How To Save Money While Making Your Sweetheart Happy This Valentine's Day

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, we’re seeing more and more ads featuring expensive jewelry and lavish dinners. If you want to stay on budget this year, expensive gifts and fancy nights out may seem out of reach. Lucky for you, we have plenty of ways to celebrate a Valentine’s Day without running out of cash!

Here are a few of our favorite date and gift ideas for Valentine’s Day, straight from the ASB Dream Team. Celebrate your sweetheart with these five affordable Valentine’s Day ideas.

GET INSPIRED

Nothing says “I love you” like a homemade gift. There are tons of homemade gift ideas available online for holidays throughout the year, including Valentine’s Day. You don’t need to be an artist to create a thoughtful gift for your significant other. As the saying goes, “it’s the thought that counts.”

Head to your local craft or party supply store for affordable supply options when creating your homemade gifts. These stores are likely to have many of the supplies you need without the price tag of a fancy flower or gift shop. Buy what you need using a credit card that gives you cash back or other rewards for making purchases. It doesn’t get much more budget friendly than saving while spending with attractive rewards programs.

CARDS

Why spend a few bucks on a generic Valentine’s Day card when you can easily make your own for less? Whether you are talented with paints or pencils or want to create a digital design, a homemade card allows you to put a personalized spin on your Valentine’s card. You can write a personalized poem depicting your first date or draw a picture of you and your sweetheart. Have kids? Include them in the fun and help them create cards for everyone in your family.

CANDY

Making your own candy is a little more involved than a homemade card. However, it doesn’t have to be overly complicated. Sweet treats like chocolate-covered strawberries, fudge or chocolate bark involve just a few affordable ingredients, making these desserts easy, delicious and budget-friendly Valentine’s gifts.

FLOWERS

Sending a loved one flowers on Valentine’s Day is a traditional expression of love, but one that is expensive and lasts only a short amount of time. Consider switching out roses altogether for a more affordable flower variety. Locally grown botanicals such as proteas and anthuriums are often more affordable than roses. Luckily, Hawaii is home to many beautiful flower and plant varieties that are easily found throughout the islands.

If you’re crafty, you can make roses or other flowers out of paper and give a gift that stands the test of time.

Still want to treat your sweetheart to a rose? You could buy one single long-stemmed rose instead of a dozen as a budget-friendly Valentine’s Day gift. This single rose can be a romantic gesture, symbolizing your significant other as your “one and only.”

DINNER FOR TWO

Many couples go out to dinner on Valentine’s Day, wining and dining at a high-end establishment. The downside to this is that Valentine’s Day dinners often boast a hefty price tag at fancy restaurants. Dinner for two at your dining table can be just as romantic and delicious. Consider saving money on dinner by cooking a full three-course meal right at home.

You might have to spend a little on the best ingredients, but the cost will likely be much less than dining out. You can even create a fun couple’s activity by cooking together with your sweetheart, enjoying the peace and quiet of your home instead of a crowded restaurant. Up the romance level another notch by packing your meal “to go” and heading to your favorite park or beach for a romantic picnic!

QUALITY TIME IS THE BEST TIME

You don’t have to blow your budget to have a great date! One of the best parts of living in Hawaii is being able to enjoy the outdoors nearly every day of the year.

For a date night activity that doesn’t break the bank, consider going to the beach, exploring a new neighborhood, or tackling a nature hike.

Since you might end up spending some money on a day out even if the activities are free, you can still stick to your budget by checking your accounts online before you head out. That way, you’ll know how much you can spend without hurting your account balance.

Being in love shouldn’t mean you have to spend a lot of money or put a lot of pressure on one another to buy the best gift. Simply making a homemade gift or meal and spending quality time together can make for a most perfect and memorable Valentine’s Day, without costing a single cent.  Happy Valentine’s Day from the ASB Dream Team!