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Saying 'I Love You' for Less
by Gary Foreman
This is for the frugal romantic. Last Valentine's Day I had $8. I went
to the local grocery store and bought gladiolas (the cheapest flowers I
could find - but very beautiful). I cut red tissue paper into hearts to
look like rose petals. I also bought strawberries and grapes. I got out
all the photos of the two of us and taped them to the wall in a trail
leading to the bathroom. The bathroom walls were filled completely with
more pictures. There was also a bath drawn waiting for his homecoming
and fruit to feed him. It went over very well!
Sandy
Sandy sure has the right idea. It isn't how much you spend on your
sweetie, it's what you say and how you say it.
Of course, not everyone uses Sandy's methods. A trip to the FTD.com
website offers a dozen roses (their cheapest bouquet) for $40.98
including the service charge. And, according to the Greeting Card
Association, only Christmas generates more greeting cards than
Valentine's Day. It's estimated that we'll spend over $350 million on
candy the week before Valentine's Day. Wow! That's a lot of love!
But chances are that Sandy made a bigger impression than any box of
candy would have. That's because her gift emphasized what they shared
together.
Creating the perfect gift is a matter of thinking about the person who
will be receiving it. One way to create a successful, frugal valentine
is to highlight something special in your past. Begin by taking some
time to think. Pull out your memories instead of your wallet. What were
your partner's happiest moments? Are there special events or secrets
that you share?
Finding a way to commemorate that time or event is the fun part. You
don't need to be very good with words to write a love letter or poem.
It's the memory that you trigger that's important. Not your choice of
words or whether the poem rhymes. Trust me, you won't get a 'D' on this
assignment!
Another possibility would be to celebrate all the things you love about
that special someone. Everyone likes to hear good things about
themselves. And, who better to tell them than someone they love.
You can present those thoughts in a variety of ways. Anything from a
recorded message to a series of notes that your valentine will stumble
across during the course of their day. Again, eloquence isn't necessary.
You can be pretty sure that your grammar won't be critiqued.
Some events can be recreated. Return to the spot of that special picnic
or lovers' lane. Or listen again to the music that you shared before.
Just one or two elements from a special time will rekindle wonderful
memories.
A second way to create a memorable valentine is to use the element of
surprise. Most of us have an expectation of when, where and how we'll
receive our valentine gift. Surprising your partner is an inexpensive
way to add excitement.
Lunches offer a wonderful opportunity. If you typically prepare the
lunch, it's easy to do something special for your valentine. Their
favorite foods, heart shaped sandwiches, candy kisses or a special note
are all inexpensive. Even if you don't prepare the lunch, sometimes you
have the opportunity to get to the lunch box before it heads out the
door.
Sometimes you can spread your surprise out over a number of days. For
instance, you could deliver flowers one at a time. Or send a poem one
line at a time. If you both have email at work you could send one line
every half hour until the poem was completed. You might even want to
start a day or two before Valentine's Day and take days to complete the
message.
Another possibility is to give that special someone a 'heart attack'.
No, not where you call 911. Rather, a flood of hearts in their car,
bedroom or office. Simply cut out or print dozens of paper hearts.
Overwhelm them.
So, like Sandy, don't be afraid to avoid the expensive flowers, cards
and candy. A little thought and effort could create the best way to say
"I love you." Why not do something memorable for that special someone
this Valentine's Day?
About the author
Gary Foreman edits
TheDollarStretcher.com website and newsletters. If you'd like more
time and money you'll find hundreds of articles to help you stretch your
dollar and your day.
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