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Valentine’s Day ideas don’t need to break your budget. Here are 13 ways to be more romantic this year!
Ways to be more romantic
By Prerna Malik
February, the month of love and Valentine’s Day will soon be here and chances are you’re already wondering if showing your love will mean busting the bank. I know. However, there are several ways to be more romantic and loving and yet not spend a ton of money. After all, money can’t buy you love, right?
Here are 13 inexpensive and fun ways to be more romantic in 2013:
Making a video is an easy and inexpensive idea for Valentine’s Day. Why not make a video sharing everything you love about your partner? Or a video of you saying “I Love You” in different languages?
Sneha Jaiswal, an Agra-based office executive, shares, “On our 5th anniversary, my husband made a video with our daughter talking about how much they loved me and what they loved the most. It is probably the best gift they could ever give me. “
Yes, a dinner for two, complete with candlelight, soft music and the fragrance of flowers wafting through is a perfect way to be more romantic. The best part is that you don’t have to go to a fancy restaurant. You can whip up a meal and enjoy it together. Even if you can’t cook five-star style, you may be able to put together a simple meal of your favourite foods.
Mixed tapes may be outdated but personal playlists are so in, especially when they have our most-loved romantic songs on it. This Valentine’s Day idea will cost you nothing except some time in putting it together. College-goer Shalu Malhotra says, “My boyfriend took the time to put all my favourite songs, even the ones he hates, on my iPod and surprised me with it on my birthday. It was awesome!”
Don’t break the bank visiting multiplexes this Valentine’s Day. Grab some DVDs of your favourite romantic movies, pop some popcorn, grab a quilt and snuggle together to watch all the movies together.
With busy times, hectic schedules and a life that runs by the clock, chances are you’ve given up going to your favourite haunts together. That coffee shop where you met when dating? Or the art gallery that both of you so enjoyed visiting in the early days of marriage? Spend the day visiting all or at least some of your favourite places. You’ll be amazed at how inexpensive it is and how much it strengthens the bond you share with your loved one.
The weather, these days, is perfect for picnics. The sunny weather, a big blanket, a basket packed with sandwiches, cupcakes and cool drinks, and some music is a great way to be more romantic and catch up with your partner.
How about making Valentine’s Day a day to remember? Literally. Capture the whole day with candid shots of your partner, put it together in a calendar or album and you’ll have a lovely keepsake in next to no time.
Delhi-based homemaker, Gayatri Wadhwa shares, “My husband is incredibly busy with his job so when he takes a day off to be with me, we spend it just talking about our past – childhood memories, college days, the early days of our marriage and the goof-ups we made, and more, it feels so romantic and we both come closer to each other than ever before.”
Want to put your love into words? A neat Valentine’s Day idea is to write little love notes for your significant other and leave them in places they’re sure to be found. The briefcase, lunchbox, the bathroom mirror, the closet or the wallet; small notes or cards with endearing words reflecting your love. Not expensive but so meaningful.
I still have the small cards that my husband (then boyfriend!) gave me when we were dating and love looking at them from time-to-time.
Sometimes, silence and peace is the best way to be more romantic. Take a long leisurely stroll together or if you’d prefer, a drive. Just enjoy each other’s presence and nearness without feeling the need to fill the space with words.
Swati Guha, a Kolkata-based businesswoman, says, “My partner and I are very fond of the arts and music, and fortunately for us, there are plenty of free shows and exhibitions being held across the city. The perfect romantic weekend for us, is going together to one of these free events and then, following it up with a nice, home-cooked meal.”
That’s right. Re-ignite the sparks and discover a new side to your partner by signing up for some inexpensive, fun classes together. Zumba, anyone? Natasha Ahluwalia, an Indore-based housewife, agrees. She says, “I was tired of my routine life and my evenings with my husband began to sound like Indian soap operas. Complaining about the maids, cribbing about vegetable prices and discussing what the kids did. When a friend suggested I sign up for these weekly dance classes with my husband, I wasn’t sure. Turns out it was the best thing ever. We both look forward to these classes where we have fun, learn new things about each other and share a common “non-household” passion.”
Finally, the most romantic and of course, inexpensive way to show your love is to simply be there. Talk to your partner. Listen to what they have to say. Laugh together. Often. Megha Bhasin, a 65-year old grandmother of two, says it best, “There comes a time when all the gifts and material possessions don’t matter as much as the presence of someone who really understands you and loves you, unconditionally.”
So, this year, don’t let money stand in the way of being romantic. Go ahead, show your love and that you really care in ways that are more meaningful than that expensive watch or 5-star dinner.
*Photo credit: bschwehn.
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