Frugal Valentines Day Gifts With Meaning
The first thing to make clear when giving and receiving Valentine's Day gifts is that the cost of the gift doesn't equate the love you have for the person. While this may seem like a simple and obvious concept, it's getting more and more difficult to maintain with the growing commercialism that is surrounding the holiday. If you can take a moment to step back and remember that it is a day to show your love to another (and not about getting and receiving chocolate, roses and diamond rings) you will have taken the first step to making the day truly memorable without having to spend a lot of money.
When considering what type of Valentine gift to give, take the time to think what your partner would truly appreciate. Again, this may seem like an obvious step, but it is surprising how many people don't take this into consideration. Many times they simply don't know and end up shopping for something they would like themself without even realizing it. If you aren't sure, take the time to ask. With the average person now spending around $50 for a Valentine gift, it pays to remember that getting a gift that is never used is a waste of money no matter how great a bargain you got on it.
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As mentioned before, chocolate companies, flower shops and jewelers would love for you to think (and they spend a lot of money trying to convince you) that those items show your love. Chances are, however, that the gift your partner would really like to receive isn't anything that is available at the store. More than likely, simply spending time together doing something you both enjoy is the perfect gift. If you approach it from this perspective, there are a wide variety of activities that you can do together, have a great time, create some wonderful memories without spending an arm and a leg.
If you feel that some type of material gift needs to be exchanged, it still doesn't have to be expensive to have meaning. Take some nice quality red colored paper, cut it into heart shaped pieces and put together a Valentine coupon book for your partner. The coupons can be for anything as simple as a kiss to as extravagant as your imagination wants to go. Coupons for short back rubs, foot massages, etc will always be well received and don't cost you anything but your time. Add in coupons for a home made candle light dinner, a breakfast in bed and a evening snuggled up by the fireplace watching a favorite video or any other activity that the two of you would enjoy and you have given a wonderful Valentine gift at practically no cost.
Another frugal Valentine gift that has much more meaning than anything you can get at the store is your memories or feelings. Again, cut out heart shaped pieces from some nice colored paper and write a reason that you are happy that you are together on each sheet. You can do the same thing with other themes as well such as favorite memories you have had together. Place them all in a jar adding a red ribbon and you have given your happiness for Valentine's Day.
Valentine's Day may also be the perfect excuse for you to take out all your photos from the dresser drawer and put together a scrap book of memories for the past year. This is a wonderfully simple gift that can be duplicated year after year which the whole family can share together. If you don't have the time to do that this year, you can opt for your favorite photo of the past year placing it in a heart shaped frame.
With lives getting busier and busier, simply taking some time away from your everyday routines may be a perfect gift. With Valentine's Day falling on a Friday this year, you may want to make it a weekend event spending the weekend together doing things you both enjoy. For some dating ideas that are fun while within anyone's budget you can take a look at our frugal dating article.
Whatever you choose to give or do for Valentine's Day, by taking the time to to express your feelings from yourself and not what the commercial companies have tried to convince us all equates love, you will give a gift that will be appreciated by your partner long after the day is over.
Valentine Day Savings
