A frugal and meaningful Valentine’s Day
The word on the street is that people plan to be more frugal and practical this Valentine's Day. No surprises there. The big question is how to do it without looking or feeling cheap or thoughtless.
Fortunately, ideas abound. Just search the internet for frugal Valentine ideas, or try some below.
Chocolate. It's practically required, but how many of us really want to add a whole box of chocolates to our hips and waistline? Instead of paying for fancy packaging and presentation, do the presentation yourself: a few rich and creamy Dove brand chocolate hearts on the pillow speak volumes, and hint at even more. ht to Frugal Fiction
Flowers. Another firmly entrenched tradition where it's possible to break free from consumerism and come out smelling sweet. Try hand-delivering a single rose with a kiss and a single chocolate (but don't leave it at that!), or buy a variety of flowers with more personal meaning than overpriced high-demand red roses. Tulips are lovely and last longer than thin-petaled flowers.
A potted flowering plant is usually far less expensive than cut flowers and will last much longer, even if your sweetheart doesn't have a green thumb. Again, tulips are inexpensive, widely available and absolutely beautiful in pots. With a little know-how, they can be enjoyed for years to come.
If you really must buy a dozen flowers, here's a fun idea to get a lot of bang for your buck: Plan to meet in a public place, and have eleven strangers each deliver a single flower to your sweetheart just before you arrive to deliver the last flower. Oh - do make sure you have a vase or box to hold the collection when you arrive.
Express yourself. Don't rush to buy a sparkly $5 card full of cliches written by a total stranger. Write a love letter, try your hand at poetry, or jot down a handful of love notes and leave them in unexpected places.
Dinner. It doesn't have to be at a fancy restaurant. When we were first married, we often celebrated by splurging on inexpensive steaks that we cooked together at home. Over the years, we tried our hand at seafood and other specialty items that we could never afford to order at a restaurant. A nice bottle of wine at home is also far cheaper than 2 glasses of nice wine at a restaurant.
Later, when we had children and couldn't afford a sitter, we would buy the kids some fun foods like chicken nuggets and fries, then send them to bed with - gasp! - a video in their room. If they weren't ready to fall asleep at 7, they stayed put until they were ready to sleep, and hubby and I had the rest of the house to ourselves. The kids still have fond memories of these times.
Gifts. Sometimes the most appreciated gifts are the practical ones. One year hubby and I went clothes shopping together. We each bought 2 or 3 badly needed items that lasted for many years. Some years, we buy one item for the house that we have both been wanting, using the holiday to justify the purchase.
Get creative. Some gifts are free, requiring your time rather than money. If you are married, you have a whole other class of gift options from which to choose. Use your imagination.
Dates. Dates need not include a full sit-down dinner and a movie. Go browse a bookstore (then come home and check PaperbackSwap for the titles that caught your eye), go out for ice cream or coffee, split an appetizer at your favorite restaurant, stroll through an art museum, or visit that fast food restaurant where you first met your sweetheart. Look for sentimental value rather than retail value. more ideas here.
Movie. If you do want to take in a movie, consider renting one from the library, Netflix, or RedBox (search the internet for a free rental code). You could even buy an old favorite as a mutual gift. Pop a bowl of popcorn, dim the lights, and snuggle up together on the sofa. No matter how you get it, a movie at home is a more relaxed and intimate time and has far more potential for romance than the local theater.
If you must go to the theater for your movie fix, try an early matinee or a dollar theater, and avoid the concession stand. Instead of shelling out $10 for popcorn and coke, save your money and split an appetizer at your favorite restaurant afterward, or buy a nice treat to take home with you.
Need more ideas? Check out the roundup of posts at the Carnival of Valentine's Day Personal Finance Bloggers' Posts.
Do you have ideas of your own, or memories from Valentine's past?
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8 Responses to “A frugal and meaningful Valentine’s Day”
February 8th, 2010 at 7:25 am
Great stuff here. I’m blessed with some very affordable restaurants here in Cairo but back home I would have definitely opted for home cooking. As for gifts we don’t intend on doing those but…. as you mention Chocolate is a MUST…
I made a couple of free valentine cards to print out if people are not too good at making their own… http://frugalzeitgeist.com/free-printable-valentine-cards/
February 8th, 2010 at 8:03 am
Lots of wonderful ideas. We celebrate by making gifts and cards for each other on Valentine’s day. It teaches are children a lesson about what is truly important in life, LOVE!
Thanks for sharing.
Heather Mac
February 9th, 2010 at 5:30 pm
[...] latest: A frugal and meaningful Valentine’s Day. Pop over and say something there. Frugal Hacks readers are not a chatty bunch like you all. [...]
February 9th, 2010 at 8:20 pm
Great ideas! Thanks for the tips!
February 10th, 2010 at 9:16 am
These are great ideas!
We don’t often even get gifts for each other – we try to have a nice meal together – sometimes homecooked, sometimes out. My husband finds me amazing cards every year, but I usually make him a card or write a letter…it is much better than the dorky cards for husbands out there!
February 10th, 2010 at 12:20 pm
We have just gone for a walk after a nice dinner together.
February 10th, 2010 at 7:07 pm
Speaking of cards, on a couple of our frugal dates we’ve gone to the drugstore and stood in front of the card section together. Then we pick out funny and romantic ones and exchange them right there. We end up laughing our heads off (or sometimes blushing – read with care!) and not spending a dime. It’s entirely possible to share the sentiments of a card without spending the money. (Our apologies to the greeting card industry…)
February 10th, 2010 at 9:47 pm
Something my husband and I have done for a cheap, fun date is to go thrift store shopping with a set amount of money. He found me an awesome bread machine last time and in turn, I made him an awesome loaf of bread
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