Great Ways to Make Valentine’s Day Even More Special (and Affordable)!!
Valentine’s Day is coming up fast. I for one am a big fan of this celebration of love and relationships. Every year, I do my best to make it as special as possible. As you will see, that does not necessarily mean that you have to spend a fortune. Here are a few hints and tips to help you to come up with ways to treat your loved ones without going into the red.
Buy your gifts now
You will have noticed that the price of items like lingerie and high-end chocolates skyrocket just before Valentine’s Day. So, my advice is to go online to somewhere like JD Williams and buy your gifts early. Most of the large retailers get all of their stock in at least a month before, so you will find that you still get a good range to choose from. 
Plus, ordering early gives you the chance to check the gift is nice enough and not damaged. If it is you will not be left rushing around trying to find a replacement at the last moment. That is a sure-fire way to end up paying more than you should.
Use coupons.
Of course, my usual advice of looking for coupons before you buy still applies. Often, you will save yourself quite a bit of money by doing this.
Make some of your gifts
Generally speaking, handmade gifts will cost you less than the ones you buy. So, they are a really good option when money is tight. Giving someone something you have made yourself does not make you look like a cheapskate who does not care enough. In fact, the opposite is true. Provided the item is carefully and lovingly made and is something your partner will truly like, they will love it. They will appreciate the fact that you cared enough to take the extra time to make rather than buy them something. Just read this article for some handmade gift inspiration.
Give promise gifts to spread the cost
The gifts you give do not have to be physical ones. You could for example make a promise voucher online, print it out and slip that into your Valentine’s Day card. Something like two tickets to a show, and experience day out or a meal in a special restaurant would work well.
The great thing about this approach is that it gives you a bit of extra time to save up for and buy the tickets or make good on your meal out promise. Just be sure to actually deliver, if you do not it will have a negative impact. So, don’t get carried away and over commit. Before creating and giving a promise voucher you have to be 100% sure you can afford to deliver on it.
Don’t forget the kids
Before I go I must just mention that is Valentine’s Day can be a special day for kids too. It is nice for them to see their parents giving each other gifts and treating each other to something special. Even quite young children know that it is a special day. If you want to get kids more involved little things like letting them help to lay the table for that special dinner or make heart-shaped cookies are both good ideas.
Or, you could buy them a special storybook and read it to them in the lead up to Valentine’s Day. A couple of years ago, I found a great one, which I tell you all about here. I am sure you will like it.