How To Save Money On Valentine’s Day

Hey lovebirds, are you ready for Valentine’s Day?  It’s right around the corner! This special holiday is all about love and showing your significant other how much you care. Consumer spending can usually get a little out of control on this holiday. Remember, you don’t have to break the bank to make the day special.

Handmade Valentine’s Day gifts can be less expensive than store-bought gifts, but they can also be more meaningful. For people who need last minute ideas for Valentine’s Day gifts, there is still time to create handmade gifts that say, “I love you.”

Each of the following projects listed below will show that time, thought, and love were invested without having to spend a lot of money. These simple, last-minute gift ideas won’t ruin a budget or put you further into debt. Many of them use materials most people already have on hand, and all of them are great projects for people with ALL artistic skill levels.

Decorate a tree with light and love –

Lights and ornaments are usually associated with other holidays, but they’re a great way to add light and love to a romantic Valentine’s Day. Surprise a loved one by decorating a barren winter tree with white lights and paper hearts. This project is incredibly simple. All that is required are leftover Christmas lights that are suitable for outdoor use, some card stock, a hole punch, and a spool of ribbon. First, string the tree with lights. Then, cut out paper hearts using heavy card stock. Make a hole near the top of the heart and tie it onto the tree’s bare winter branches with red or white ribbon. This works well without the lights, too, for people who want to keep this project simple. The whole project, lights included, costs less than $15 even for people who do not already have the materials on hand.

Make a vintage-style card –

Vintage-style cards make great do-it-yourself projects. People can easily make these themselves using card stock, glue, and a few found objects. Items like lace, buttons, dried or artificial flowers, and floral designs accent these cards well. These types of items are often stored away in junk drawers, but they can also be purchased from local arts and crafts stores very inexpensively. Before gluing the items onto the card, add text to it. This can be done using a printer, or it can be done by adding a handwritten message. This project can be completed for less than the cost of a store-bought greeting card.

Make a lace adorned heart–shaped box –

Heart-shaped boxes filled with sweets are a favorite among Valentine’s Day gifts. These are actually easy to make, and they’re also available for purchase in craft stores. This is the perfect time of year to find them on sale. Paper boxes are easy to cover in fabric using fabric glue after tracing the heart shape and cutting out the fabric. Adding simple lace adds a romantic touch. It can be used either as an accent or to cover the entire layer of fabric so that the design shows through the lace. Ribbons and found objects can be used to make these projects unique. A piece of parchment paper cut into the same heart-shape can be placed inside the bottom. Filling the heart-shaped box with cookies, brownies or chocolates makes this heart-shaped box the perfect container for homemade sweets.

Create a Romantic Atmosphere –

Candles and soft sweet music can set the mood for a romantic evening. Filling a room with small tea light candles can create an impressive romantic atmosphere. Because these candles float in water, they can be placed in small bowls filled with water that allow the light to shimmer on the water’s surface. Sometimes, what’s called for is not an object, but a mood. For those who plan to propose on Valentine’s Day, this creates just the right atmosphere for a marriage proposal. It also sets the perfect mood for a romantic dinner at home!

Here are some more tips for celebrating on a budget:

• Check out discount websites for some great deals like www.groupon.com or www.livingsocial.com because they have a ton of gifts available at great prices.
• Do a chore or task that your loved one doesn’t like doing. This could be vacuuming the house, doing the dishes, cleaning the bathroom, or taking out the garbage). They will be so happy and they’ll really appreciate the kind gesture.
• Instead of going to your local grocery or convenience store and just picking out any old card, make one yourself. You can create this lovely one-of-a-kind card on the computer or by hand. Try to be creative and let the love flow into that extraordinary card.
• Have a nice dinner at home that you made yourself or cook together for more fun. If you aren’t the best chef, consider ordering out from a favorite local restaurant and just pick it up. Create a romantic atmosphere by lighting some candles and playing soft lovely music.
• Find your favorite picture as a couple and put that picture on an everyday household item for them. You can put photos on just about anything. Whether it’s a coffee mug, mouse pad, calendar, t-shirt, ornament, etc. It is super easy to create and order the item online or get some help from in-store assistants at places like Walgreens or Wal-mart.
• Compose a burned CD or create a playlist on an MP3 player of love songs. Be sure to include the song that you both think of as “ours” or your wedding song. Use your computer and/or drawing skills to make a custom cover for the CD jewel case, if you burn a CD.
• Design your own flower arrangement in a pretty vase. Save money by buying individual flowers and arrange them yourself. Remember to cut the stems at an angle and the flowers will last longer. Another great tip is to drop a penny into the bottom of the vase before the flowers go in it. The penny will act as a fungicide and it will help the flowers stay vibrant and fresh for longer.
• Bake your sweetheart their favorite cake or dessert. If you’re afraid that you’ll mess it up, find a local bakery that makes it and place an order. After all, it’s the thought that counts!
• Use your natural talents to create something unique for him or her. If you like to write and are pretty good at it, create a poem or sonnet for them and get it framed. If you are a musician, write or sing a song that’s just for them. If you like to work with wood or metal, try creating a memory box for them to use as storage for all of their precious memories.

Conclusion –

While many people wreck their budgets during holidays with gifts that aren’t as personal, creating a handmade gift can be more cost-effective while leaving a bigger impression on the heart of that special someone. These ideas do not require huge time investments, so there is still plenty of time to get started! Happy Valentine’s Day!

You don’t have to buy really expensive diamond jewelry or 12 dozen long-stem red roses to show the love of your life how much you care about them. This holiday should be about articulating your true feelings, which can just as easily be done with words, such as a poem or song. There’s no reason to break your budget and overspend on Valentine’s Day.

What are your Valentine’s Day plans or gift ideas? Do you think you are going to overspend on your loved one? Let us know in the comments below!