Valentine's Day the Frugal Way

Whether you are tight on money, or just tightening up the money belt to save more, being frugal on Holidays can actually be easy. Valentine’s Day is one of the easiest, because so much can be said from something handmade, for kids and adults alike. Make this Valentine’s Day special with some of these ideas, or make your own and share them in the comments!

Recipes:
Make chocolate hearts for dessert with a Chocolate Heart Making Kit (This can be used during different holidays, birthdays, etc. to add a touch of individualism to any gift.)
Make heart shaped cookies for the kiddos and let them join in the fun.
Cherry Cranberry Shakes
Valentine’s Creamy Jigglers
Cherry Chocolate Cookies
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Valentine Pancakes
Chocolate & Strawberry filled French Toast
Beef Wellington for Two
Strawberry BBQ Sauce
Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Kids:
Printable Valentine’s
Coloring Pages
Valentine Barrettes
Friendship Box
Handprint Wall Hanging
Party Games
Sweetheart Candy Wreath

Decorating:
Dollar store finds, silk flowers, ribbon, leftover white Christmas lights, and candles can all go a long way to setting the atmosphere.

Gifts under $10:
Digital Photo Key Chain Fill it with pics of the two of you, so that even when you aren’t together, they can be reminded of special times you’ve had.
Barney: Be My Valentine DVD
How to Love Me: The Lovers' Book of Questions
Massage Oil with a massage by you.

Gifts Handmade:
Print a love poem on decorative paper or handwrite a letter, then mat and frame.
Breakfast in bed is always a winner for me.
“Love Coupons”---use your imagination.
Leave love notes where they can be found.
Make a Valentine Gift Bag,
Picture Frame,
Mixed CD of your favorite love songs, pics or videos, or try an Origami Flower Bouquet.

Dates:
My favorite way to eat out on a budget is through Restaurant.com
. You can get a $25 gift certificate for only $10 to one of your local restaurants! Hubby and I use these quite often on “date night”. Yes, it would be more frugal to cook at home, but not having to do the work or clean up after, is worth the money to me, especially on a special night. If you do eat in, you can make it special with candles, soft music, and your honey’s favorite foods. Dance to a slow song, afterward.
You can also rent a romantic movie like, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Sleepless in Seattle, Sabrina or even Lady & the Tramp…lol. Think lights out, candles, wine and lots of snuggling on the couch.
Take a trip down memory lane by visiting somewhere special from your dating days, or maybe even where he proposed.
Or find a local winery and go for a tour while sampling some of their wares.


Having an imagination (or a little help from a good search engine) and using things from around the house or that’s inexpensive is simple and fun. Remember that the greatest gift given or received is love, and it’s free!

Valentine's Day Wishlist Contest from Hotcouponworld

Wondering what you'll get this Valentine's? With money being tight, Hubby and I rarely do more than go out for a quiet dinner (with one of the gift cards I get on these sites or the great deals I get on Restaurant.com
). So, I loved this contest that lets 5 Hotcouponworld members (register HERE for membership) pick their Valentine's gift this year, up to $50 per prize, not including shipping!

Entering is easy! Just shop HERE, then leave a comment HERE telling what it is you want, and a link to the page where you found it. Contest ends 2/13/09 at midnight Pacific Time, so hurry and get to shopping for your wishlist, now!

Oh! HERE is the watch I picked, and read HERE about mine and hubby's "How we met" story (jadco123 entry).

Free McCafe' Coffee at McDonald's

Some McDonald's are running a special in February where you can get a FREE McCafe coffee during your visit. I'm trying to find out more information and make sure. In the meantime, HERE is a printable coupon for a FREE McCafe' Coffee with any purchase. Drink up!