A Frugal Valentine List: 10 Ideas for Under $10

With a conflicted history of anti-Valentine's Day rants, I offer this list of frugal romance:

No-Cost or Low-Cost Gifts

1. Love Letter: E-mails are cold; store cards are artificial and text message are temporary. But letters engrave the heart and engage the emotions. Handwritten letters are rare. But a personal note --romantic or friendship -- makes the heart sing.

2. Poem: Rhymes, meters and metaphors are nice but not necessary. Forget the couplets or the sonnets. Just sketch a few words and frame them in short verses. Create a title; date the poem and sign your name.

3. Vintage announcement. Find out what happened on the exact date on which your loved one or friend was born. Conduct online research. Print out the material on nice paper or frame the information in a pretty frame.

4. Antique Jewelry: Yard sales, craft shows, thrift shops and flea markets are great sources of (frugal) one-of-a-kind vintage jewelery for men and women.

5. Potted Plants: Grow past the cut flower/bouquet stage with a few containers of potted, flowering plants. Your gift and the memory of the gift will last longer than a week. What's more, potted plants can be purchased for as low as $2 per container.

6. Create a calendar: Use the calendar function from your home PC to create a customized calendar. Flag significant dates, relationship anniversaries and birthdays. Create special holidays that reflect past occasions and future dates. Add personal photographs or clip art.

7. Launch a blog: Use one of several free online templates to create a Valentine's Blog for a loved one or friend. Upload photographs and create meaningful links: either a song or a poem.

8. Write a song: One of my favorite scenes from the Twilight series occurs when Edward writes and records beautiful song for Bella.

9. Create a food basket of favorite foods: Does your sweetheart have sweet tooth or cravings for salt-and-vinegar potato chips? Find a customized menu of treats and create a personalized basket.

10. Labor of love: Clean the house or room; wash the dishes; vacuum the car; paint a room, give the dog a bath or commit to some other chore for Valentine's Day.

related posts:

12 Non-Valentine's Day Activities


My Playlist: Frugal Love Songs for Valentine's Day


Cheap Cupid: 11 Frugal Ideas for Valentine's Day:

Why I Hate Valentine's Day: Let Me Count The Money-Draining Ways





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