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Inexpensive Ways to Make Fall Feel Extra Cozy

Byhelp

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Fall is one of the most magical times of the year. The summer heat has officially begun to subside, the air is crisper, the sky seems bluer, the clothes are cuter, and the food is more delicious. There are actually scientific and psychological reasons behind why we love fall so much, and a lot of it has to do with the beautiful fall foliage we get to witness. The fall season is the absolute essence of cozy wrapped up into just a few short weeks.

While there are so many fun ways to make fall feel extra cozy, they can get expensive if you are not careful. It’s so easy to hit the Buy Now button on Amazon and not think about what you are purchasing. However, it’s important to be frugal where you can. Frugality does not have to mean cheap quality. In fact, those who are frugal tend to make more items themselves, resulting in better quality control. In this post, we’ll talk about some inexpensive ways to make fall feel extra cozy. Frugality in the fall has never been so appealing!

Inexpensive Ways to Make Fall Feel Extra Cozy

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Make your own candles.

In my opinion, one of the best inexpensive ways to make fall feel extra cozy is to make your own candles. Nothing creates a better atmosphere in the fall than candles do. They can transform an entire room or even a whole house into an autumn sensation. If you have never made candles before and feel slightly intimidated, no worries. They are not difficult at all to make. You just need a few ingredients up front to get you started.

Inexpensive Ways to Make Fall Feel Extra Cozy

The most important items you’ll need for candles are a jar or dish of some kind, wax, fragrance oils, wicks and wick stickers, wick holders, a vessel to heat your wax in, and a thermometer. Fortunately, many of these items are relatively inexpensive and won’t cost you much money. To save money further, use a stock pot instead of candle pouring pots and go to a thrift store and find old jars or cups to put your candles in. Check out this post to take you through the steps of making your own candles.

Below are some items you’ll want to consider purchasing in order to make your own candles.

Host a potluck dinner.

Another of the many inexpensive ways to make fall feel extra cozy is to consider hosting a potluck dinner. I love to host parties, but it can get to be expensive when you are the one putting up decorations and supplying most of the food and drinks. An alternative to this is to host a potluck dinner. Potlucks are a great way to have each guest contribute something to take the burden off of you. They can be as simple or as fancy as you want them to be. Since this is fall, consider doing a potluck with a fun fall theme. Below are some theme ideas to get your wheels turning.

  • Soup and sip
  • Apple cider and donuts
  • Harvest haven
  • Halloween/Boo Bash
  • Friendsgiving
  • Wine, cheese, and appetizers
  • Fall desserts
  • Make your own fall charcuterie board
  • Pumpkins and painting (Have guests bring a pumpkin dish)

Wear your favorite (already owned) outfits.

Fall is definitely about being cozy and wearing adorable outfits. However, buying new clothes can be expensive, even if you go to a thrift store. Consider putting together a capsule wardrobe for the season with items you already own. You probably have many more items than you think you do. Part of the fun is looking through all of the clothes you currently have and figuring out how to mix and match them. It’s a really fun way to be creative and love the clothing items you already own.

Have or attend a bonfire.

Bonfires require very little work. That’s why this idea is next on our list of inexpensive ways to make fall feel extra cozy. To host a bonfire, all you need is a fire ring or pit, firewood, kindling or newspaper, and a lighter. Fall is the perfect time to host a bonfire because the nights are cool and the bugs are gone. It’s a great way to gather with your friends and spend some screen-free time together. Take it to the next level by providing some apple cider or s’mores. Your friends will love it!

Go stargazing.

Stargazing is one of the many inexpensive ways to make fall feel extra cozy. Actually, it’s entirely free! Stargazing is one of those things that just adds to the fall vibes and aesthetics. If you live in a suburban or urban area, stargazing where you live may be tricky. However, not too far from city limits there are usually plenty of places with less light pollution where you can view thousands of stars. Check out this light pollution map to see where you can get the best views of the stars.

Inexpensive Ways to Make Fall Feel Extra Cozy

Buy a fall magazine or vibey book.

One way I kick off the fall season is by browsing through one of the many fall magazines that I own. They contain all sorts of delicious recipes and sometimes fun fall ideas and stories. I’ve actually found some of my favorite recipes through fall magazines. A magazine usually costs around $7-$12 and they keep for years. Taste of Home, Good Housekeeping, Southern Living, and Better Homes and Garden are some of my favorites. Another option is to find a vibey fall book. Harvest Season by Melanie Lageschulte is the perfect autumn read with so many components of autumn mixed in. Below are some other fall reads to check out.

Add natural elements to your fall décor.

Inexpensive Ways to Make Fall Feel Extra Cozy

While there are many inexpensive ways to make fall feel extra cozy, adding natural elements to your fall décor is cheap and a lot of fun. Natural elements include leaves, acorns, pinecones, pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks, hay bales, flowers, and fruit. Going to a farm to pick pumpkins and gourds can easily run up your bill if it’s a place that’s popular, so consider finding a smaller farmstand or friend who grows them. Acorns, pinecones, and leaves can all be found free of charge near trees or in the woods. If you go to a flower farm, you can often get plenty of flowers at a cheaper price rather than buying them at the grocery store. All of these natural items will add such a pretty look to your fall decorations.

Visit a coffee shop and read a book.

If you don’t buy coffee out on a regular basis, it can be a nice treat and often isn’t that expensive. Coffee drinks will usually run around $6 or $7, which is why I considered it one of the inexpensive ways to make fall feel extra cozy. Pretty much all coffee shops will feature fall themed beverages and some will even be decorated for fall. They may also offers fall treats like pumpkin scones, apple turnovers, or pecan tarts. On a chilly day, visiting a coffee shop and reading one of those vibey books you purchased is a great way to usher in all the feels of fall.

Make your own apple cider.

Did you know you can make your own apple cider!? If you don’t live near any farms, apple cider can be expensive and hard to find. To make it one of the inexpensive ways to make fall feel extra cozy, we are going to make our own. Unlike apple juice which is filtered and pasteurized, apple cider is not. It uses the entire apple and sometimes has added spices in it. Apple cider is considered a seasonal drink, making it hard to find outside the autumn months. Good apple cider requires few ingredients, which is why I like this recipe. I’m so excited for you to try it!

Watch a movie with all the fall vibes.

Watching a vibey fall movie is another of the wonderful inexpensive ways to make fall feel extra cozy. If you already own the movie it won’t cost you anything, but even if you have to rent it, rentals are only around $4. Picking a fall movie is half the fun because there are so many genres to pick from: Dark academia, romance, rom com, spooky films, suspense and thriller, school, and family friendly. Check out the list below for some fall movie inspiration.

  • You’ve Got Mail
  • When Harry Met Sally
  • Dead Poets Society
  • Twilight
  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
  • Good Will Hunting
  • Matilda
  • October Kiss
  • Sleepy Hollow
  • Hocus Pocus
  • Pumpkin Pie Wars
  • Remember the Titans
  • The Covenant
  • The Spiderwick Chronicles
  • Penelope
  • The Nightmare Before Christmas

Make a fall simmer pot.

I made a fall simmer pot for the first time ever last year and deemed it my favorite of the inexpensive ways to make fall feel extra cozy. It is an absolutely delightful way to make your house smell oh, so cozy. It’s even better to have one on when you have guests over. They will walk into your house asking you what that wonderful smell is. Fall simmer pots usually include fruit, herbs, and spices. That’s it! Depending on the scent combination you are going for, you can mix and match what you put in your simmer pot. A very simple combination is apples, oranges, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, and pumpkin pie spice. The ingredients are very inexpensive and you will have a great smelling house for hours. Check out these recipes to get you started.

Inexpensive Ways to Make Fall Feel Extra Cozy

Do a fall reset and purge unused items.

While spring is usually the time we think of “spring cleaning,” fall is also a great time to go through old and unused items. I like to think of fall as its own season of renewal. There’s something about purging items during fall that is so satisfying. A great time to do this is as you change out your seasonal clothes. If you have items you kept during the summer but didn’t wear, it’s a good time to get rid of them. You can also do this with decorations and other household items. You will roll into fall feeling so refreshed.

Go on a picnic.

Next on the list of inexpensive ways to make fall feel extra cozy is to go on a picnic. You can do a solo date, but it’s more fun if you go with someone else. Grab a big blanket, a basket, some food, and put on some cute fall clothes, then head out the door. Find somewhere with big, beautiful trees, preferably in a park, and set up your items. Then, enjoy! Eat and people watch as you chat with friends or your significant other. Picnics are such a fun way to enjoy food and friends without going broke. Check out these fun fall picnic ideas.

Inexpensive Ways to Make Fall Feel Extra Cozy

Attend a small town festival.

I can’t mention fall without bringing up small town festivals. If you live in a city and haven’t truly experienced small town life, you absolutely must. There are festivals galore because small towns always need a reason to celebrate something! They typically include lots of food, entertainment, pumpkin picking and carving, craft vendors, and some sort of farm-related activity like a hay bale maze. Small town festivals are a great way to also support local businesses. Sometimes the festivals will take place in the town itself, where shops will don fall themed decorations with lots of treats and goodies. It’s absolutely one of the best inexpensive ways to make fall feel extra cozy, especially because walking around costs nothing. You can choose to buy nothing and still have a great time.

Bake a delicious fall treat.

Finally, what would a fall post be without talking about baked goods. Fall is one of the best times of the year to bake treats for you and/or your friends. There are SO many recipes that it can be overwhelming to choose from. Pumpkin bread and apple pie are always favorites, but you can go a little more unique and make apple cider donuts or a delicious pumpkin trifle. And don’t forget about maple, which is also a delectable fall flavor. Try some maple pecan cookies or maple apple blondies. My mouth is already watering!

I hope this post gave you plenty of inspiration for some inexpensive and fun ways to have a cozy fall. Whether you are wanting to get out and have adventures, bake a delicious treat in your kitchen, watch a cozy movie, or read a vibey book, you can do it all for very little money. I can’t wait to hear what sort of fun ideas you decide to try! Until next time, Kayla.

If you love this post, consider checking out some of my other content:

HOW TO HAVE A GILMORE GIRLS INSPIRED FALL DAY

19 REASONS TO GET EXCITED ABOUT FALL

14 WAYS TO CELEBRATE FALL IN A SMALL TOWN

FAVORITE REASONS TO LOVE FALL IN 2025

HOW TO CELEBRATE FALL WHILE IT’S STILL SUMMER

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