Valentine's Day Money Saving Ideas
Once
upon a very long time ago, Valentine’s Day was all about romance. Romance wasn’t expensive. It was long warm glances across a room, sweet
kisses stolen from smiling lips, and promises sealed with heart-shaped
cards. According to National Retail Federation, it appears that love is measured in dollars as Americans are
expected to spend over 21 billion on more than just candy hearts. And that’s during a pandemic!
As
a small business owner who must watch every penny, I’ve found fantastic ways to
spend this day of love and keep from draining my wallet. Follow along as I share my tips with you.
Sentiments shouldn’t cost more
than a car payment.
Like
a typical woman, I like gifts. And
jewelry? Those little boxes give me
goosebumps. However, as much as I love
a nice piece of sparkly, I’d rather save those dollars. I reconcile my girlish tendencies by shopping
at thrifts. It’s amazing how much I can
find there for a few dollars. In
addition, every dollar I spend helps others.
Alternatively,
our local Cost Plus World Market
typically sells earrings at a discount – my favorite – right before Valentine’s
Day. The man in my life can pick up a
couple pairs and still have change from a twenty. They even offer a cute little cloth bag as a
unique wrapping—much cuter than a little box.
Cook dinner for your loved one.
According to a finder.com study, this year’s valentines plan to spend on average $70 on dining out—down significantly from previous years. Still, for that amount, I can have any type of dinner I want paired with my favorite wine and still have money left. Moreover, it’s just more romantic when my hubby does the cooking for me. He knows exactly how I like my steak.
Total cost for steak dinner with a bottle of
$15 wine for the both of us: $30. A
romantic evening at home = priceless.
Be creative with romantic
symbols.
No
doubt that roses are synonymous with love here in the states. However, a dozen roses delivered can set a
person back $50+. This is when ingenuity
comes to the rescue. Since I’ve
introduced my hubby to the nearby thrift store, he shops there first for items
like vases. He found a nice slender one
for fifty cents. Dollar store works
too.
Stopping
off at a local grocery store, he picks up a single rose tied up with a pretty
red ribbon for $2. Keeping true to his
thrifty, and yet thoughtful nature, we finished off his display of love with a
$5 Starbucks gift card—mochas…yum.
Total savings: $42.50
Of
course, I loved it!
Don’t forget the sweet romantic symbol.
A
heart-shaped box of chocolate is another indelible symbol of love this time of
year. However, a box of the good stuff
is typically about $20 or more. Waiting
until the day after Valentine’s Day, I can pick up that box for my sweetie at
70% off. It all tastes the same, even if
one day late.
Ditch the store-bought card.
I stopped purchasing cards years ago. Instead, I create my own with desktop software I also use for my business. (previous year’s version: $15) The cards are lovely, personal, and are the price of the paper I use—usually less than a nickel. That said, creating a digital card is simple these days.
Be
creative, save money and enjoy each other.
How I Cut My Food
Bill in Half
How I Get My Budget
Under Control
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