8 Ways to Celebrate Valentine's Day Without Spending a Dime

How to celebrate Valentine's Day without spending a dime...According to the National Retail Federation, Americans will spend $17.6 billion on Valentine's Day gifts this month. Not to mention the amount of money spent by the more than 70 million who will dine out for the holiday. But, saying I love you doesn't actually have to cost a thing.

Valentine's Day isn't really that big of a deal to the hubby and me, but it's as good a time as any to show him how much I love him. We just don't spend a lot of money doing it. Sometimes, it's the little things that speak the loudest anyway. Here are 8 fun ways to celebrate Valentine's Day, without spending money:



Write on the bathroom mirror
1. Write on the bathroom mirror
It's like the old lipstick on the mirror trick - only you don't have to clean it off later! The hubby and I love to leave hearts and simple I ♥ Us on the foggy mirror. Of course, if I run the fan, I often don't see it for days, but it makes me smile every time.

Related: 10 awesome Valentine's Day cake pops


Cook dinner at home
2. Cook dinner at home
Stay home for Valentine's Day this year, and cook dinner together. Put on a sexy, little apron and enjoy one another while you prepare a romantic dinner for two.


Flirt with your spouse
3. Flirt with your spouse
Flirting seems to be a natural instinct during the dating years, but after 15 years and 3 kids, it fades away a bit. Rekindle some of that spark with a simple hand on his arm, a coy smile across the room, a whisper in his ear. It's a fun way to bring a little romance back into your relationship.


I love you because ...
4. I love you because ...
I should tell the hubby more often how much I love him - and why. It's always good to hear, and I just love this idea of using a deck of cards.

Related: The 12 cutest cookies for Valentine's Day


Lunchbox notes
5. Lunchbox notes
Lunchbox love notes aren't just for children! The hubby takes his lunch to work every day. I make sure to buy some of his favorites, and while I've never tucked a note in the bag, maybe I should.


Create a playlist
6. Create a playlist
I'm not sure who decided we had to leave mixed tapes in the 80s. I'm a big fan of music, artfully selected to let the lyrics speak for you. Now, you can burn a CD or create an mp3 playlist to sing your heart out.

Related: 11 Valentine's Day desserts on-a-stick


Send random texts
7. Send random texts
Our random love notes come in digital form. Nothing makes me smile more than an unexpected text message from the hubby in the middle of a mundane day.


Write a letter
8. Write a letter
Several years ago, the leader of my moms group asked the husbands to write a letter to his wife for Mother's Day. I still tear up every time I read the words he wrote an entire life time ago. Spend some time writing a love letter to your spouse, and for added fun, tuck it up just like you did in junior high.

- By Heather Sokol

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