In fact, those who suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) have a particularly hard time with depression or moodiness during the winter.  If you can relate, and you’re feeling the wintertime blues, the good news is there are ways to overcome those low vibes. 

Furthermore, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get your groove back while beating the blues.  Here are a few ways to reinvigorate, refresh and lift your spirits during the winter without busting your budget.

Get a Jump on Spring Cleaning

One of the best ways to shoo the stagnant energy that often comes this time of year is to get your clean on.  Decluttering, cleaning, and reorganizing the house is a perfect winter blues distraction. It doesn’t cost anything (outside of cleaning supplies), and you’ll be amazed at how this one action can completely transform your mood.  Sweeten up your seasonal sprucing by clearing out items you no longer use and giving them to charity so that others in need can benefit from your early spring clean.

Get Some Light Therapy

Studies indicate that the lack of sunshine is the most common factor when coping with winter depression.  You can combat this cheaply with some light therapy.  Go outside with the kids on a sunny day for a hike or a good romp at a local park. 

If you’re subjected to endless gray days, you might consider getting a light therapy lamp.  These are special UV lights that mimic sunlight and are thought to be helpful at reenergizing during a span of gloomy days.  Therapy lights are relatively inexpensive and prices range anywhere from $25 - $50 so you can shine a light on your blues while still sticking to your budget.

Talk it Out

While winter can be wonderful and majestic, it isn’t always conducive to mental health.  If the chilly winter months get you down, don’t ignore those emotions. Very often, just talking to a trusted friend or family member can work wonders for lifting you out of a cold winter coma. 

You could even go a step further by taking advantage of free mental health tests to assess how the season is impacting your emotional wellbeing.  In either case, reach out and get support if these long, winter months are causing you mental unrest.

Groove Away Your Blues

Exercise is an outstanding way to chase away the fog and doldrums that often come in the late winter months.  Read reviews so you don’t have to spend tons of money on workout equipment or yoga gear.  Simply dancing to your favorite toe-tapping tunes for 20 minutes a day will reap incredible results in your mood.

Recruit the whole family and boogie your way to better moods and happier moments this winter. Jiving to the music you love is an excellent way to crush the winter blues on a budget.

The Nose Knows

Very often, stimulating the senses is an effective path towards perking up the mind and spirit.  Therefore, think about looking into aromatherapy.  Punchy aromas such as mint, cedar and cinnamon are known to boost moods and they can be very invigorating. 

Aromatherapy can be as cheap as a few bucks for high-quality incense you can burn, and lighting scented candles doesn’t cost much either.  Decent aromatherapy diffusers and oil kits start at around $35.  Whether incense, candles, or aromatic oils - aromatherapy can be an inexpensive option to chase away the winter blahs.

Indulge Yourself

Sometimes a session of pampering is the best medicine for whatever ails you during the wintertime.  Consider splurging on a spa session and treating yourself right.  Or, perhaps you can indulge in your favorite sweet treat.  While indulging yourself doesn’t always add up to a budget-friendly remedy, it might be worth the money to shake yourself out of the wintertime gloom.

Prepare for Better Days Ahead

What’s really important to know is that the emotional drain derived from winter doldrums is only temporary.  With that in mind, start planning what you and your family can do once sunshine and happier days come back on the scene. 

After all, spring is just a few months away.  Planning ahead for fun times when better weather returns can provide you with something to look forward to.  Furthermore, dreaming of the future also motivates you to move through your winter blues without spending a dime.