Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and in our current recession, consumers are not planning on putting Cupid on a budget this year. A recent National Retail Foundation poll found that shoppers plan to spend $103 on Valentine’s Day this year, up 50 cents from last year.
Is it possible to celebrate love and frugality this Valentine’s Day by showing without breaking your budget? We say YES! Whether you are the creative type, an old-school romantic, or an anti-Valentine’s Day activist, here’s a top list for how to spoil your loved ones—friends, family, or sweetheart—in wallet-friendly ways:
Creative On A Budget
Remember the old adage: it’s the thought that counts! Grab some supplies around the house and start expressing yourself.
- Skip the flowers and send a bouquet of balloons instead. Get brownie points by putting a little love note or small trinket, like candy or a photograph, in each balloon before blowing it up. Its fun to “unwrap” and loved ones will have more than just wilted flowers to remember you by.
- Make your own chocolate-dipped strawberries—or pretzels or cheesecake!—and distribute in the office or neighborhood, and you’ll be everyone’s favorite valentine. Baked goodies and homemade cards are also a good, inexpensive idea.
- Have a Skype or videochat date with a loved one far from home. Feel extra close by doing the same activity together like having dinner or watching the same show.
For a Thrifty Anti-Valentine’s Day
Want to take a stand again this commercial holiday? Grab friends and indulge in some fun, relatively inexpensive activities especially since you’re splitting costs:
- Throw an Anti-Valentine’s Day Singles party with your pals by having a potluck with beer, pizza, loud music, and watch not-so-romantic shows like reality TV or any movie by Quentin Tarantino.
- Since Valentine’s Day is on a Sunday, spend the weekend doing fun group activities like hiking, paintballing, pottery-painting, karaoke-singing, go-kart racing, a cheap nearby roadtrip, or hosting a video game tournament.
- Skip Paris and plan a “staycation” with buddies! Rediscover your city by doing something on your local list of things to-do, like ditching the car and walking or biking the area, or checking out the local culture scene of concerts, museums, art, or spoken word readings.
The Frugal Old-School Romantic
You can’t help it; you go for the flowers, card, candy and the whole nine yards. Here’s how to stay traditional on the cheap side:
- Revive the lost tradition of the mix tape in high-tech fashion by nabbing your loved one’s mp3 player and putting a playlist of heartfelt songs, or make a music playlist online so they can access it anywhere from their home computer to their workplace.
- Make a digital scrapbook of fond memories and pictures with photo-sharing web sites like SnapFish or ShutterFly. Throw in captions and silly photos, and distribute to friends and family for a gift everyone can share and even contribute to.
- Since Valentine’s falls on a Sunday, why not have a cozy Valentine’s Day brunch instead of a fancy dinner out? This Valentine’s morning feast is both heartfelt and hearty, and way more economical than eating at a restaurant. For more recipes, check out The LoveBite. (If you really have your heart set on a night on the town, check out gift certificates at Restaurant.com to get gourmet at a discount.)
Take extra steps to stay financially fit through Valentine’s by paying cash, not charging anything on credit, splitting costs, and discussing with your significant other what a reasonable budget is for both of you—maybe even agreeing to go spend-free together. Valentine’s Day is all in the details and not necessarily about going retail.
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