With Valentine’s Day come dates, presents, shows of appreciation, and of course, the sinking of the heart that comes with the realization that you’ve just spent your entire salary in a single day and now you have no food left in the fridge… #Sarcasm.
Still, especially in the current economic situation, you might find it necessary to scale down your spendings on February 14th. But how do you do this without wasting the opportunity to show your significant other how much you love and appreciate them?
#1 Flip-a-coin date
Hop and your S.O. into the car and drive to the end of a popular street. Flip a coin to decide whether to go left or right on every intersection until you reach a satisfying date location that’s easy on the wallet.
#2 An all-white date in the mountains
Isn’t that what winter is for?
Take advantage of the snowy weather and take your date to scenic mountainous locations like Faraya or Kfardebian to ski and mess around in the snow. Bring out your child-within and play your day away with your date. If you weigh your options, skiing can cost you 20-30$ per person.
#3 Ride bikes around town together
If it’s clear outside, you can take your bikes out and ride around your area, and maybe decide where to go and what to do next while you’re strolling around.
If you don’t have bikes but the idea tempts you, then renting a couple of them is your best and cheapest option. Bike rental services in Lebanon can charge as low as 5,000 LBP/hour.
#4 Have a V-Day photoshoot
What better way to preserve the memories of this significant day with your significant other than creating a professional collage of Valentine’s Day photographs together?
Hiring a professional photographer doesn’t have to be expensive; many Lebanese photographers charge around 25$ or less for a photoshoot session.
#5 A reasonable dinner for a reasonable pay
Dinner at a nice restaurant; classic Valentine’s Day date plan. You don’t have to pay 200$ for a nightly meal in a lavish restaurant to have a good meal and a good time.
Lebanese cuisine is the best cuisine in the world (unbiased opinion) and there’s a lot of that here! Lebanese cuisine or otherwise, do some research in your area to find the optimal dining place that saves you the priciness of fancy and offers you and your lovebird an appetizing, memorable night.
#6 A V-Day scavenger hunt
A scavenger hunt is a fun and highly-customizable game that you can transform into your own special Valentine’s Day activity.
Get creative with what you include in the hunt; make the end-prize a trip to a romantic getaway, for example. A just-the-two-of-us daytime picnic with cloud-watching would do if you’re on a budget, or if it’s a clear night, stargazing would make for a great romantic activity.
#7 Take a hike together
Nothing says serenity like a long walk across the inviting landscapes of mother nature. Doing that with your soulmate is a great way to spend the special day of February 14th together, and offers a unique, economical date idea.
#8 A picnic para dos
The numbers in your bank account don’t allow paying too much for food and a table with a view? Easy, DIY!
Lebanon is full of beautiful natural sceneries where you can set up a nice picnic spot with your soulmate and have a meal of your choosing… Food? Check. A nice outdoor place with terrific views to sit with your S.O? Check. Memorable V-Day date with minimal spending? You bet!
#9 Go see a movie
Again, a classic date setup.
If you and your lover are movie aficionados, pick a (romantic?) movie that you’re both fond of, grab some snacks before you enter, and enjoy each other’s presence as you delve together into the magical world before your eyes.
#10 Make use of that car!
If you like to be practical and save some cash, have a date on the fly.
Your car is your portable house. Get yourself and your date some takeaway from your favorite restaurant and discover your city together with some romantic music playing in the car. Park at the beach and watch the sunset for an unforgettable moment.
#11 A shopping date!
You don’t have to go crazy with this one. Choose a shop that sells things you both fancy and head there together as a date.
You can split up and pick things to buy for one another as Valentine’s Day gifts. Or you can stroll around the aisles together, each treating the other to anything they happen to marvel at. While you’re at it, you can buy ingredients for a meal to cook together.
#12 The home date
Work together with your S.O. to cook an exceptional dinner meal, bake some V-Day dessert (think heartshaped biscuits), and spend the night binge-watching your favorite movies and/or shows.
Add some board or video games to the mix and you’ll have yourself a fun, comfortable, and inexpensive date night.
#13 Create marvelous paintings together
Since we’re talking indoors now, here’s a proposition: Buy a couple of canvasses, some brushes, and gouache, and fill the blank space with Valentine’s Day paintings!
You don’t have to create masterpieces worthy of the Louvre Museum, just take advantage of the opportunity to have fun and bond with your lover in a creative, low-cost date.
#14 Create a Valentine’s garden
A great way for your S.O and yourself to symbolize your ever-growing love for each other is through plants.
On this Valentine’s Day, you can collaborate with your partner to create a mini-garden with flowers and small ferns that will serve as daily reminders of your eternal love… Don’t forget to care for them consistently, though.
#15 Redecorate the house
Sometimes moving a couch from one corner of the room to the other leaves you feeling refreshed as if you’ve just bought new furniture.
If you and your significant other like moving things around every now and then, consider redecorating the house as your indoor Valentine’s Day date. Who knows, maybe you’ll find a 100$ bill somewhere behind that old closet.