Making Valentine’s Day absolutely perfect for your significant other can be a lot of pressure. However, buying a fancy gift or splurging on that five-star restaurant down the street will sometimes cause more stress than it’s worth/ On Valentine’s Day, our Instagram feeds are flooded with sappy pics and captions about how cute some girl’s bae was for surprising her with a bouquet of roses. As college students, let’s face it—some people just can’t afford to do that!
If you’re looking to make this Valentine’s Day special for your SO but feel strapped for cash, here are five Valentine’s Day date ideas that won’t blow your budget.
1. Cook dinner together at home
Food is the way to anyone’s heart, and what better way to woo your boo than make dinner with them? This is a simple, yet intimate Valentine’s Day activity that you both can participate in. Use food you already have in your house, turn on some nice music and enjoy having fun together while also creating a yummy meal.
2. Have an indoor picnic
A picnic is one of the most romantic and classic date ideas. Unfortunately, it can be a struggle to plan one in the middle of February, especially if you live in a colder climate. The solution? An indoor picnic! Lexi, a senior at Johnson University, says indoor picnics are one of the easiest (and cheapest!) dates that she likes to have with her boyfriend. “During an indoor picnic, you sit on the floor with blankets, a picnic basket and some dishes. You eat your favorite foods that you packed together, and just enjoy each other’s company. The bonus is you get the total picnic experience without having to go outside!”
Another way to make this date even better is by making a fort for your indoor picnic. Nothing is more fun than getting snuggled up next to your SO with a bunch of cozy pillows and blankets, especially when you have yummy food around. Pop in a movie or binge a Netflix show to get the full effect of the date.
3. Volunteer at an animal shelter together
The classic dinner and a movie doesn’t always have to be your go-to date, especially on Valentine’s Day when you probably want to do something different. If you’re thinking of changing things up this year (and again, trying to save money), one of the most rewarding and fun activities to do with your SO is to volunteer at an animal shelter together.
Before you go to the shelter, contact the manager/director to make sure you have permission to volunteer, and to ensure you meet all of their background checks and requirements. Then, once you’re given permission, together you can take the puppies for a walk, play with the kittens or help the staff members clean the cages and kennels. While volunteering may not be your typical date, it will be a special bonding experience that majorly helps out an organization in need. And you get to play with puppies! (So, like, what’s better than that?)
Related: 7 Adventurous Date Ideas
4. Have a massage night
Nothing says romantic like getting a massage together, but if going to the spa and getting a couples massage is out of the question, you can easily DIY the same experience. Turn down the lights, light some candles, put on some relaxing music, and take turns giving each other a massage using any oils or lotions you have at home. This can be relaxing and sexy at the same time, especially for couples that could use time to unwind together.
It can be stressful to plan the “perfect” night for you and your bae this Valentine’s Day, especially if you’re concerned about spending money. However, the best and most memorable dates some of our collegiettes planned for their SOs were absolutely free, proving that cash spent does not correlate with date quality. Taking time to make plans with your SO for this Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be expensive or stressful—It can simply mean just popping in a movie, having a picnic indoors or sharing a homemade meal. As long as you get to spend time with your SO, that’s the only thing that truly matters.