reading time: 2 min
To be honest, I've never been one to celebrate Valentine's Day in any way. I always thought of it as a commercialized, idealized and often overly expensive holiday (kinda like Christmas actually) that basically forces you to buy your loved one at least a dozen red roses, chocolate, and a corny greeting card that affirms your love for each other.
Nowadays I just see it as a little reminder to spend some quality time with your partner, and maybe do something fun and romantic together without having to spend an enormous amount of money to surprise your boyfriend with that helicopter ride or that new watch :)
Nowadays I just see it as a little reminder to spend some quality time with your partner, and maybe do something fun and romantic together without having to spend an enormous amount of money to surprise your boyfriend with that helicopter ride or that new watch :)
40 Budget-Friendly Valentine's Ideas
01. Work out together. You could also try something fun like a mud run or a colour run.
02. Go fruit picking, e.g. apple picking or blueberry picking.
03. Do a karaoke night, either in a bar or at home.
04. Make each other's favourite meal.
05. Take a trip to the beach and go snorkelling together – bring along an underwater camera.
06. Go to a park where you can feed the ducks. Maybe have a picnic afterwards.
07. Go on a road trip to spend quality time together. Bring your PB&Js and play your favourite music to sing along to. (I've always wanted to do a road trip through New Zealand with an inbuilt mattress in the back of the car... sigh)
08. Redecorate or rearrange your flat together.
09. Take a class together, e.g. cooking, dancing, pottery, yoga, boxing, painting, language course...
10. Write a letter/poem/song to your loved one.
11. Take a midnight walk around your neighbourhood.
12. Make a personalized playlist for the two of you or just for your partner. (In our case, we each chose the songs that reminded us of each other or us as a couple separately and then assembled them into one playlist)
13. Take a stroll across the farmers market or a flea market. Or go thrifting or garage sale-ing together.
14. Make a book club for two and share your thoughts on the books.
15. Do acro yoga together, either at home or in a class – so much fun!!
16. Babysit for a friend. Have fun playing hide-and-seek, doing colouring, going to a nearby playground, playing with Play-Doh, or making some fun snacks together such as fruit leather or popcorn. Once the little rascal is in bed, you can make out on the couch – erm, I mean, watch a movie... If you don't have any friends with kids, try dog-sitting! :)
17. (Mom, cover your eyes) Practice Kama Sutra or other new sex positions.
18. Housesit together. If you haven't lived together yet, that's a great way to test out if you are ready to share a home!
19. Pretend you don't know each other, get dressed up, and meet in the bar or at an event to have another "first date".
20. Make each other breakfast in bed.
21. Play strip poker and/or truth or dare.
22. Go camping, or just sleep in a tent in your garden.
23. Grab a thermos bottle with hot tea, coffee, cocoa or wine and watch the sunset (or the sunrise if you're early birds).
24. Take photos of each other. Maybe your social media profile pictures are out of date or you just want some more pretty couple pictures. Maybe also take naked pictures if you're in the mood – don't use them for your social media though lol.
25. Buy the ingredients for you to both make variations of the same dish (or make two different dishes with the same ingredients) and have a cooking competition.
26. Paint a room or a wall together.
27. Create a bucket list with things you'd like to do together (such as travelling, activities etc.). Then talk about it and dream a little.
28. Write love letters to each other, then read them to each other.
29. Have a paint fight – alternatively a water gun, water balloon, or pillow fight – in the garden.
30. Write a piece of fiction together, like a short story, a movie script, or a poem.
31. Leave a sweet sticky note on the bathroom mirror or at the breakfast table for your partner to read when they get up.
32. Print out your favourite photos and turn them into a collage or a
memory scrap book. For example, my boyfriend and I have started a photo
wall with one picture of the two of us from each vacation, and it's so
much fun!
33. Surprise your loved one with a homemade sandwich bag or a packed lunch – how about this super cute owl bag?
34. Compete for who can take the ugliest or most ridiculous selfie.
35. Channel your inner child and go wild with sidewalk chalk. Outline each other's bodies or draw some creative murals.
36. Decorate mugs or breakfast bowls for each other with porcelain pens, like so.
37. Read a book to each other, taking turns reading chapters.
38. Make the biggest, craziest ice cream sundae ever and eat it together. Here are some ideas to start from: After Eight Ice Cream, Banana Split Ice Cream, Banoffee Pie Ice Cream.
39. Do "dining in the dark" in a dark restaurant where you won't be able to see the food you are eating. That way your taste sense will be heightened, and it's an overall intense and fun experience!
40. Take a romantic bubble bath together: light candles, put on some mellow music, throw in some rose petals or lavender blossoms, and really set the mood.
BONUS: Just say something personal about yourself and open up to your partner :)
♥
Maisy
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