I like to bake a pan of brownies on Valentines Day. I use heart shape cookie cutters once the brownies are cooled and frosted with chocolate, I cut out hearts and give them to my loved ones.
My favorite Valentine's Day idea is the Valentine's Day average. Friends of mine in college used to do this. Instead of going out on Valentine's Day with the rest of the world and fighting for reservations and paying exorbitant prices, they would go out to their favorite local place the week before Valentine's Day and then again the week after, figuring the two celebrations would average to one Valentine's Day celebration. They had twice as much fun for less money and without the crowds and hassle.
I try to bake something special, and we grill steaks or something that we don't have often. Dinner will be a family thing with the kids included. Usually if it's on a weeknight, that's all we have time for.
I prefer a homemade card if dh has time, he makes great ones :)
I think the best gifts are those they are made rather than bought.
So one good idea is to write new vows to each other each V-day.
Not only is it free, but its very personal, and is something that
can constructively be used to keep the marriage or relationship
on the right track.
I highly recommend to all those hard-working couples to take this Valentine's Day and turn it into a R&R day for the two of you. If your lucky and don't have to work the weekend you can start the day with a hot shower for two or a hot soak for two. Follow that up with a couples massage...first you do him, then he does you. What happens next is up to you. Round out your morning with a simple breakfast croissants and cut fruit served with your favorite brew. It won't cost you much...massage oil and the cost of breakfast...but it will set the tone for the rest of the day.
If people focus on upfront payments, they can miss an important part of the AC system and how money builds for the writer. It isn't the upfront payment that should be the focus. Instead, think about monthly totals and if you can get hundreds monthly for articles already written...then that is just free money. Why pass that by? Each article adds to the monthly payment amount, if the writer can maintain reader interest and focuses on topics which have high search rates.
First of all, every writer has to decide his or her standards as a "writing professional". Is someone who writes ad copy a professional writer? Is someone who writes catchy headlines a professional?
Next, it helps to get exposure and page views. Just from writing on AC, I've gotten other jobs and diverse comments.
But here is what really helps with AC: residuals, also known as monthly page views. Write an article for a magazine and you might get a higher upfront payment but will you get payments monthly, for the SAME article? At AC, you can. As long as people search for the info, you get page views and some articles get quite a few views....every single month. Some writers there get a steady $800 or more monthly and never have to write another word.
Maybe that gives them more time to write on even more professional writing. Just a thought.
Great article! I've successfully done this several times, most recently with my home alarm system, when I rec'd notice of another rate hike. I called to say I would find another monitoring company if they didn't cut the price. It dropped from $36 per month to the original price from 5 years back - $25.
I've also gotten annual fees removed from all 3 credit cards over time. One I had to do in 2 stages - they cut it in half the 1st year, then eliminated it the 2nd.
I got the $10 monthly fee removed from my bank account a few years ago by calling to say I was closing my account and switching banks.
We pay every bill on time every month, so if there's an accidental late payment I call and ask to have the fee removed and it's always worked. (Having a good payment history helps).
I've had some failures... When the newspaper subscription went up again I called because I started with a low promotional deal. They said 'sorry, no more promotions available - this is the ONLY price for delivery'. Since its the ONLY newspaper available here, I didn't have much leverage except cancellation~!
We just like to spend the evening at home taking with a good bottle of wine. Looking at pictures of good moments spent together like trips or parties is a good conversation starter.
We keep it simple. Since our philosophy is to respect and cherish each other every day, we really don't see V-Day as a huge deal. We'll make a point of putting other things to the side and just spend time with each other... perhaps watch a movie and enjoy some sweet snacks.
My husband's birthday is on Valentine's Day, and I told him years ago that we just celebrate his birthday, because Hey! Everyone should have their own special day, right? And most importantly, we did not NEED to celebrate some special day for him to tell me he loves me, because he shows me how much he loves me every day of my life!
My husband's birthday is on Valentine's Day, and I told him years ago that we just celebrate his birthday, because Hey! Everyone should have their own special day, right? And most importantly, we did not NEED to celebrate some special day for him to tell me he loves me, because he shows me how much he loves me every day of my life!
a tip for the single girls out there..invite all the other single girls over, buy a few bottles of wine each and rent sappy love stories..if you can't spend it with a mna spend it with the most important ladies in your life.
My favorite Valentines Day was taking a vacation to Hawaii where we honeymooned. Frugal?!?! Yup. We never left Maryland. Instead we cranked up the heat, put on shorts and played a cd of Hawaiian music we purchased on our honeymoon. Both of us took charge of cooking two "authentic" Hawaiian dishes. We even did a little bit of decorating with some inexspensive houseplants and photos. It was cheap, fun and romantic. What more could you ask for!
My way to save money is to use the library! There are a ton of books on everything from love poems to romantic meals, and movies and CDs to take out too.
Hm... most of my favorite cheap valentine's tips have been covered by other commenters, but I'm always a fan of cakes. I love cake decorating (I'm so hip, I know), so I do enjoy making a cake with a bizarre yet affectionate message. Cupcakes are even better- they're small and not too much, but you can definitely write something cute. I like making some during the day and leaving them for my s/o when I leave for my night-shift job.
Which brings up the topic of working opposite shifts of your s/o. If you never see them, it's always nice to leave notes on the microwave for them, start the coffee, leave a meal to re-heat, whatever. It's not terribly romantic, per se, but it lets them know that you remember them ;)
I am, however, an artist by trade, so I tend to make some bizarre but (i think) cool valentines. I've made them with scrap metal, stained glass, I've done small jewelry, made cards with photos I've shot, the whole bit. Really, a little creativity goes a LOOOOONG way. The best one I ever got were some heart mittens that were poked into my coat pockets with a note. When I left for work, I put my hands in my pockets and found the mittens and the note. It was about the cutest thing ever.
In the past, I've gone out for expensive dinners on Valentine's Day, but it always felt like fulfilling an obligation about what my boyfriend and I were "supposed" to be doing on Vday. This year, I have a new boyfriend and I hope to start a new, low-pressure tradition. I would like to spend the afternoon browsing at a bookstore, picking out books for each other and ourselves and having a conversation about why we chose each one. I envision some goofy books and some serious ones. I think it is a great way to get to know another side of your sweetheart without spending any/much money, since buying the books is really beside the point!
I'd like to follow that up with a nice, home-cooked meal of risotto (cheap and way easier than you think), wine, and chocolate.
baking cookies for a loved one on Valentine's Day - using heart shaped cutters, a little pink frosting and maybe dip a few in chocolate. Pretty hard to go wrong...
I like to bake a pan of brownies on Valentines Day. I use heart shape cookie cutters once the brownies are cooled and frosted with chocolate, I cut out hearts and give them to my loved ones.
Have a romantic Valentine dinner at home. After dinner spend the remaining of the evening watching a movie.
My favorite Valentine's Day idea is the Valentine's Day average. Friends of mine in college used to do this. Instead of going out on Valentine's Day with the rest of the world and fighting for reservations and paying exorbitant prices, they would go out to their favorite local place the week before Valentine's Day and then again the week after, figuring the two celebrations would average to one Valentine's Day celebration. They had twice as much fun for less money and without the crowds and hassle.
It's always nice to make gifts...cheap and from the heart!
You can see Valentine’s Day Gifts here
http://valentinegiftssavenow.blogspot.com/
My favorite is to cook our own romantic dinner, which will be no less tasty, but much cheaper! We always have fun cooking together!
I try to bake something special, and we grill steaks or something that we don't have often. Dinner will be a family thing with the kids included. Usually if it's on a weeknight, that's all we have time for.
I prefer a homemade card if dh has time, he makes great ones :)
We plan to stay home, cook a simple dinner and watch our new big screen HDTV!
Pankaj
(freaaa@gmail.com)
I think the best gifts are those they are made rather than bought.
So one good idea is to write new vows to each other each V-day.
Not only is it free, but its very personal, and is something that
can constructively be used to keep the marriage or relationship
on the right track.
I highly recommend to all those hard-working couples to take this Valentine's Day and turn it into a R&R day for the two of you. If your lucky and don't have to work the weekend you can start the day with a hot shower for two or a hot soak for two. Follow that up with a couples massage...first you do him, then he does you. What happens next is up to you. Round out your morning with a simple breakfast croissants and cut fruit served with your favorite brew. It won't cost you much...massage oil and the cost of breakfast...but it will set the tone for the rest of the day.
If people focus on upfront payments, they can miss an important part of the AC system and how money builds for the writer. It isn't the upfront payment that should be the focus. Instead, think about monthly totals and if you can get hundreds monthly for articles already written...then that is just free money. Why pass that by? Each article adds to the monthly payment amount, if the writer can maintain reader interest and focuses on topics which have high search rates.
First of all, every writer has to decide his or her standards as a "writing professional". Is someone who writes ad copy a professional writer? Is someone who writes catchy headlines a professional?
Next, it helps to get exposure and page views. Just from writing on AC, I've gotten other jobs and diverse comments.
But here is what really helps with AC: residuals, also known as monthly page views. Write an article for a magazine and you might get a higher upfront payment but will you get payments monthly, for the SAME article? At AC, you can. As long as people search for the info, you get page views and some articles get quite a few views....every single month. Some writers there get a steady $800 or more monthly and never have to write another word.
Maybe that gives them more time to write on even more professional writing. Just a thought.
Great article! I've successfully done this several times, most recently with my home alarm system, when I rec'd notice of another rate hike. I called to say I would find another monitoring company if they didn't cut the price. It dropped from $36 per month to the original price from 5 years back - $25.
I've also gotten annual fees removed from all 3 credit cards over time. One I had to do in 2 stages - they cut it in half the 1st year, then eliminated it the 2nd.
I got the $10 monthly fee removed from my bank account a few years ago by calling to say I was closing my account and switching banks.
We pay every bill on time every month, so if there's an accidental late payment I call and ask to have the fee removed and it's always worked. (Having a good payment history helps).
I've had some failures... When the newspaper subscription went up again I called because I started with a low promotional deal. They said 'sorry, no more promotions available - this is the ONLY price for delivery'. Since its the ONLY newspaper available here, I didn't have much leverage except cancellation~!
My motto is "It's always worth asking!"
We just like to spend the evening at home taking with a good bottle of wine. Looking at pictures of good moments spent together like trips or parties is a good conversation starter.
Instead of buying cards for your loved ones, make them. It's cheaper and more thoughtful
So many great suggestions have come up already.
We keep it simple. Since our philosophy is to respect and cherish each other every day, we really don't see V-Day as a huge deal. We'll make a point of putting other things to the side and just spend time with each other... perhaps watch a movie and enjoy some sweet snacks.
My husband's birthday is on Valentine's Day, and I told him years ago that we just celebrate his birthday, because Hey! Everyone should have their own special day, right? And most importantly, we did not NEED to celebrate some special day for him to tell me he loves me, because he shows me how much he loves me every day of my life!
My husband's birthday is on Valentine's Day, and I told him years ago that we just celebrate his birthday, because Hey! Everyone should have their own special day, right? And most importantly, we did not NEED to celebrate some special day for him to tell me he loves me, because he shows me how much he loves me every day of my life!
a tip for the single girls out there..invite all the other single girls over, buy a few bottles of wine each and rent sappy love stories..if you can't spend it with a mna spend it with the most important ladies in your life.
My favorite Valentines Day was taking a vacation to Hawaii where we honeymooned. Frugal?!?! Yup. We never left Maryland. Instead we cranked up the heat, put on shorts and played a cd of Hawaiian music we purchased on our honeymoon. Both of us took charge of cooking two "authentic" Hawaiian dishes. We even did a little bit of decorating with some inexspensive houseplants and photos. It was cheap, fun and romantic. What more could you ask for!
I love making unique, hand-made cards. They're more special and save a lot of money!
My way to save money is to use the library! There are a ton of books on everything from love poems to romantic meals, and movies and CDs to take out too.
Hm... most of my favorite cheap valentine's tips have been covered by other commenters, but I'm always a fan of cakes. I love cake decorating (I'm so hip, I know), so I do enjoy making a cake with a bizarre yet affectionate message. Cupcakes are even better- they're small and not too much, but you can definitely write something cute. I like making some during the day and leaving them for my s/o when I leave for my night-shift job.
Which brings up the topic of working opposite shifts of your s/o. If you never see them, it's always nice to leave notes on the microwave for them, start the coffee, leave a meal to re-heat, whatever. It's not terribly romantic, per se, but it lets them know that you remember them ;)
I am, however, an artist by trade, so I tend to make some bizarre but (i think) cool valentines. I've made them with scrap metal, stained glass, I've done small jewelry, made cards with photos I've shot, the whole bit. Really, a little creativity goes a LOOOOONG way. The best one I ever got were some heart mittens that were poked into my coat pockets with a note. When I left for work, I put my hands in my pockets and found the mittens and the note. It was about the cutest thing ever.
In the past, I've gone out for expensive dinners on Valentine's Day, but it always felt like fulfilling an obligation about what my boyfriend and I were "supposed" to be doing on Vday. This year, I have a new boyfriend and I hope to start a new, low-pressure tradition. I would like to spend the afternoon browsing at a bookstore, picking out books for each other and ourselves and having a conversation about why we chose each one. I envision some goofy books and some serious ones. I think it is a great way to get to know another side of your sweetheart without spending any/much money, since buying the books is really beside the point!
I'd like to follow that up with a nice, home-cooked meal of risotto (cheap and way easier than you think), wine, and chocolate.
baking cookies for a loved one on Valentine's Day - using heart shaped cutters, a little pink frosting and maybe dip a few in chocolate. Pretty hard to go wrong...