Does Valentine’s
Day have to be expensive? Not at all. Let me tell you a story of
how my husband and I had one of the best Valentine’s Day
celebrations ever by limiting ourselves to spending $10 or less.
About ten years
ago, my husband Michael and I both left good jobs to begin a
home-based business. Within a matter of weeks, we went from two
comfortable salaries to one sporadic stream of income from our
fledgling business. On the first Valentine’s Day after we became
self-employed, we both knew we shouldn’t spend much on our
February 14th celebration. So we agreed to try
something different. We decided to set a $5 spending limit per
person for our Valentine’s Day gifts.
To a spendthrift,
a $5 spending limit on Valentine’s Day would have been like the
kiss of death: "What can I possibly buy for only five
dollars?" For us, it became a game: "What kind of cool
stuff we can come up for with less than five bucks?" Both of
us enjoyed the challenge of searching out items that would fit
the bill.
Michael is a
woodworker, so for him it was easy. He used his time and only a
little money to make me a beautiful oval frame for a wall mirror
I already had. He used wood that was salvaged from discarded
packing crates, 25¢ paint from a yard sale, and plans he drew up
on his computer. The only thing he had to go out and buy was a
dowel for putting the frame together, which cost only 76¢ at the
hardware store. The end result was a beautiful mirror that hung
proudly in our bedroom for many years.
For Michael, I
found a desk calendar that had a different quote about love for
each day. Because it was February, the calendar was on clearance
for $4. I also found a woodworking book at a library discard
sale for 50¢. In addition, I made him a homemade card and a
plate of his favorite cookies. When you add the cost of the
cookie ingredients I already had on hand, I actually went over
my limit just a little but he was delighted nonetheless. In
fact, we both enjoyed our gifts and the thrill of the hunt so
much that we instituted the five-dollar rule for other gift
giving occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries that year
as well.
Are you and your
loved one going through a tough time financially? Even if you’re
not, is the thought of saving money more attractive to you than
spending a small fortune on Valentine’s Day gifts? If so, I
encourage you to try something different this year. Take the
Valentine’s Day Challenge. Set a small spending limit—$5, $10 or
whatever fits your budget—and agree with your spouse to give
gifts that are low in cost but high in creativity.
Use any special
talents you have to create a keepsake. Put your cooking skills
to work to whip up an inexpensive-yet-irresistible treat in the
kitchen. Shop the clearance racks to find some special something
your sweetie would enjoy. Visit the secondhand stores to find a
gently-used book by a favorite author or CD by a favorite
artist. Use your budgeted amount to buy a gift card to the ice
cream shop, coffee shop or movie rental store.
Think outside the
proverbial box. Make it a game to see how you can use your
creativity to give your sweetheart the most Valentine’s Day fun
for the least amount of money.
Byline: Nancy Twigg is a speaker
and author who loves inspiring others to live more simply.
Adapted from Nancy’s newly revised book, Celebrate Simply:
Your Guide to Simpler, More Meaningful Holidays and Special
Occasions (www.celebratesimply.com).
Visit Nancy online at
www.countingthecost.com