February 14th is rolling around the corner, and we all know what that means! Planning and preparing a special day on a budget can be difficult, especially for the people in college. With this in mind, here’s my top 10 Valentine’s Day ideas and gifts that are budget friendly and super romantic!
1. free admission parks
Especially in Miami, there are tons of free admission parks that you could take your sweetie to. Personal favorite is always the Miami Botanical Garden, however they close at 5pm. Some other parks that are open late could include National Parks in your area. Parks are meant to explore and unwind, and what better way to do so than on Valentine’s Day?
2. Movie night in
Another classic is a move night in. Simply curling up on the couch and watching rom-com after rom-com until falling asleep on the couch can be a wonderful date you and your partner may enjoy. Especially to all my introverts out there, sometimes just staying home with your favorite person can be plentiful. You could also host a movie night and bring all your friends!
3. write a poem/letter
Writing a simple poem or card can mean a ton! Don’t think it’s too little or too small of a gesture since the whole point of Valentine’s Day isn’t to show off, but rather to appreciate your partner and show them on this special day. People get really creative with writing a letter by tainting the paper with a tea bag to give it a vintage look or using a wax stamp to make it seem “official”, but don’t feel shy about getting those cheesy Hallmark cards!
4. Dollar tree trip
Dollar Tree has all your Valentine’s Day essentials for a low price. A good idea for utilizing this would be making a lovey gift basket that you can gift your partner. Plushies with some candy and even useful items such as hair ties or bobby pins would be greatly appreciated!
5. v-day diy
Any sort of Valentine’s Day DIY you could think of probably exists somewhere. Scour TikTok for some hidden gems such as a DIY paper card, gum-ball machine with compliments, or a simple flower picking tutorial.YouTubealso lists endless DIYs of people crafting a box from scratch to make for their partner and painting the box. Then again, Dollar Tree has those $2 heart shaped bins…
6. target trip
Target is also a prime location for getting cute deals on a major budget. Target has a wider selection than Dollar Tree and opens more opportunities such as gingerbread love house or sweet card games you can play. The opportunities are truly endless.
7. giant teddy bears
Believe me, anyone and everyone appreciates a giant teddy bear. Aliexpress, Target, and Amazon have a wide selection under $30 that could easily make anyone’s day. Or year!
8. baking together
Such an intimate expression of love, quality time. A simple heart-shaped cookie baked by yourself could make your partner’s heart skip a beat with joy! Baking together is a loving act, especially getting to snack on your creation throughout the week!
9. picnic
No money? No problem. A simple sandwich in a basket and a blanket on the grass and you have yourself a picnic. Picnics can be as simple as walking to your backyard, or you could go to those free admission parks I mentioned earlier and lay down on the soft grass while you eat crackers and joke with your partner.
10. flowers!
I can also guarantee that flowers to either partner is greatly appreciated. I personally suggest Trader Joe’s or Publix flowers simply because they’re arranged so beautifully and they’re extremely inexpensive. Or, you could go to a field and pick your own flowers! Perhaps even visiting your local flower shop, if you don’t have a field near you! Creating your own bouquet can also bring sentimental value and make anyone blush.