It’s nearly Valentine’s Day and you know what that means? Love is in the air, your work crush might be feeling extra flirty and your Mum is getting in touch to remind you how much she cares about you.
Whether you have plans with your partner, are celebrating with your mates or going on a first date, it doesn’t have to be pricey. Here are some great ideas for low-pressure, easy and cheap Valentine’s Day dates to help you get excited for February the 14th!
14 Cheap Date Ideas For Valentine’s Day
1. The Most Important Meal of The Day
You might not be Gordon Ramsey in the kitchen, but why not start the day there? Wake up easy and cook your other half some breakfast in bed, or nip to the local patisserie and grab them a nice pain au chocolat and freshly squeezed orange juice. Just leave them a note if you go just in case they wake up!
Estimated Date Price: from £5
2. Roll The Dice on Love
This is always a super easy one, grab some board games or even set up your Nintendo Switch and get those competitive juices flowing. The options are endless and if you don’t have a game to play, usually you can find someone to borrow a game from or find one cheap in a charity shop if you are trying to save those pennies.
Estimated Date Price: Free
Money Saving Tip: Are you giving your love a card this Valentine’s Day? If so, think about making one yourself – it will be a lot more personal and heartfelt too.
Go Golfin’
Get a little sporty! We don’t mean whack in your gum shield and dive into the scrum (unless you want to of course), but instead, check out a bowling alley or play some mini-golf. Or maybe try out ice skating, rollerblading or even rock climbing to get your hearts racing in more ways than one.
Not only can you try and impress your other half by getting a strike or a hole in one, but it is a great, inexpensive way to have fun and try something new without taking Valentine’s Day to seriously!
Estimated Date Price: from £12
Chill Out
Remove the stress of the week and set up an at home spa day for you and your significant other. Run them a warm bath with some bubbles and light some candles. You could take turns at giving massages, put some essential oils in a diffuser or make homemade face masks together. It doesn’t have to be complicated, but it is sure to give you both the little boost you need.
Estimated Date Price: From £5
Money saving Tip: Skip out on the presents. Instead of splurging on expensive jewellery or watches, a lot of people are opting for homemade gifts. Why not? They will be a lot more heartfelt and there are so many options; from a photo album of your adventures to a simple love letter – what could be more romantic?
Learn a Little
A lot of museums, galleries and botanical gardens are either free or cheap entry at certain times of the year. Have a look online to check the prices and the best time to go. If your bae is interested in art or history, this might be the perfect time to treat them with a trip to a museum!
Estimated Date Price: Free
X Marks The Spot
How about a treasure hunt? Leaving clues around the house for your partner to come home to or text them secret coded messages about your Valentine’s plans can be a creative way of showing how much you know about your significant other and show your appreciation for them.
The treasure doesn’t have to be anything major; maybe a love letter, a bouquet of flowers or a handmade dinner.
Estimated Date price: from £1
Money Saving Tip: If you want to buy flowers, don’t get them delivered as this makes the costs increase considerably. Look for flowers with closed buds, these are generally fresher and will last a lot longer than others.
Artsy Fartsy
Are you feeling creative? Get rid of your fancy suit and tie this year and opt for a good craft apron! A great way to spend your Valentine’s Day is getting stuck in with a canvas and some watercolours or oil pastels.
Try and paint each other or follow a Bob Ross video if you’re needing some inspiration. Or maybe even grab yourself some clay and mould some new crockery for your kitchen. The only limit is your imagination.
Estimated Date Price: from £10
Too Many Cooks
Why don’t you cook for each other? Either take it in turns to control what’s on the menu for an evening, or share the weight and one of you focus on a marvellous main while the other sticks to starters and delicious desserts. The great thing about this is it can be as simple or as complex as you like and can fit in any sort of budget that you might have.
If you’re feeling really adventurous, find a cosy area in your house and layout a picnic complete with cushions, fairy lights, candles and a bottle of bubbly.
Estimated Date Price: from £20
Money Saving Tip: If you’re trying to save a little but you still want to eat out, try celebrating your Valentine’s day through the week. Often restaurants and bars will put their prices up on the day, but planning your date night early can help to cut down the costs.
Pub?
Have a look at whether your local pubs and bars have a pub quiz, open mic or comedy show planned around the 14th of February. You can always ask the quiz master or presenter to slip in a question or comment about your partner to make them smile!
Estimated Date Price: from £10
Baked With Love
Food might be the way to your lover’s heart, so why not take it upon yourself to make them some Valentine’s Day cookies, a love heart shaped cake or some smiley face biscuits.
You can always get together with your friends, family or even your partner to get messy in the kitchen and make an edible gift that is sure to be a hit!
Estimated Date Price: from £5
Money Saving Tip: Planning on decorating the house? Instead of buying rose petals, cut out some red paper hearts and instead of candles, get some battery operated fairy lights (or even find the ones you use at Christmas time!)
Roll up, Roll up!
Challenge your significant other to see how many prize tickets you can win at the arcade! This can be its own activity or you can always add it on to the end of another and it will introduce a fun competitive streak to your date.
Then once you have collected all of your prize tickets, choose Valentine’s Day gifts for each other from the Prize shop with the tickets you have won.
Estimated Date Price: from £20
Shop ‘Til You Drop
If your beau loves a good shopping spree but neither of you has the cash to flash, how about checking out a flea market or some charity shops to find some hidden gems this Valentine’s Day.
Vintage shops are all the rage at the moment, and while you’re saving that money you can rest assured you’re helping save the environment too by shopping second hand. Local food markets or pop up vans can also be a great way to try some great food while sticking to your budget!
Estimated Date Price: from £10
Money Saving Tip: If you and your partner are not big on Saint Valentine, how about organising a dinner party with your friends. Ask everyone to bring a dish and voila you have a great meal with a side of a great company!
Take a Walk
Whether you’re in the heart of the city or you’re a country bumpkin, adventure is out there. Why not take a walk with your significant other, explore a part of the city you have never been to, visit a new coffee shop or pack a light a flask of tea for when you reach your destination.
You can set a route or go a little rogue; whether you stick to the path or not, you will be spending some quality time with your partner without spending any money. Why not pack some chocolate covered strawberries or heart shaped cookies too?
Estimated Date Price: Free
Movie Marathon
Similar to a games night, a movie marathon is always a good shout for film buffs, and if you want to get into Valentine’s spirit, you can choose to watch a romcom with your boo.
Alternatively, look out for cinema deals and cheaper rates if you want to go watch the latest flick on the big screen. Now all you need is some popcorn to top it off!
Estimated Date Price: Free
Final Thoughts
Remember that Valentine’s Day isn’t about the glitz and glamour of getting a ridiculous present and spending your entire week’s wage at a fancy restaurant. It’s all about appreciating your partner, friends, family or whoever else you choose to spend the day with.
Of course, there are loads of free and cheap ideas out there that are sure to make your significant other feel special this Valentine’s Day!
If you are still hunting for a supplier to make your Valentine’s Day special or if you have another big event coming up on the calendar, check out our website.
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