Every year people empty their wallets in order to impress their spouses – I won’t make this a rant about February 14th only because my wife will probably read this 😉 ! Most people I know will spend well over $100 for a Valentine’s Day gift. Add in dinner, dessert, traveling, lodging, and entertainment, and you’re sure to whip out a credit card just to handle it all! Below you will find a few frugal Valentine’s Day ideas to help your wallet feel a little love.

Frugal Valentine’s Day Ideas:

Have A Candlelight Dinner At Home

There is no rule that says that you have to go out to enjoy a romantic evening! You can get all dressed up and have a wonderful, romantic dinner at home. If you really want to enjoy the atmosphere of an expensive restaurant, you can have dessert or coffee there, after you enjoy your meal at home!

Some people love cooking special dinners, but if you think that the prep work may drain you before the evening even begins, just pick up something from a local restaurant.

There are actually a few frugal Valentine’s Day ideas that you can incorporate into dinner, but those were just a few.

Celebrate On Another Day

I must admit that I hate the markups that come around Valentine’s Day! Once the paper hearts are hung, you will pay double or triple for flowers, candy, jewelery, and even meals! However, if you wait until the following weekend, then most of those prices will be back to normal!

Out of all these frugal Valentine’s Day ideas, this is the one that I practice every year without exception!

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Stay Home From Work

If February 14th happens to be on a weekday, then stay home from work and use the entire day to celebrate! Actually, since my favorite of all frugal Valentine’s Day ideas is to celebrate on another day, then my suggestion is to combine these tips. Take the following weekend to celebrate, and then take a vacation day on that Monday! Then you’ll have a chance to incorporate many of these tips (and the ones suggested in the comments below)!

Find A Free Concert

Many colleges and universities offer free shows during the semester. These concerts are usually performed by the music majors, and are at a pretty high level. If there isn’t one directly on February 14th, then choose a night close to it (see above)!

Share Creative Expressions

I really hope my wife doesn’t see this. You can write a poem or a love letter to your spouse. If you have musical talent, then try writing a love song to them – or at least singing one that captures your feelings!

You can even make a video expressing your love! Just be creative, but be sure to do something from the heart.

Go For A Walk

If you live in an extremely cold climate, then this may not be for you. But if the weather and temperature permit, go for a walk under the stars. This is one of my favorite frugal Valentine’s Day ideas!

Couple this with having dessert and/or coffee at a fancy restaurant, and you’ll make the night even more romantic!

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Create A Playlist

Gather together all of your favorite love songs and create a master playlist! Make sure that it is long enough for dinner, dessert, a little dancing (maybe I just shouldn’t show this article to my wife at all), and other extra curricular activities.

Give A Creative Gift

Give a gift from the heart. Honestly, I hate buying flowers and other traditional gifts…because they are so “cliche” and have lost their umph (yes, that is a technical term)! Homemade gifts make great statements of your affection!

Make A Coupon Book

Remember, when coming up with frugal Valentine’s Day gift ideas, creativity is the key! Something that is fun to do is to create coupons or gift cards that your spouse can redeem for various things from you. You can offer a massage, running errands, cooking their favorite meal, etc.

Make A Slide Show

Take your favorite pictures from your wedding and make a slide show out of them! You can also take pictures from your dating days, and other special events in your lives together, and include them as well. Be sure to have good music picked out for the slide show.

Make A Scrapbook

This is more of a general idea. Whenever you create something that expresses your love, or find something that captures a memory, put it in a scrapbook. Then, every Valentine’s Day, take it out and look at it together! My wife keeps EVERYTHING – playbills, ticket stubs, receipts, everything that will help us remember special moments together…and I love it!!!

photo by The Pink Peppercorn

Your Ideas

1. So, what are your ideas (please keep it “family friendly”)?
2. What creative things have you done to demonstrate your love, without emptying your bank account?
3. Be sure to check out frugal Valentine’s Day Gifts from Amazon.com!