Five frugal ideas for Valentine’s Day

Can you believe Valentine’s Day is right around the corner? If your budget just cannot accommodate that five-star dinner, upscale event or expensive gift you imagined for your loved one, there is no need to panic! You can make this Valentine’s Day special without breaking the bank. Here’s how:

1) Have a dinner date at home.
Who says the only way to enjoy a five-star dinner is going out to an expensive restaurant? You can create a similar atmosphere right in your own home by preparing high-quality food at a fraction of the cost. Simply tidy up the house, purchase some candles for the dining room table and decide what you’d like to make. Not sure what to cook? Do a Google search, and you’ll find endless ideas for recipes to surprise your partner. You can also make the night special by preparing the meal together.

2) Give them an inexpensive gift.  Here are a few ideas:

• Small plants
• A couple of flowers (as opposed to a bouquet)
• A homemade card
• A box of chocolates
• Coupons to clean the house, cook a meal, mow the lawn or another household task

3) Plan a romantic “stay-cation.”

If you and your significant other have paid time off, plan a day of romantic activities together. Or just celebrate it on a different day you both already have off from work. You could start out by cooking breakfast in the morning, then maybe a rom-com marathon, an indoor picnic with romantic music — the sky is the limit.

4) Plan an inexpensive or free activity.
If you and your significant other don’t want to stay home, there are many free or inexpensive activities to choose from. Here are just a few suggestions:

• Gazing at the stars together
• A bus or trolley tour
• An arcade
• A museum
• Salsa dancing
• Ice skating

Sites like Groupon can save you quite a bit, but do your research and make sure anything you purchase online is from a safe, trustworthy site.

5) Bake Valentine’s cookies.
Spend time together baking treats, or surprise your partner with some homemade goodies you’ve made. There’s always the classic heart-shaped, frosted sugar cookie. And a quick Google search will give you endless options, not to mention a weekslong supply of cookies (or a dayslong supply if they’re really tasty 😊).

Plan Ahead for Your Date Next Year

There’s not much time to save a lot of money for Valentine’s Day this year, so keep it simple this time around. Then plan ahead if you want to do something more expensive next Valentine’s Day. Review your budget, and decide how much money you can spend. Set aside money monthly until you reach your desired amount, or you can temporarily cut unnecessary spending to find the necessary funds.

No matter what you decide to do, your significant other will be happy that you put in the effort. And you’ll both be happy because you didn’t have to stress about money. Happy Valentine’s Day from everyone at LSS!

Is debt getting in your way? LSS Financial Counseling can help. Call us at 888.577.2227 for your free, confidential session with an experienced financial counselor, who will help you create a realistic budget and a plan to pay off debt faster. You can also get all your support online — also free and at your convenience. Take control of your finances — don’t let them control you! Get started today!

Author Ray McCoy is a Certified Financial Counselor with LSS Financial Counseling.