Most of us, understandably, absolutely hate wasting money. Whether it’s £5 or £50 on events that didn’t live up to our expectations or stuff we’ll never use, that sinking feeling of guilt and regret is never nice to experience.

But what about the things we are happy to spend our hard-earned cash on? The experiences that genuinely improve our day-to-day lives, or ventures that help us to reward or better ourselves.

Stylist asked eight women about the best investment they’ve ever made in themselves, and this is what they said.

Dance classes

“It was my therapist who actually suggested I start taking dance classes, as I was struggling with my confidence. It seemed very out of character for me as I hate not being good at things and looking silly. The first class was stressful and I had to suppress a panic attack throughout the whole session and cried on my journey home, but once that was out of the way, I was able to start enjoying the classes. I now spend £24 going twice a week and my fiancé has noticed a change in my confidence and self-esteem. I’m genuinely so happy.”

Charlotte, London

Travel

“While it’s definitely a larger expense, the best investment I’ve made in myself is travel. In particular, a trip to Burma/Myanmar which changed me both mentally and emotionally in the best way.”

Natalie, London

A language tutor

“There was something about learning languages at school (and being quite good at them) that I somehow pushed to the back of my brain and forgot about. But last year, I decided enough was enough. I resolved to find a language tutor and relearn Italian – a subject I’d continued to university and then ignored in the midst of adult work life. While terrifying, learning languages is a new skill that we seem to confine to schools but it’s incredibly uplifting. There’s something about learning something new, or re-educating, in my case, that made me feel excited, fresh and invigorated. At £23 per lesson, I could’ve easily spent the money on something else but the feeling of confidence in a revisited skill is priceless in my opinion.”

Morgan, 26, London

Going back to university

“I was in the middle of a successful career in marketing when I took a year off to go back to university and complete a masters at the age of 30. My family and friends were surprised, but it was such a valuable experience. It ended up being the first step that allowed me to set up my own business, and I’ll never regret it.”

Hiba, 45, London

Therapy

“I started seeing a private therapist and since then, my life has improved immensely. I’ve gone from suffering in toxic interpersonal relationships and living a life full of trauma, pain, mistreatment, misery and unnecessary suffering and struggle, to living a life that brings me inner peace, joy, harmony. I’ve been able to let go of the past and move forward into the present. I’ve been able to embark on a healing journey that allows me to grow, thrive and flourish. I’m strong, confident, assertive, determined to go after what I deserve and unafraid to live life on my own terms. Therapy allowed me to get in tune with my authentic self and it literally saved my life.”

Chichi, 29, Cambridge

An empowerment course

“I invested in a three month empowerment course that was a mix of workshops, talks, mentoring, therapy and overall a community of like-minded women. It helped me become confident in myself, put myself forward for opportunities (instead of self-sabotaging) and gave me a safe space to open up and made me feel empowered each step of the way. I’m no longer struggling with my confidence so it was absolutely worth it.”

Tajinder, 27, London

Bespoke healthcare services

“Health is wealth, so the saying goes; and paying for a brace and a dermatologist have undoubtedly been my best investments. The brace came when I was 19, and gave me immeasurable confidence, and over a decade later, I finally learnt how to care properly for my skin with the help of an expert. While both services were expensive, they were well worth saving up for, and I’d recommend to anyone as a long-term investment”

Christobel, 30, London

Cookery lessons

“It might sound trivial, but one of the best investments I’ve made in myself was booking onto a sourdough course. Food has always been an important part of my life — it’s my job, as well as being one of the ways that I show people I care. I wanted to master sourdough, and booking myself on a course taught me everything I needed to know — it also taught me that baking sourdough doesn’t always go to plan, but the results will always be delicious. It cost me £120 and making sourdough has now become second nature. It is a weekly tradition for me, letting me work with my hands and switch off from the world.”

Ellie, 26, London

While the likes of private therapy and bespoke health services are financial privileges, taking the time to invest in yourself and your mental wellbeing can work for every budget. They key is figuring out what works for you and leaning into it– be it rising early in the morning to walk in nature or investing in a library card to be able to read more. It doesn’t have to cost the earth, just provide you with a moment of peace and enjoyment that will carry you throughout the day.

Images: courtesy of contributors