3 Romantic Ways to Celebrate Valentine's Day When You're Broke
It's a lot of fun to look around during any holiday season and see the decorations and the party ideas and the foods that are associated with that holiday. Valentine's Day is no exception to this rule, but when you're on a budget, or even struggling financially, it can be difficult to find the best ways to celebrate the holiday without sacrificing other bills in order to make that happen. Whatever your reasons for wanting to save money on your Valentine's Day this year, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to enjoy the day with your partner without breaking the bank.
Many articles on "budget" celebrations treat readers as though they have more money to spend than they do. The goal of this article is to provide you with ideas that won't cost you much (if any) money to do while still being enjoyable and entertaining options for you and your partner this February 14th.
The goal of this article is to help you to find ways to celebrate the February 14th holiday either without spending any money (using things that you already have at home) or by spending a very limited amount of money.
Holiday Celebrations Can Be Expensive
Any holiday that you choose to celebrate can be expensive, and Valentine's Day comes hot on the heels of the after-Christmas credit card debt. Even so, the January and February advertising is full of encouragement to purchase your loved one expensive jewelry or to take her out for an amazing Valentine's Date at an expensive restaurant. There is a lot of pressure to celebrate Valentine's Day for your loved one, and while it may be good for the economy, not everyone can afford to sink a lot of cash into the February holiday.
By using materials that you already have around the house -- and your own brain power -- you can put together a wonderful Valentine's Day for your partner without spending a single dime. Even if you don't have these things around the house already, they are inexpensive to purchase and can make for a great day for you and your partner.
Have you ever received a love letter from someone special?
- How to Write Romantic Love Letters for Valentine's Day
Letter writing is not a lost art! Writing romantic love letters will add to your arsenal of loving gestures you can extend to your partner or spouse, particularly at Valentine's Day.
Write Your Valentine a Love Letter
The most naturally inexpensive thing that you can do for your Valentine -- near or far -- is to write him a love letter that he'll cherish forever. This doesn't require any fancy materials (unless you're particular about your stationary) or even really any particular skills that you don't already have. All you need to write a wonderful love letter is feelings for your partner and the ability to write them down. You may want to practice your hand-writing skills a bit before writing a letter to your loved one, but this is easily accomplished with a notebook or lined paper and a pen -- things that many people have lying around the house.
A love letter is probably the most important component of any Valentine's Day Celebration and it doesn't cost you anything to write it. Consider this as the first thing you ought to do to put together a wonderful gift for your boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse this February 14th. Make sure to write it from the heart! If you need help, please click the link to the right, which will lead you to a guide on creating a wonderful letter for your lover this year!
Make an Origami Valentine for Your Lover
Cards for any occasion can be expensive (or inexpensive, if purchase at the Dollar store), and words and sentiments written by someone else for your lover may appear to cheapen a day, particularly when you're already struggling to keep your Valentine's Day event on a budget. Most everybody has paper at home, however, and paper makes a perfect way to create a pretty, easy and inexpensive valentine for the person that you love. These can be made in all kinds of sizes, from large to very small. You may want to keep a little jar of hearts like the one depicted above!
Origami is the Japanese art of Paper Folding, and provides an inexpensive way to express yourself. You don't need special paper to do origami (though I've provided an opportunity to purchase origami paper on Amazon anyway): Printer paper will do, even if it's a bit thick. Hearts may then be colored by hand, or you can use colored paper as well.
The video below will instruct you on how to create your own origami hearts.
Inexpensive Valentine's Ideas
Crafts
| Activities
| Decorations
|
|---|---|---|
Origami Hearts
| Movie Night
| Jar of Hearts
|
Handmade Valentines
| Write a Love Letter
| Red Candles
|
Some Ways to Devote Time to Your Partner this Valentine's Day
- Request time off work to spend the day with your partner.
- Turn off your pager or cell phone.
- Turn off the television (unless you're watching together!).
- Touch one another as often as possible.
- Hold her hand.
- Dance with one another.
- Do an activity you both enjoy.
The Most Important Gift You can Give Your Valentine is Your Time
The most important gift that you can give to your lover this Valentine's Day is going to be your time. All of the other trappings aside, this is a day for celebrating the love that you have for your partner. Taking the time out of your day to give yourself to her is more important than any of the other things that so often come with this day. Flowers are beautiful, but they fade with time; Chocolates get eaten and then forgotten about; Jewelry is wonderful, but you're told to give jewelry for Valentine's Day. Nothing will touch your lover more completely than your willingness to give her your time.
This starts with your love letter. Take the time necessary to write the best love letter that you can and make it complete. Follow the tips given in the link above, and write from your center, your heart. Make sure that your partner knows just how much you love her and all the things that attract you to her. If writing a letter to your husband or boyfriend, tell him what you admire about him, and how glad you are that he's part of your life. Writing a letter is a time-consuming process, but it speaks to the heart of the person you're writing to, and it carries its own rewards.
Apart from your letter, it is crucial for your Valentine's Date that you take the time out to spend time with your lover. Not only should you make sure that you have at least the evening free from work, but you should arrange to reduce distractions. If you have children, consider hiring a babysitter who can look after them for a few hours in the evening while you spend time with your romantic partner. If you work evenings, do your best to get some time off so that you can spend these hours with the one you love. It all starts with devoting your time to your partner and showing that you value her above the common distractions in your life.
Finally, Consider Adding some Music to Your Date
Nearly everybody owns music, and it's certain that you probably own some excellent romantic music in your collection. This is an easy and free (inexpensive) way to add some romance to your evening. If you like country music, you may want to check out this list of romantic country songs to share with your partner.
Dancing to great music is an excellent way for you and your partner to spend some time together this Valentine's Day, and never, ever forget that the most important gift you'll give your partner this year for Valentine's Day is your time!
© 2014 Becki Rizzuti
