Budget Friendly Valentine's Plans in the Time of Covid

Posted By: Family Credit Management | Tuesday February 2, 2021

So you want to have a romantic Valentine's Day but due to the current pandemic and restrictions, you may not be able to head out to your favorite restaurant or vacation destination. In addition, you're probably on a tighter budget this year because of changes to your income such as a job loss, reduction of hours, or a pay cut. Even with these new realities, it's not impossible to have a budget-friendly (yet fun!) Valentine's Day. It will take creativity- but it can be done! Here are additional safe and entertaining ideas for Valentine's Day.

Have A Full-On Date Night

This might sound cliche, and all but you would be surprised how an intentional date night can work to rekindle your relationship. You can start by cooking together all the dishes you would like to eat and then proceed to get dressed and enjoy the meal. You can go all the way and have a candlelit dinner on your patio or balcony (depending on where you live!) to make the moment extra special. If you're not particularly fond or up to cooking, you can always order take out from your favorite restaurant and set it out on the table in an appealing and festive manner.

To crown the evening, organize to dance to some music and take a trip down memory lane by going through your old pictures and memories. All this while, it is crucial to keep away from your phones and stay away from anything that might distract you at the moment. Take time to be fully present at the moment and understand each other. You will be surprised at just how charmed by each other's presence you will be by the end of the night. Not only will you have stuck to the Covid protocol, but you will have also saved on costs associated with going to a restaurant!

Game Night

Couples that play together stay together. That is why having a fun game night idea can be great for both of you. The variety of games, of course, matches and varies with the different interests that you have. Board games can be a great place to state with examples like chess, scrabble, and monopoly.

Alternatively, you could organize a scavenger hunt together or any other outdoorsy game such as paintballing. To make it even cheesier and spicy for your partner, you could hide love notes all over the different parts of the game. Trust me; you're going to both love the reaction they have when they open up the notes mid-game and smile at you in that giddy sheepish way that takes your breath away.

Consider The Great Outdoors

With the pandemic going on and Covid-19 regulations at play right now, it isn't easy to engage and interact as we used to do previously. However, you could look for space and opportunity to do an outdoor activity such as have a picnic or go for a hike. You could also consider rock climbing or going to a theme park.

It is always important to keep the Covid19 regulations in mind and keep away from crowded spaces to protect you and the ones that you love.

Movie Night

Feel free to set up a mini-theatre in your backyard or your living room and dive deep into the world of Hollywood. All you need for this is a white canvas, a projector, some popcorn, and soda. As for the choice of the film, you can look into some good romantic movies to watch, vintage or new. Alternatively, you could go with any other genre that the booth if you like, such as spy films, historical films, or anything else that is bound to make you tick it off.

A great way to end the night would be to stargaze with your significant other as you talk about your dreams and hopes or review and critic the movie you just watched.

Go on a Car Date

Your car would make a great tool for a Covid-19 friendly date. If there are a few non-fast food restaurants that offer curbside pickup, visit a few of them and go on a culinary tour for Valentine's Day. Then drive to a park and have a romantic picnic with the meals you purchased and stream romantic music from your phone.

Give Your Wedding Meal a Remix

If you remember and loved what you ate at the wedding reception, then you and your spouse can create a remixed version of this meal on Valentine's Day. If you enjoyed the grilled salmon with pineapple salsa, maybe you can prepare grilled tuna steaks or shrimp with mango-jalapeno salsa. Get inspiration from online recipe websites and your favorite food magazines.

Play Music Together

If both of you are musicians, play music together and have a private concert in your living room. Play both upbeat and romantic songs from your favorite genres of music.

Create a Scrapbook or Photo Album Together

Another idea would be to create a scrapbook or photo album together. Gather your most memorable photos and go through them. As you paste the photos on the pages, write down significant details and the most romantic things about what happened in those pictures.

Chocolate Tasting

For couples with a sweet tooth, you can have a chocolate tasting in your backyard or on your living room floor. Don't sample the usual chocolate that you can find in most stores- Visit online independent retailers or local candy shops to buy chocolates from brands you never heard of. This is a great way to try new things and help support small businesses who are likely struggling through the pandemic. You can add wine and music for maximum romance.

Share Your Day With Others

Charity work or any act of giving is always bound to provide an instant dopamine release and a feeling of gratitude and togetherness. That is why finding different ways to share your special day with others might be a great idea. The pandemic has made it harder for different people to keep living as they have either lost their jobs or their loved ones this season.

You can organize to spend time with them or have some thoughtful gifts and notes for them. This activity is even more enjoyable when more people are involved, so you can try finding more people to participate in it, be it your other family members or your friends.

Valentine Ideas For Family And Friends

Most of these ideas can be incorporated into a family or friendly setting. For example, you can have a date night with your entire family and dress up the kids too. Talk about what you're grateful for, and go through your albums to remind yourself how far you've come. The bonus is that an old album is always bound to draw lots of laughter because some pictures hold great memories or are just outright funny.

Friends can also have movie nights and game nights where you watch a film from an agreed genre. Afterward, you could have a card game quiz or charades on the movie or general topics.

Key Takeaway

Valentine's Day is a wonderful time to celebrate love and togetherness. However, you do not have to break the bank, run into debt, or misuse your credit card to have a great time with your loved ones. The important thing to remember is that such occasions have the value that we place on them and the greatest thing we can do is make each other feel special, loved, and recognized.

These tips can assist you in having a memorable yet safe Valentine's Day on a budget. If you need assistance with eliminating credit card debt, contact us. We are here to guide you through the journey so that you can be debt-free and fulfill long-term financial goals.

Ready to Take Control of Your Debt?   How Bad is My Debt, Really?