Love, Lust and Lies: Valentine's Day on a budget
It's that time of year again when
people spend tons of money to
show the ones they love just how
much they care about them.
Anything goes, whether it's roses,
jewellery, expensive dinners or
weekend getaways. But what about
those of us who don't have the
money to spend?
So what if you can't buy your girlfriend that Tiffany's bracelet she has been eyeing for months or you can't get that lingerie you saw at Victoria's Secret that you know would make your boyfriend's jaw drop? We all know when you're in school, money doesn't come easily. Valentine's Day shouldn't be about how much money you spend, it should be about doing something nice for the people you love. This year I have decided to give you some ideas on how to spice up your relationship this Valentine's Day on a budget.
Dinner and Candlelight: Who needs to go out to fancy restaurants to have a romantic dinner when you can just stay at home and make one yourself? I'm not saying you need to cook a four-course meal, but maybe find out something that she likes to eat and make it for her. Even if you aren't the greatest chef, she will appreciate the fact that you tried to make it for her. Add some candles to make it more romantic, but try to stay away from candles with scents, it takes away from the food.
Romantic Bubble Bath: Have a romantic bubble bath waiting for her when she gets home, with candles and maybe some soft music playing in the background. If you really want to go all out, throw some rose petals in the bath — that will get you some extra brownie points. It's a nice way to show that you appreciate her and everything she does. One small tip, because I am sure guys don't think about this: wash the tub before you decide to run a bath. Trust me, no matter how sweet this is, if the tub is dirty, she is not going to want to get into that water.
A Single Rose: Every year, guys line up at flower shops and drop anywhere from $40 to $70 on a dozen red roses (prices increase on Valentine's Day), but all you really need is one to say "I love you."
Love Letter: People now are horrible at sharing how they feel about someone, so let someone know how much you care about them with a letter. Leave a note for someone you love to find when they wake up on February 14 — something that will leave them smiling all day long.
Massage: Nothing is more romantic than a massage. Just get some candles (if you haven't noticed, you can just add candles to anything to make it romantic, and a whole bag of tea lights can be found at any dollar store) and baby oil. I shouldn't have to give you a play-by-play for this one.
Re-use Halloween Costumes: If you want to do something "fun" that you know your boyfriend will love, who says you need to spend money on lingerie or toys when you have perfectly good Halloween costumes stuffed somewhere in the back of your closet? Break out that naughty nurse, bad cop or Little Red Riding Hood. If you want to add a game make your own, get some dice from an old board game and associate actions to the numbers. Again, many dollar stores have fun Valentine's items, so if you own any red, white, pink or black lingerie, this is your chance to get creative. Also, a trip to the bulk store will be good, since you can get all kinds of candies for a cheap price. Again, think creativity for this one.
Coupon Book: This is a great gift idea because it doesn't cost you a penny, except maybe for the paper. They can be as PG or as Rrated as you like. For example, if you hate watching hockey games, a coupon you could write for him might be one night of hockey that he can use whenever he wants. Some other ideas are coupons for a massage, to cook dinner or to do his laundry. For her, you could use many of the same ideas, and maybe throw in a "movie of your choice" that she can cash in anytime; we all know that it can be like pulling teeth to get most guys to watch a chick flick. In case you haven't noticed, I'm only giving you PG ideas here. If you can't think of your own X-rated material to insert in your coupon book, you probably shouldn't be doing it in the first place.
Those are just some ideas to help you out this Valentine's Day without burning a hole in your wallet. Although you don't need a holiday to show someone you care about them, these are ideas that you should consider doing all year round to show someone how much you care.
So what if you can't buy your girlfriend that Tiffany's bracelet she has been eyeing for months or you can't get that lingerie you saw at Victoria's Secret that you know would make your boyfriend's jaw drop? We all know when you're in school, money doesn't come easily. Valentine's Day shouldn't be about how much money you spend, it should be about doing something nice for the people you love. This year I have decided to give you some ideas on how to spice up your relationship this Valentine's Day on a budget.
Dinner and Candlelight: Who needs to go out to fancy restaurants to have a romantic dinner when you can just stay at home and make one yourself? I'm not saying you need to cook a four-course meal, but maybe find out something that she likes to eat and make it for her. Even if you aren't the greatest chef, she will appreciate the fact that you tried to make it for her. Add some candles to make it more romantic, but try to stay away from candles with scents, it takes away from the food.
Romantic Bubble Bath: Have a romantic bubble bath waiting for her when she gets home, with candles and maybe some soft music playing in the background. If you really want to go all out, throw some rose petals in the bath — that will get you some extra brownie points. It's a nice way to show that you appreciate her and everything she does. One small tip, because I am sure guys don't think about this: wash the tub before you decide to run a bath. Trust me, no matter how sweet this is, if the tub is dirty, she is not going to want to get into that water.
A Single Rose: Every year, guys line up at flower shops and drop anywhere from $40 to $70 on a dozen red roses (prices increase on Valentine's Day), but all you really need is one to say "I love you."
Love Letter: People now are horrible at sharing how they feel about someone, so let someone know how much you care about them with a letter. Leave a note for someone you love to find when they wake up on February 14 — something that will leave them smiling all day long.
Massage: Nothing is more romantic than a massage. Just get some candles (if you haven't noticed, you can just add candles to anything to make it romantic, and a whole bag of tea lights can be found at any dollar store) and baby oil. I shouldn't have to give you a play-by-play for this one.
Re-use Halloween Costumes: If you want to do something "fun" that you know your boyfriend will love, who says you need to spend money on lingerie or toys when you have perfectly good Halloween costumes stuffed somewhere in the back of your closet? Break out that naughty nurse, bad cop or Little Red Riding Hood. If you want to add a game make your own, get some dice from an old board game and associate actions to the numbers. Again, many dollar stores have fun Valentine's items, so if you own any red, white, pink or black lingerie, this is your chance to get creative. Also, a trip to the bulk store will be good, since you can get all kinds of candies for a cheap price. Again, think creativity for this one.
Coupon Book: This is a great gift idea because it doesn't cost you a penny, except maybe for the paper. They can be as PG or as Rrated as you like. For example, if you hate watching hockey games, a coupon you could write for him might be one night of hockey that he can use whenever he wants. Some other ideas are coupons for a massage, to cook dinner or to do his laundry. For her, you could use many of the same ideas, and maybe throw in a "movie of your choice" that she can cash in anytime; we all know that it can be like pulling teeth to get most guys to watch a chick flick. In case you haven't noticed, I'm only giving you PG ideas here. If you can't think of your own X-rated material to insert in your coupon book, you probably shouldn't be doing it in the first place.
Those are just some ideas to help you out this Valentine's Day without burning a hole in your wallet. Although you don't need a holiday to show someone you care about them, these are ideas that you should consider doing all year round to show someone how much you care.
