Skip the traditional roses and save on Valentine’s Day

Everyone knows that the price of roses and other flowers skyrocket for Valentine’s Day, so what options are available if you still want to make a lovely Valentine’s Day for someone special?

Valentine’s Day is known to see the prices of roses skyrocket, and some people happily pay it, sending their credit cards into a frenzy for one day.

In fact, the closer you get to Valentine’s Day, the more you should be prepared to spend. Much like how when you tell florists that they’re supplying for a “wedding” as opposed to a “party” to and the cost of services rises, the same is true with February 14. Wait long enough and your regular twelve buck roses on any regular day will suddenly jump to $40, $50, or more.

But red flowers don’t have to be the only Valentine’s Day gift idea you have to go with, because there are plenty of other choices that you can spend on, and even a few you won’t have to go all out with.

Valentine’s Day gifts you can spend on

Roses are a Valentine’s Day given, but they don’t have to be the be-all end-all when it comes to V-Day gifting choices. You can easily gift plenty of other things, from the old mainstay of chocolate to these charming gift ideas below.

Tempting Scents

Price: $15 to $50

Take a walk down to a bath products store like a Lush or Body Shop, or any store that sells scented products, and you might be able to find a nice candle, soap, or something else that says “relax” and “I love you”.

Bouquet of Beer

Price: $20 to $40

This one can be ordered by online services, or you can do it yourself. Buy a small bucket or a box from a cheap shop, grab a six pack, and throw them in. Feel free to decorate with either some flowers or chocolates to make it more “floral”, and voila: you have a bouquet of beer.

Box of Bubbly

Price: $30 to $80

Roses don’t last long, and neither does a glass of bubbly, but at least you can enjoy the latter with someone more than the former flowers. Grab a small coloured box from your local cheap shop, a bottle of their favourite sparkling wine, and maybe a couple of new glasses to create your own special hamper. If you add a punnet of strawberries, the package gets even better.

Spa Day

Price: $90 to $300

While a glass of bubbly can be lovely, a day to treat can be even better, with a day at the spa, day with a masseuse, or just a day to relax and unwind while they’re treated kindly by the pros. You can give this to anyone, man or woman, and it can even come with a gift certificate, which most spas will be all too happy to provide.

Valentine’s Day gifts you can give for not much at all

Valentine’s Day may be the time when it’s typical to spend money on roses, chocolates, scented candles, and oversized plush teddy bears that need a seat of their own on the bus ride home, but it’s also a time when you can just be romantic and give something without taking out that bank card.

A home-cooked dinner
Thinking of reminding that special someone just how special they are to begin with? Consider grabbing a few ingredients on the commute home and preparing a home-cooked dinner for them, telling your someone to put their feet up and letting you do the work.

Remember to grab something nice for dessert, unless you feel like getting those baking mitts on, too.

Write a poem
A little bit on the sappy side, you can always write a poem for your partner, and read it to them. Alternatively, write several, roll them up, seal them with a rubber band, and throw them in a small jar as a cute gift for the home.

You can tell your partner that your love for them is all there, and they only need to open it and find out.

Massage
While the spa is a nice idea, they can get expensive, and you can always do it yourself. Consider picking up a candle or soy melts to make the home a little more relaxing, put on some slow music, and offer your hands up for an hour or so.

Remember that you don’t necessarily need Valentine’s Day to do any of these for someone, and can bring a smile and a bit of a surprise to anyone if you choose to do one of these things any day of the year. But if you pick a day that isn’t Valentine’s Day, you might just save a little bit of money on the things that cost something to begin with.

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