I don’t like Valentine’s Day — it promotes the idea that romance is for special occasions. I reject the idea that romance is only for special occasions.
We think it’s important for couples to find ways to express their love all year round. There are many inexpensive ways to say “I love you”. Here are some:
love letter
Write a love letter to your partner instead of a card. Mass-produced cards are not as romantic as handwritten notes. I don’t remember the card Chris gave me for Valentine’s Day, conduct Lovingly remember all the notes and letters I have received. It’s fun to sort through a stack of old papers and come across a note she wrote to me many years ago.
Flowers
Sending flowers to your sweetheart can be fun, but think outside the box. Think of something other than roses. If your partner likes carnations, buy them. If he likes iris, give him iris. Don’t be a slave to the red rose mentality. In some cases, live plants may be most appropriate. I’m sure Chris would be happier with a potted tulip than a bunch of roses.
love coupon
Use a word processor and clip art to create 8-12 business card-sized “coupons”. Each coupon can be redeemed for something the recipient will appreciate. Create Love Him Coupons that your partner can use for a night on the town, candlelit dinners with her, favorite movies, weekend getaways, guilt-free time with friends, or fulfilling fantasies if you’re feeling particularly romantic can. .
Second “first date”
Familiarity in long-term relationships is great. However, that familiarity can easily become a “rut”. Shake things up by pretending to go on a first date again. Give yourself a college budget and do things like you might have done when you were younger. Dine at the local burger joint or pizza his parlor. Go bowling or roller skating. Attend a free concert. Make-out in the back row of the movie theater.
Dinner for two
Prepare a romantic dinner at home. Instead of spending her $50 a night on the town or her $100, spend $25 on a special dinner with your sweetheart. Not only can you save money, but you can share the joy of cooking together. Here are some easy and delicious recipes that are perfect for your special day.
Port and Soy Glaze Beef Tenderloin
(The recipe is capriar pence modified by JD)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 (6-8 oz) beef tenderloin
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/2 cup port
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Season the tenderloin with pepper. (Grind 2 tablespoons so that most of the pepper crust remains on the steak. It’s a good idea to start with a smaller amount.) In a large oven-proof pan, heat the olive oil over high heat until hot. . Add the tenderloin to the skillet and sear well for about 3 minutes on each side. Place skillet in oven and roast tenderloin for about 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and put it on high heat. (Put a potholder over the pot handle. It’s hot!) Add the butter, soy sauce, and port and cook until thickened and covering the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Flip the tenderloin to coat well with the sauce and serve hot. Sprinkle with remaining sauce.
This recipe isn’t exactly frugal—beef tenderloin is expensive—but it’s restaurant quality, and it’s hard to goofy. Served with potatoes and Cabernet Sauvignon. Dine by candlelight.
a private ceremony
Every couple has a private collection of rituals and symbols. These silly phrases and routines are like relationship glue. It was smooth, powerful and beautiful. I like it. On a whim, I gave it to Chris. “This is a love nugget,” I told her. “It reminds me how much you mean to me.” For almost 20 years, horse chestnuts have been something of a secret code between us. I’d rather have a “love nugget” than buy me something new.
Saying “I love you” doesn’t have to be expensive, no matter what marketers make you believe. Love comes not from buying things, but from communication, shared ideals and unity.
First Posted Article get rich slowly. Used with permission.
JD Ross An accidental personal finance expert and an ordinary guy struggling with debt. After deciding to turn his life around, he read everything he could about money and finance. In 2006, he launched his award-winning website. get rich slowlyIt was named by Money Magazine as the web’s most inspiring personal finance blog. Over the past four years, Get Rich Slowly has grown into a vibrant community with 500,000 readers each month sharing ideas on how to improve their financial lives. JD lives with his wife and her four cats in a 100-year-old house in Portland, Oregon.is the author of Your Money: The Missing Manual. Follow JD Roth on Google Plus.
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