4 Ideas to Save Money on Valentine’s Day - Money Tip Tuesday

Valentine’s Day is when people show extra love and affection for a special person, but showing your love should not break the bank.  With a little planning ahead and some creativity, you can easily find ways to enjoy this special holiday without blowing the budget.

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Transcript:

Celebrating holidays is exciting. There’s a lot of anticipation to show that special person in your life you care. But, holidays can bring expectations to spend, often for festive food, fun experiences, and special gifts. Valentine’s Day is no exception, and like many other holidays, it’s important to consider beforehand just how much we’re willing to spend.  

If you plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, here are four ideas to save money while still having a fun and romantic holiday.   

1. Celebrate at Home  

Avoid the long waits and high cost of a night out and spend the night celebrating at home.   

If one of you knows your way around the kitchen, cooking dinner together is a great way to spend quality time together.  

If you want a night off from cooking, getting food delivered or picking up food at a local restaurant and bringing it home is another option. However, make sure to order the food ahead of time, as wait times are sure to be longer than usual.  

There are also fun but inexpensive activities that you can do at home with your loved one. You can play board games or card games, put together a puzzle, rent a movie you’ve been dying to see, or even follow a YouTube tutorial for your own paint night. Check out your local dollar stores and discount stores if you need supplies for these activities.   
 

2. Make Your Gifts  

Showing your love and appreciation for your special someone on Valentine’s Day does not need to involve flashy, expensive gifts that drain your bank account.  Instead, tap into your creativity and make your gifts.  

Want to give your significant other a bouquet of flowers? Instead of spending hundreds of dollars at a florist, look up tutorials on putting together a bouquet and then head to your local grocery store or farmers market to pick up the flowers you need. Not only will this cost a fraction of the price, but it will also mean more that you put in extra effort to make your person feel special.  

If flowers aren’t your thing, consider other DIY kits and ideas, such as a candle-making kit, a photo album or decorated photo frame, a custom playlist with songs that remind you of them, etc.  

 

3. Utilize Gift Cards  

According to a Bankrate survey, 47% of adults had at least one unused gift card, store credit, or voucher in 2023, totaling an average of $187 per person. Don’t let your gift cards go to waste! Valentine’s Day is a great time to use any gift cards you may have lying around from Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Even if your gift cards will not cover the full cost of your dinner or activity, it will help reduce the cost and save you some money.   
 

4. Take Advantage of Rewards  

Like gift cards, many credit card holders do not use their rewards year after year. Leaving accumulated card rewards unused can feel like throwing away free money.  

In some instances, it makes sense to build up your points for a more specific, high-value reward such as a hotel room or flight, but if you don’t have any travel plans soon, it might make more sense to redeem your points for something else.  Look at your credit card’s rewards center and see what retail stores or restaurants you can redeem your points at.   

Credit cards are not the only cards that offer rewards. Your Triangle Credit Union debit card gives you access to Purchase Rewards.  With Purchase Rewards, you have access to special offers from over 200 retailers, unlimited cash back deposited each month for the rewards earned the previous month, and easy access to activate and view your rewards through online and mobile banking.   

Don’t let Valentine’s Day blow your budget. Consider cutting back on costs this year and taking advantage of these low-cost date ideas.   

If there are any other tips or topics you would like us to cover, let us know at tcupodcast@trianglecu.org. Like and follow our Making Money Personal FB and IG page and look for our sponsor, Triangle Credit Union on social media to share your thoughts.  

Thanks for listening to today’s Money Tip Tuesday and check out our other tips and episodes on the Making Money Personal podcast.  

Have a great day!