These money-saving tips will help you celebrate Valentine’s Day on a budget.
Valentine’s Day is a popular time to show your loved ones just how much you care. However, it has become so commercialized that you can easily overspend on the holiday. If you are on a budget, have no fear. You can still show your family and friends love on Valentine’s without emptying your purse. Check out the following tips to save money on food, flowers, and gifts so you can celebrate Valentine’s Day on a budget.
How to Celebrate Valentine’s Day on a Budget
Food:
- Dine at home. It may seem more romantic to go out, but your wallet will love you much more if you stay in. You can still make it love-dovey even if you stay home – light some candles in the center of the table or have a cozy picnic on the living room floor.
- Check out deal sites. If you are set on going out for dinner on Valentine’s Day, check out deal websites such as Restaurant.com
. These sites sometimes offer up to 50% discounts on local restaurants. If you aren’t picky about where you dine for the holiday, this route can save you big bucks!
- Celebrate on a different day. Valentine’s Day is overly crowded, and often overly priced. Choosing the following weekend, or a specific day they offer discounts, to celebrate the occasion can mean a lot fewer people and a cheaper meal.
Flowers:
- Opt for seasonal flowers over roses. Do you have any idea how inflated the prices for roses are on Valentine’s Day? Sometimes the cost is doubled if you want to get them on the holiday. Talk about outrageous! Other flowers are just as pretty and can be more meaningful if you get the recipient’s favorite. If you insist on roses, go for a color other than red to save a few dollars.
- Deliver them yourself. Most florists charge an additional fee to deliver the flowers for you – and some charge more than normal for Valentine’s Day deliveries. Taking the flowers to your love can be more thoughtful on your behalf, and it will lessen the blow to your bank account.
- Skip the florist. Though they may have the most beautiful bouquets, they are likely to also have the highest prices in town. Grocery and big-box stores tend to carry flowers too, and you can save money on them over visiting a florist – even if you are buying them on Valentine’s Day.
- Create your own bouquet of flowers. Storebought bouquets look nice, but you can likely save $5-$10 or more if you create your own bouquet. Purchase a vase in your loved one’s favorite color, grab some flowers, and maybe even a cute decorative item or two, such as a balloon. A DIY project will allow your money to go much further.
Gifts:
- Give homemade gifts. It’s always the thought that counts. Spending your time creating a gift from the heart will have much more meaning than purchasing something for double the price in a store. Plus, with the supplies you have, you may be able to make all of the Valentine’s Day gifts you want to give with no additional costs.
- Check out holiday clearance. Christmas just ended, and many stores still have lots of products in stock. They will likely be placed on the clearance racks and shelves before February 14th, so you may be able to get a nice deal on the gift you wish to give. Think about the pampering types of gifts – massagers, candles, lotions, etc.
- Make your own coupon book. Giving your time to your loved one can mean much more than a store-bought gift. Coupon books that you make yourself are very thoughtful and allow the recipient to cash in on the present when they are ready to. Ideas for your coupon include a massage, a homemade dinner of the recipient’s choice, and a moonlit walk in the park or on the beach.
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