Doing Valentine’s Day On A Budget

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Valentine’s Day. On one hand, I feel resentful that we should have to shell out for cards and gifts and overpriced meals just because it’s 14th February. On the other hand, isn’t it nice to have an excuse to tell someone you love them? Granted, we all need to do this more. We should do it every day – it’s something so quick and simple, yet we’re all guilty of letting too much time pass between declarations of love or random acts of kindness towards the people we love.

So, if we’re going to celebrate Valentine’s Day, let’s not spend a fortune doing it. We’ve all been that person – the one buying the biggest card in the shop, the teddy holding the red satin love heart, the one spending a small fortune on a restaurant’s set menu and forking out the extra £10 for a glass of fizz.

But here’s how I’m doing Valentine’s Day on a budget this year.

Instead of: Over-priced card from an expensive shop

I’m doing: An amazing (and oh-so-funny) card from Gin Bunny Prints on Etsy.

Instead of: Spending a fortune on a meal out (babysitter + set menu + creepy man coming around the tables, selling single roses = spendy night out)

I’m doing: A meal from COOK – who sell seriously gorgeous frozen meals. 3 courses for £20? Job done.

Instead of: Buying an expensive gift (that will end up being tossed into a drawer)

I’m doing: Some home made tokens for things like a lie in or a day watching F1 on the telly.

When you’ve been in a relationship for a while, you realise that it’s not about spending loads of money on each other – it’s the little things that mean the most. And if I’m perfectly honest, I’d rather save our money to spend on important things like childcare, petrol and groceries. Does that make me totally old and unromantic?!

• Thanks to TSB for commissioning this post on Valentine’s Day on a budget. For details on how I work with brands, see my Work With Me page