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Valentine’s Day can be taxing on our budget and time. As part of Gen Z, we want to give and receive cute Valentine’s presents that make us feel more connected with the people who are important to us. Sometimes money can be a limitation though, so here are some cute DIY ideas and low-cost Valentine’s Day gifts for your friends.
- Portrait and collage
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What better idea than creating something special for your bestie? Start by printing photos of you guys together and combining those photos with magazine clippings! Afterward, buy a photo frame at Target or Walmart and paint it.
- Personalized photoshoot
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Every smartphone has a decent camera that can be used professionally. Depending on your friend’s style, arrange a photoshoot in a place that makes her feel comfortable and confident. You can always find a picture-worthy spot on campus, Winter Park, or Winter Garden. After the photos are ready, select your favorite ones and print them out at Walgreens or Office Depot. Then you arrange them in a photo book and decorate to your heart’s content with sketched sticky notes and trendy stickers.
- Digital Illustration
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There are several ways you can create Valentine’s Day art for your friends. Free software such as Figma allows you to create digital drawings easily. You can also find YouTube tutorials online where you can start from zero or you can copy an image and trace it.
- Ulta Beauty products
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At Ulta Beauty, there are excellent products under 20 dollars for skincare and makeup. The perfect gift could be a mini beauty kit, which includes lip gloss, face masks, gels, moisturizers, and more.
Design by Addie Abujade for Her Campus - Gift cards
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You can find great deals on gift cards from various stores! For example, some stores sell Spotify Premium gift cards that include a code to enjoy free music for one to two months.
- Personalized products at Etsy
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Etsy is a digital platform where entrepreneurs can sell products. There are excellent options to personalize T-shirts, mugs, keychains, pencil cases, pens, and even brushes. There is even an option to print a lamp customized with a photo of your choice.
CozyDogBoutique/Etsy - Valentine´s cards
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Don’t stress- designing a Valentine’s Day card is nothing that Canva or your own drawings can’t solve. Expand your creativity and start creating beautiful designs with personalized messages for your friends, manually or digitally. This is an original way to show your appreciation for the people you love.
- Accessories
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Accessories can make or break an outfit. They are a great idea to define your style, which is why they are the perfect Valentine’s gram for a bestie who loves fashion. Accessories are both simple and essential items.
It can be a cap, a scarf, a purse, or a mere set of earrings. TJ Maxx is a great recommendation to find the trendiest accessories.
- Valentine´s decorations!
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You can easily find beautiful ornaments, teddy bears, candy hearts, garlands, door decorations, and more at any local convenience store. Even at Walmart, you’ll see a complete Valentine’s section where you can find any kind of accessory inspired by the upcoming holiday.
- Cookies
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What would Valentine’s Day be without a sweet treat? Of course, you can bake and decorate delicious cookies (and even gain brownie points since they’ll be homemade). There are excellent tutorials to show you how to bake any cookie you desire and provide you with great ideas of which recipes would be the best to impress your friends.
I hope this list helps you to surprise your bestie for Valentine’s Day! There is always something you can do to show your friends some love and appreciation for the holidays.