Although Valentine's Day can be really nice, it is also a huge rip off. Almost everything is over priced including red roses, candy and dinner. The best way to save money on Valentine's Day would be to celebrate on a different day, but that kind of ruins the fun of it. If you want to celebrate Valentine's Day with a special someone but don't want to get completely ripped off, check out these seven tips that will be sure to help you save.
1. Make dinner at home
Since a lot of restaurants have preset Valentine's Day menus, one of the cheapest, yet romantic dinner options is staying in. Whether you end up picking up food from your favorite restaurant or cooking your own meal, you can set the mood with flowers, candles and music. You can also make dinner more romantic by dimming the lights a little.
2. Bring your own bottle of alcohol
If you have ever ordered drinks at dinner you have probably realized how quickly the bill starts to grow. If you want to cut down on the cost of a fancy meal, try bringing your own bottle of champaign or wine. Some restaurants might charge you a small uncorking fee, but paying the $5 fee will end up saving you way more by the time dinner is over.
3. Have a picnic
If you live somewhere where the weather permits, try setting up a romantic picnic at the beach, in a park, or somewhere nice on campus. All you need to bring is a blanket and a basket of food.
#SpoonTip: For tips on planning a picnic, check out this plan.
4. Make dessert and have it at home
Having dessert at home will not only save you money, but it's also a fun activity you can do with your date. There are tons of simple recipes you can make, whether its decorating cookies, baking cupcakes or even baking the pre-made cookie dough. If you don't think your date is into baking, you could also make dessert ahead of time and just serve it at home.
5. Spend money on a fun activity instead
Instead of taking your date to a fancy dinner, why not go bowling or go-karting instead? Partaking in a fun activity is a fun and memorable experience that will make your date stand out. And if you still want to buy your date dinner, most arcade-type places have a small dining area where you can buy pretzels, hotdogs, chicken fingers and burgers.
6. Go out for breakfast or lunch instead
Like I mentioned earlier, a lot of restaurants have preset dinner menus on Valentine's Day, but they don't have preset breakfast or lunch menus. Another plus is that you probably won't order as much or any alcohol (depending on you and your date), so you will also save money on drinks.
7. Look for Valentine's Day deals
A good amount of chain restaurants like California Pizza Kitchen, Papa John's and Hooters (although you probably don't want to take your date there) have special Valentine's Day deals. California Pizza Kitchen has a special price fixed menu for two which includes an appetizer, two entrees and desert for only $35—what a steal!
Now that you know all of the money saving tricks for Valentine's Day, it's time to decide what you will be doing this year. Whether you go out to eat, stay in, or plan a picnic, just remember that your special someone will be happy no matter what you do, as long as you get to spend time together.