Affordable End-of-Month Plans to Treat Yourself

Flat broke, skint, overdrawn : by the end of the month, our bank account can sometimes feel like it’s on life support. And yet, living on love and fresh water only happens in fairy tales… real life still goes on, even while waiting for payday ! Sneaking into theatres, gourmet surprise bags filled with treats from La Grande Épicerie or Maison Plisson, free exhibitions, complimentary workout sessions or fashion boutiques with slashed prices : we’ve tracked down plenty of smart and budget-friendly deals to help you avoid both the blues and financial disaster.

We can’t praise the Too Good To Go app enough. It lets you collect unsold food at discounted prices from nearby shops. A solution that fights both food waste and financial hardship, while giving access to quality products. Among our favourites : Maison Plisson (surprise bag €8.99), Bo&Mie (anti-waste bag €4.99), La Grande Épicerie (cold cuts and ready-to-eat meals basket with salad, prepared dishes, pâté en croûte and more, €22.49 instead of €45), Liberté (surprise bag €6.99), Angelina (sweet bag €6.50), Café Kitsuné Vertbois (travel cakes €4 instead of €12), as well as plenty of local greengrocers where you can pick up fresh fruit and vegetables. Not to mention supermarkets, coffee shops and street-food spots, and even florists like Mon petit atelier de fleurs or Fleur de nuit, offering fresh plants and flowers for €7.99 instead of €30.

Plot twist : unsold deals also apply to beauty, thanks to the Save & Care app, recently launched by entrepreneur Manon Leroux. The idea ? Pick up gift sets, beauty boxes and individual products from some of the most desirable brands of the moment in participating stores (La French Beauty, Monop’Beauty, L’Armoire à Beauté, Blissim)… at discounts of up to 50%. We love it. The bonus ? Joining a doubly virtuous circle: products that are good for your body and the planet, while consuming beauty in a more mindful – and cheaper – way. A total win-win.

© Too Good To Go / Save & Care

What could be better than second-hand shopping to combine style and low prices when your wallet starts to look unhappy ? First stop : the Latin Quarter, atLes Sales Voleurs (42 rue Monge, Paris 5e). Here, prices never go up, they go down day after day, from €4.50 on Sundays for the entire store to just €0.95 on Thursdays. Inside, you’ll find well-stocked racks, a striking stone-carved interior and even an online shop (still quite rare for a thrift store). Safe to say, you rarely leave empty-handed.

Staying on the Left Bank, we head to Boulinier (18 boulevard Saint-Michel, Paris 6e), because second-hand books will always have that unmatched charm and that unmistakable smell. Novels start at just €0.20: no more excuses not to dive back into the classics and rediscover the joy of reading.

Next up :  La Ressourcerie Alternative (13 rue Léopold Bellan, Paris 2e), a true treasure cave filled with hidden gems : leather goods, shoes, home décor to elevate your interior, and of course a great selection of clothing. But this place goes far beyond a thrift shop : regular workshops are held here, from sewing and crochet introductions to repair cafés, all for free or for a maximum of €10. An address that could easily become our new go-to spot from the 20th of the month onwards…

In Sentier (168 rue du Temple, Paris 3e) or near République (89 rue Réaumur, Paris 2e), Bobby consignment stores satisfy our craving for designer splurges – at reduced prices – thanks to their curated selection featuring Jacquemus, Balenciaga, Prada or Céline. Note : you can both buy and sell here. Since Bobby isn’t a thrift store, the items come directly from customers. In #girlmaths terms, buying after selling is basically free.

© Bobby

There’s more to life than bouillons ! When the end of the month rolls around, we still don’t want to give up restaurant outings. For a taste of Japan without the plane ticket, head to the legendary rue Sainte-Anne and its many Asian restaurants, and grab a table atGyoza Ho Hei (11 bis rue Saint Anne, Paris 1er). The lunchtime bento-style menu is a must-try: just €14 for an array of delicious Japanese dishes. Between 8 gyozas, 2 onigiri of your choice, a side dish (potato salad, grilled edamame or Japanese omelette) and the daily miso soup, it’s a feast at a mini price.

Our all-purpose favourite ?  Le Mansart (1 rue Mansart, Paris 9e), tucked away just below Pigalle. It’s the perfect spot on a Friday night to grab a drink, carried by the lively neighbourhood vibe as night falls. On Saturday lunchtime, we even settle in for the great-value set menu : starter, main and dessert for just €15. Our top picks: the lightly spicy smashed cucumber, the onglet steak served with crispy fries, and for dessert, the lemon–verbena choux pastry we can’t get enough of. And because the sun-soaked terrace is especially pleasant, even Sunday coffee here quickly turns into a ritual.

After roaming the streets of the capital in search of the best shawarma in Paris, the verdict is in. Head to rue Montorgueil and step into  Daily Syrien, now firmly established as our go-to spot. The €13.90 set menu ticks every box: a generous shawarma, perfectly golden mezze and a fresh lemonade to wash it all down.

When a proper Indian meal is calling but payday still feels far away, we book a table at one of the elegant New Jawad addresses (Tour Eiffel, rue de Longchamp, Richelieu…). Their unbeatable €17 lunch menu is served in a hyper-chic dining room. On the menu : Nan Nature or Chappati, Chicken curry, Keema matar or seasonal vegetables, not forgetting a homemade pastry or kulfi — mmmh!

You can also find our best addresses for lunch under €30 in Paris.

Because flowers have that magical power to instantly dress up an interior and spark an immediate smile, they remain a timeless favourite. The only downside ? Prices that can sometimes curb the urge. That’s why we’ve found Elda Rose (86 boulevard Raspail, Paris 6e). For over 30 years, this colourful florist has kept the same prices: bunches from €3 and bouquets from €10. Enough to make “flowers all year round” your new home resolution.

Le cinéma du Panthéon (13 rue Victor Cousin, Paris 1er), aka one of the oldest cinemas still operating in Paris (and even in the world!), is the place for lovers of the Seventh Art. On the programme: screenings of cult films (Pulp Fiction, La La Land…), talks, and above all, numerous film clubs. Our favourite? L’Inconnu du ciné-club, which invites a different figure from the film world each month — their identity revealed only on the day — to present a film of their choice. In short, a mystery screening where nothing is known until the very last moment. And all these events cost the same as a standard cinema ticket (€9.50)! No wonder Jean-Paul Sartre and Jacques Prévert were among its most loyal spectators.

Did you know that Paris is home to many international cultural institutes offering free-entry exhibitions? The  Centre culturel irlandais, Institut finlandais and  Institut Culturel Italien welcome curious visitors, often in remarkable buildings located in some of the city’s most beautiful neighbourhoods. But our all-time favourite remains the Maison de la culture du Japon (101 bis Quai Jacques Chirac, Paris 15e), just steps from the Eiffel Tower. Currently on view: the I Love Sushi exhibition until April 11, along with a wide range of events, workshops, language courses and screenings available to book.

Even though it is currently under renovation and its performances are temporarily staged off-site at the Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin (18 boulevard Saint-Martin, Paris 10e), the Comédie-Française continues to offer its “le petit bureau” service. Every Wednesday, one hour before the evening performance, head to the main ticket office and join the dedicated queue to access seats for €5 — or even free for under-28s. Visibility may be limited and seating assigned, but it’s still a unique opportunity to enjoy a necessarily grand performance while waiting for the legendary venue to reopen, scheduled for next September. Dates to note in your calendar: Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme (January 31 to March 8),Le Cid (March 26 to May 17) and  Le Malade Imaginaire (May 27 to July 12).

Let’s be honest : gyms can feel intimidating, and group classes are often expensive. That’s where  Swedish Fit comes in, offering affordable group fitness classes, with sessions starting at just €10, bookable according to your mood from 19 different disciplines. On the agenda : strength training and cardio (HIIT, Pump, Max), but also yoga, Pilates, sophrology, dance, and even ballet sculpt. The real perk ? Being able to try out different studios all across Paris and finally give a go to activities you might never have dared to try, often held back by price.

Our top tip for staying fit without spending a single cent: running clubs! Even though Paris now has plenty of them, our favorite remains Collision. The concept is simple: sign up via their Strava account to get all the details on meeting points and start times, most often on Sunday mornings. Then all that’s left to do is lace up your best running shoes and hit the streets of the capital as a group. Here, performance isn’t the main goal; it’s all about sharing a common lifestyle focused on well-being and self-improvement. The cherry on top ? When runs are organized in collaboration with brands, runners often wrap things up with free hot drinks at a coffee shop. A pretty good reason to get out of bed, right ?

Taking a dip in a public pool is, but only if it’s stylish and comes with a view. For just €3.50, you can swim facing the Eiffel Tower at piscine Emile Anthoine (9 rue Jean Rey, Paris 15e), whose large glass windows offer a close-up view of the Iron Lady next door. The highlight? Its solarium for a sun-soaked break, not to mention the Wednesday night swim, where you can do backstroke to the sparkle of the tower at 10 p.m. So chic!

Also discover The 5 Best (Free) Exhibitions to See This Winter and  5 Grand Gourmet Luxuries to Treat Yourself to… for Less Than 40 €