Both of us enjoyed the challenge of searching out items that would fit
the bill.
Michael is a woodworker, so for him it
was easy. He used his time and only a little money to make me a
beautiful oval frame for a wall mirror I already had. He used wood that
was salvaged from discarded packing crates, 25¢ paint from a yard sale,
and plans he drew up on his computer. The only thing he had to go out
and buy was a dowel for putting the frame together, which cost only 76¢
at the hardware store. The end result was a beautiful mirror that hung
proudly in our bedroom for many years.
For Michael, I found a desk calendar
that had a different quote about love for each day. Because it was
February, the calendar was on clearance for $4. I also found a
woodworking book at a library discard sale for 50¢. In addition, I made
him a homemade card and a plate of his favorite cookies. When you add
the cost of the cookie ingredients I already had on hand, I actually
went over my limit just a little but he was delighted nonetheless. In
fact, we both enjoyed our gifts and the thrill of the hunt so much that
we instituted the five-dollar rule for other gift giving occasions such
as birthdays and anniversaries that year as well.
Are you and your loved one going through
a tough time financially? Even if you’re not, is the thought of saving
money more attractive to you than spending a small fortune on
Valentine’s Day gifts? If so, I encourage you to try something different
this year. Take the Valentine’s Day Challenge. Set a small spending
limit—$5, $10 or whatever fits your budget—and agree with your spouse to
give gifts that are low in cost but high in creativity.
Use any special talents you have to
create a keepsake. Put your cooking skills to work to whip up an
inexpensive-yet-irresistible treat in the kitchen. Shop the clearance
racks to find some special something your sweetie would enjoy. Visit the
secondhand stores to find a gently-used book by a favorite author or CD
by a favorite artist. Use your budgeted amount to buy a gift card to the
ice cream shop, coffee shop or movie rental store.
Think outside the proverbial box. Make
it a game to see how you can use your creativity to give your sweetheart
the most Valentine’s Day fun for
the least amount of money.
Nancy Twigg is a speaker and
author who loves inspiring others to live more simply. Adapted from
Nancy’s newly revised book,
Celebrate Simply: Your Guide to Simpler,
More Meaningful Holidays and Special Occasions
(www.celebratesimply.com).
Visit Nancy online at
www.countingthecost.com