How to Spend Less but Still Enjoy Valentines Day

Valentines day is now upon us

And with that, the traffic across the metro, the hustle and bustle of buying gifts and flowers, hotel and restaurant reservations, and out of town get-aways shall fill the air. But every time and every year, celebrating Valentines naturally necessitate costs: the costs of that fancy restaurant, the cost of that boquet of flowers, the Valentine dress, and of course, that Valentine gift. All in all, the day after Valentines can make someone feel like some sort of a deflated balloon with all the expenses.

But should this always be the case? Can couples spend Valentines without much pain and drain in the pocket?

The answer is s resounding “Yes”. And here are three practical tips to financial plan your Valentines and every Valentines thereafter:

Prepare Early
Nothing beats preparing early. One Filipino saying captures it all: “Daig ng maagap ang masipag.” This is the point: each and every year, if you reasonably expect to celebrate and spend on Valentines, why not prepare for it really early: like one year before. Think about this: suppose that you budget for next Year’s Valentines is P6,000 (P1,500 for flowers, P3,000 for Dinner, P1,500 for Valentines Gift), then that means—spread or “amortized” over a 1-year or 12-month period prior—saving just P500 per month to cover everything. Much easier and lighter on the pocket, isn’t it? Or, The costs can also be spread over your Company bonus time and Christmas bonus time. This way, having to shell out P6,000 in one payroll credit won’t be such a huge blow.

Preparing early can also mean ordering and buying flowers like more than a months prior. Valentine flowers can be ordered or reserved this way so you can lock the price in at a cheaper price—instead of buying the same day, the price of which would have doubled over already.

Set a budget and stick to it!
Prior to Valentines, it would be best to have a budget—an itemized one—and stick to it. Not having a budget is like being a leaf thrown into the wind: you’ll end up wherever the cost would take you. And if you’re not careful, these can rise up unintentionally.

If you are eyeing a restaurant already, you can actually look for advanced information on their menu, usually through their websites. From there, you can determine which combination in the menu would fit your budget or, if the restaurant itself is pricey, you can look for an alternative that fits the budget.

But then again, experience does and should not always come with a price tag. Some of the most romantic valentine dates are the most creative—with lesser costs. When everyone is going after dinners, why not a morning Valentine picnic at the nearest park? Or the classic Valentine dinner prepared at home? When everybody are in a rush to buy Valentine cards, a well-versed romantic letter in a crisp piece of paper would be very unique.

Valentines is a celebration of love, not the fanciest price tag.

Unfollow the Crowd
This has been gaining ground ever since, where couples spend Valentines not on Valentines Day. Just recently, my wife and I are searching for a good Valentines buffet meal (we haven’t had a buffet Valentines just yet), and we were really gearing towards one of the most popular. But, lo and behold! Rate is doubled during February 14, as compare to ordinary days.

Usually, the prices food and flowers go up during Valentines day. Add to that the time—and fuel—being wasted in the traffic jam, as well as the time during the long restaurant wait. They surely add to the cost. So some couple decide to just celebrate near work or house (less traffic), and they day (or days) after the V-day. As the popular inspirational speaker and writer Zig Ziglar said, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” Valentines is about the experience, not the expenses