5 IDEAS FOR A BUDGET-FRIENDLY VALENTINE’s DAY

5 Ideas for a Budget-Friendly Valentine's Day- Monique McHugh Blog
5 Ideas for a Budget-Friendly Valentine's Day- Monique McHugh Blog
5 Ideas for a Budget-Friendly Valentine's Day- Monique McHugh Blog
5 Ideas for a Budget-Friendly Valentine's Day- Monique McHugh Blog
5 Ideas for a Budget-Friendly Valentine's Day- Monique McHugh Blog
5 Ideas for a Budget-Friendly Valentine's Day- Monique McHugh Blog

I knew before Tim and I decided to start another spending freeze that we would be committing to not spending money on Valentine’s Day! Some people thought I was crazy to start a money-saving challenge before the holiday (I’m looking at you mom haha), but I thought it would be a fun challenge. If you’re looking for some budget-friendly ideas for your Valentine’s Day, this post is for you!

5 Ideas for a Budget-Friendly Valentine's Day- Monique McHugh Blog

Before I dive in, I thought I’d mention that Tim and I have never been fans of going out or spending a lot of money on Valentine’s Day. Either we are cheap and can’t get over the insanely inflated prices, or we just prefer to keep things simple and lowkey. However you prefer to celebrate, I think Valentine’s day is one of those holidays that breeds comparison if you aren’t careful. We all have a tendency to look at what we don’t have and compare to the things that others do, which is not healthy! To make sure my heart is in the right place, I prefer to be proactive and unplug from it all before those feelings start brewing. 

Here are 5 Ways to save money and still enjoy a memorable night with your spouse or girlfriends this Valentine’s Day! 

1. LET GO OF COMPARISON

I have learned, over the last 5 years of marriage, to never compare your relationship and plans with other peoples’. It’s okay to distance yourself and turn off social media for the day if looking at others’ photos negatively affects you. When you scroll through social media you will see lots of people encouraging you to buy a new outfit, or have an extravagant dinner. Before you know it, you’ll want to spend money you don’t have. Get clear on your boundaries and budget ahead of time so you don’t end up in that situation, to begin with.

2. COOK AT HOME

Tim and I love the challenge of cooking a fancy meal at home. It’s a great way to spend quality time together and costs much less than paying the inflated prices that restaurants charge on Valentine’s Day. Why not cook both of your favorite meals at home? We’ve made homemade pasta, sous vide steak, and delicious chocolate chip cookies in the past and had so much fun doing it. This year we have ravioli in a cream sauce, salad, and chocolate-covered strawberries on the menu.

3. GIVE GIFTS IN THE 5 LOVE LANGUAGES

Last year Tim and I used Gary Chapman’s 5 Love Languages as inspiration for our Valentine’s Day plans and gifts for each other. We both planned out something in each of the 5 categories: Acts of Service, Physical Touch, Gifts, Words of Affirmation, and Quality Time. It was one of my favorite Valentine’s Days of our relationship and so fun! For quality time Tim surprised me with salsa dancing lessons. We both got each other small gifts and we planned out a delicious at-home meal (catching on to a theme here? ha!). Having the inspiration of the 5 Love Languages was a super fun way to make the holiday unique and memorable.

4. DO A DOUBLE DATE WITH ANOTHER COUPLE

Another fun option we love for Valentine’s Day is an at-home double date! We get together with some of our other married friends and eat dinner, play games, or watch a movie. It’s fun celebrating together and reminds us to be grateful not only for each other but also for our close friends.

5. WAIT FOR A SALE

The biggest way retailers get you on holidays is by convincing you that gifts are only meaningful if they are given on the day of the holiday. If you’re like me and don’t care at all, tell your significant other to wait to get you anything until the day after! By that point, all of the flowers, chocolates, and other gifts will be on sale! Plus if you’re wanting to go out to a restaurant, the cost of your food will be almost half of what is charged for dinner on Valentine’s Day. If you could get 3 dozen roses for the price of one, why wouldn’t you? đŸ™‚


What will you be doing for Valentine’s day? Comment below or DM me on Instagram and let me know! I hope you remember to celebrate love and don’t get caught up in the unrealistic expectations that arise. 

Wishing you all a love-filled and budget-friendly Valentine’s Day!

Thanks for reading!


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