Come February 14, you couldn’t blame those butterflies fluttering in your midsection on your Valentine. If you’re on a tight budget, the love-themed holiday always leaves your stomach in knots anytime you think about its financial impact.
While it seems like the rest of the world dropped a fortune on lavish gifts, your wallet stopped you from following suit. But that doesn’t mean you can’t spoil your special person on a budget. With a little bit of creative brainstorming, you can demonstrate just how special they are. Don’t worry if it takes a little while to get the creative juices flowing. Here’s an easy guide to help you get ready for next year.
IMAGE: PIXABAY
Spend The Night Stargazing
Diamonds are a popular gift come the 14th, but they’re not always in the budget for those of us with limited income. If you can’t afford a sparkling diamond ring on their finger, then look up to the skies for the next best thing. The twinkling stars offer a free and romantic way to spend the night together as you take in the constellations.
Do a little research beforehand so you can impress your loved one by pointing out Venus. The planet was named after the goddess of love, after all. February’s cool temps mean you won’t have to find an excuse to cuddle up as you stargaze, so cozy up close with your sweetheart as you look up towards the skies.
Make A Meal From Scratch
Taking the bae to a fancy candlelit dinner is one of the quintessential Valentine’s Day gifts, but a full course meal with drinks can add up. Next year, try your hand at recreating their favorite meal at home, and you’ll see some serious cash savings.
Don’t worry if you’re a novice in the kitchen. The Food Network’s top chefs have created their ultimate Valentine’s Day menus, complete with easy-to-follow recipes for all skill levels. Even if it doesn’t turn out perfect, your Valentine will appreciate the time and effort you put into the meal.
Give Your Valentine Romantic IOUs
A popular yet no less effective budget Valentine’s gift is a coupon booklet promising future services. You can fill your ‘acts of service’ booklet with chores, romantic suggestions, thoughtful gestures, and other demands on your time you think your partner would enjoy. It can be as innocent or sexy as you want it to be, but make sure each page in your booklet offers something your partner would appreciate.
Are You Ready To Unleash Your Creative Genius?
In an ideal world, you’d have the bankroll to get your valentine as many expensive gifts as you want, but in this reality, you’re working with a very limited budget. That doesn’t mean you can show your special someone how much you care. With a little time thinking about your sweetie, you can brainstorm creative ways to spoil them.
Often these inexpensive yet thoughtful gestures are appreciated more than the expensive gifts. While it takes a few minutes to order a dozen roses from an online florist, it can take days (or even weeks) conjuring up a budget-friendly handmade gift that delivers on romance. It proves to your sweetie you’ve spent considerable time thinking about them.
Let This Serve As A Wake-Up Call
Just because you escaped past Valentine’s Day without debt doesn’t mean you can forget about your finances. Like most things in life, your finances will have an ebb and flow. Sometimes you’ll have the extra cash to splurge on fun things, and sometimes you’ll have to buckle down to pay for the necessities. But if a budget Valentine’s Day is the rule, rather than the exception to your finances around special holidays, then you need to repair your finances.
In addition to savings and investments, your personal finances should be able to cover these recurring events in the year when you expect to spend more cash. If you routinely struggle to pay for the extra spending around Valentine’s Day or the holidays, take the time to learn how you can increase your savings.
Finding savings on a budget isn’t a pipe dream, even though it may seem like it when you read certain financial advisor’s advice online. By their logic, you already need a ton of expendable income to build up an emergency fund, but that’s not always the case. You can go online for financial solutions to find simple yet effective budget guides, money management tips, and credit dos and don’ts developed for those with limited resources.
When you can apply your new financial knowledge to the big events in your life, you’ll find it easier to spoil your loved one the next time the 14th rolls around. Until then, test out these budget-friendly tips on your loved one this year, and see how easy it is to show them you care without spending. But don’t stop here. Continue to brainstorm your own ideas and share with the class.
If you are interested in even more Valentines-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels then we have a lot to choose from.
COMMENTS