The current version of Valentine’s Day was created to make us spend money. It’s a day with very little contemporary religious meaning, not much social history and is a day many people dread.
While the original day was the feast day of Saint Valentine, the current version of Valentine’s Day has nothing to do with faith and everything to do with cards, presents and overpaying in restaurants.
But it is entirely possible to celebrate Valentine’s Day and make it memorable for all the right reasons on a budget.
There’s no need to go without or risk household harmony by ignoring it altogether but there’s also no need to get into debt or spend a fortune.
With that in mind, here are a few ideas to help you celebrate Valentine’s Day on a budget.
Breakfast in bed
Depending on your schedule, beginning Valentine’s Day with breakfast in bed starts as you mean to go on.
It doesn’t have to be eggs benedict or anything too arduous, but should include your partner’s favourite foods, fresh orange juice, fresh tea or coffee and a Valentine’s card.
It’s a great way to make an impression and can set the tone for the rest of the day.
Handmade card
Have you noticed how expensive Valentine’s Day cards are compared to others? Why pay £3-4 for a piece of card when you can make it yourself for a fraction of that?
Even if you have modest art skills, most partners will appreciate the effort you put in.
If you’re not up to drawing or painting, there are some free card making websites that can help you design a card and print it.
Plan a picnic
Depending on the weather, why not have an afternoon picnic instead of a dinner at a restaurant?
An afternoon by the river or in the park can be romantic and not cost a fortune. Make your own picnic hamper, take some blankets with you and a flask of something warming and you should have a great time without breaking the bank.
Home spa day
If your significant other is more about being pampered than picnics in the park, how about creating a home spa day?
It doesn’t have to be a whole day and doesn’t have to be expensive either.
All you’ll need are some clean towels, oil for massage, bath bombs or bubble bath and some candles. You can’t get much more romantic than that!
Candlelight dinner at home
You don’t have to eat out to enjoy a romantic dinner for two. Call a babysitter, buy the ingredients and some wine and candles and set to work.
Cooking for someone is a romantic gesture. Add candles, Valentine’s Day, some nice wine or drink of choice and you have a recipe for success.
If you’re not the world’s greatest cook, buy a meal deal and reheat everything. It’s usually more about the company and experience than the food anyway!
A free day out
If you have the day off work, why not go somewhere different together. It doesn’t have to cost money, just be memorable for all the right reasons.
Visit a stately home, go to the beach, visit a local country park, walk a trail you have always wanted to walk or do something you know your partner has wanted to do but haven’t got around to.
Combine with a picnic, a quick stop at a café or something else and you’ll create some nice memories for next to nothing.
Make homemade chocolates
How about making your own box of chocolates? You could either do it for your partner or as part of Valentine’s Day itself.
Buy a kit or buy the ingredients and make it up as you go, it’s entirely up to you.
Either way, you can have fun, be romantic and provide entertainment or a sweet snack to enjoy on the day.
It’s the thought that counts
Whatever you choose to do on Valentine’s Day, remember, for most people it’s the thought and effort you put in that really counts.
Very few partners would want you to get into debt for one single day when you have 365 to show them how much you love them. Most would embrace anything you do that required thought, effort and creativity, no matter what it was.
Just like other holidays that are now mainly about spending money than spending time, make an effort, communicate with your partner and make sure they know just how much you appreciate them.
That’s the key to a successful Valentine’s Day!
