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Valentine’s Day on the Cheap

Valentine’s Day on the Cheap

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Do you have someone that you would like to acknowledge on Valentine’s Day?  Man or woman, this has become an important day.  What do you do, men?  The easy answer is order flowers, make reservations, pick up candy and a piece of jewelry.  What do you do, women?  You could buy things like anything sports, movie DVDs, candy or something personal.  This is the easy choice and can be expensive.

My first sentence is the key reason for Valentine’s Day; however we resort to merchandise to show our special person how much we value them.  Are there better ways to demonstrate our love?  Yes and a lot less money!  What do you do?  If price is the best way to show how much you love someone, most of us are in big trouble.  If you significant other likes flowers, there are many varieties, and prices.  Don’t forget plants as another way to give flower like products.  Who says a dozen flowers is the only acceptable quantity?  There are many different places to buy flowers and don’t miss out on wholesale flower marts.

Making reservations is easy as it gets!  What does it take to call make reservations?  Have you thought of cooking a meal?  Have you thought of bringing in a meal?  In the warmer areas of the country, a picnic can be very romantic.  A picnic by the fireplace can be fun and romantic.  What does your mate like? Maybe they would like to have time alone away from the children.  Think about what your partner likes versus what is easy.  You can make a day of it by cooking up a brunch.  It is easier and a lot less money, if done at home.  You can celebrate over the weekend versus Monday night on Valentine’s Day.  You can prepare breakfast in bed, or a romantic dinner.  There are lots of choices!

As a male, I have only received various gifts.  Some of them were food that I enjoy such as oatmeal raisin cookies, pistachio nuts, and New York pizza.  They ranged from my wife baking the cookies to getting my favorite pizza flown in from New York.  Personal service certificates can be fun for massages, free pass or doing a chore.  Doing special things for your mate can be personal, sexy or fun.  Merely supplying my list of gifts will never satisfy most of you.  What is important is to figure out what would make your man happy.  Isn’t that what is important?

What is your budget for Valentine’s Day?  You don’t have one, maybe you should.  You can get away on very little and still show your mate that you appreciate them.  Even if you want to spend more, you should be creative and spend the time to acknowledge your significant other in a more interesting way.  You could surprise your mate and go away for the weekend.  That is hardly doing Valentine’s Day on the cheap!  There are literally thousands of things you can do.  It is only limited by your imagination!  What do think?  Make this Valentine’s Day special.  After all that is what is important!

Photo by: sisters72

Comments

  2. How I’m spending V-day: Taking a job market candidate out to dinner on the department’s dime.
    How my spouse is spending V-day: Taking care of our preschooler alone at home.
    Ah, Romance.

    • The boss owes you one! You can celebrate with the wife before or after V day. make the best of it.

  3. We don’t have a budget per se, but I think we usually keep it under $40 or $50. This year I just sent my boyfriend a link to a LivingSocial deal: 12 chocolate-dipped strawberries for just $18! (Normally $36). I get my strawberries, he doesn’t have to worry about thinking up a present. Win-Win. 😉

  4. Actually our budget is zero. My wife and I absolutely abhor the commercialization of the holiday. We refuse to spend extra money to tell each other something we tell each other every day. That doesn’t mean I won’t do something a little special for her on Valentine’s Day. The key to that last sentence is the verb – do. In our marriage, actions speak much louder than purchases.

  5. I’m going to post along the same lines as you soon, as I think much the same! I think the flowers can be a good statement, but a statement that loses its power if you do it all the time. Besides, plants flower over and over but cut flowers eventually wilt and die.

    • Plants are nice, but changing things up work too for roughly the same cost. Remember, the objective is to acknowledge your partner in a creative meaningful (to them) way.

  6. I don’t really budget for Valentine’s day, but I guess that’s because I don’t really budget in general. I just watch my money. I know I’m likely to spend some money on Valentine’s day, but it won’t be flowers or chocolates or that type of thing. I always aim to do something more personal, but nothing has come to mind yet for what I’m going to do…I better start working on that.

    • 11th hour thinking can work, if you feel lucky! Thought is extremely important for Valentine’s Day versus how much money you spend. Good luck.

  7. I actually hate going out to restaurants on busy holidays like Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day. My tip would be to celebrate it a little early or late so you beat the crowds. I do love getting flowers though. Thanks for writing this.

    • My message was to think about how you can acknowledge your mate. Early or late celebration is certainly an alternative. I bring in dinner which avoids crowds etc and allows for a romantic candlelight dinner in front of the fireplace. It is different for everyone! Therefore what works for you is the best choice.

  8. I definitely don’t expect a big piece of jewellery or anything big- but it might be different if a couple was just starting to date. I would rather we pay down our debt than have him spend money on unnecessary material goods (that’s what 6 years of relationship does to a romance LOL)

    As cliche as this sounds, having him spend the time and effort to cook me a meal would be most romantic, IMO.

    • The objective was to acknowledge your mate in a creative way. It is much easier to spend money! I hope he knows what would please you!

    • I won’t! My point of view is think creatively to acknowledge your significant other. That means you do not have to spend money to do that, it is up to you when and how you do that.

    • I bought flowers (3 dozen not roses) yesterday at Costco for $8.50 because I have a doctor’s appointment on Monday. The best New York pizza around here is Red Balls Rock & Rock Pizza in Woodland Hills. My wife flew it in a number of years ago from a place in Newburgh, NY.

  11. My wife and I keep it very simple (and inexpensive). We usually exchange cards, and often go out to eat the day before or after Valentine’s Day to avoid the crowds. We’re not too into the commercialism associated with it.

    But I have to admit having pizza flown in from New York is a pretty cool gift. 🙂

    • For many years, I started bringing in dinner so we could have a romantic candlelight dinner at home. I like it better than going out.