Ah, Valentine’s Day. It seems that most people are in one of two camps: either you enjoy this holiday or you loathe this holiday.
I’m in the second camp, mostly because I see Valentine’s Day as overly commercialized. I haven’t bought anything for Kyle and he knows not to buy anything for me.
We don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day with gifts, cards, or things like that. We honor Valentine’s Day every day of the year in the sense of showing love and appreciation. But that’s not to say that we won’t do something special- maybe for the kiddos, just not for us.
We’re also trying to keep a close eye on our finances so instead we look for budget friendly Valentine’s Day ideas.
Budget Friendly Valentine’s Ideas
Celebrate with these free (and almost free) gifts!
- Say I love you. Yes, this may seem like a cop out or something similar but how often do you tell the person you love them? And don’t just limit this to your spouse, significant other, etc. Remind your siblings, parents, children- anyone who has a place in your heart and in your life. Tell them.
- Say Thank You. Create a list (5 things, 10 things, 15, 1, 3… however many you want!) of why you’re thankful for this person. Write them down on individual slips of paper and give them one every morning. Or, write them in a journal and tell them it’s a gratitude book. However you present this- saying thank you and letting someone know that they’re appreciated goes a long way.
- Serve Breakfast in Bed. If you’re like us and share cooking duties, sometimes making someone a homemade meal can go a long way. We haven’t had the occasion to just make a meal for the other, but this is something that could be fun to do.
- Make a playlist. It doesn’t just have to be sappy love songs, you could also include songs that are significant to you or that remind you of a special occasion in your lives together. Burn your playlist to a CD, put it on their iPod… or if you can find them, make it a mixtape.
- Bake their favorite dessert. This goes along with #3, in a sense. But if you don’t feel like making the entire meal, or if it’s just not within your budget, see what you have on hand to make their favorite dessert.
- Serenade them. If you’re up for it, make a video of yourself singing a love song. This could be your wedding song or just a love song that’s significant to the two of you. Or you could hold off on the video and just surprise them when they get home from work or after the kids have gone to bed. Or just be spontaneous.
- Let them have a bath. Maybe this is more for us women than men, but let your loved one have 15 minutes (or longer) to themselves in a nice relaxing bath. Get the bath ready for them and promise them that they’ll have this time uninterrupted. Honestly, this doesn’t even have to be a bath. Just let them have some time alone to do whatever it is that they want to do.
- Give a massage. I’m fortunate enough that Kyle doesn’t mind giving massages. I don’t ask for them all the time, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t appreciated. Even if it’s just a quick foot rub or light shoulder rub, a little bit can go a long way.
- Make a Coupon Book or Book of I.O.U’s. Maybe this seems more like a kids idea but I think that this could work out well for adults too. From something romantic to something practical, make your coupons unique.
Last Minute Budget Friendly Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas
And if you’re still scrambling for gift ideas and don’t want to break your piggy bank on jewelry, flowers, or chocolate- my first suggestion is always going to be a gift card. Yes, it’s easy. Yes it’s quick. And yes, there’s always the potential to break the bank depending on how much you choose to spend but that’s also the beauty of a gift card. You can decide how much to spend.
If you’re looking for more ideas check out these:
- DIY Valentine’s Gifts with Free Printables from 5 Minutes for Mom
- 14 Edible Gifts for Valentine’s Day from the Supermommy Club
- 10 Easy DIY Valentine’s Decorating, Food & Gift Ideas from Dagmar’s Home
- 5 DIY Valentine’s Day Gifts from Successful Homemakers
- 10+ Easy Valentine’s Day Craft Ideas from Dear Creatives
- Last Minute Valentine Ideas from A Virtuous Woman
Do you have a post that shares last minute or budget friendly Valentine’s Day Gift or Card ideas?
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