Unless you haven’t looked at a calendar lately, you’re aware that Valentine’s Day is less than a week away. If you have a significant other you may already have a gift purchased or plans made to give a little extra attention to that special someone in your life. Some people choose to not celebrate Valentine’s Day, seeing it as just another commercial holiday pressuring people to buy stuff. That’s actually a fairly accurate description in my opinion, and that’s great if you and your loved one share that perspective. Others are looking for inexpensive ways to celebrate the day and their love without breaking the bank. That’s a fantastic viewpoint as well. There are also those that put the pedal to the metal and go all out. Hey, whatever floats your boat, as long as it fits within your budget.
Then there are those people that fall somewhere in the middle. At this stage of my life, I fall in this category. I don’t feel it necessary, or financially responsible, to send a dozen roses to my wife every hour, pick her up in a limo, and whisk her away to a private dining experience (Although I’d bet she wouldn’t complain). But, I would like to find some way to put a spotlight on how much she means to me without costing me an arm and a leg.
For me, Valentine’s Day gifts are all about value. I want to find ways to show that I know who my wife is as a person, what she enjoys, and that I’m willing to make an effort to do so. The most important thing to me is whatever I do or purchase is worth the money.
Here are some examples of things that catch my attention when thinking about Valentine’s Day gifts for my wife that both show my appreciation and love as well as give me the most for my hard earned money:
Spa Treatment Deal
Some people love spa pampering. Spas and Salons know this. Around Valentine’s Day keep your eyes open for special deals. A package can be purchased for your significant other that is budget friendly, but has great value. For example, the salon that my wife visits advertised the following special: With a purchase of a gift certificate for a facial, customers would also get a manicure and a wash and style. PLUS, for an additional $15 a 30 minute massage would be included in the package. That’s an incredible value and a PERFECT Valentine’s Day gift! For that little extra touch, I could not only purchase the package, but schedule the service for a day so all my wife has to do is show up.
Get In the Kitchen
Find any article or blog post on the subject of Valentine’s Day and there’s a good chance that it includes the suggestion to make dinner at home. Let me reinforce that suggestion with my own point of view. I worked as a cook in a restaurant in high school, and holidays were the most busy, chaotic days of the year. So chaotic and busy, the food quality suffered. You’ll wait longer than usual, the service may not meet expectations, and the food quality can be negatively affected. It has all the potential of a meal that doesn’t live up to the standards of a good value, or a reflection of your feelings towards your significant other.
If you do decide to put on an apron and cook at home, don’t just go for keeping the cost as low as possible. Splurge a little; make your love’s favorite meal. Make king crab legs, learn how to make Beef Wellington, find a recipe for crème brulee. Buy a bottle of wine other than from the $3 section at Trader Joe’s. You’re going to save money over going out….so why not splurge a little bit and make it an adventure!
Wine Tastings
My wife loves wine, and we enjoy going to wine tasting events together. We haven’t been to one in quite some time, so I’ve been on the look out for one to be advertised. Tickets for a wine tasting event in my local area usually run anywhere from $15 to $30 a person. For the price of two tickets, my wife and I can spend an entire evening together exploring new wines.
Things That Do NOT Bring Value
There are many things about a traditional Valentine’s Day that do not bring much value. If I partake in any of them, I go out of my way to get the most for my money:
- Cards : Cards these days can range anywhere from $4 to $7. What a waste of money for a folded piece of cardboard. Both Walmart and a nearby Halmark store have a $.99 card section. That’s where I get all my cards. I also have a rule about how long I spend selecting a card: I won’t spend any more time picking out a card than I feel the recipient will spend reading it. Which means I select my card in under a minute, every time.
- Flowers : We all know that florists jack up the price of roses and flowers big time for Valentine’s Day. I love giving my wife flowers, but I also hate getting ripped off. I won’t pay the $40 to $50 from a florist, but I will pay under $10 for a nice arrangement that Walmart or Target will have at the front of their stores.
Valentine’s Day can be whatever you want it to be. Ignore it, go crazy or be like most people and land somewhere in the middle. The most important thing is to get the most value for your purchases. That’s almost a gift all by itself.
What have you got planned for Valentine’s Day?
My wife just said to me “I do’t want anything for valentine’s Day.” I’m going to cook and we are going to watch a movie or catch up on some of our favorite TV shows.
It could be a trap……I’m just saying. 🙂
Last year, my husband’s gift to me was NOT buying flowers. He saw some of my favorites in the grocery store a couple of days before Valentine’s Day. They were $60 instead of the normal $25ish. He came home and told me about it. I told him he did the right thing.
Also, I completely agree about the card thing. I don’t get it. If you’re sending money or a gift card or just no present at all, a card is fine. Otherwise, what’s the point?
LOL, that reminds me of what I tell my wife to buy me for Christmas, my birthday, and our anniversary. I tell her the best present she can get me is to not spend any money on me!
Great tips Travis! Victoria and I aren’t a big fan of Valentine’s day so we keep it simple. We’ll probably get Chipotle (or Olive Garden to go) and then top it off with a BOGO DQ blizzard. My kind of Valentine’s Day!
Sounds like a great V-day to me!!! Man, one blizzard is almost enough ice cream for two by itself!