Valentine’s Day for $50 or Less
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Love is in the air! And if you’re anything like me, you like to keep love in the air as often as possible! Love shouldn’t only be celebrated today, it should be celebrated EVERYDAY! We were created by God who loves us unconditionally, so much so that He sacrificed His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, that we could have life and have it more abundantly! Hallelujah! (***Insert Church Shout here!***) It is my honor and my joy to serve Him and be educated by Him! (You like how I did that there right? Love, Serve, Educate? I digress. lol)
This Valentine’s Day I was asked, “How can I spoil the one that I love on a budget?” It was a great question that sparked a great idea. Valentine’s Day for $50 or Less! Disclaimer: I spent more than $50 over the weekend, after a weekend mini-getaway to Florida. I have a full-time job, a part-time job, a nonprofit organization, as well as this business. Sis needed a break and a breather. I am Sis and Sis is me. But this budget is something I used faithfully each Valentine’s Day during the first 5 years of my marriage and I’ve currently been married for 7 years.
So, how are we breaking down the $50? We are going to basically split the costs between dinner and a gift. For me, there is no meal more romantic than a steak dinner. I don’t know why, but it is always one of the highest priced items on a menu. I will let you know right now, that if you substitute chicken with steak for your Valentine’s dinner, you have essentially cut your costs in half. So, our first $25 is for our food. You want to find two steaks for no more than $20. The cuts of meat are your choice, but your hard limit is $20. Not $20.01 or $20.05. Next, our sides are going to be mashed potatoes and broccoli. We’re on a budget so they are not fresh, but it’s the thought that counts. An off brand sleeve of instant mashed potatoes and frozen broccoli cuts should be more than $2.50 together. I can get them $1 a piece at Walmart, but I understand some stores may be different, and the US is currently going through a period of inflation. The last $2.50 is going to be spent on candles. Even the cheapest candles will make your dinner seem more intimate and romantic so we don’t want to forget these.
Our next $15 will be spent on a gift. You know your partner the best, so you know what they would like, but you also have to be affordable. My recommendation when selecting a gift is to be mindful of their love language. (The 5 Love Languages is a book by Gary Chapman. The 5 Love Languages include Quality Time, Physical Touch, Acts of Service, Words of Affirmation, and Gifts.) Five unisex gifts based on love languages could be a movie you know your partner would enjoy that you could watch together (Quality Time), Massage Oil (Physical Touch), a voucher for a car wash (Acts of Service), a thoughtful card deeply describing what they mean to you (Words of Affirmation), or a cheap piece of jewelry that they should not wear for a long period of time (Gifts). You can also go with the basic teddy bear, chocolate, and flowers too if you want, nothing wrong with the classic.
Your last $10 is for assistance with taxes as well as additional items that you may need for dinner. If you know me, you know I’m always going to include money in my budget for a contingency plan. I don’t want you to have to put anything back at the grocery counter because you did not have enough money. Additional items for dinner could include seasonings, sauce, cooking utensils, and candle holders. I know I didn’t account for wine, but you should be drunk in love like Beyonce anyway.
Lastly, what is Valentine’s day without entertainment? If you have any funds left, I recommend that you buy a deck of regular playing cards, nothing fancy. You should be able to purchase them for less than $2 and you can actually get them for $1 at the dollar store. After dinner, let your partner know that you would like to play an affectionate game with them. Take out the Joker cards then shuffle the cards and lay them down in a stack with the face of the cards facing down. You and your partner will take turns picking up a card and following these directions:
If one of you picks up a heart (♥), you will tell the other person a reason why you love them.
If one of you picks up a diamond (♦), you will tell the other person about a time they made you laugh.
If one of you picks up a club (♣), you will massage the other person’s hand for 30 seconds.
If one of you picks up a spade (♠), you will massage the other person’s shoulders for 30 seconds.
The game ends when one of you picks up the Ace of Spades; it means time for extracurricular activities.
Enjoy yourself this Valentine’s Day, but more importantly enjoy your partner!