Who says you have to pay top dollar to receive the benefits of a spa? From body scrubs to facials, it's easier than ever to set up your own home spa and enjoy a little pampering. Great spa experiences can be created at home through homemade remedies, exercise, music, and delicious food for under $25.

A bit of preparation goes a long way in making the most of your spa day. Choose a day that will provide maximum quiet and peace. Turn the cell phone off. Let friends and family know you're going to be taking some time out just for yourself. A good night's rest will ensure a rested body and mind. Plan ahead by having everything you'll need within easy reach. The day of the spa is not the time to be running to the store for bottled water or lunch ingredients, so make sure to shop ahead.

A leisurely morning begins with waking up slowly, doing quiet stretches, and awakening the body. Put on some comfortable sweats, grab the iPod and head out the door for a brisk morning walk. Walk at least 20 minutes and not more than 1 hour, maintaining steady breathing throughout. Following the walk, do some additional stretching to loosen muscles. Incorporate some strength training with either home exercise equipment or soup cans for resistance. There are also plenty of exercise DVDs on the market today which can be incorporated into your regimen.

Facials are a fun part of the home spa. A variety of recipes are available on the Web, as well as in books. Items such as banana and sunflower oil are great for dry skin. Egg whites are an effective treatment for oily skin, and a mixture of mashed apricots applied to the face is a refreshing treatment for normal skin types. A simple steam can be accomplished with a bowl of boiling water. With a large towel placed over the head, steam your face for 5 to 10 minutes, followed by rinse with tepid water.

Nothing is more relaxing than a bubble bath. Whether you purchase a luxurious bubble bath or make your own, bathing is a prime time to rest your body and mind. Choose soothing music to accompany your bath time and you're sure to emerge refreshed. Or, consider an herbal bath to stimulate and rejuvenate. A simple herbal bath recipe includes items such as vinegar, dried rosemary, dried lavender, and dried mint. Prior to bathing, consider creating a homemade salt scrub. One of the easiest home spa products to make, it's also a great spa gift. With a combination of essential oils, sea salt, and grapeseed or sweet almond oil, you can create an effective exfoliate for your body instead of paying $90 for a treatment at the local spa.

Foot and hand treatments can be other pricey spas services. At home, you can achieve the same kinds of results for much less. Foot baths comprised of dried thyme and olive or peanut oil, combined with hot water, provides a wonderful soak. Follow up with a penetrating moisturizer massaged into the feet. Protect them with clean cotton socks as the moisturizer soothes your feet. Oatmeal, lemon juice, and olive oil combined together and placed on the hands for several minutes sloughs off dead skin cells, while hydrating the skin. Follow as well with a deep moisturizer.

Nothing makes a great home day spa quite like delicious food. Now more than ever, shoppers have a wide range of healthy choices to choose from at their local supermarket. Today is the day to keep it fresh with leafy greens, vitamin-rich fruit, complex carbs, and energy-producing proteins.

Eggs with vegetables such as green pepper, scallions, and tomato make a great start to the day. Add in a whole wheat bagel for a complex carbohydrate. Skip the coffee and soda today and enjoy bottled water or fruit juice.

Stuff a pita pocket full of chopped vegetables and deli turkey for a satisfying lunch. A fruit smoothie in the mid-day is a great way to take advantage of super foods such as blueberries, strawberries, mangoes, and pineapple. A cup of green tea is also another winning choice.

For dinner, three ounces of salmon contain omega-3 oils to fight heart disease and B-vitamins and magnesium to enhance mood. These foods and more provide the mineral essentials the body needs to operate at its optimum best.

A great spa day can be achieved at home for much less than its counterpart at the local day or resort spa. All it takes is some easy preparation and planning. Most of all, the success of the home spa relies on an individual's desire to leave the busy world behind for a day. You deserve it.