I’ve always had an aversion to Valentine’s Day, at least in its modern form. It’s more of a Hallmark holiday now. In my mind, how you would treat your significant on Valentine’s should be how you treat them all the time. We shouldn’t need a holiday for that.
That being said, I am starting to come around to the idea of doing something at least small on Valentine’s day. It doesn’t have to be a huge date, but it is a nice romantic gesture to do something unexpected or at least together. Here are some great ways to do something for your significant other when you are minding your budget.
Have a Picnic
This can be indoor or outdoor depending on what the climate is like in your neck of the woods in February. Picnics can be extremely fun. You can pack some fruits and chocolate covered strawberries (made yourself of course!), and you can pack some other finger foods that you both enjoy.
Feeding each other those chocolate strawberries can be very romantic and fun! Bring some wine or sparkling grape juice and some LED flameless candles and you are all set! This is one thing that won’t set you back much either. Here are some prices:
- $10 for 12 LED tea lights at Target
- Sparkling Grape Juice can be had at most groceries stores for under $5 a bottle
- You can go somewhere like Aldi to get some decent produce on the cheap
- You can melt chocolate chips for your chocolate covered strawberries. Under $2!
Depending on what else you would like to include, this will cost you around $30 total. And it’s much more romantic than pretty much any other restaurant in that price range.
Pamper Each Other
Who says you have to go out to eat to have a romantic evening with your significant other? Something else you can do is stay in and pamper each other.
Guys try and give your honey a manicure or pedicure, complete with hand or lower leg massage. Speaking of massage, why not give a full back massage? You could use lotion you already have around the house, or buy some massage oil from a place like Target or Bed, Bath, and Beyond.
Another thing you could try with your spouse is taking a bath together. Using the Tea Lights I mentioned above and some store-bought fake rose pedals, it can be hugely romantic just to lay in each other’s arms in a tub full of water. Wondering about pricing? You’ll be pleased it can be even cheaper than a picnic!
- Rose Pedals can be purchased at the dollar store for, you guess it, a dollar!
- You can pick up massage oil from Target for $10
- Tea Lights are the same $10 for 12 LED versions at Target. These would be great around the tub!
- If you wanted to pick up some sparkling wine or grape juice, the same purchase price of under $5 applies
So you’re looking at around $20 without the wine. Not bad for a romantic evening!
Make Dinner
Everyone knows that making dinner at home is much cheaper (and healthier!) than going out to eat. After all, that’s why I recommend having a budget for going out to eat instead of eating out all the time. Why not take advantage of that for Valentine’s Day?
You can get some really nice steak from a place like Super Target or Sam’s for a fraction of the cost at a restaurant. Consider that a portion size at a restaurant, depending on where you go, is about 6 to 12 ounces for each person’s steak. If you are getting some Filet Mignon, that’ll run you usually $30 a plate, most of the time a la carte. That’s $60 for two of you not including tip or sides.
Now take the average price of some Filet Mignon at the grocery store, which is usually around $18 to $20 bucks a pound. That’s a nice 8 oz steak for each of you for a third of the price you were paying at a steak house. Granted you have to cook it yourself, but doing that for your significant other, or better yet, with your significant other, can be even more romantic than just dinner. If you’re unsure how to properly cook a steak, I found a couple of sites using a simple google search that you can get to by clicking here or here.
I’m sure there are plenty of others as well. Cost for this one?
- Filet Mignon Steak on average is $18 to $20 a pound
- You can get some potatoes at any grocery store usually for about $5 for a 5 pound bag
- I recommend frozen vegetables because they are easy to make and to store. These will run you $1 to $2 per package. One package is plenty for two people
- Sparkling wine or grape juice? $5
So for this one you’re looking at about $32 for a nice evening of dinner in with your significant other. Much cheaper than going out for steak!
Now obviously if you can afford it and want to go all out, by all means do! I do know that most of us would rather spend the money to go out for a significant other’s Birthday or Christmas. These ideas for Valentine’s Day will go a long way to not only making you look like a romance expert, but also saving some money as well.
Oh, and if you’re looking for even more ways to do some inexpensive things on Valentine’s Day, here’s 50 more ideas!
Have fun and enjoy your Valentine’s Day!
