BUDGET: Broke as a joke
The great thing about Valentine’s Day is that it isn’t really about how much money you spend. It is more about showing that person how much they mean to you. This is great for those of you who can’t afford that much, and even those of you who simply want to avoid spending this year.
Flowers: The biggest rip off over the Valentine’s period, without a doubt. Like hotels and flights over the holiday season, the price of flowers, which will be dead within a few days, shoots up astronomically for this time of year. Thankfully this is also an easily avoided expense. Save spending any money and add romantic value by picking your own. Just avoid graveyards and neighbors’ back gardens. You can then arrange the flowers to the best of your ability in a vase ready for her to get home from work. If there isn’t a vase to hand a pair of wellies seems to be perfectly acceptable apparently….
Dinner: To really keep the costs down I could suggest you hunt for your Valentine’s meal but that is not realistic, not to mention dangerous and probably illegal. Instead, light some candles, stick on Barry White, put on a nice suit and tie, and impress your valentine with your culinary talents. If you are not confident with cooking, you can find many quick, cheap and easy recipes and step by step videos on YouTube. The effort you have made with the candles and dressing up smart just for your date will fulfill the romance quota for the day.
Chocolate: Chocolate can also set you back a pretty penny over Valentine’s. The trick is to avoid the romantic packaging. You can guarantee that you’ll end up paying more if the box you buy has a heart, flowers or “be mine” printed on it. Go for chocolates which are the same price all year round rather than these limited editions. For extra brownie points, make a point of finding out her favorites beforehand and then tell her that’s why you chose them.
Gift: Collages may seem like an activity that only young girls should participate in, and ordinarily I would agree. However, times are hard and when you are strapped for cash, showing effort and thought is the only option left to avoid guaranteed disappointment. Making a collage out of photos of the two of you may seem really lame but it will most likely stir some past memory of youthful joyous naivety whilst showing off your softer side.
Entertainment: There are many low cost or free options for entertaining that special someone. It should be fun and, if you are skimping on the cost, should show a degree of thought and effort. One option is to plan a treasure hunt. Regardless of age, everyone loves the mysteriousness and challenging nature of a treasure hunt. You could start by sending a note to their workplace or secretly stuffing it into their pocket before they head off in the morning. This should be clue number 1 and can contain whatever you like, as long as it leads onto clue number 2. Then rinse and repeat the process until they find their treasure which will of course be you, probably smeared in chocolate body spread (Nutella will also do).
Another, cleaner option is to go for a romantic walk. These always seem totally unappealing but just trust me. Our parents used to go for walks and so did their parents. In fact, going for a walk used to be quite a popular past time, and with good reason. With so much going on in our lives we seem to spend less time with each other – less ‘real’ time anyway. Most of us finish work and spend way too much time in front of the TV, or catching up with everyone else’s day across social media to really connect with the person sitting right next to us. So I implore you, find somewhere nice, go for a walk and talk to each other. Best of all, it’s completely free.