There’s one sure-fire way to save money on Valentine’s Day, and that’s to make sure you’re not in a relationship when it arrives! However, that won’t suit everyone, so let’s take a look at ways to have a truly memorable and romantic evening that won’t leave you penniless – after all, it’s not that long ago we were doing the holiday shopping…
Stay Home & Save
Thankfully, an inexpensive Valentine’s Day can often be the most romantic, if you decide to base it around things you can do at home. If you’re in a happy relationship, there’s no need to go out and spend big at a fancy restaurant. Start things off with a home-made card, choose your food and drinks wisely, lay on some entertainment at home with a selection of movies, glam things up with some online casino games or kitchen-table poker… as long as you put a little thought into it, you can have a day to remember without going broke!
Eating & Drinking
Nothing says “I love you” quite like a really good home-cooked meal. Keep it simple and you don’t even have to be a great cook – just follow a tried-and-tested recipe and give yourself enough time to allow for the unexpected. Start things off with a romantic glass of bubbly; cava (from Spain) and prosecco (from Italy) are delicious, very well-priced alternatives to champagne. You’ll get a far better deal buying decent cava, for example, than cheap champagne (which means that, if you like, you can have more of it…)
What To Cook
The key to cooking a successful Valentine’s meal is choosing something you both like. Arguably it’s more romantic to cook something only your partner likes – but there’s no need to be a martyr about it! Skirt steak is both delicious and reasonably priced, and unlike some cheaper cuts, doesn’t need to be cooked for hours to make it edible. There are plenty of online recipe ideas for skirt steak; ask your butcher as well if you get a chance!
Entertainment
When you’re done eating, it’s time to play. Try poker with real cards (and real forfeits!) for fun, or challenge each other at an online casino. Most will let you play for free, so you can enjoy a bit of glamor without spending anything. Let the winner choose what movie you watch afterwards. Netflix plans, for example, start at $7.99 a month, so there’ll – hopefully – be fewer arguments over what to watch…
(Image: Wikipedia)