Your love may be free, but the cost to celebrate Valentine’s Day is not cheap according to the National Retail Federation, which insists we’re about to spend $17 billion to express that love.
Pricey flowers, candy—diamonds perhaps—are all well and good, I suppose, for my love-struck readers who are flush with cash. But what if you’re still paying off the Christmas bills or even a past Valentine’s Day or two? What if you failed to plan ahead and tomorrow is Valentine’s Day? The last thing you want is a shot from Cupid’s bow straight into your debt-repayment plan. Instead of spending beyond your means, consider these last-minute ideas for creating a celebration that will be filled with romance and economical, too.
CREATE SOME AMBIANCE. Turn your kitchen or dining area into a lovely bistro. Move some furniture and pull out your best table cloth, stemware and china. Turn off the lights and light the candles and you’ll swear you’ve just ducked into a cozy restaurant just perfect for two. If you’re too tired to cook, order a special meal ahead of time and pick it up on the way home from work. Share an entrée, but order two desserts. You’ll save a bundle and that 20 percent tip, too.
GO AHEAD, GO OUT. If you really want to go out on the town, fix a nice dinner at home and then head out for dessert. Duck into a fancy place really late, order one decadent dessert to share and two coffees.
SNEAK AWAY. [Caution: This tip is only to be considered if both of you have built up vacation time or personal days at work.] Run away for the day. Depending on where you live, stroll through a park or two, or walk along the beach. Go snow-boarding or skiing. Or take a rowboat all the way across the lake to the other side. Drive to a small town nearby that you’ve never visited. Pack a picnic, go for a hike. Or draw the drapes, lock the doors and take the phone off the hook.
GET ENTERTAINED. Check local colleges and universities to see what concerts or plays are being offered. If not free, tickets to these kinds of events are usually pretty cheap as they’re geared toward students. Or check out the local museums. Many have free hours in the evening or on a certain day each month.
MAKE GIFTS. Rather than buying gifts for your kids, spouse or special someone, make a fabulous cake, cupcakes or cookies. It’s easy to cut out a heart-shape pattern if you don’t have a proper cookie cutter. The gift certificate idea might be just the ticket for you if you’re short on cash but high on love this Valentine’s Day. You could offer to run errands for your beloved, make a nice dinner, clean the house, repair the car or give a massage. The possibilities, like your love, are endless.
This post has been edited by Puppies: Feb 5 2008, 04:10 PM
