Valentine's Day - Frugal or Free Gifts

It's often the small - unexpectedly - kind things that we do for one another that are the most memorable. There is no need to spend a bunch of money, or even any money, on a meaningful gift for someone you love.

Here are some of my favorite frugal ideas for Valentine's Day:

• Buy a Single Red Rose - in full bloom, a single red rose means "I Love You."
• Make or Buy his favorite Cookies from the grocery bakery.
• Buy an "I Love You" balloon and put it in the bathroom or in her car before she gets up.
• Take the time to find a romantic card, and add your own words to the card - Don't just sign it!!
• Write "Will You be My Valentine" on a piece of paper and slip it into his lunch box or her purse.
• Cut a heart shape from blank paper. Write "Will You Be Mine" on it and color around the words with crayons. Place it where she will see it when she gets home.
• Write "Lucky Me - I have You" across the top of the mirror (with bar soap or lipstick) before you go to bed at night. Make sure the words don't cover the whole mirror and it's still usuable.
• Have "Your Song" playing when she gets home, and sing along.
• Write out All the things you love about your mate on little slips of paper and place them in a jar. These things don't have to sound romantic. "I love you because you cleaned up after the dog when I was too tired to do it," is a real expression of love and appreciation. Don't underestimate the power of honest appreciation.
• Rent his or her favorite movie and plan on watching it with him or her. This is especially meaningful if you don't like the movie and usually won't watch it.
• Tell your partner you want to go for a drive, and take her to the place where you first met, had a great time there, or something special happened. Talk about the memory and how it made you fall in love with her.
• Show up at your mate's job with a home-cooked (by you) meal for lunch.
• Write "I (draw a heart) U" on your forehead and pretend you don't know it's there.

Make the person you love feel truly loved on Valentine's day. That doesn't cost a thing.