The 20 Best Valentine’s Day Gifts When You’re On a Budget

More than half of all Americans celebrate Valentine’s Day with their loved ones each year, and of those millions of people, the average person spends $133.91, according to the National Retail Federation. In 2014, people spent an estimated 17.3 billion dollars on Valentine’s Day, including candy, cards, dinner and other expenses.

Some may see Valentine’s Day as a useless corporate holiday, but others enjoy the opportunity to show their special someone just how much they care. It’s hard not to get swept up into the hearts and flowers of the holiday, but you don’t have to spend $133.91 or more to take part in the festivities. Even people on a tight budget can have a romantic Valentine’s Day, hearts, flowers and/or chocolate included.

Check out these twenty great Valentine’s Day gifts if you need to stick to a budget this year. All of the following gifts are thirty dollars or less and will show that special someone in your life just how much you care.

Classic Gifts

1. Love message teddy bear

BearEgards
Source: Amazon.com

Your valentine will love this Recordable BearEgards Comfort Bear who shares a ten second recorded message with every hug.

2. What I love about you book

The “What I love about you, by Me,” book is a sweet and personal way to show your love. Simply follow the fill-in-the-blanks with heartfelt responses to give your loved one the perfect personalized keepsake.

3. Coupons from the heart

Everyone loves a set of romantic coupons to redeem from their significant other. This booklet contains sixteen romantic and sometimes humorous gift coupons are perfect for couples of any age.

4. Personalized Photo Puzzle

Personalized Puzzle
Source: Createjigsawpuzzles.com

It’s easy to make a unique, personalized puzzle for your special someone, and there are quite a few websites that offer the product. One of our favorites is through personalizationmall.com, and all you have to do is upload your favorite photo. Your personal heart-shaped puzzle will come with a velvet drawstring bag to protect the gift for years to come.

5. Name a Star

Star Registration
Source: Star-registration.com

Want to give your sweetheart the stars? You can with Star-registration.com, an official partner of the Star-naming Registry.

Now, we don’t think this is the most practical gift, but it’s certainly a novel idea. Before you follow through with it, you should definitely read up on the details about naming a star, and ensure that you choose a reputable company.

With star-registration.com, all you have to do is pay for the star naming process which is then recorded in the globally recognized star-naming registry. Your named star will be visible from the USA, Canada, and Europe throughout the whole year. Once you complete the registry, you’ll receive a certificate in the mail, authenticating your star’s name.

6. Potted Roses

Why spend $50 or more on cut flower arrangements that will simply wilt within the week? Give your loved one a gift of flowers that will last. Potted roses make a great (and significantly less expensive) Valentine’s Day gift.

7. Nostalgic Candy Gift Box

Have you been with your partner for years, or even since childhood? Use this Valentine’s Day to give them a blast from the past with the nostalgic candy gift box. It includes old-time favorites like Bubble Gum Cigars, Jaw Breakers, Sugar Daddy Pops, and wax lips.

Fun Gifts

8. The Love Game

The Love Game
Source: Amazon.com

There’s no question that you already love each other, but if you want to deepen your love, give the gift of The Love Game. The Love Game is based on the proven research of Dr. Arthor Aron and created by award-winning artist, activist and transformational coach Anthony David Adams. Ask each other the series of 36 questions (and 11 bonus questions) which are scientifically designed to help two people fall in (or deepen their) love.

9. Rememory Game

Relive and those special defining moments of your relationship with the Rememory card game. Rememory is a thoughtful card game which makes a perfect Valentine’s Day gift that will help you revisit memories and create new ones.

Gifts for the home

10. His and Hers Coffee Mugs

Matching Coffee Mugs
Source: TheCoffeeCorner on Etsy.com

His and hers coffee mugs make a sweet gift for you and your loved one. You can even present the mugs full of their favorite candy or a bag of their favorite coffee beans.

11. Personalized Love Quotes Coasters

Express your love by giving your Valentine these adorable, personalized set of stone coasters with love quotes. When ordering, you have the choice of mixing and matching your coasters with a variety of colors and quotes.

12. Love You to the Moon and Back Pillow

Moon and Back Pillow
Source: Walmart.com

Remind your partner of your love for them by getting them this personalized “Love you to the moon and back” pillow. It’s a gift that will keep on giving as you snuggle on the couch together every day after Valentine’s Day.

13. Family Jewelry Box

This customizable “Together We Make a Family” jewelry box is a sweet and thoughtful Valentine’s Day gift that won’t break your budget. Add the names of your family members to personalize the puzzle-piece heart decoration on top of this hand-crafted, alder wood jewelry box. Your sweetheart will treasure this special gift and have a place to put any future Valentine’s Day gifts of jewelry.

Crafty Gifts

14. Framed Map Heart Art

Framed Heart Map
Source: HipLittleSquares on Etsy.com

Framed map art of the place where you met or fell in love makes both a great Valentine’s Day gift and a fantastic conversation piece. Your custom piece of art will come with a heart-shaped map and the map coordinates underneath.

15. Personalized Hammer

A custom order for a personalized hammer is a touching gift to give the Mr. or Mrs. Fix it in your life. Choose from phrases like “I love building memories with you” or “Thanks for building us a beautiful life.”

16. Keepsy Facebook Photo Book

Keepsy Facebook Photo Books are sure to win your Valentine’s heart. It’s easy to lose track of your favorite moments in the endless newsfeed of your Facebook profile. Use Keepsy to transfer photos directly from Facebook to design a lasting photo album your partner will love.

17. Love Quote Chest

Love Chest
Source: FiftyTwoReasonsWhy on Etsy.com

This special wooden love quote chest is filled with 52 quotes and messages about love to put a smile on your significant other’s face, one for every week of the year. Each message is individually rolled and tied with rustic twine.

Homemade gifts

18. Favorite Memories Photo Album

Find a simple slip-sleeve photo album to use as a keepsake folder for all of your favorite memories. Write love letters and quips about your favorite memories to slip into the album. Make sure to leave empty space for later, as you make more memories together.

19. Movie Night Basket

Surprise your loved one by picking up that newly released movie they have been dying to see. Add in their favorite movie-going candy and beverage and you’ll be all set to have a romantic movie night in.

20. Chocolate Fondue Date Night

Fondue at Home
Source: Ms. B on Food.com

You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars at a ritzy restaurant to enjoy fondue with your special someone on Valentine’s Day. Chocolate fondue is especially easy to make right at home. It only takes three ingredients: chocolate, heavy cream, and vanilla extract.

Melt it all together if you want to melt your date’s heart. Strawberries, bananas, pineapple slices, walnuts, and graham crackers create a great (and inexpensive) dipping tray.

Gifts from the heart

Remember, Valentine’s Day gifts don’t have to be expensive to delight your significant other. A gift with thought, meaning, or personalization goes a long way to winning (or keeping) the heart of your Valentine, and will help keep your budget intact, too.

Kristi Muse is a family finance writer who loves talking about strategies to save money, get out of debt, and live a frugal life. She shares her experiences about debt, parenthood, and life as a law-enforcement family on her blog Moderate Muse. You can also follow her on Twitter.

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