Inexpensive Date Night Ideas for Valentine's Day

Being a world-renowned frugalista, I was invited to write a guest post for Valpak and I came up with Inexpensive Date Night Ideas for Valentine’s Day.

Many readers know that my husband and I are empty-nesters now. We’ve been getting to know each other again and to restructure our lives without the demands of raising the kids. We need to be intentional about blocking out time together as we transition to this next phase of life. Relationships take work at every phase!

Once a month, we arrange a date that the other person will enjoy. It has been fun to see what he comes up with. Our goal is simple, to have fun on a budget and have some laughs along the way.

Here are my Inexpensive Date Night Ideas for Valentine’s Day

1. Attend a concert, play, or visit a local museum. We also enjoy finding a farmer’s market or specialty grocery store to try some new food.

2. Get a massage or a pedicure together. I got my husband a pedicure for his birthday last year, and he really enjoyed the pampering. I don’t know if he would feel comfortable getting the service without me, but we have a relaxing time together.

3. Take a cooking class together. Or you can prepare a meal that you have never made. Don’t forget dessert! New experiences are a great way to strengthen your bond.

4. Have a romantic, stay-at-home cheese and wine party. Buy a few bottles of wine and cheese to try and make a note of your favorites. If you have a fireplace or a particularly beautiful part of the house, layout a lovely quilt and sit on the floor. Don’t forget to turn off your phones (very difficult for me).

5. Plant a special tree, rosebush or favorite flower or start a herb garden from seed together and enjoy the bounty all year long. This is one of my favorite ideas because it’s an evergreen reminder of how your love will never die.

6. Sign up to take an enrichment class together. Or set aside time to watch instructional videos. Again, trying new things together makes for lasting memories.

7. Give them an “experience gift”. Do you have an adrenaline junkie for a Valentine? Gift them with the experience to drive a race car, flying lessons, bungee jumping or something else equally frightening…I mean exciting. A few years ago, we tried paddleboarding and we still laugh about the adventure.

8. Get them a subscription box to try new products. These are always fun because you can find a box for almost anything; from healthy snack foods, beauty accessories, clothing, jewelry, men’s gifts, cigars and more. If you can imagine it, there’s probably a box for it.

Do you have some inexpensive date night ideas for Valentine’s Day to share?