“Love is in the air”! Valentine’s Day – is it a way for couples to celebrate their love and for singles to pluck up the courage to send an anonymous card to an object of their affection, or is it a cynical attempt at profiteering on the high street? It can be an expensive time, and when you are on a student budget, you can’t afford those weekends away and expensive meals that sometimes feel obligatory.
Write Them a Poem
We don’t buy quite so many cards as we used to, but if you are a traditionalist then you can buy cards inexpensively compared to the high street sellers whose prices now seem extortionate. Instead of writing a standard message inside the card, why not write a brief poem? If you don’t fancy yourself as a writer but are artistic, include a little sketch. It’s the small things that matter and your partner / object of your affection will appreciate the effort.
Photo in a Frame
Gifts can be pricey, especially in the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day, but if you play your cards right you don’t have to buy in to the commercialisation. For couples, what would be nicer than a photo of the two of you? Small frames are inexpensive, especially if you go to somewhere like Wilkinson’s rather than high street chain stores like Debenhams. Even supermarkets sell cheap frames and you can get photos printed cheaply too.
Cook a Meal From Scratch
With all the cheap fast food available to us today, people sometimes forget how much cheaper it is to make food from scratch. It may seem daunting at first, especially when you see the ingredients list, but cooking a Chilli Con Carne, Spaghetti Bolognese and even a mild curry is easy. Your date will appreciate the effort. Plus, you will have learnt a valuable and important life skill with which to impress others.
Takeaway and Netflix / Amazon Prime
Staying in is the new going out, and as a student you have probably learnt to have the perfect night in on a budget. What’s more romantic than ordering in a takeaway from your local Chinese or Indian and choosing a film from a streaming online subscription catalogue than Netflix or Amazon prime? You could have the perfect romantic evening for under £10 each. “Netflix and Chill” is how many people date these days.
Spend the Day Together
If V-Day is at the weekend as it is in 2016, then keep away from social media and do something nice together. Weather permitting, go out into the country for a nice walk together – take a picnic and a flask of coffee. That human connection is so important in maintaining relationships and we could all do with a change of scenery from time to time. It’s also the perfect opportunity to create some couple selfies.