via their catalog from a modest expense to very expensive. I absolutely hate sliding glass doors.
#23
Get one of those shower curtain rods that's curved outward. Total game changer.
#24
I have a lot of various textured blankets and pillowcases. So when I make the bed every day I change it up a little so the layers show but are comfy. Then I drape a throw or two over it, pop my bed tray with my remote, morning coffee, or whatever, and set my bedside lamp to “cozy”.
#25
Buying veggies and prepping and freezing them in silicone bags. Cooking lentils and beans from scratch and freezing them. Makes me feel fancy and it’s budget friendly. I use my instant pot a ton.
#26
A few years ago I picked up a towel warmer at my local thrift store, best $7.00 I have ever spent.
#27
Bathroom fan switch with choice of how many minutes you want it to run. No more worrying about it running when we're asleep or outside the house. .
#28
We got a robot vacuum mop. For the price of one month of having a cleaner come in to do my floors, I can have someone other than me vacuum and mop daily! Yay for Mr. Clean! Such a cheerful helper! It feels a little like having staff. 🧐
Now, mind you, I've never hired a cleaner. I'm not rich! I know the prices based on flyers we get in the mail.
We also have an instant pot, which means I can make fancy meals I couldn't before--and I can make some things at home now that are cheaper and better than store bought. This thing is amazing! Gourmet macaroni and cheese in less time than it takes to make a sauce? Biryani that doesn't suck? Delicious steamed eggs? Making my own dairy free yogurt for a fraction of the cost? Proofing bread? Yes please!
Hippopotamuses 2 days ago (edited)
Pro tip: With a small amount of training, even lay-people can vacuum their own floors
#29
I light unoffensive smelling candles and dim the lights.
#30
Detachable shower head that mounts back onto a magnet, instead of having to place it onto a hook.
Erla Zwingle 2 days ago
Because hooks are so expensive? Tiring? Awkward? Dangerous? Ugly? Complicated? Hard to clean? A solution in search of a problem.
#31
I put a pretty vintage pitcher in my shower that I fill up with hot water to use while I have the water turned off. It feels fancy and Greek-goddess-y, while also using less hot water!
What do you think ?
PunchinelloTX 2 days ago
Also listed: a variety of non-frugal anti-hacks. In general… boooooooooooo!
Casey Palmer 1 day ago
When did everyone become a bunch of d-bags. How is what someone else likes hurting you. My God. Snarky comment after snarky comment.
PunchinelloTX 2 days ago
Also listed: a variety of non-frugal anti-hacks. In general… boooooooooooo!
Casey Palmer 1 day ago
When did everyone become a bunch of d-bags. How is what someone else likes hurting you. My God. Snarky comment after snarky comment.
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