25 Cheap and Easy Ideas for Valentine’s Day

Fall in Love, Without Falling in Debt!

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. It can be a great holiday to show your loved one how much they mean to you. But as JLO sings in her famous hit, love don’t cost a thing! There is no price tag on spending some good, quality time with your significant other! If you’re thinking of what to do – but have a tight budget – we’ve compiled a fun list of 25 cheap (or free) easy ideas for celebrating Valentine’s Day.

1. Cook Them a Valentine’s Day Meal

Certainly, you don’t have to get a sitter for the kids and spend a fortune eating out. A romantic idea of celebrating Valentine’s Day is to cook your partner a special meal. Use groceries you already have in your fridge to keep the cost low.

But if you want something special, or you just suck at cooking, (it’s okay, you can say it), buy an already cooked meal (think sushi, chicken, KFC, or whatever takeout you want). Make it extra special by decorating your own dining room table, dimming the lights, and using candles for that romantic touch.   

2. Have a Romantic Movie Night

Nothing beats watching a movie in the comfort of your own home. So, get your popcorn and candy ready and snuggle up to your honey with a movie night. Therefore, with online streaming readily available (such as Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+, etc.) you can watch the latest movies right in your own living room.

3. Enjoy a Cheap Paint Night

Likewise, a cheap and creative way to spend Valentine’s Day is by having a paint night. You can keep the cost low by getting budget-friendly art supplies from dollar stores or getting a paint set from Amazon. To set it up, all you need are some newspapers over your table, canvases, paints, and paintbrushes.

For example, you can Google pictures you want to re-create (or use an online paint tutorial for beginners) and print them off as a guide. Being creative is a great bonding experience for both of you. You can even gift your painting to the other as their Valentine’s Day present.  

4. Host a Valentine’s Day Game Night

However, if you are one for hosting and enjoy having friends over, then having a game night is for you! The fun thing about game nights is that there are endless possibilities you can do. From board games, to smart phone apps you can download right on your phone, hosting a game night is great for a couple’s date night at your home.

5. Have Breakfast in Bed

A sweet and super cost-effective way of celebrating Valentine’s Day is to have breakfast in bed. Surprise your loved one with their favorite breakfast before the rush of the day begins. If you have a special tray, you can make a healthy homemade meal with ingredients you already have in your kitchen. Most importantly, you can make it romantic by decorating the tray with flowers and a handwritten love note.

6. Give Each Other Massages

Nothing beats a romantic Valentine’s Day evening than when you give each other massages. The materials you need for a massage are extremely cheap, and you might already own them. You can use lotion, fractionated coconut oil, or divinely-scented massage oil. Make the occasion special by playing spa music in the background and lighting some romantic candles.

7. Take a Charming Walk on the Beach

They don’t say walks on the beach are romantic for nothing! If you happen to live nearby a beach, a romantic hand-held stroll with your toes in the ocean can be just what your soul needs this Valentine’s Day. (Unless, of course, the water is freezing – it is February after all!)  

8. Go on an Adventurous Hike or Camping

If you are an outdoorsy type of person, turn Valentine’s Day into a fun outdoor hike. You can take it one step further by camping out and enjoying nature just the two of you. However, depending on how you like to go camping (or “glamping” for my bougie mamas 😆), the cost can range on the varying types of camp methods.

For example, if you like to pitch a tent at a campsite, or whether you choose to bring your own RV, to renting out a cabin suite, the prices will vary. See what is in your budget and try to enjoy the peaceful environment around you this Valentine’s Day. Fishing anyone?

9. Start a Valentine’s Day Tradition

Another Valentine’s Day idea that barely costs anything is to start a new tradition. For example, will you visit someplace new every Valentine’s Day? Will you decide to write each other letters? Perhaps a special restaurant will become your Valentine’s Day thing. Starting a new tradition is literally anything you want it to be, and can be something to look forward to every year!

10. Take a Joy Ride

This one is for the adventurous spirit. Other than a full tank of gas and a reliable car, taking a joyride can be a great Valentine’s Day idea that barely costs you a thing. You can take out a map and decide to go to a place you’ve never been to before, or you can literally flip a coin (heads means turn left, tails means turn right) and see where you end up. Maybe have your phone fully charged so you can always GPS your way back home and not end up lost lol.

11. Watch the Sunrise or Sunset

A free Valentine’s Day idea is to watch the sunrise or sunset. Stargazing is romantic and can be great quality time to have a conversation with your honey as you gaze into the galaxy. That is to say, find a wonderful view and bring a warm, cozy blanket to snuggle up with and watch as the sky changes its celestial colors.

12. Have a Picnic in the Park

Having a picnic in the park is a tried-and-true Valentine’s Day date that can’t go wrong. It’s dreamy, special, and of course, romantic. You can make your own sandwiches and food, or get your loved one’s favorite meal. Therefore, you can pack up a picnic basket, a blanket to sit on, and surprise them with a picnic in a serene park. If your partner can’t get away from work, see if you can surprise them during their lunch hour by bringing the picnic to them.

13. Rent a Boat

Depending on where you live, you can rent a boat or take a boat ride for a scenic view of a beautiful lake or river. Tour guides offer some historical value, so if you are a couple that enjoys learning something new about your city, this would be a great Valentine’s Day gift. Groupon offers a lot of boat tours near you, and has discount codes often.

14. Ride Your Bikes

If you own a bike, loading up your equipment and driving to a new place (for example, a national state park) would be a great way to spend Valentine’s Day. You can explore new trails, and even pack a picnic as mentioned before. Other options instead of riding your bike could be kayaking, roller-skating, or any other fun sport that allow you both to spend quality time together.

15. Be a Tourist in Your Own City

Becoming a tourist in your own city is a lot easier said than done. It might be a little more on the costly side if you want to partake in new restaurants or different activities your city has to offer. You can Google “Things to do in my city” for more entertaining ideas. In short, to keep your budget low, look for free concerts, free museums, or other free local events. Valentine’s Day can be the perfect time to explore where you live with your wonderful partner.

16. Make a Romantic Bonfire

February is still winter, so making a bonfire is a great way to keep the romantic spark going. (See what I did there?) Bonfires create a romantic environment when it’s just the two of you. Make a hot cup of cocoa or bring crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate to make s’mores and enjoy the cackling of the fire as you take time out from your busy schedules to slow down and enjoy each other’s company.

17. Find a Free Event To Go To

Valentine’s Day is a great time to find a free event to go to. Many local restaurants, companies, and communities love to promote themselves during a special holiday. Check out your local newspapers or Facebook groups to see if there is anything news worthy to attend. Other than maybe paying for parking and perhaps food at the event site, this is a low-cost Valentine’s Day date idea to try something different.

18. Make Homemade Valentine’s Gifts for Each Other

The possibilities are endless when it comes to making homemade gifts for one another. Flowers from your own yard can you turn into a beautiful bouquet. Feeling crafty and enjoy making projects? You can make personalized gifts with your loved one’s name.

If you are looking for sentimental gift boxes, there are plenty of online stores that offer cute varieties of gift boxes that can be delivered just in time for something special. Keep in mind shipping delays if you do decide to order something, do it ahead of time so it does not arrive late.

19. Take the Day Off

Set your out-of-office reply and use some PTO for the day! Not only do I mean take the day off of work, but you can seriously just skip Valentine’s Day if it’s not your thing. However, make sure you communicate your intentions with your partner beforehand. You don’t want them expecting to celebrate a day with you when you have already checked out.

Skipping Valentine’s Day is a personal choice, so don’t feel the need that you have to partake in a holiday tradition if it’s not for you. Bonus: Taking the day off of work does allow you to spend quality time with each other, regardless of the holiday! Finish of your day by chilling by the pool, or enjoying a quiet, relaxing day at home.

20. Write a Valentine’s Day Love Poem

I am a sucker for a love note or a love poem. Because of this, I highly recommend that this Valentine’s Day, you take the time to write something special for your loved one. Let them know how much you really care and all the things you love about them. Write them a poem, love note, or even create fun coupons they can cash in with you at a later date.

Coupons can range from anything such as daily chores (cleaning the kitchen, doing the laundry, etc.), to something fun and exciting, such as a foot massage, ice-cream date, you name it!

21. Recreate Your First Date

Re-creating your first date might be difficult to do if you no longer live by the place your first date happened. However, it doesn’t have to be the exact same location because it’s really the thought that counts. If you are able to visit the first place you dated, it would be a wonderful sentimental date for you both to ponder how far you’ve made it. *Cue Shania Twain’s “You’re still the one” song in the background. *

22. Post Love Message Notes All Over the House

A cute Valentine’s Day idea I saw one time was to post love notes all over the house. You can use sticky notes to put them in places your partner isn’t expecting. For example, put them on doors, mirrors, in their closet, maybe in their backpacks or purses if they carry one.

Shower their Valentine’s Day with love notes that they continue to find throughout the day. Not only is it sweet, but extremely cost-efficient as all you need are some sticky-notes, a pen, and a little creativity.

23. Take Family Photographs

Depending on which package you pick from a professional photographer, taking family photographs can be on the pricey side. However, with the invention of the selfie stick, the ring light, and having a fantastic smartphone camera, you can now take family photographs yourself (for free!) in the comfort of your own home.

In short, if you’re a mom that loves to take candid photographs of your children and family members, you can create a family album and print it off. I personally use Shutterfly for my photo books. Blow up a picture or two to print on canvas as a Valentine’s Day gift to hang in your hallway. A photo tip is to turn the pictures into black-and-white images for an artistic, professional look.

24. Ask Each Other Couple’s Questions

For a free activity that allows you both to dig deeper in your relationship, you can ask each other couple’s questions for Valentine’s Day. Questions for couples is a great way to find out something new about your partner, whether you’ve been together for a short period of time, or for decades. Conversation starters like asking questions is an ideal (free) way to connect on Valentine’s Day.

25. Go Down Memory Lane

Going down memory lane is a starry-eyed way to finish Valentine’s Day. Dust off the memory box, and read cards, giggle at pictures from your kids, and look in awe at your old family photos. Smile as you watch your wedding video, or talk about special memories with one another.

Years ago, Scott and I got married in college and actually lived in a trailer in Tennessee for our first year of marriage. Due to us being broke college students, we had one car we shared (with no back window due to a tree falling on it during a thunderstorm). Moreover, every time it rained, we had to re-do the crappy tape job we did.

Our love story is unique – as we came back from the brink of divorce and have worked really hard to make our marriage work ever since. We love to look at our children, thank God for our vehicles (both of them now have back windows haha), and praise Jesus we are homeowners with me being able to be a stay-at-mom. Although we both try to do weekly date-nights, Valentine’s Day is awesome to celebrate the person you admire and appreciate.

Conclusion

In conclusion, your relationship should be celebrated, whether you decide to do something fun on Valentine’s Day or not. We hope this list of 25 free or cheap Valentine’s Day ideas inspires you to rejoice the love in your life.

To sum up, A bible verse I leave you with reminds us on how to love. 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 says:

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.”

Have you ever tried making your own Valentine’s Day gift? Let me know in the comments below, I’d love to hear about it! You can follow me on instagram at @bearfruitbasics for more DIY tips.