Enjoy Valentine's Day on any budget

Valentine's Day on a budget

If you’re on a budget, here are some ideas to feel the romance whilst saving money:

• Cook a three-course meal together. You can even make this a competition to find out who the best chef is.
• Make a personalised playlist on a music platform of your choice for your partner. Choose songs that remind you of your first date or special moments together, or you could pick songs with lyrics that mean something to you and your partner. You can even grab some cheap snacks, then play the music and have some meaningful conversations.
• Make a scrapbook. Print off all your favourite pictures of your most amazing memories and stick them in a scrapbook. Then write why each picture means a lot to you. At the end of the scrapbook, you can even write 10 reasons why you love each other.

If you're single, you can still show yourself some love on a budget:

• Make a self-love playlist. From “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus to “Love Myself” by Hailee Steinfeld, get the music blasting and enjoy a good dance. You could even invite some of your friends over and turn it into a party.
• Grab the popcorn and watch a movie. Choose your favourite movie, grab some snacks and settle down for a movie marathon. Whether you want to feel the love with a romcom or escape with a fantasy film.
• Make your favourite meal. This can be done on your own or with your friends. Cook yourself your favourite meal and grab your favourite drinks and snacks then enjoy a hobby, such as reading.

Valentine's Day when you want to splurge

If you want to spend a little more this Valentine’s Day, here’s some ideas:

• Book a night in a hotel. The Barton Manor Hotel & Spa in Preston is a great location for a relaxing romantic getaway and they often have special offers.
• Book a restaurant. Preston is home to a lot of Valentine’s Day worthy restaurants. Mowgli’s and Pizza Express are my favourites, as they offer a wide variety with vegan and vegetarian options too.

If you’re single, Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to treat yourself:

• Have a shopping day. Go on your own or ask your friends to join. Preston has a wide range of shops, such as Primark and H&M. Even treat yourself for lunch, La Viva Cafe is a perfect lunch spot in Preston.
• Take yourself to the cinema. Preston has both a Vue and an Odeon cinema with a wide range of new movies that will allow you to escape and relax. So, grab a Tango Ice Blast and a large popcorn and enjoy a movie on the big screen.