Dilemma: you want to express your love to that special someone in your life... but you don't want to break the bank. A common misconception about Valentine's day, in many cases, is that the amount of money you spend is what matters most, but luckily, it's just not true. What's more important is the thought behind the gift and the effort behind that special dinner/plans you arrange for your sweetheart.
Here are some tips on how to have a meaningful Valentine's Day without spending a fortune and still winning some points with your significant other.
1. Hand-make your gifts. Consider busting out your creative side to try to construct your card, instead of buying it, put a few pictures in a collage or frame, home-make chocolate covered strawberries or heart-shaped cookies, make a mixed cd, create a personalized coupon book your partner can redeem...get creative! If you're an expert artist, consider writing your loved one a song or a poem. Check out some more home-made gift ideas for Valentines day on this website.
2. Create a romantic dinner at home. Lots of restaurants get totally booked every Valentine's Day so they take that opportunity and jack up all their prices on that day. You will pay more to eat out on Valentine's Day and it will be overcrowded. So why spend $50 on a steak dinner that you can re-create at home for $25 or less? Get out your best silver, light a few candles, and enjoy a romantic evening at home with some home cookin'. If you're really stuck on dining out, I recommend going out the day after Valentine's Day to avoid the crowds and avoid the high-priced dinners.
3. Arrange a special day of doing your partner's favorite things. Go to their favorite coffee shop, store, park, or arrange to do their favorite activity together. This can be as inexpensive as you make it and your partner will appreciate your thoughtfulness and attention to detail.
Remember, hand-made gifts and home-cooked dinners and specially arranged days are cheaper and always more meaningful. You don't need Hallmark or a dozen roses to tell someone how you feel, your partner would rather hear from you and your personalized handiwork anyway. Good luck planning your special day!