Thanks for voting!We’ll stop short of saying Valentine’s Day is a made-up holiday, invented by some greedy greeting card salesman to… Oh well, maybe it is a little manufactured, but heck, it’s one of our favorite holidays, too.
It’s also a potentially pricey one. (See: greed, salesman.) But it doesn’t have to be. We know you want to show your love, but you don’t have to cheat on your savings account in the process. So, here’s a little love advice column for Savers:
Love doesn’t cost a thing at home. Dishing out big bucks to show your love is just plain silly. Diamond necklaces and hand-crafted watches are nice, but get a grip. Celebrate at home: Cook a special meal, dim the lights, wear a special “outfit,” whip up a special cocktail and top it off with a special handwritten poem. And still keep the special savings intact.
Step back in time. OK, so you just have to take the object of your desire out for a night on the town. But for old time’s sake, why not head out to the place where you had your first date? (And no, the back seat of the Volvo doesn’t count as the first date.) It’s a thoughtful gesture and it’s totally romantic. Hopefully, the restaurant, movie theater, bowling alley or keg party will only set you back a few bucks – and it’s a nice way to bring back memories and rekindle the ol’ flame. Then maybe you can hit the back seat… Heyyy.
Love one, get one free. Sometimes local retailers have special V-Day rates, menus and discounts. So do some advance scouting and take advantage of the “buy one, get one free” meal deal for you and your Valentine.
Give the gift that keeps on saving. Remember those mix CDs you used to make back in the day? We love slow jams as much as the next guy, but your sweetheart probably has some “interest” in another kind of CD, too.
Spread the love (and the wealth). V-Day isn’t just for couples – it’s also a day to show your family and friends just how much you care. Consider new savings account referrals as ways to spread the love. A lot of banks will even reward you for it.
So there you have it. We love sharing ways to save your money. Have a nice Valentine’s Day — and don’t forget to show us some love back!
ING DIRECT would like to give a special thanks to Budget Smart Girl, Novelista Barista, and She Knows for sharing our tips with their readers.
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Valentine’s day, for some reason, always makes me think I have to spend big bucks to let my lady friend know that I still care. Thankfully, we’re both realizing that neither of us have the money to splurge on the “unnecessary” gifts that we usually get each other for V-Day. Instead, we’re both saving. As lame as that sounds, it’s true. As of late, we have both found ourselves caught up in a new book (Mind Over Money by Drs. Brad and Ted Klontz) and we’re starting realize how exactly we can keep and even balance between spending and saving…and it’s actually helping. We’re both on the same page and we don’t feel like we have to spend a lot of money to show the love. Instead, we’re taking a tip from this blog and going out to our first date place and making it a cheap night with great times.
I encourage you all to take a look at this book, it really has been a great deal for my overall financial fitness. It’s available on all the usual outlets (Amazon, Borders, etc.) and you can also read a few excerpts at their website: http://www.yourmentalwealth.com.
Happy saving!