THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO YOU, I WILL EARN A COMMISSION IF YOU CLICK THROUGH AND MAKE A PURCHASE
What have you got planned for Valentine’s Day?
If it happened to be later in the year it might be a bit easier on the pocket, but celebrating another holiday in February, Just after Christmas, New Years and back-to-school can be madness on your wallet!
We’re still in a pandemic and many people continue to struggle with reduced salaries. A lot of money has been spent over the last two months. Budgets have been completely broken.
So, how do you manage to enjoy a magical Valentine’s Day when there just isn’t any money left in the bank?
Well, money is not the be all and end all. Sometimes the best times are had through spontaneous conditions and limited funds.
This year you need to be creative and put together the most amazing Valentine’s Day ever! – on a budget.
Here are 20 ways that you can celebrate Valentine’s Day this year:
- Homemade picnic
Gather your picnic basket, prepare some inexpensive wraps, snacks, fruit, and biscuits at home; chill a bottle of wine or juice, and enjoy a picnic in your garden. If it's a chilly night, light a few candles to create a romantic ambience and lay your picnic blanket on the floor in front of the fireplace. - Sundowner drink and snacks
Drive to a beautiful sundowner spot, such as the top of a hill overlooking the city, a west-facing beach, or even the top of a tall building. Arrange with a friend to arrive before you and set up a surprise picnic spot including blanket, picnic basket filled with a bottle of bubbles and delicious snacks.
- Miniature golf tournament
Create your own miniature golf tournament including an unusual prize at the end. Either get out of the house and battle it out on the miniature golf course grounds, or create something fun in your own back yard. - Staten Island Ferry
If you live in New York, the Staten Island ferry is free! We often take the smaller (and free) things for granted once we become used to them. So hop aboard, take a beautiful boat ride, and spend time together away from the house. - Stargazing in your backyard
This is always fun. Gather your blankets and pillows and lie out under the stars. The further away you are from the city, the clearer the sky will be. Download a stargazing app on your phone and see if you can find the constellations. Watch carefully; you will be surprised at how many satellites will pass over you, and if you’re lucky, you might get to wish on a shooting star too. - Sunrise – have a friend set up a surprise table
Get up early and head for that perfect sunrise spot. Bribe a friend to set up a table for you or take along your own breakfast and hot coffee in a flask, and just sit in your car and watch the sunrise.
How often do you get to see the sun rise? - Stage your own photoshoot
This is a lot of fun! Get some Valentine's Day props (balloons, giant cardboard hearts, pink and red tinsel) and either set your phone on a timer or have someone take photos for you. Have fun messing around and making wonderful memories. - DIY wine tasting
If you can’t get out to a wine farm, bring the wine to you. Order a variety of wines, grab some cheese and biscuits, and enjoy your own wine tasting at home. - Board game challenge
What is your level of competition? Anyone for Cluedo, Scrabble, or Jenga? Alternatively, choose a new boardgame together online and only open it on Valentine's Day when you have time to play it. - Pizza night Don’t move from the couch but rather order in. Say goodbye to cooking and place your pizza order. This keeps the evening light and enjoyable.
- Ice-skating
Get your skates and head down to the lake for some fun. If you don't have any frozen lakes nearby, go to the ice rink for a fun night! - Massages
I am yet to meet anyone, male or female, who does not enjoy receiving a relaxing massage. Essential oils, candlelight, soft music, and someone rubbing your tensions away is utter bliss. - Puzzle it
Take out a 500 or 1000-piece puzzle and start working on it. If you want to finish it in one night, 1000 pieces may be overkill. Play your favorite music, grab a cup of hot chocolate, sit back and relax. - Go for a walk around the neighbourhood and play a scavenger hunt game
Plan ahead of time. You can make an alphabetic scavenger hunt game in which you must find items that begin with the letters of the alphabet.
Or, list specific items that you must find. - Enjoy a movie marathon
Valentine's Day movie marathons are a lot of fun!
Find something you've never seen before, or something you both adore, that has a sequel or even a trilogy, such as Back to the Future or Bridget Jones' Diary.
Or just hunker down and watch that new series you've been dying to watch. Don't forget to bring some popcorn and hot chocolate! - Enjoy indoor camping
It's always fun to relive your childhood. Make a fort out of chairs, pillows, rope, and blankets, just like you did when you were a kid. Prepare torches, spooky stories, and a sleeping tent in the living room. Another romantic notion. - Plan a ‘one-day’ day
Make a list of all the things you want to do one day. It's essentially a bucket list, but these are great ideas to keep in mind for things you and your partner can do together ‘one day.' - Enjoy a virtual trip
Where is one place in the world that you have always wanted to go?
What is something you have always wanted to do? Dive the Great Barrier Reef of Australia? Stroll around the Gugenheim Museum? Explore the poppy fields of Amsterdam?
You can now do it without leaving your home. Find something that both of you are interested in and take a virtual tour. - Learn a TikTok dance
This can be a lot of fun as well as extremely funny! Install the TikTok app on your phone and see what dances are trending. Learn them, make a video of yourself and you’re very likely to have a good laugh later. You can also post it if you're brave enough. - Try mixing cocktails (or mocktails)
Why not tell each other about a drink you'd like to try and have the other person make it for you? Prepare your spirits, mixers, glasses, and garnishes for an exciting evening! Hello there, Cocktail!
CONCLUSION
It does not have to cost you a month's salary to have fun. With a little imagination and a dash of your own personality, you can create the world's best date night.
Even if you have to enlist the assistance of a friend, you can certainly create a memorable Valentine's Night.
And, more often than not, the activities that do not go exactly as planned are the ones that become the most memorable.
What do you have planned for Valentine's Day?
Life in Pumps is a member of Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to https://lifeinpumps.com
