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5 Ways To Save This Valentine’s Day

Francey Forster

Jan 30, 2020 4 min read

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5 Ways To Save This Valentine’s Day

From Heart’s Delight, Newfoundland and Labrador, to Rose Lake, British Columbia, Canadians around the country all feel that love is in the air – or maybe that’s just the scent of over-priced chocolates and those chalky candy hearts.

Not everyone is head over heels for Valentine’s Day. And for good reason, it would seem: Valentine’s Day can get expensive. A survey from Ebates.ca found the average Canadian spends about $200 on gifts for their partner.

For many of us, this may seem a little out of reach. If you’re worried you won’t be able to woo your love without breaking the bank this Valentine’s day, read on for ideas to have a cheap yet meaningful day of love.

1. Go for memorable experiences, rather than material things

With the average gift costing almost $60 (which doesn’t even include dinner and drinks) Valentine’s Day can end up feeling like a stressful time for those who are more mindful about their spending.

Instead of spending a bunch of money on an overpriced dinner out, why not embrace your Canadian side and enjoy the great outdoors? A romantic day on the skating rink is not only a great excuse for hand-holding, but also relatively cheap, even if you have to rent your skates. Or maybe you and your partner are in the mood for a little more winter-weather excitement? In which case, why not look up hills in your area and head out for some nostalgia-inducing tobogganing? You can find all kinds of different sleds and toboggans for relatively cheap, like this one on Amazon for under $20. There’ll probably even be room left in your budget at the end for some hot cocoa!

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2. Make a homemade-only giving rule

Making a homemade gift is not only a great way to cut expenses, but also extremely heartfelt and meaningful, and bound to put a smile on your partner's face!

Homemade, personalized gifts that come from the heart are a great way to show off your creativity and save you money. For example, a book of “coupons” is a fun and popular homemade Valentine’s Day gift that is totally customizable! Write your partner a list of “coupons” that they can redeem at any time – one week of laundry, a packed lunch, or one day of dish duty. Another great homemade gift idea is to bake your partner something from scratch. Cake or cookies, your partner will think of you with each bite.

3. Give the gift of time

You know what we don’t do enough? Look up from our phones! You’re committed to your partner – not your electronic device. Put the phones away (after you get your free credit score from Borrowell, of course) and spend an evening enjoying each other’s company.

Pull out a deck of cards or a board game you haven’t played in a while. Or, get in touch with your creative side and make some art together that you can hang up at home, for a memory of a fun and loving day you can look at all year long. After all, some studies have shown that playing games or doing art with your partner helps strengthen your bond.

4. *Try* your best to plan ahead

We get it – life is busy! But in order to have a cheap Valentine’s Day, it’s important to have plans in place early to ensure you’re not paying the “Valentine’s Day” prices. If there’s something in particular you’re looking to get your special someone, it’s best to do so well ahead of time or wait until the holiday has passed. And remember: the day after Valentine’s day is unofficially “Half-priced Chocolate Day." So if you can hold out just one more day, you can get all the delicious over-priced chocolate you yearn for year-long at half the price!

5. Why go out when you can stay in?

Maybe going out and enjoying all the fun outdoor activities winter has to offer isn’t your thing. Maybe you’re more into staying warm and cozy? Since the cost of meals at restaurants just keeps increasing - staying in for Valentine’s Day doesn’t seem like the worst idea. Cook a meal at home and enjoy a glass of wine (or two) together.

Bonus: checking your credit score with Borrowell!

Checking your credit score with Borrowell is 100% free. Plus, you and your partner can do it together – how romantic is that?

You can have a cheap Valentine’s Day, it just takes some thought and creativity. We hope these money-saving strategies will help you save for what’s most important. Have a happy Valentine’s Day!

Francey Forster
Francey Forster

Francey is the manager of Customer Success at Moves and a former member of the Borrowell team. Francey is dedicated to creating positive customer experiences in the financial services industry.

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