The day of love is just around the corner. How are you going to make it memorable for the one you love without going broke?
Valentine’s Day is coming!
February 14th is Valentine’s Day every year, and lovers take the day to express their affection to one another by spending quality time together and sharing romantic gifts.
The exact origin of Valentine’s Day is still debated, but of the more popular origin stories suggest that the Church set aside the day to recognize and celebrate the death of St. Valentine, a third-century Roman priest.
During his time, a decree from Emperor Claudius II banned young men from getting married to make them better soldiers. In defiance of this decree, Valentine married several young lovers in secret. The emperor eventually found out and had Valentine put to death.
If you think Valentine’s Day isn’t popular, here are some hard facts to prove you wrong:
· More than 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolates are sold in the US every year, mostly for Valentine’s Day.
· After Christmas, February 14th is the second most popular card-giving day.
Great ways to spend Valentine’s Day without emptying your pocketbook
On average, men spend more than women on Valentine’s Day. But it’s not a contest. What matters is the gift’s emotional value, not its financial value.
If you want to wow your lover this year without breaking the bank, here are some cost-effective ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day:
· Dinner at home. Contrary to what you might think, a home-cooked meal in a romantic atmosphere at home is more heartwarming than the fanciest restaurant.
· Spend quality time. Diamonds are nice, but time is even more precious. If you and your lover are busy bees who rarely get to spend quality time, spend the whole of Valentine’s Day together at home or outdoors, making new memories.
· Surprise him/her on February 15. After Valentine’s Day, the prices of gifts and reservations will drop, allowing you to spend less on the same gifts. Surprise your lover with a gift or date on the 15th that costs you less than it would have the day before. It will be just as meaningful.
· Make something. If you have a creative streak, try building or making something for your lover. It could be a card, an article of clothing, jewelry, or even a mixtape. The effort you put into the creation is what makes it precious.
Ways to save for a memorable Valentine’s Day
No matter how inexpensive you try to make Valentine’s Day, you’re still going to need to spend some money. Here’s how to save some extra cash:
Reduce your regular expenses and utility bills
If you buy coffee every day before work, try to get up early and make some at home before you leave for work. If you eat out or get take-out regularly, eat at home more often. Stash the money you would have spent, and before you know it, you’ll have plenty to splurge with on Valentine’s Day.
Work on cutting your utility bills. Make an apples-to-apples comparison to find the cheapest gas in Ohio and/or electricity. There are various apples-to-apples Ohio comparison sites that you can use. If you can drop the cost of your utility bills months before Valentine’s Day, you should have some extra cash to treat your lover.
Shop in advance
If you can keep a secret, buy your Valentine’s Day gift at heavily discounted prices during Black Friday or Cyber Monday the previous year and save it for the big reveal on your special day.
Netflix and chill
Spend more time prior to Valentine’s Day having fun at home with your lover. By going out less, you’ll have enough saved up to splurge on V-Day.
If all else fails, get an extra job or sell some stuff on eBay to raise some money. It might seem like an extreme sacrifice for Valentine’s Day, but if he/she is worth it, you’ll do it.