Valentine’s Day Advice for the Cash Strapped Partner

The most loved (or hated) holiday is upon us.

And that means you’re probably starting to look at gifts for your loved one. When you’re strapped for cash, the ways you can treat the special person in your life may be limiting. But having a limited budget doesn’t mean you can’t make someone feel special. Here’s some advice on celebrating the holiday of love when you’re low on cash.

Don’t fall for it…

What’s the easiest way to fail at being a Valentine?

Believing your partner when they tell you they don’t want anything. Even if you both make an agreement to skip the holiday, rest assured it’ll come back to bite you in the rear. Instead think of some affordable things that won’t break the bank like personal care items. You can never go wrong with bubble bath, lotions or after shave.

And try your best not to fall into the Valentine’s Day hype. There’s no reason to put a highly expensive piece of jewelry on your credit card when you can’t afford it (I know I cant!). Even if you want to be as happy as the couple looks on the Tiffany’s commercial, I guarantee you won’t feel as happy when you receive the bill. Stick to thoughtful gifts that you can manage without breaking the bank.

Propose a toast

If your partner drinks consider gifting wine or champagne, it’s pretty affordable this time of year. Distributors typically offer an additional holiday discount on the days leading up to February 14th to move product.

You can still save even if you’re particular about wine or champagne quality. Look to see if your favorite brands have a second label. Second labels are usually made from younger grapes and don’t go through the same refining processes as the primary label. However, it’s still closer in flavor to the higher quality brand than what you’d find in a cheaper selection.

And when you have champagne taste on a grape juice budget try Prosecco. It’s a wine with fizz that resembles champagne, but is less expensive. The other benefit of purchasing alcohol as a gift is saving money on an evening out. Make reservations at a BYOB and avoid spending money on drinks entirely.

Coupons are your friend

My motto these days? Don’t buy anything without first searching for a coupon. And I’ve found that almost every store I’m about to purchase something in actually has a valid coupon available. That also holds true for online flower distributors.

There are promotions on RetailMeNot for sites like ProFlowers.com and 1-800-Flowers.com. On these sites you can purchase arrangements for delivery to your significant other. Some of their products are pretty pricey so you should use a coupon code to ensure you get a good deal.

And to find a coupon for almost any other store I use the search structure “coupons + (store name)” while in the checkout line on my smart phone. Since coupons these days are virtual it’s very easy to find a coupon instantaneously if there’s one for the store where you’re purchasing gifts.

What are ideas you’ve used to cut down cost for Valentine’s Day? Is there a creative and affordable gift you’ve found that you’re planning on giving to a loved one? Share with us below!