Love is in the air as Valentine’s day is fast approaching. But, with forecasts predicting sales to topple last years estimated £470 million spend, how can you say “I love you” without breaking the bank?

A week today, we’ll be romancing the people we love with gifts, dinner and our time. While the latter may be free, the cost of gifts can leave our bank balance a little unloved.  So, without being a miser at this time, we’ve provided our top tips to express your love and save a little money in the process.

Top tips to save money at Valentines

We’ve got some top tips to manage your money during Valentine’s day:

  1. Cook a romantic meal: Dinner out can often be rushed with set times, never mind the limited set menu. Improve your Valentine’s night and save money by making a romantic home cooked meal!
  2. Buy in advance: Waiting until the last minute often means a reduced selection and what’s left could be more expensive than you planned. Buy it now and keep it stored away!
  3. Personalise the day: While it’s great to create a personalised card online, it can often be a more expensive process. You can buy Valentine’s cards for less than £1 from places like the Card Factory and personalise it in your own words. However, if you do want to create an online personalised card you can do so at a reasonable cost with the Card Factory for around £2.50, including delivery.
  4. Set a budget: This goes for most shopping, but setting a realistic budget is vital. There’s no point splashing the cash for one day if you’ll struggle to survive for the rest of the month. Set your budget before you shop. It also helps to set a budget in advance with your partner.
  5. DIY Valentines: You can always keep costs down by making a gift yourself. Breakfast in bed, chocolate strawberries or a personalised gift box can show your partner you love them and manage your budget.

Remember, love and money don’t necessarily go hand in hand. Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend but they are pricey! And, the old adage is true, the best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach and it doesn’t have to be the most expensive restaurant.

Thrifty in Love

But it’s not all bad news this Valentine’s day – you can love your partner and your wallet at the same time! We’ve found some of the best deals to help you:

  1. Go to the cinema: Why not book a date to the cinema for Valentine’s day? If you have 2 for 1 cinema tickets, from places like Meerkat Movies, then your Valentine’s day could be action packed.
  2. Half Price Flowers: £14.99 bouquet of flowers.  Available until 13th February 2017.Use MROSE50 discount code at the checkout to save 50%!
  3. Spa Break: What about a spa day for two at Bannatyes? Groupon has some excellent deals https://www.groupon.co.uk/deals/bannatyne-s-health-club-h-o-8
  4. Eating out: If you do want to eat out, you can find deals on websites like Living Social https://www.livingsocial.co.uk/ to find deals suitable to your budget.
  5. An experience to remember: Virgin Experience days have deals https://www.virginexperiencedays.co.uk/valentines-special-offers worth considering including meals out, a night away and even tickets to comedy clubs.

Whatever you do this Valentine’s day, have a great time. Love isn’t measured in pounds and pence – think outside the box this Valentine’s day and keep it personal to your partner. It’s the thought that counts, so think about what they would like and what’s personal to them. As we chat about Valentine’s gifts at Debt Support Trust, some of the best and most memorable presents we’ve received include a mixed tape of personal songs, a picture of a happy time and a gift that was created from scratch.