Budget Friendly Valentine’s Day Ideas

Valentine’s Day can be so expensive. From flowers, to going out to dinner. Oh and the candy. You gotta have the candy. And if you have kids, well they need something too! Don’t let it break the bank! You need to have an budget friendly Valentine’s Day. Here are some of my ideas on how we celebrate Valentine’s Day and save money.
Budget Friendly Valentine’s Day
Here are some ways you can SAVE on the big V day and not blow your budget. You can use this list for date ideas too.
Write a poem or a love note. Nothing is more special than words from the heart.
Last years model – if you thought ahead, use the card you bought on clearance last year. This is great to do for your kiddos Valentines cards too.
Leftover candy – Pick out the red and silver foiled candies from Christmas. Hopefully you picked up extra when it was on clearance. Any candies that are wrapped red, silver and gold work.
Everything Heart Shape – Buy a heart cookie cutter and cut your own heart-shaped cookies, bread, cheese out for a heart effect. Perfect for lunches for your kiddos.
Stay in – Make dinner versus going out to eat. Instead of having a dinner of $40+ (more if you bring the kids), make it at home for much less.
Dine out – Look for coupons for anything you are doing. Order the Valentine special the restaurant is offering. It might include dessert, appetizer and main dish!

More Inexpensive Valentine’s Day Date Ideas
Share – Get one meal and do the Lady and the Tramp sharing spaghetti thing. One big meal versus two is cheaper.
Kiddy date – Eat fast food and get food off the kids menu. It’s cheaper and appropriate portions. Splurge and get a dessert!
Breakfast instead of Dinner – Take your love out for breakfast, instead of dinner. Breakfast is cheaper. Look for a coupon.
Bagged Flowers – Ask the florist if they sell petals by the bag. Buy rose petals in a bag verses on the flower. This is much cheaper if you are going to make a spread of roses or trail.
Movies – Watch movies online on Amazon, NetFlix, Hulu, Amazon Prime or even a Pay Per View movie at home. Turn the lights down and save a good $50 versus at the theater.
House gift – While not sentimental, buy your love something you need for the house versus something frivolous. You have to make sure your honey would be okay with this, or it will be a sad Valentine’s Day for you.
Melt Chocolate – Melt some chocolate chips and dip in strawberries, pretzels, bananas. Very inexpensive to make instead of buy.
Printable Gift – Print an I love you, like this ABC I Love you for free and frame it.
Enjoy time at a Coffee Shop or bring home their favorite drink with a special treat.
Valentines Day shouldn’t break your budget. All these can also be used for anniversaries as well.
Your turn, what do you do for a budget friendly Valentine’s Day?


My husband bought me roses once for Valentines Day, then I seen the 60 dollar charge on his debit card. I told him from that point forward, he was never to pay that much for flowers ever again. I don’t care if he thinks I am worth it, that is way too much. Just give me 60 bucks and let me show you all the deals I can get with it.
If they don’t have roots, I don’t want flowers! 🙂 I agree, $60 is a lot for (dead) flowers. 😉
Handmade gifts are cherished differently than ones that are store bought. I love the sentimental value behind them more.
So true!
These are all great ideas. Gifts from the heart and ones that are made by hand are truly the best!
I agree Becca!
Thanks for all the great ideas. We will definitely be making our own cards. I like the idea of the heart cookie cutter.
Hearts are fun. Have fun making your cards!
I’m all about brinner! That’s a great idea!
Enjoy!
These are great ideas! I always make my hubby dinner for Valentines Day. It’s my gift for him!!
How sweet! I’m sure he loves it!
We are taking a mini weekend away this year because our wedding anniversary is close to the 14th. It will be good for us! Though we usually do low key dates.
That sounds like fun!
Great tips for making Valentine’s Day more affordable. We like to do fun stuff with the kids.
Thanks! I’m glad you like the tips!
Very good ideas…we love to start off the day going out to breakfast. Makes the whole day feel special
Great way to start the day for sure!
These are awesome ideas. I’ll see about making some heart shaped foods!
Have fun doing that Liz! 🙂
I love the idea of melting chocolate! I love chocolate covered strawberries!
I love chocolates too. Chocolate covered almost anything!
Very good ideas. Melting chocolate for strawberries is awesome.
I agree!
Lots of great ideas!
Such good ideas! Valentine’s Day should be more about spending time together than spending money!
Exactly Lois!
LOL on Lady and the Tramp! My in-laws share a meal when they’re out. I think it’s cute. 🙂
We do sometimes at those places that have huge portions!
NICE! I love your great ideas. In fact, I am going to steal one of yours and do a special Valentine’s Day breakfast instead of dinner. Now I dont have to worry about reservations AND I will surprise him as well.
I’m sure he will love it!
I LOVE the idea of going out for breakfast or lunch instead of dinner. There would be no wait at all!
Exactly! If we take the kids, they don’t necessary have 45 minutes to wait. They are hungry now!
what great ideas for valentines. I like that they on’t break the bank either as money is tight.
Agreed!
These are just great. We normally celebrate with the kids on the day and as a couple the weekend before or after 🙂 Thanks for sharing
Perfect! Slower than going out on the actual day!
Great ideas for Valentine’s Day. We like to stay home but the kids love the day and they do fun stuff at school.
Yes, our kids love getting and handing out cards (and the candy)
Great ideas! I am not a big Valentine’s Day person, but I love the love note idea.
Notes are super special!
I like these ideas! We never do anything big for Valentine’s Day. The kids are more into it than my husband and I!
I am with you Lindsey. We definitely do it for the kids.
We don’t get caught up in this candy filled day either but I love to get stuff for the kids to share at school.
They sometimes have the cutest things coming home from school! Such talented parents.
My husband thinks Valentine’s Day is just another day that retailers are just trying to make a buck. We really do not do much with it and I am fine with it.
That is what MY husband says too!
These are some great ideas. I love the poem or love note ideal. Valentine’s Day definitely doesn’t have to break the bank.
I agree! Less is more!
I love these ideas. I’m personally not into expensive gifts – I won’t turn them down (lol) but I’d much prefer a nice dinner, movie and my favorite, flowers.
Thanks for sharing these! Have a great week ahead.
I’m into just acknowleding the holiday and moving on. I don’t want a nick-nacky gift. I am not a nick-nacky person.
My husband and I don’t observe Valentine’s Day, so we get out of it REAL cheap lol.
Even better!