Valentine’s Day on a budget?
You know when Valentine’s Day is REALLY tough? When you really, really like the person you are dating but you don’t have money to buy a gift that would “show” them. Thankfully, the right person won’t care that you are on a budget. They will care if you do or say nothing. It’s the zero effort and irrational anger towards the “made up commercial holiday” that won’t go over well.
The good news is that your serious love jones, coupled with a little attention to details can help you become a little creative. No money? NO problem! Here are a few of my favorite date ideas that are low-budget with a high romantic ROI:
Light the table and room with candles (tea lights are cheap!). Make a home cooked meal. Bonus points if it is their favorite food. Make a playlist of your favorite love songs (no booty music mixtapes!). Spend the evening feeding each other dessert while (insert your favorite non-sexual activity) watching sports, playing video games, reading a book, watching movie). End your night slow dancing cheek to cheek. *swoon*
Set up an indoor picnic. Lots of pillows. Lots of candles. Pick the sexiest, yummiest foods to munch on. Swap stories of childhood. Get to know one another better. Turn off your phones.
You know we live in one of the coolest cities, right? Atlanta has so many things to do that don’t cost much. A lot of great places are Marta accessible! Look up any specials or deals that are around the city. AJC’s fabulous Bargain Hunter has tips to save on those Valentine’s Day traditions too.
Whatever you decide to do, make it thoughtful and meaningful for the both of you. Oh, and if thought of doing something nice for the person you are dating bothers you in anyway, please let them go. Immediately. It’s the most loving gesture you could ever do for them.
Do you guys have any ideas on how to pull off Valentine’s Day on a budget?
What is the least amount of money you have ever spent on a date? What did you do?
Happy Wednesday!
By Wise Diva, Misadventures in Atlanta Dating Blog
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235 comments Add your comment
Bluzgirl
February 13th, 2013
10:53 am
disco – Right?!?!?! Not anymore, though…
Robert
February 13th, 2013
10:53 am
“Do you guys have any ideas on how to pull off Valentine’s Day on a budget?”
Valentine’s Day is a good time to share your love. This year I will share my love by taking my woman to my Church which is celebrating romance and love for couples (dinner, praise, etc.). What better way to share your love for each than celebrating the love Christ showed for you and me and the best part is it is free.
I am in a new season and I love it.
Courtside Seats!!! Caught on the Kiss Cam :)
February 13th, 2013
10:54 am
“In life, you’ve never had to do something simply to appease another? To reduce angst?”
Not if I can help it….. Why would anyone want to do something that they are against just to make someone else happy??? Like I said I have no issue talking and explaining my problem with V-day, and I always make it a point to express my feelings a on the regular. Tell ya what, I will be more than happy to breakdown and do the flowers, candy, stuffed animals, mariachi band outside of her window, if she is willing to Pick up a hot girl and bring her to my house for us to share as my V-Day present.
Leggs
February 13th, 2013
10:57 am
I hear you, Courtside, but it’s almost akin to doing something you don’t want to do for the sake of someone important in your life. But if you haven’t, you’re rare.
Bluzgirl
February 13th, 2013
10:57 am
Leggs – GOD NO!!! I was super happy it came out negative!!! I just p*ssed off that he wasn’t there with me while I was going through that scare…
disco
February 13th, 2013
10:59 am
kimmie – I am the occasional when I feel like it cook but I love cookbooks. recently during a book purge I took all my cookbooks off of the bookshelves and placed them above the cabinets in the kitchen. naturally I don’t have enough to cover the cabinets so I will be on a cookbook purchasing mission in the coming months. lol. just the other day I bought a meatball cookbook in marshalls for 70cents (the paper cover was torn) and a brownie cookbook for a dollar. I immediately emailed a friend the recipe for salmon/sushi meatballs.
Celisea
February 13th, 2013
10:59 am
I am in a new season and I love it.
Me too!! I hope no one wakes me
Life is great!
Celisea
February 13th, 2013
11:01 am
We ain’t having VDay Services at church though…lol My paster would probably birth a cow at that…lolololol
disco
February 13th, 2013
11:03 am
I was at the gym last night (finally) and saw that they were having couples yoga classes for the “holiday”. I wondered about that briefly because I know I can’t be the only one that thinks some of those yoga poses are just a wee bit erotic. lol.
Bluzgirl
February 13th, 2013
11:09 am
disco – have you seen the movie Couples Retreat? There is a scene where they are doing couple’s yoga with a hot male instructor who is wearing a speedo. He starts pushing up against the women very erotically to “show” the men how to do it. It’s a hilarious scene…probably the most funny part about the movie…
disco
February 13th, 2013
11:13 am
bluz – naw. not my type of movie. I finally watched the hangover on tv recently and though many people went on and on about how hilarious it was I simply thought it was stupid. to each his own.
kimmie
February 13th, 2013
11:18 am
Thinking back on past Vdays, I was honestly okay being single and not having ANY special man, thus no expectations and no possible disappointment. My dad would always give my mom, me & my sister candy and we would all send each other cards and such.
But being single but dating or seeing someone and you’re not quite sure if they will even acknowledge the day by at least giving you a card, that always sucked. Same with my birthday too, not just Vday.
And H no, no fake “sending myself flowers” mess. I’m not trying to impress anybody and not about to make some sorry dude look like he did something!
Leggs
February 13th, 2013
11:20 am
disco ~ that’s how I used to feel feel about Laurel and Hardy, The Three Stooges, Albert and Costello, and The Marx Brothers back in the day. Slapstick comedy didn’t make me laugh. I didn’t laugh at The Hangover like many did, but I wanted to see how things got the way they got. The Tiger in the bathroom was just dumb to me.
Leggs
February 13th, 2013
11:25 am
kimmie ~ I’m like that. I swear for the Love of God, I don’t understand why people fall apart on Vday wallowing in self-pity that they going through the holiday alone. Man up women, it’s just a day. Not THE only day to show you’re special.
Like kimmie said at 10:32.
Button
February 13th, 2013
11:26 am
I for one don’t celebrate vday never have and never will. It tickles me that this is the most highly rated holiday for love yet the divorce rate is high and most people are saying they’re having a hard time finding someone.
Celisea
February 13th, 2013
11:35 am
I don’t get carried away with VDay. I never have. IMO and experience only teenagers and young folks get a pass for getting hyped. I get that. I’ve been there and I’ve done that. Also, I see nothing wrong, if you’re coupled, doing a little something or (even) not. I don’t think doing something, “date penciled for declaring love” is exacty appealing to me. I’m not impressed if you’re mindful one day of the year. I don’t think NOT doing something is a deal breaker either, especially when you’re thoughful year round. I will toss a side eye if you’re an adult getting all hyped up and excited, like a youngin. Better yet, don’t send my stuff to work, if that’s the plan. Just wait til I’m home.
Celisea
February 13th, 2013
11:38 am
Now, if you want to whisk me away to Chateau Elan or some cabin or even a room at one of the nicer hotels for a couple of days in celebration, and we just chill and lay back (ain’t gotta have rose pedals leading to the door or bells and whistles), and treat it like mini-vacay, I’m ever so cool with that. Folks ain’t even gotta know. We’re just taking a vacay
A plan maybe?
Button
February 13th, 2013
11:40 am
Kimmie – it’s sad but true, ever since seeing that happen I lol whenever I see flowers come thru the office.
Celisea
February 13th, 2013
11:43 am
I don’t get mad or assume anything about folks though that get their stuff delivered….lol Shoot, more power to ya. I don’t assume their fronting or anything either. I don’t assume it’s for show or that it’s the only day they declar love. I’m happy for them. Just not my style.
Celisea
February 13th, 2013
11:44 am
they’re not their
Alright, BBL….maybe
disco
February 13th, 2013
11:45 am
do any of you all remember a few years back when some group initiated “marry your baby daddy” day?
Button
February 13th, 2013
12:04 pm
I know I shouldn’t go there but I’m going to – who do you marry when there’s more than one baby daddy? decisions decisions.
Bluzgirl
February 13th, 2013
12:04 pm
I think I’ll wear all black tomorrow just to be funny…everyone in my office will probably be wearing pink and red and I’ll look like I’m in mourning…
Bluzgirl
February 13th, 2013
12:05 pm
Button – I was thinking the same thing. I know a few people who have multiple baby daddies.
kimmie
February 13th, 2013
12:06 pm
Cel – I don’t get all caught up in it either. It was always just a fun little day, like in elementary school we would always have a party with cupcakes, cookies & other treats and exchange those little valentines you buy 100 per box! I always looked forward to the candy my dad would give me.
When I got older, it seems like whenever a guy would not acknowledge the day, he would be a little stank about it and like he didn’t do anything for me to be hurtful and kind of “show me” how little I meant to him. I can’t explain it. But it never was a dealbreaker by itself, just part of a whole pattern of behavior that let me know I was wasting my time.
Exiled
February 13th, 2013
12:11 pm
Maybe Valentines Day could also be a Singles Lets Cry together Day…singles without could do tag teams and go watch a movie together or some like that, just to take the pressure of singledom away.
Its pathetic when some females have to gift themselves flowers etc on vday just to be in with the Jones who are lucky to be in luv with der mens.
This pityfulness and loneliness is widespread in society, it is actually Prevalent but blog females front as if they are all spared that pressure.
It feels good to be a man, I tell ya!
disco
February 13th, 2013
12:12 pm
actually the objective of marry your baby daddy day was to encourage folks that were shacking to go ahead and make the plunge since they were living like married anyway.
kimmie – re school holidays. my son and I discussed recently (after I watched a chick bake a zillion hello kitty cupcakes for her daughter’s class and she even had a fancy cupcake holder for them) how I always sent him to school with seasonal little Debbie cakes. heartshaped cakes. Christmas tree shaped cakes. pumpkin shaped cakes. whatever. I didn’t have time for that mess. lol.
disco
February 13th, 2013
12:14 pm
ex – your post makes me think of my aversion to “girls night out”. I’m always telling chicks that girls night out is for women with husbands/SOs/kids. for the rest of us everyday is girls nights out. lol.
Celisea
February 13th, 2013
12:22 pm
Kimmie – Girl! Your post make me think back to when we’d put the chairs up against the wall, the teacher would pull on the single turntable and play a little music. You had “special friends”, where the night before you made out the little cards that came multiples to a pack. My mama would buy a bag of chocolate or heartshaped candies and I’d tape one inside the card. You couldn’t wait until it was time for the teacher to cut off work and the rest of the day was spent Valentining….lolol
kimmie
February 13th, 2013
12:23 pm
disco – Even though I love to bake, my daughter wanted to take some cupcakes to school for the class Christmas party. I bought the ingredients and all a few weeks ahead. A few nights before the party, I told her she’d have to be happy with some Publix cupcakes, cause I just was not up to baking. She was cool with it!
Celisea
February 13th, 2013
12:24 pm
Oh and the box of tiny VD candy with the little writings on them.
Celisea
February 13th, 2013
12:26 pm
When my kid was little, I was probably one of ones/parents sponsoring most of the little bad kids….lololol It was me (and a couple of others), dropping off cupcakes and Hawaiian Punch and cookies and stuff. She would always come home tombout, “mama you gotta bring this that or the other.” Get there and it’s just me, a couple other parents and the teacher feeding a gang of kids.
kimmie
February 13th, 2013
12:27 pm
Cel – Girl, it was just like that for us!! That was so much fun, special memories!! And growing up here in Atlanta, the Coca Cola Co used to send little bottles of cold Cokes to all of the schools for their Christmas and Valentine parties, no joke. That was the bomb!!
When you got grown and expecting dudes to “be your Valentine” is when stuff stopped being fun!
Celisea
February 13th, 2013
12:31 pm
When you got grown and expecting dudes to “be your Valentine” is when stuff stopped being fun!
Mmm hmmm, that’s why it must be royal to be a kid
Innocence and good little hearts…even though they’re bad little jokers. They’re stuff a deep rooted and deepseated like grown folks. They’re handing out VD kiddie cards and candy and mean it from their little hearts. I’m talking elementary kids now. Middle schoolers and high schoolers are a hot mess and bout bad as the grown jokers…nowadays.
Hazel
February 13th, 2013
12:32 pm
I will order some thai to-go, some candles and a romantic card for my awesome husband. Something private and low-key! He will appreciate that better then going out to eat after a long day of work.
Celisea
February 13th, 2013
12:33 pm
Hazel – I’m torn between cooking or getting something. I ain’t feeling cooking. Just not. Ordering Thai sounds good. Well, maybe not Thai but something, shoot anything.
Hazel
February 13th, 2013
12:33 pm
I dont think its a big deal, if someone who you are dating does NOT believe in Valentines day. It is overrated at this point. What about u guys?
disco
February 13th, 2013
12:33 pm
C – I know these days a lot of schools have banned homemade snacks. still, I wasn’t the one anyway. I can proudly say that I managed to get through all my son’s years of school without ever attending a parent/teacher conference. as far as I was concerned those needed to be reserved for the parents of the bad kids. a friend told me a few years ago that parents had to attend them in order to get their kid’s report card. I was like wtf???
kimmie – what you talking about? those little elementary kids can be fierce about their valentines. lol. don’t start none won’t be none. lol.
Celisea
February 13th, 2013
12:36 pm
disco – Well, that’s one problem they didn’t have from me….”baked goods.” Can you say Publix, Krogers, etc. I “depended” on knowing I could run in the morning of and be straight. Don’t have to worry about stuff becoming uncovered while transporting from the house, or burning or not tasting good, etc etc etc…
Celisea
February 13th, 2013
12:42 pm
I’ve done a couple of conferences, mainly for TALKING TOO MUCH….lol But for the most part, my appearances or attendance was as some sort of “mother” and in the form of pitching in.
I remember going on a field trip with those bad kids to Fern Bank, they nearly tore the place apart. I had to catch myself from snatching other folks’ kids. I had more control than the teacher. Oh, wait or the trip to see Aladdin live. Girls waiting on the bus to come back and pick us up had a “drop it like it’s hot” contest. Right there in public, on the street. I was REEEEAL close to calling the besties (that dropped the P word), to pick me up. I was done at that point. No more field trips. I was embarrassed. Oh, and that ain’t nothing on them almost stopping the play because of the catcalls and yells from the little boys at the women in the play. Um, yeah. And that wasn’t just my kid’s school. That was all of the little heathens. Even the uppity schools. To boot, it was nothing but middleschoolers.
Hazel
February 13th, 2013
12:44 pm
@ Celisia – ordering out is the best option other then cooking. No clean-up + great food. Haven’t had thai for a while so it sounds good at this point.
I do intend to make brownies tonite and bring some to work tomorrow. Share the calories ha ha
Celisea
February 13th, 2013
12:45 pm
Hazel – Yep, sounds like a great plan. Any favorite Thai places? I’ve only had Thai once, maybe twice. My preference is Chinese over Thai.
Hazel
February 13th, 2013
12:50 pm
we r not in atlanta at the moment..so there is this thai place where we r now. Being Indian, im biased towards thai more then chinese. Ive trained my american husband to love it too.. : )
Bluzgirl
February 13th, 2013
12:50 pm
I loved VDay as a kid. I miss those cute little parties where everyone handed out those cheesy valentine cards to everyone. Years ago, I bought some of those and handed them out at work. We got a good laugh over it. I did it to be funny…
Celisea
February 13th, 2013
12:52 pm
Oh, or the bad kid that didn’t make the trip because he kept making remarks about the teacher’s (very young) “big ole badonkadonk.” She threatened him and said one more time and you’re not going. Well, he did it one more time.
disco
February 13th, 2013
12:52 pm
bluz – what I would like to do to be funny is roll up in the spot with a bow and arrow and shoot some folks in the azz. all in the name of love. lol.
Celisea
February 13th, 2013
12:53 pm
Gotcha, Hazel.
MsAtl
February 13th, 2013
12:53 pm
Sorry All- dipped out for a 2.5 hour meeting.
Kimmie- I am in the ATL and you can make me chocolate covered strawberries…
Leggs- That’s the thing, he sent 2 dozen flowers the day before V-Day, on actual V-Day, there was a tower of Godiva (4 boxes that took me months to eat), a few thousand dollars in jewelry, 2 dozen roses after V-Day. However, on actual V-Day you still worked late because you were boinking your patient in your office? Come on man!
Exiled
February 13th, 2013
12:54 pm
Thai wld be good Hazel, i havent had that ethnic food in a while..im sure Queen wld appreciate me taking her azz somewhere, alone.
Now where is the nearest Thai restrant anyway?
I usually do family restrants visits..my whole entourage in tow…
lemme see…my budget is low tho….
Might have to pay this meal with the health insherance visa card….on the sly!
Just for Vday sake..keeping up wuith the Jones I am..
Dirty Birds (Disco please don't retire)
February 13th, 2013
12:57 pm
V-Day what a day it can be! I don’t care if we just met, I am going to do something for you. I am big on doing something you would like. Women appreciate effort and that you pay attention to what they are saying.
@BluzGirl…Sexy u need someone to treat you right….I almost think I want to step up and put a smile on the pretty face…
It’s good to see Celisea getting the good, good, when she is happy it reflects in her words and attitude.