Whether you’re taken or living the single life, Valentine’s Day can always get a little expensive. So how can you celebrate this holiday with the people you care about while staying on a college budget? Here are a few unique ideas to help you have a memorable (yet inexpensive!) February 14th.
Homemade Picnic Date: Grab your sweetheart or a few friends, find a nice grassy place near campus and pack a picnic! If you don’t have a picnic basket, decorate an old shoebox and fill it with some inexpensive treats. You can bring a bottle of inexpensive champagne or sparkling lemonade and include some glasses from home or plastic champagne glasses. For the main course, you can throw in a heart shaped PB&J, a thermos of your favorite soup, or prepare and pack a pasta dish if you’re feeling like having a Lady and The Tramp dining experience. Bring homemade cupcakes or a small package of your favorite cookies for dessert. Make sure to include a small candle for ambiance, and violá! You’ve just created the perfect romantic date.
DIY Photo Puzzle: If you’re feeling crafty and want to give your valentine a one-of-a-kind gift they can keep forever, try making them a cute personalized photo puzzle. All you need is an old puzzle (the bigger the size of the pieces the better), some old photos, glue, a paintbrush, white Bristol board or paper, and a picture frame. Take the old pictures and line up the part of the photo you want to show with the shape of the puzzle piece. Trace the shape on the back of the photo, cut it out, and paste the photo onto each puzzle piece. When puzzle is completed, paste the pieces onto the Bristol board or white sheet of paper and place it inside the picture frame. You can cover every puzzle piece or skip a few and write a note in the empty spots, it’s up to you! However you do it, the end product is an unforgettable gift made with love.
Secret Valentine exchange: If you’re one of those girls who is in the anti-Valentine’s day mood and usually curl up on the couch with your two boyfriends, Ben and Jerry, this year change it up and invite some friends over for a secret Valentine’s day get-together! Think secret Santa, but instead of gifts, everyone picks a name out of a hat ahead of time and then makes that one friend a personalized valentine. On the big day, everyone gets together and rents a romantic comedy, decorates red velvet cupcakes, and exchanges valentines. Go one step further and put all the cards into a small scrapbook and do it again next year in order to make Valentine’s day a tradition to share with friends.
However you choose to celebrate, you don’t need to spend a lot to feel the love and share it with the people you care about. What’s the best and cheapest gift you can give someone this year? Call your family, your friends, or your significant other and tell them how much you care. It’s the best and cheapest gift you can give this year!