Bloody Valentines!
Now, I understand the argument that Valentine's Day is an event perpetuated only by the greetings-card industry to part you from your money, but anyone who's ever had a boyfriend/girlfriend knows that this train of thought will only end in a wreck and potential derailment. Because, even if your other half agrees with you on an intellectual level, deep down inside we all like to be told that we are loved, and if there's a special day for it, then there's no excuse not to have it happen!
When you're saving up for a home-deposit, spending a small fortune for Valentine's day is NOT what you want to be doing.
It's this sort of purchase, the odd gift, dinner or drinks out, that adds up and suddenly your credit-cards are maxed and you're concentrating on paying them off, and the deposit-saving has taken a back-seat!
Of course, you don't want to be stingy, but let's look at the options:
Cards:
I live in central London, and had a quick peek at various Valentine's Day cards in a few shops yesterday. They were all in the £2.25 - £3.00 price bracket. Now I thought that was expensive, and the truth is that anyone can walk into a shop and buy a ready made card.
Okay, okay - there is some merit in the fact that you are spending the time to go and find that 'perfect' card for your beloved, but really, that doesn't make you the most romantic person in the world.
So, either, make a card - maybe with a photo of the 2 of you on it (you could even use newsprint cut-outs for the lettering*) if you're not very artistic, or don't give a card at all!
The alternatives to cards are cute and more cost effective:
- Ryman's have heart-shaped Post-it Notes for £1.75. You can write little messages of affection on them and stick them in hidden and more obvious locations by the score! You can probably get these cheaper in other places too - look for non-branded sticky notes as they're always less expensive.
- Cut little squares of plain paper (about 10cms across), write your notes on one side, and then fold them up to look like tiny envelopes. If you have little stickers use these to hold them closed, and then draw a stamp and write the address on the front.
Gifts:
Expensive gestures of jewellery, perfume, or restaurant meals are usually a good thing. However, you need be sure that you're got the right necklace/scent/venue, or your costly overture could miss it's mark completely. However, there are a few, much less expensive things, that are always sure to hit the target:
- Cooking a meal. Always, always, ALWAYS a winner. Whether it's breakfast, dinner or even a picnic for those who are culinarily challenged. And, yes, a picnic is still a good idea, even when the weather's cold. You just wrap up all snuggly, go somewhere pretty, and make sure you have a thermos of hot chocolate with you.
- Doing something your beloved will adore. The choice here is endless: foot massage, washing their car for them, cleaning out the fridge. Just pick something you know that they would really appreciate and that you don't normally do, and do it.
- Hand-made gifts. You've got a whole raft of options here too: make a photo-album or collage of things you've done together, or pick something that you know your amore needs and make it, such as a shelf for those few books he/she likes to keep by the bed. It might not be exactly that, but you get the idea.
Why does it work?
Now, here's the key to getting any of this 'out of the ordinary' stuff right: you have to understand why it works! Any of the suggestions above would work wonders because your gift/card is memorable, unusual (if not unique), and you put an extra special amount of time and effort into it.
A hand-made present or gift-action (like washing his/her car) says: I care about you so much that I took the time to think of this thing and do it for you. THAT is the essence of romance!
I hope you have a happy Valentine's Day, and if you don't have someone else to do something special for (or to do something special for you), you have the right to pamper yourself instead!
Take care,
Tam
* Please make sure it doesn't look too much like a ransom note - that's not the feel you should be going for!
When you're saving up for a home-deposit, spending a small fortune for Valentine's day is NOT what you want to be doing.
It's this sort of purchase, the odd gift, dinner or drinks out, that adds up and suddenly your credit-cards are maxed and you're concentrating on paying them off, and the deposit-saving has taken a back-seat!
Of course, you don't want to be stingy, but let's look at the options:
Cards:
I live in central London, and had a quick peek at various Valentine's Day cards in a few shops yesterday. They were all in the £2.25 - £3.00 price bracket. Now I thought that was expensive, and the truth is that anyone can walk into a shop and buy a ready made card.
Okay, okay - there is some merit in the fact that you are spending the time to go and find that 'perfect' card for your beloved, but really, that doesn't make you the most romantic person in the world.
So, either, make a card - maybe with a photo of the 2 of you on it (you could even use newsprint cut-outs for the lettering*) if you're not very artistic, or don't give a card at all!
The alternatives to cards are cute and more cost effective:
- Ryman's have heart-shaped Post-it Notes for £1.75. You can write little messages of affection on them and stick them in hidden and more obvious locations by the score! You can probably get these cheaper in other places too - look for non-branded sticky notes as they're always less expensive.
- Cut little squares of plain paper (about 10cms across), write your notes on one side, and then fold them up to look like tiny envelopes. If you have little stickers use these to hold them closed, and then draw a stamp and write the address on the front.
Gifts:
Expensive gestures of jewellery, perfume, or restaurant meals are usually a good thing. However, you need be sure that you're got the right necklace/scent/venue, or your costly overture could miss it's mark completely. However, there are a few, much less expensive things, that are always sure to hit the target:
- Cooking a meal. Always, always, ALWAYS a winner. Whether it's breakfast, dinner or even a picnic for those who are culinarily challenged. And, yes, a picnic is still a good idea, even when the weather's cold. You just wrap up all snuggly, go somewhere pretty, and make sure you have a thermos of hot chocolate with you.
- Doing something your beloved will adore. The choice here is endless: foot massage, washing their car for them, cleaning out the fridge. Just pick something you know that they would really appreciate and that you don't normally do, and do it.
- Hand-made gifts. You've got a whole raft of options here too: make a photo-album or collage of things you've done together, or pick something that you know your amore needs and make it, such as a shelf for those few books he/she likes to keep by the bed. It might not be exactly that, but you get the idea.
Why does it work?
Now, here's the key to getting any of this 'out of the ordinary' stuff right: you have to understand why it works! Any of the suggestions above would work wonders because your gift/card is memorable, unusual (if not unique), and you put an extra special amount of time and effort into it.
A hand-made present or gift-action (like washing his/her car) says: I care about you so much that I took the time to think of this thing and do it for you. THAT is the essence of romance!
I hope you have a happy Valentine's Day, and if you don't have someone else to do something special for (or to do something special for you), you have the right to pamper yourself instead!
Take care,
Tam
* Please make sure it doesn't look too much like a ransom note - that's not the feel you should be going for!
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