Frugal
Valentine's Day Ideas
by Amy Allen Clark
What is not to love about Valentine's Day? It is a time
to show the people in our lives how much we love them by
throwing expensive gifts at them and demonstrating this
by the amount of money we spend. Or is it? The card
companies would like us to believe that this is what
makes the holiday special.
This holiday can be a tightwad's worst nightmare, but it
doesn't have to be. For those of us who are tight on
money, it is a great way to show how creative we can be
when giving gifts and it is a wonderful time to display
all of our talents. Here are a few creative and
budget-friendly ideas for making this holiday special
for that certain someone in your life.
Table for Two
The Valentine's Day that I loved the most was the year
that we couldn't get a babysitter for our son. We were
broke and could not afford a dinner out, let alone the
price of getting someone to babysit. That year, I was
able to really let my creativity shine through.
I got a folding table and chairs out and covered the
table with a long tablecloth (you could also use a
sheet). I put a candle in the center and made a steak
dinner and bought a bottle of inexpensive wine.
When my husband got home, I surprised him at the door
and told him that I was able to get reservations at our
favorite place and showed him our table. After our son
went to bed, we had the best dinner and enjoyed some
wonderful conversation together. The food was superb and
the price tag was just right!
The Written Word
There is nothing more powerful than the written word. I
have saved many notes that my husband has written me
over the years. When we were younger we would write top
ten lists of why that person was special to us. Writing
a list of reasons why you love someone makes them feel
much more special than an expensive gift could.
Take lipstick and write a special note to your spouse on
the mirror. You could also tuck a note in their
briefcase or in their lunch to surprise them and tell
them how much they mean to you.
One year, my husband saved all of the red Hershey Kisses
from a bag of Christmas candies that we had and made a
trail of them up to our room. He made a giant heart out
of them and in the center was a note about how much I
meant to him and to our family. That gift stands out to
me more than a bouquet of roses could because it was a
powerful statement of how much he appreciated me. Those
are the kinds of gifts that create lasting memories.
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