Budget-Friendly Ideas for Valentine’s Day - City Girl Savings (2024)

Valentine’s Day, that amazing day of the year where couples and relationships are appreciated. If you aren’t in a couple, currently, you may not appreciate all that Valentine’s Day has to offer (Thank goodness for Galentine’s Day!) However, if you are with a significant other, you don’t have to break the bank to celebrate them on Valentine’s Day. I’m sharing some budget-friendly ideas for Valentine’s Day!

There are a variety of low-cost ways to celebrate your special someone on February 14^th. Sometimes, it’s the thought that counts, but what if you can make the thought of a “cheap” day vanish instantly? I’m going to walk you through a few ideas to help you save money and still make Valentine’s Day special for your sweetie.

Create a candle-light dinner at home

Skip the expensive dinner and drinks, and bring the romance to your own dining room. Purchase a white table cloth, decorate with votive candles, and set the tone with some soft music. You don’t have to go to a restaurant for a romantic meal, you can create the atmosphere yourself. Since preparing the food and the ambiance will take some time, plan ahead. Research tasty (but simple) recipes on Pinterest, then head to the Dollar Store to get your décor items.

Make your own chocolate-covered strawberries

Why spend a ton of money on chocolate-covered strawberries when you can make your own? The prep and create time is 20 minutes or less, and the cost of the ingredients run you under $30. You can make them how you want (I love these Gold Button Chocolate-Covered Strawberries from Sugar Hero), and you can display them how you want. Make them together with your sweetie, or as a surprise treat in bed!

Design a photo book of memories

This gift idea is well-worth the effort. Go through your phone or camera and pick out your favorite pictures of you and your honey. Upload them to Shutterfly, and create a photo book of all your memories together. Not only is this a gift that will trump anything else in the personalization category, Shutterfly always has specials going on for their photo books. This is another idea that will take some planning ahead to ensure all is ready by Valentine’s Day.

Drop off lunch at their work

I hate when Valentine’s Day falls on a weekday, but that doesn’t mean the romance has to wait until you’re off work! Order lunch from your partner’s favorite restaurant and have it delivered to their office or workplace. Lunch is significantly cheaper than dinner, and it’s a fun, cute way to show your sweetie that they are on your mind. Ask the restaurant if they can deliver it with a special message. The thought goes a long way.

Have a stay-cation

One great way to get the feeling of traveling without actually paying for the travel? A stay-cation! A stay-cation basically means you stay in your home city, but act as if you are visiting. You can rent a hotel room for the night, go to attractions and restaurants that tourists would visit, and explore different parts of the city.

If this is the route you decide to go, book your hotel (or AirBnB) as early as possible to get the best rate. You can even hold off staying until the weekend, which may save you some money for not actually renting a room on actual Valentine’s Day. Look up coupons and Groupons for things to do, you may even surprise yourself with what you find.

Grab a bottle of wine and hit the park
Head to your local grocery store, pick up a tasty (yet inexpensive) bottle of wine, a picnic basket and some cheese and crackers, and plan an evening in the park. Wine makes everything better, so you and your honey can enjoy each other, enjoy the stars, and enjoy some wine on Valentine’s Day. Make sure you pack a blanket! While this may not be a lavish Valentine’s Day date, it’s certainly a sweet, romantic one that would be fun to share!

Create a scavenger hunt

Another low-cost, but high-effort option is to create a scavenger hunt. You can make the hunt for sexy things, romantic things, funny things, or simply sweet things (like candy). Not only will this be a fun activity to do in your own house (or outside of it, if you have more time), but it will ensure an exciting time for your partner. I love the suggestions put together by The Dating Divas.

Related: 5 Creative Valentine’s Day Date Ideas

Take the ideas above to heart, or think about how you can make Valentine’s Day special, without hurting your wallet. The most important thing to remember is that this day is about making your partner feel special, and that has nothing to do with money (mostly)! Do you have any budget-friendly ideas for Valentine’s Day? Gift or date ideas? What have been some of your Valentine’s Day experiences? Share by leaving a comment below!

-Raya

The CGS Team