Let's start with cards, shall we? If you have kids, chances are they'll be exchanging Valentines at school. You could buy some cheap ones at a dollar store. Or you could check out these 15 DIY Valentine Cards for Kids. For the more grown up set, here's 15 DIY valentines for the one you love. And if you truly suck at the artsy stuff, here are 15 Free Printable Valentine Cards for Valentine's Day.
Who doesn't want gifts? Rather than buy yet another stuffed animal or cheap trinket, why not try making a personalized gift. Here's a list of 40 DIY Valentine’s Day Gifts They’ll Actually Want. And though this article is entitled "10 DIY Valentine’s Day Gifts for Him", who says you can't give them to a lover of any gender?
Valentine's Day seems to be a time for giving candy. Yes, you could buy a heart-shaped box of chocolates. But you could also try these candy recipes (including my favourite...chocolate covered strawberries [just in case you're thinking of giving me something, lol]). Of course, some of them call for unflavoured gelatin. If you're Veg*n (or just don't eat that disgusting stuff), you could try a Vegan "gelatin" like Lieber's Unflavored Jel.
And the flower industry has programmed us to believe we need to buy our loved one an expensive bouquet (of roses, no less!). Yes, you could do that. Or you could make your own bouquet, personalizing it to their actual taste in flowers (some people prefer tulips or carnations or....). Here's a DIY bouquet using grocery store flowers and a cheap can. And here are some more flower arrangement tips.
Of course, if you want to buy something for your lover, here are some Valentine's Day discount codes from Coupons.com and CouponPark.
Want to decorate your home in the spirit of love? Well, here are 30 DIY Valentine Decoration Ideas (indoors and out).
A romantic dinner is pretty much a given on Valentine's Day. Assuming your sweetheart is laid back, you could check out Valentine's Day 2016: Fast-food style. But the best way to save money and still be romantic is to cook a dinner for two. Recipes containing meat abound. But it's harder to find Veg*n menus. So, I've taken the work out for you. Here are some Valentine's Day Menu Ideas from Savvy Vegetarian. Here are 10 Vegetarian Valentine’s Day Dinner Recipes for Two. And here are 20 more recipes (some Vegan). Of course, if you're REALLY trying to impress your beloved, a Wellington should do the trick. Yes, Wellington is traditionally made with beef. But here's a Seitan Wellington meant to mimic it. Though the seitan recipe on the site is a dead link...but here's a Seitan Filet Mignon that should work. Not a fan of seitan? Try this Portobello Mushroom Wellington instead. And you'll want something to wash down all that food. Here are some Valentine's Day themed cocktails and mocktails (for those who do not drink alcohol).
Ah, but what if you're alone on V-Day? Well, many people are. In fact, some refer to it as "Singles Awareness Day" (S.A.D. for short, get it?). But you don't need to be sad on 14th February. Why not give yourself a gift? Here are some gifts you can make for the person you SHOULD love...you! If you know other singles (or people who'll be away from their Significant Other for whatever reason), you could try throwing a Valentine's Singles party. Here are some recipe ideas to get you started. And if all else fails, you can always use a coupon code to order yourself a pizza!
Well, that's it for now. Until next time....