Yello Valentines and 13 other Pocket-friendly Valentine’s Day Date and Gift Ideas and Surprises That Will Blow your better other’s mind.

A couple of days, someone posted online that the only thing that makes this month of February; Feb- “worry” is the 14th day; the day that happens to be Valentine’s Day. And well, he was right. Here’s why, when you are running on a tight budget, figuring out what to get your wife, girlfriend, or best friend for Valentine’s Day the whole process can prove to be quite stressful. All the glittering store window displays and glossy magazine articles send the message that to show your lady how much you love her, you must shell out big bucks for lavish bouquets, fancy jewelry, or big boxes of gourmet chocolates. With those big, bright “spend” signs everywhere, it’s easy to worry that if you show up with nothing but a warm smile and a handwritten card, you’re sending the message you don’t really care.

However, real women tell a different story. In 2019 (according to an online source), a survey among 2,000 women about their Valentine’s Day wishes was carried out, lavish gifts didn’t even make the list. Instead, the top requests for the day of love were a romantic dinner, sex, and intimacy — you know, cuddling and sharing feelings. And for the case that you’d prefer to give your girl a physical gift, you don’t need to empty your wallet to do it because much as Valentine’s day can be a great chance to reconnect with a loved one, you don’t need to break the bank to do it. Despite what the diamond, chocolate, and rose industries might advertise, it is possible to have a romantic Valentine’s Day without spending a ton of money on your sweetheart because we can all agree that whether it’s your first Valentine’s Day together or you’ve already gone through a couple together, planning the perfect V-Day date can be super tough; not with the way things get expensive for the most romantic holiday of the year, you might be looking to do something a little more affordable that won’t break the bank. Thankfully, there are plenty of ideas out there that will definitely make your Valentine’s Day perfect and make your bae want to do it all over again. So, whether you’re looking for something to do at home or just looking for a fun little outdoor activity that will make the perfect winter date, there are lots of choices here for almost any kind of couple. Get ready for some fun ideas and to impress your SO with some of these clever picks. Here are the best cheap Valentine’s Day ideas that your crush will totally love...

• Therefore, knowing your sweetheart is the key to providing a romantic, memorable, and inexpensive Valentine’s gift for him or her, and with a little creativity, you can give her a traditional gift like flowers or candy for much less money — or make a less conventional gesture that’s just as romantic. So, here are some suggestions my deep dive and research could offer me:
  1. Cards: Reading Valentine’s Day Card Love notes were the very first Valentine’s Day gifts, dating back to the original Saint Valentine, an early Christian martyr. The History channel website relates the legend of how Valentine fell in love with his jailer’s daughter and left her a letter signed, “Your Valentine,” before going to his death. Today, the love messages people exchange on Feb. 14 are more likely to be preprinted lines on store-bought cards. You can choose from a wide selection at any gift shop or drugstore for a few dollars each. However, these canned sentiments aren’t very personal or romantic. If you really want to stand out, a homemade card is the way to go. Women interviewed by Thrillist about their Valentine’s Day desires specifically said they appreciate handmade cards because they’re personal. Making your own card allows you to say how you feel about your sweetheart in your own words — a gesture that the fanciest card at the stationer’s store can’t make for you. And as a bonus, it costs practically nothing.
• 2. Jewelry (for her): Pearl Gold Jewelry Rings: The exchange of jewelry, especially rings, as a pledge of love is a centuries-old tradition. Ancient Origins cites examples of rings being used in wedding ceremonies as early as 3000 B.C. And unlike many other Valentine’s Day gifts, gifts of jewelry are treasured at least partly because of their financial worth. The idea is that spending thousands of dollars on a tiny ornament, such as a diamond pendant, shows how committed you are to your lady love since most people wouldn’t throw away that kind of money on a passing fancy. For many women, however, buying an expensive piece of jewelry isn’t the best way to invest in your relationship. For instance, if you spent the same amount on a fabulous weeklong vacation for two — and tucked the tickets into an inexpensive card — it would probably get just as enthusiastic a reaction as the pendant, especially from a partner who loves to travel. Planning to spend a whole week together is at least as good a pledge of your commitment as spending money on jewelry. And as financial expert Jean Chatzky explains in Business Insider, research shows spending money on experiences, such as a vacation, usually brings more happiness than spending it on goods. However, if you think jewelry is what your valentine wants most, you don’t have to spend thousands — or even hundreds — of dollars on it. Some less costly alternatives include:
  3. Books: Stack of Books with Ribbon Gift. In some ways, a book is the perfect gift for any occasion. There are so many on the market you can find something to suit pretty much anyone’s taste. You also have a wide choice of formats: new or used hardcovers, paperbacks, e-books, and audiobooks. Because Valentine’s Day is all about love, any book with a romantic or sexy theme is apropos. However, you also need to consider your partner’s preferences. If she loves to read gritty detective novels, then a classic by Mickey Spillane or Raymond Chandler is a better choice than the love poems of Lord Byron. If you know your squeeze is a fan of a particular author or series, the latest book by that author is a great gift pick — as long as you know she doesn’t already have it. If you choose a printed book rather than an e-book, the book itself can double as your Valentine’s Day card. Just add a romantic inscription on the flyleaf expressing how you feel about her.
  4. Music: Song of Love Hearts Music Sheet. Like books, music is very much a matter of personal taste, which means the perfect selection shows how well you know your partner. You can download a song by her favorite artist or use Tidal to create a whole playlist of songs you think she’d enjoy. If you both have subscriptions to the service already (either free or premium), it costs nothing at all. You can also put a romantic twist on a musical gift by creating a playlist of songs that are special to the two of you. Include songs that recall pivotal moments in your relationship, like the song that was playing when you met or the first song you danced to. Alternatively, you can put together a collection of songs that express what’s special about your sweetheart or the two of you as a couple. For something a bit more ambitious, write a song that expresses your feelings about your better half. It works best if you can play an instrument to accompany yourself. But if you can’t, you can still make up a simple tune to sing by itself. Even if you don’t have a great singing voice, speaking your love in your own words is much more romantic than borrowing someone else’s — and it doesn’t cost a penny.

5. Heart-Themed Gifts: Heart Shaped Cookie Cutters Wooden Table. Because the heart shape is a universally recognized symbol of love, anything with a heart on it can be a valentine. At this time of year, stores are full of heart-shaped cards and chocolate boxes, but you don’t have to limit yourself to what’s on the shelves at Walgreens. Anything that has a heart shape is fair game. A deck of cards, which you can pick up at most drugstores or dollar stores, contains 13 hearts you can use for all sorts of projects. For instance, you can arrange the 13 cards to form a larger heart on poster board or inscribe each card with a romantic message and bind them into a book. Or just pull out the queen of hearts and paste it into a blank card with an inscription addressed to the queen of your heart. A heart-shaped box, which you can fill with candy or any other small items. You can find instructions online to construct heart-shaped boxes from paper or cardboard.

6. You could make a Homemade Meal Together: Sometimes when you’re cooking with your loved one, maybe while listening to music and drinking a glass of wine, it can be quite pleasant. You could gather the ingredients, find a recipe and ask him or her to join you at X time in the kitchen. Maybe go for a homemade pizza. In a related suggestion; Cook Dinner together; I mean, why go to a restaurant when you can cook dinner at home? Not only is it so much cheaper, but you two will have a great time laughing and enjoying each other’s company as you make dinner, and it’s like a scientific fact that food tastes better when you put effort into making it.

Other than making dinner at home, there are plenty of other fun, creative things that you can do. Keep reading to see the other affordable Valentine’s Day ideas.

7. Reminisce by looking at old photos. Scroll through your photos on your iCloud or Facebook account—it will be fun to see how you’ve changed over time. This is especially a good one if you’ve been together for a while. Finish the night with a new photo to add to the mix.


8. Give each other massages. Settle in for the night with your S.O. and pamper each other with massages. You can set the spa vibe with a scented candle and some massage oil. You could spice this all up by taking a bubble bath for two afterwards. This is fun in itself. All you gotta do is sprinkle some rose petals on top of your bubbles.

9. Go on a hike. Explore the good old outdoors together. Being outside is known to boost happiness, and being together will make it even better.

10. Volunteer together. This one is a win-win. Save money and help out a local organization, especially when other individuals are spending the night out. Closely related to this is; carrying out Acts of Service. Does your loved one hate emptying the dishwasher, taking the car for an oil change or putting away laundry? For Valentine’s Day this year, why not surprise them by taking over a chore for them! It’s a little act of romance that will be greatly appreciated.

11. Write love letters—and read them out loud. Spend a few days before writing love letters to one another. Make a night out of reading them aloud and toasting to the future together. The thing about Hand-Written Letters is that nothing is as more romantic or touching than when someone writes down on paper how they feel about you. Do this for your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day. Tell them exactly what you love and appreciate about them. Nothing says I love you like your own words.

12. *No Phones* for 24 Hours. Are you the type who is always looking at your phone, even when your significant other is speaking to you? Maybe they’ve even asked you to stop? If that’s the case, which it is for many of us these days, I highly encourage giving your loved one a FULL day, completely detached from your device. The gift of your undivided attention for Valentine’s Day is something they are sure to love.

13. Stars watching. There’s nothing more romantic than laying out looking the stars. You could do this by going to different hilly areas, or even building rooftops or just standing at the balcony for a night-time view of the sky sans the frigid temps for you two; to wind your day.

Bonus one: A Museum Date: Believe it or not, some museums tend to create special activities around Valentine’s Day to give all the cute couples who visit something new and exciting to do on the special day. Plus, most museums are free or offer a discount to students, so you can definitely use that to your advantage! Still in regard to this, you could still Go see a gallery exhibit. First of all, some of these are free, and you’ll also be escaping the restaurant madness. Grab a hot chocolate or coffee on the way home as a sweet treat.

The 15th and final affordable gift idea could be gifting the love of your life this season of celebrating love one for the road from any MTN Uganda Service Centre around Kampala the “MTN Kamunye (going for only Ugx. 69,000” or the “MTN Ka Fit (at just Ugx. 159,000)” smartphones. Both do come with FREE 2GB and 3GB of data respectively; and here’s the actual catch; when you purchase one, you automatically enter a and stand a chance to win a date for you and your loved one an all expenses Valentine’s Day treat at the Naguru Skyz Hotel. So, incase you do win, you could snap all evening long and share those couple goals photos online; all on MTN. How good is that?

Final Word and this comes as a reminder as well; Like I earlier mentioned, many of the women interviewed in a survey according to an online source said what they wanted most for Valentine’s Day was the gift of their partner’s attention. They wanted their significant other to notice their habits and the things they talk about so they’d know what sort of gift would please them. One woman mentioned she loved gifts based on “dumb inside jokes” between her and her partner. They showed how much he remembered the little details of their relationship. In other words, when it comes to Valentine’s Day gifts, it really is the thought that counts. That doesn’t mean that you thought of getting her something, but that you put thought into what you chose. The best gift isn’t the most expensive one. It’s the one that does the best job of showing how you feel about her. So instead of settling for a greeting card that expresses some general idea about love, take the time to express your specific feelings for one specific woman. Throwing money around is easy. Showing how much you care is priceless.

As I conclude this article, allow me stick my nose into your business and ask: Guys, what was the best Valentine’s Day gift you’ve ever given to a wife or girlfriend? Ladies, what was the best one you ever received? A happy Valentines y’all.