Photo Credit: Terren in Virginia / CC BY 2.0
Here are some frugal, last-minute Valentine’s gift ideas (mostly involving food!) for those of you on a budget:
- Breakfast-in-bed for your loved one (okay, since I’m posting this at 12:00 noon, it may be a little late for this, although I love breakfast any time of the day!)
- Dinner and a Movie at home! You’ll save a lot of money by staying at home to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Start by cooking a romantic dinner at home. My husband knows I love pasta and made this Rachel Ray recipe for me about 6 years ago when we were dating. The name of the dish “You Won’t Be Single For Long Vodka Cream Pasta” turned out to be absolutely true!
Then rent a movie from RedBox for only $1 per night, or try one of the following free codes listed here (you can typically use each code one time per credit card. You will be asked to enter your credit card, but if you have a valid free code, you will not be charged). - Look for Restaurant Deals, Coupons & Freebies. If you go out to eat at a restaurant, try to go to a place that you already have a gift card/ gift certificate to, or look for offers on the restaurant’s FaceBook Fan Page or from the e-Newsletter sign-up on their website. Sometimes when you join, you will get a special offer. For example the Redemption Unlimited ladies had some good information on The Melting Pot restaurant freebies here. I happen to know first hand that Gordon Biersch will e-mail you a FREE appetizer coupon when you sign up for their GB Online Club/e-Newsletter. Money Saving Mom posted here a coupon for Buy-One-Get-One-Free Fire Cracker Chicken entrée at Panda Express (not the fanciest, but if you love Chinese food and don’t go out to restaurants much, this would be a treat) that is good through Feb. 25, 2010.
Also check out the special restaurant discounts and deals from the Washington Post here, Red Plum restaurant coupons here, and Valpak restaurant coupons here. - Make your own Candy & Treats for your sweetheart such as Cake Balls or Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
- Make your own Valentine’s Day Card. Use a cardstock piece of paper, fold in half or quarters, glue a picture of you two on the front, and write a heart-felt note to your Valentine on the inside. Or create and print a card from your computer. Another fun option is to have your kids help draw or cut out hearts or illustrate the card.
- Celebrate a few days late. You’ll find a ton of candy and other Valentine’s items on deep discount because the stores will be trying to get rid of their huge stock of Valentine’s gifts. This could also be a time to stock up for next year and take advantage of the clearanced Valentine’s candy and gifts.
Welcome!
