People show their love for one another in interesting ways, and everyone’s definition of a great gift is a little different. One person might show their love by vacuuming, mowing the lawn, ironing, etc. Others use their personal talents to give a gift: a finance guru might help you invest by doing a basic budget for you, or helping you choose your first car insurance or term deposit investment. Someone else might show their love by cooking you a great dinner.
But just because you’re good at something and you mean to show your love, that isn’t necessarily what comes across to your loved one. After all, some cats and dogs prove their love by hunting mice and birds and bringing their prize to you! That’s a loving surprise anyone could do without.
So how can you get it right this Valentine’s Day if you don’t have a lot to spend? Simple: by giving a gift from the heart.
Make a Card
I don’t mean that you should take a piece of printer paper, fold it in half, scrawl “I love you” in black ink and call it a day. Invest in some construction paper and markers. If you can’t draw to save your life, that’s fine. You can cut shapes out of colored paper, letters and pictures out of old magazines and add lines or patterns with pens or markers. And you don’t even have to be a creative type, because this is Valentine’s Day: plaster your card in an old-fashioned heart motif and that will do just fine. The point is that you took the time to do it.
Write a Letter
If hand-made Valentine cards aren’t your love’s idea of a great gift, try writing a love letter. Again, this does not involve writing only the phrase “I love you”. How to do it right? Take your time. Reflect on your relationship, your history and your future. Give specific examples of how your love embodies wonderful characteristics that you cherish. When you’re done writing, don’t forget the presentation: spray the letter with a little perfume or cologne or roll it up and tie with a ribbon.
Give Little Gifts
Make several simple Valentines, or buy a cheap box of cards, and give one per day for a week or two. Make it a game by telling your love to expect a token each day and then hide a new one somewhere different every time: tucked on a shelf, in the bathroom medicine cabinet, in the cup holder of their car. It will brighten their February!
Write a Memoir
For some people, this is easier than writing a more traditional love letter. Write about a memorable day in your relationship: the first time you saw them, your first date, when you first said “I love you,” when you got engaged, etc. But don’t just give a point-by-point account of the facts; set the scene with details, talk about how you felt and what you were thinking. That’s what sets a memoir apart from a emotionless timeline.
Do the Unusual
If you are usually the tight-lipped type, pour your heart out over dinner. If you never do the dishes, do them. Alternately, what does your Valentine hate doing? Scooping the kitty litter? Taking out the trash? Scrubbing the shower? Give them a homemade coupon book of chores you’ll take over for a week without complaint. Or give them a coupon for a guilt-free golf outing with the guys or spa day with the ladies.
The point is that with just a little thought, you can give your Valentine a gift that speaks to their heart, that proves how well you know them and how much you care. That is love. And it means more than a box of candy ever could.
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Sabrina Matheson is a frugal blogger with lots of money saving ideas to share. She thinks the gift of thoughtfulness is the greatest, whether that means helping someone compare car insurance or giving them a foot massage!