Valentine's Day on a Budget

As much as cultural celebrations like Christmas and Easter are a fun way to celebrate with friends and family, there is a growing pressure on consumers to spend more and display their love with lavish gifts. This can be especially tricky if money is tight, or if you prefer not to spend half your income of presents your loved ones probably don’t need. Valentine’s Day is no exception, and although a beautiful bouquet of red roses is a lovely way to spoil that special someone in your life, there’s no reason the evening has to be something that sends you bankrupt! Read on for our tips on how to do Valentine’s Day like a pro, on a budget.

Make your own gifts

Okay, this may sound like something reserved for children, but making a gift is a lovely and fun way to show someone you care, while not breaking the bank. It doesn’t have to be a tacky paper mache invention or a weird doll made by materials you found in the home. Think more along the lines of a scrapbook filled with photographs and memories of you and your partner together, or a decorated photo frame to hold your favorite picture. If you’re extra creative, why not try writing a poem or painting a canvas? Although you won’t spend much money on homemade gifts, the effort, time and thought put into them often far exceeds what goes into a gift voucher or generic present. 

Say 'I love you' with a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

Write each other letters

Letter writing is sadly a forgotten art, but you needn’t look far to find some examples of totally romantic written exchanges to see how beautiful a love letter can be. Take some of Beethoven’s famous words for example:

6 July, morning

My angel, my all, my own self — only a few words today, and that too with pencil (with yours) — only till tomorrow is my lodging definitely fixed. What abominable waste of time in such things — why this deep grief, where necessity speaks?

Can our love persist otherwise than through sacrifices, than by not demanding everything? Canst thou change it, that thou are not entirely mine, I not entirely thine? Oh, God, look into beautiful Nature and compose your mind to the inevitable. Love demands everything and is quite right, so it is for me with you, for you with me — only you forget so easily, that I must live for you and for me — were we quite united, you would notice this painful feeling as little as I should . . .

. . . We shall probably soon meet, even today I cannot communicate my remarks to you, which during these days I made about my life — were our hearts close together, I should probably not make any such remarks. My bosom is full, to tell you much — there are moments when I find that speech is nothing at all. Brighten up — remain my true and only treasure, my all, as I to you. The rest the gods must send, what must be for us and shall.

Your faithful Ludwig

You may not be quite that comfortable expressing your desires, but taking the time to put into words how much you love and care for your partner is a beautiful way to make the day special. It also reminds you of all the reasons you appreciate and value your special someone, which can often be lost within the hustle and bustle of work and family life.

Send flowers this Valentines Day

Cook a romantic dinner for two, at home.

Perhaps you cook dinner every day or order food in on a regular basis, but when was the last time you actually cooked a special meal for your partner? The kind that involved researching recipes, matching wines and buying special ingredients? Making a mini-restaurant at home is a thoughtful way to capture the mood found in any restaurant on February 14, and will be made only more significant by the fact that you’ve made the effort to be the chef and waiter for the night.

If you’re not particularly confident in the kitchen, buying some gourmet pre-made meals will be just fine, but also make sure to check out all of the fabulous online resources like Pinterest and YouTube, which have tutorials, step-by-step guides and videos outlining how to make thousands of seemingly difficult recipes. Light some candles, dim the lights, decorate the house with stunning roses  and pull out your special occasion glassware to add even more class to your night. And make sure you don’t skip dessert! 

Set a budget

If you enjoy buying gifts or have a partner who loves being spoiled, you can still exchange a present or two on Valentine’s Day, within reason. Rather than get carried away with expensive jewellery or the latest designer scent, have a conversation with your significant other about putting a spending limit on gifts. Agreeing to a limit in advance means there will be no unmet expectations and that you’ll both be exchanging gifts of equal value, which should defuse any potential awkwardness at one of you outspending the other.

Having a budget is also great because it gives you boundaries and limits your choices, which is becoming increasingly important as more retailers offer delivery and new products pop up every day. If your budget is $20 and you know your partner loves perfume, look online to see if there are travel-sized spritzers available. If your partner is a bookworm, go to your local second-hand bookstore and nab a bargain. 

Choose not to celebrate at all

Valentine’s Day is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate with your husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, partner or friends, but it isn’t for everybody. If the idea of romance doesn’t interest you, it is absolutely okay to choose not to celebrate at all. You can treat February 14 like any other day, or use it as an opportunity to spoil yourself by doing some of your favorite things!