Cottagecore on a Budget

Simple Living Without Breaking the Bank

In a world that often equates beauty with expense (and pressure to buy the next trendy item), embracing a cozy, cottagecore lifestyle on a budget might seem impossible. But at its heart, this way of living has always been rooted in thriftiness… making do, repurposing, and cherishing the simple, handmade, and secondhand.

While cottagecore and hobbitcore can sometimes be used interchangeably, cottagecore tends to have a broader scope. Think rural nostalgia, garden-grown food, handmade living, and a deep appreciation for the past. But the essence of this lifestyle isn’t about spending more. It’s about appreciating what you already have, making intentional choices, and finding joy in the little things.

“I am excessively fond of a cottage; there is always so much comfort, so much elegance about them. And I protest, if I had any money to spare, I should buy a little land and build one myself, within a short distance of London, where I might drive myself down at any time, and collect a few friends about me and be happy. I advise everybody who is going to build, to build a cottage.” —Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility

Here are ten gentle ways to live the cottagecore dream without overspending:

1. Thrift and Repurpose

Cottagecore is all about nostalgia and charm, and nothing brings that aesthetic to life quite like secondhand treasures! Visit thrift stores, flea markets, and estate sales for vintage linens, wooden furniture, ceramic mugs, and other homey touches. Repurpose old items by giving them a fresh coat of paint, sewing new pillow covers, or refinishing a wooden table instead of buying new.

Wicker baskets are one of my favorite secondhand finds! These are great for storage, gifting, and carrying to the farmer’s market for all your goodies.

Our dining room table is one of my favorite repurposed items! It was a meeting table in the coffee shop I worked at. We closed for a remodel and I learned they would be disposing of most of the fixtures! My GM was kind enough to save me the table, which is hearty wood and seats 8.

My husband surprised me by sanding and re-staining it, and every time we eat there I remember my old barista days. We added a stability bar at each end with rustic brackets and it feels like a cozy, country tavern table.

2. Embrace a Handmade Mentality

The cottagecore lifestyle values craftsmanship and creativity over consumerism. Instead of purchasing new decor or fast fashion, try knitting your own scarves, baking your own bread, or growing your own herbs. Handmade candles, embroidered tea towels, and homemade jams add beauty to your home while keeping costs low.

Not only is this lovely to experience visually, but working with our hands is incredibly grounding! You can take pride in that bread you’ve smeared with butter and the pillow cases so beautifully covering your sofa pillows. While “handmade” tends to get a bad wrap for being pricey, it doesn’t have to be when you shop sales and secondhand.

My favorite thrifty suggestions will always be shopping sales, clearance end caps, thrift shops, consignment and charity shops, overstock stores, Facebook marketplace, and your neighborhood Buy Nothing group. You would be surprised the crafty items you can find through Facebook! There’s always a kind soul with some treasure trove of yarn or fabric willing to share.

On my Instagram today I shared a few ideas for embracing the handmade in affordable ways! You can read that here.

Mending holes in fabric with some beautiful stitchery is the next skill I hope to hone in this area!

Source: Collingwood-Norris | Visible Mending

3. Slow Food on a Budget

You don’t need expensive organic stores to eat simply and well! Focus on buying whole ingredients like flour, oats, beans, good meat, and seasonal produce in bulk. Learn to make rustic, filling meals such as soups, stews, and fresh-baked bread. A little meal planning goes a long way in reducing food waste and unnecessary expenses.

I meal plan down to the snacks to help our budget. Aldi is my favorite store for affordable and wholesome groceries, with Costco a close second for bulk prices on baking ingredients especially.

A few favorite slow cottage-inspired meals in our home recently:

• Chicken pot pie skillet topped with biscuits

• Farmhouse on Boone Potato Soup (fresh sourdough is a great sidekick, and Aldi bread is a fantastic dupe if its not your thing)

• Nourishing Traditions beef bourguignon. I couldn’t find an online link for this (I use the cookbook), but I did find a beef barley soup that sounds divine!

• Birria burrito rice bowls! Instapot-cooked Aldi birria beef tenderly shredded over savory rice and topped with sour cream, jalapenos, cheddar, and whatever toppings make your heart happy.

• My husband’s chili and cornbread. So hearty and filling!

• Charcuterie galore! This is a favored homeschool lunch in our little urban cottage. Summer sausage, deli meat, craft cheeses, grapes or berries, and of course sliced baguette.

• Harvest egg hash. This is a mishmash of whatever vegetables I have in stock diced with potatoes, served with over easy eggs atop. This is easy and so nourishing. Use your own garden-grown veggies, or Farmer Maggot’s down the road!

• Roasted sweet potato & kale salad. Incredibly fresh for summer! Kale massaged in a homemade dressing, topped with crumbled goat cheese, dried cranberries or blueberries, sunflower seeds or nuts, and tiny diced and roasted sweet potatoes.

  • Dressing: olive oil, apple cider vinegar (look up a basic vinaigrette for preferred ratios), honey, Dijon, salt and pepper.

Did you know that I offer a free seasonal meal planner? You can personalize it and download it here!

4. Grow Your Own Garden

Even if you don’t have a large plot of land, container gardening or a windowsill herb garden can bring the joy of nature into your home. Heirloom seeds are inexpensive and can provide you with vegetables, flowers, and herbs for months! Plus, nothing feels more cottagecore than gathering fresh basil for pesto, or chamomile for tea, from your own garden.

If you are unable to grow much food, support your local farmer’s market! While there are certainly vendors who are more pricey than others, get to know your farmer and understand their practices. The most recent market I visited had produce for such fair prices! Honestly quite comparable to the grocer, but far more fresh AND directly supporting a local family directly, instead of a corporation.

5. Curate a Cozy Wardrobe with Intentionality

Instead of chasing trends, build a wardrobe of timeless, comfortable pieces. Look for natural fabrics like linen and cotton at thrift stores, or even learn to mend and upcycle old clothing. Prioritize quality over quantity, and choose versatile pieces that fit a simple, cozy aesthetic.

In full transparency, I prioritize natural fibers when I can, but thrifting curvy-girl sizes is also extremely hard! A few of my favorite pieces are… (gasp!) Polyester. I know, the thought is practically a sin in the slow-living world haha!

My thought is, at least the item is being used and not sitting in a landfill. That is still stewarding our environment in a small way friends!

I have a Pinterest board of dream outfits I hope to build piece-by-piece through thrifting and clearance purchases, this helps me have a goal in mind while I peruse the racks.

Visit my board here for your own inspiration!

6. Find Free or Low-Cost Joy

Living slowly means finding joy in simple pleasures. This can look like reading a library book by candlelight, taking a walk in nature, or writing letters to friends. Instead of expensive entertainment, opt for picnics, baking days, movie nights at home, or hosting potluck dinners with loved ones.

Connection with others, staying present in the moment you’re in, and enjoying creation is always free! A few favorite friend dates have been spent with a coffee or tea from home and reading by the stained glass window in my favorite library, or watching Anne of Green Gables together!

A few other ways to have low-cost cottage joy:

• Forage for wildflowers or herbs – Make a tiny bouquet for your table or dry them for tea and crafts.

• Have a candlelit tea time – Light a few candles, brew a pot of tea, and savor a quiet moment with a treat.

• Embroider a tea towel or mend clothes with visible mending – Add charm to what you already have.

• Host a potluck picnic – Invite friends to a backyard or park gathering with homemade, rustic food.

• Hang laundry on the line – It’s peaceful, smells amazing, and gives all the countryside vibes.

• Bake a simple peasant bread or scones – Ingredients are inexpensive, and the reward is delicious.

• Sketch or watercolor something from nature – A flower, a bird, your garden, there is no skill needed, just joy. Crafting in general can be done affordably!

7. Create a Home Atmosphere with What You Have

A warm, inviting home doesn’t require a shopping spree. Open your windows to let in fresh air, arrange furniture for cozy conversations, and use soft lighting like candles or string lights. Simplicity is beautiful, and sometimes all it takes is a thoughtfully arranged space to make a home feel special.

Cozy Cottage Atmosphere on a Budget:

1. Use Soft Lighting
   Swap harsh overhead lights for candles, thrifted lamps, or string lights. Warm light instantly cozies up a space. Open those curtains during the day to soak up that natural (and free) light!

2. Bring in Nature
   Display foraged wildflowers, forsythia or magnolia branches, even a collection of rocks or acorns in mason jars or vintage vases. Seasonal touches are both free and beautiful.

3. Layer Textures
   Use what you already have: mix blankets, quilts, and throw pillows. Look for secondhand knits or crochet pieces with charm and history! These items are so easily thrifted, and they just need a good wash to be given new life.

4. Play Peaceful Music
   Create a playlist of soft folk, acoustic, or instrumental tunes—think cottage piano, birdsong, or even tavern music for hobbit vibes.

5. Add Handmade Touches
   DIY bunting from fabric scraps, sew simple curtains, or hand-stamp tags or labels for your pantry or apothecary jars. I love finding free printables on Pinterest, printing for free at the library, and then adhering to objects with some Mod Podge. My favorite little jar in my office is flesh eating slug repellent from an old Harry Potter party ha!

6. Thrift Cozy Decor
   Look for secondhand books, candlesticks, teacups, baskets, and floral plates. Mixing and matching gives it charm. These work as functional decor; it looks pretty, but serves a purpose too!

7. Bake Something Homey
   Nothing says “cozy” like the smell of fresh bread, muffins, cookies, or cinnamon sugar apples in the oven. Bake with what you already have!

8. Keep a Clean & Tidy Space
   Tidying up and creating cozy nooks with what you already own can make your home feel warm, welcoming, and restful. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just refreshed.

9. Use Scent Intentionally
   Simmer herbs or orange peels on the stove, burn a homemade beeswax candle, or make a simple stovetop potpourri. Ground yourself in the moment as you prepare the stove and items and run water to fill the pot.

10. Display Books or Baskets
    A small stack of well-loved books or a thrifted basket filled with yarn, linens, or pinecones adds both charm and functionality. For a very long time we had a massive dark wicker basket in the corner of our living room for all of our throw blankets! I have baskets for notepads and pens too, it’s lovely and helps keep things feeling tidy and organized (even if the basket is a mess inside).

    

8. Trade, Barter, or Borrow

Before buying something new, consider swapping with a friend! I love bartering skills (perhaps homemade bread for a sewing lesson), or borrowing items I only need for one project. Community sharing aligns with the cottagecore mindset of resourcefulness and connection.

Just recently, my husband was building me a console table for behind our couch, but he needed a specific tool for cutting out the inset power outlet. A friend came to the rescue! We were able to sand the edges down quickly too, and weren’t put out financially from buying a new power tool we wouldn’t use again.

9. Embrace a DIY Mindset

From homemade cleaning products to hand-sewn curtains, DIY projects can save money while adding a unique, personal touch to your home. Learning simple skills like sewing, canning, or woodworking allows you to create rather than consume.

This can also connect with the community mindset, tap into your friends and ask for help! I really wanted cute, gingham curtains to hide the bulk flours and such under my husband-built island. But buying new was ridiculously expensive! I found a fabric I fell in love with and a friend was kind enough to teach me how to make curtains and sewed them for me on her machine.

Bonus: we had a fantastic time drinking tea and giggling while she sewed and I ironed seams.

Another friend had me over to teach me how to make jam and water-bath can! This was helpful for me to learn a skill, and I helped her as she made dozens of Christmas presents. There is no gatekeeping of skills here! Someone else gifted usually learned from someone else kind enough to show them the way.

10. Shift Your Perspective

At its core, cottagecore is not about aesthetics alone but about a heart posture of appreciating slow moments, treasuring simplicity, and seeing the beauty in the ordinary. Instead of longing for a Pinterest-perfect home, focus on filling your space with love, warmth, and things that bring you utter joy!

Living simply on a budget is not about deprivation, but abundance—the kind that comes from contentment, creativity, and gratitude. With a little resourcefulness and intention, you can cultivate a cozy, beautiful life that doesn’t rely on excess spending!

Do you have any favorite budget-friendly cottagecore habits? Let’s chat in the comments!