A dozen roses for $50? A box of chocolates for $30? Two movie tickets for $20? A nice dinner at a restaurant for an arm and a leg? No thank you!

I know that with the current state of the economy many people consider one night of frivolity out of the question. If you are one of those people then I hope these frugal Valentine’s day ideas will inspire you to enjoy the day for a fraction of the cost!

Have a date night in. Who says you have to go out to have a good time? Cook your sweetie a nice dinner, or cook it together! Use your nice dishes, light some candles, and open a bottle of wine! Now you can have a cozy dinner at home without the noise, long wait, and cost of a restaurant! Save even more by buying your dinner ingredients on sale!

Save at the restaurant. If you simply must go out to eat then you might consider going the day before or after Valentine’s day since most restaurant coupons are not valid on holidays. You can also get a $25 gift card to your favorite restaurant for just $10 at Restaurant.com! Plus, shop through your Upromise or Ebates link and get 15% back. Instead of a gift card, you could earn up to 8% for college when you eat out as a Preferred Diner and register your credit or debit cards on the Upromise site. You can also share an entree! Restaurant portion sizes certainly make this a healthier option! Or, just order dessert! It’s the best part of the meal anyway!

Enjoy a romantic movie..at home! Rent a movie, pop some popcorn and get cozy! Did you know that Redbox Rentals only cost $1? You can find great new releases and you can even reserve them online! Plus new members can get a Free Rental Code!

Make a card. I’ve always preferred to make my own cards. My favorite thing to do is to go through old magazines, cut out the pretty pictures, and make a collage with them on the front of the card. Then I can write my own sappy love note on the inside! It’s much more personal and my hubby actually saves them! You could also create your card on the computer with the Free EZ Cards Creator!

Looking for a Frugal Gift Idea?

With all these frugal alternatives you can now enjoy Valentine’s Day without stressing about the cost!

What are you doing for Valentine’s Day? I’d love to hear your Frugal Valentine’s Day plans!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my FREE updates!