During the 14th century, people in the UK and France believed the birds begin to mate in earnest in the middle of February. Love is (literally) in the air! The tradition started for lovers to send love letters and small gifts.
Unmarried girls believed that the very first man they would see on Valentine’s day would be the one they would marry before the years’ end. So, girls woke early and stood by their window, hoping to get a glimpse of their destiny and future love.
Read more about Valentine’s day history in the UK here:
- www.stvalentinesday.org/valentines-day-in-britain.html
- www.learnenglish.de/culture/valentinesday.html
We were made to love and to be loved! Here are some cheap and fun ideas to spoil your loved one with this Valentine’s day. A token of love need not be expensive or elaborate. It is often the idea that counts.
Cheap Valentine’s day ideas that won’t cost money
Do one thing that you won’t normally do.
Is dishwashing not your thing? Or, do you never take out the garbage? A very cheap idea to show your love this Valentine’s day is to do that one thing you never do. Do the dishes the night before, or set out the garbage in the early morning.
Draw a tiny heart in red on a piece of paper and place it in the empty sink or by the clean dustbin. It will be apparent to your Valentine that your small act of service was actually an act of love.
Design a ‘love’ book
Yes, everyone can do this, even if you’re not creative! It is fun, and it is a sure budget way of spoiling your loved one on Valentine?s day.
Buy a little notebook. On each page, write one of the following sentences until your book is full. Take the statements from the top again if you have some more pages left and fill in different words.
- I love the way you _
- You make me happy when _
- The one thing I will always remember is _
- Your smile is _
- I love how you _ every day
- I love to watch you _
- _ won’t be the same without you.
- The first time I ever saw you _
- Our first kiss was awesome because _
You can be serious, or your book can be sweet and funny. Let it celebrate your relationship. Then add some color or pictures. Be creative! Your mate will appreciate the fact that you took the time to do this.
A hand-written letter
You can also take this idea a bit further and write an old-fashioned love letter. Use the same sentences but formulate a beautiful message. Tell your mate exactly why you chose him or her. Why not do it every Valentine’s day from now on? A hand-written love letter is unusual because hardly anyone would take the time these days to do it. It shows intimacy, vulnerability, and genuineness.
Find some inspiration here:
- za.pinterest.com/minipa95/diy-little-love-book/
- lovebookonline.com/valentines-day-gifts/
- ideapod.com/why-we-need-to-start-handwriting-love-letters-again/
Put away that phone
How about giving your loved one a whole, full day of undivided attention? This Valentine?s day agree to put away your phones far away, in a drawer somewhere. Then, talk to each other. Enjoy each other’s company.
It may be a cheap way of showing your love, but for some people, it will fill their love-o-meter to the brim.
Still cheap Valentine’s day ideas – but it will cost a little
Secret candy stash
Buy your loved one’s favorite candy and hide it where you know he or she will find it. Stash it behind her make-up or in the cubby hole of her car. Hide it in the fridge or on top of the television! Make sure that she knows it is hers only and that she does not need to share.
Eat-a-flower
Make edible flowers from any fruit that your love likes. Strawberries will look beautiful as roses, but you can use any fruit in season. Slice the fruit and stick it on a bamboo skewer. Make a bouquet and eat it with whipped cream or chocolate.
Get your inspiration here!
- cookingwithmanuela.blogspot.com/2018/08/how-to-make-edible-fresh-fruit-bouquet.html
- www.berries.com/blog/diy-strawberry-rose-video
You’d rather say it with ‘real’ flowers?
Roses are traditionally very expensive on Valentine’s day.
- How about saying it with a different flower? Daffodils, tulips, or chrysanthemums can be just as beautiful. Yellow tulips, in fact, mean ‘hopelessly in love.’ What can be more romantic?
- A cheaper way to a fun Valentine’s day is to give a single flower. A single rose is considerably less expensive than 24 red ones.
- Give a potted plant. It can keep growing and blooming – just like your love.
Dining out cheaply on Valentine’s day
Dining out on Valentine’s day needs not to be ridiculously expensive. Here are some ideas to do so in a cheap and fun way.
- What about a Valentine’s day breakfast? It is a much cheaper eat than dinner.
- Eat your usual dinner at home, but go out for coffee and a scrumptious dessert afterward in a grand restaurant.
- Recreate your very first date. Most probably, it was only for coffee or a drink. If possible, go back to the same bar or restaurant. It is super romantic!
- An indoor picnic can be great fun. Do the full Monty – a picnic basket, a blanket, wine, delicious snacks, and something sweet for dessert.
Start planning for a cheap and fun dining out experience on Valentine’s day! Get ideas here:
- bromabakery.com/perfect-indoor-picnic-date-night/
- www.brickellistafiles.com/a-romantic-indoor-picnic/
Play hooky – go on an adventure
Of course, we are not suggesting that you stay away from work without an explanation! Put in leave on Valentine’s day to go on a fun adventure. You can:
- Walk your city and take time to see the things you usually rush by. Being a tourist for a day can be a fun and cheap way to spend Valentine’s day.
- Go to the movies on a weekday. It will be quiet and less crowded than over a weekend. And who knows, you can even snuggle at the back!
- Pick a train, any train, and just go with the flow. Let the train spit you out on the other side. Don’t get off until you get to a place you’ve never been to. That’s the idea of an adventure.
- Go for a walk in a park or a nature reserve. Pick one where you’ve never been.
- Museums can be a fun Valentine’s date too! There are lots of museums with free admission in the UK. Pick on that your partner will find special.
Find some fascinating museums and parks here:
- www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/feb/12/top-20-family-friendly-museums-galleries-uk
- www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/free-museums-and-art-galleries/
- metro.co.uk/2017/06/16/14-beautiful-parks-to-visit-in-the-uk-6713601/
Conclusion
A relationship needs work to maintain. Valentine’s day is the perfect time of year to decide to spoil the one you love. There is no reason not to do it. It can be done cheaply; it is fun, and you don’t have to break the bank.
Our fun and cheap ideas for Valentine’s day should set you on the right path to dream up your own creative ideas. What is it your loved one likes doing? Start there. There are, of course, lots of resources online, too.
Find more interesting ideas here to jazz up your Valentine’s day for your lover in 2020:
