Anyone have any frugal ideas for celebrating Valentine's Day?

--Dh does not buy me roses. I think it's ridiculous how the price is up to $50 for a dozen then the day after Valentine's it's back down to between $10-$20. IMO that's alot of money for something that just dies in a week....sorry not a very romantic thought.

--Does anyone avoid the crowds and stay home for dinner?

My school district made my plans. My daughters third grade chorus recital will be that night at 7:30p.m.. I'm not sure if I'm upset or not. We probably won't go out to eat because my daughter is not a very neat eater so it wouldn't be convienent to come home to change.
Last year I made a lobster tail for DH with some sides and I bought small pizza shells and left my three children create there own pizzas (with different toppings). We had a nice time at home.
And I hate the price of the flowers too! Although at Aldi's they sell 6 roses for $2.99 all year round. I put three roses in each vase (which I had at home) and DH gave them to the girls when he got home from work. They made a nice center piece! My son wanted candy so he got a small heart of chocolate! Whatever you plan will be nice if you're together! It's not about the STUFF!
Linda

I agree, as much as I love flowers, I can't spend the money on roses for V Day! Aldi's does have great prices on them, though, when I buy them. We will probably just stay home and make dinner. We are just as happy doing that and saving the money for something else.

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"I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves." Anna Quindlen

We usually stay home, as the twins birthday is on the 11th, so after spending the money for their party & gifts, it's hard to justify spending even more money on dinner out. Plus, I hate dealing with the crowds, etc. I'm not a very big fresh flower person...I really prefer a nice plant or planter basket, as I can usually keep the plants alive for years!! lol I usually make a nice dinner, usually steak or salmon, and I mix up a batch of chocolate chip cookie dough, and then press it into one of my heart shaped cake pans and bake it. We usually get the kids a small box of candy, but I think I might get them something different....maybe a $5 gc to Toys R Us or Target. Not sure yet!.

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~*~ Angie~*~
Wife to Brian
SAHM to Sarah & Andy 2/11/2000

My mom found 2 small filet mignons wrapped in bacon for less than $4/package at Walmart!! So I am going to get a couple of those and cook that and some sides for DH and I and the kiddos can have a heart shaped pizza! I will also do the heart shaped cookie that I do every year! Inexpensive and easy! We will celebrate a couple days before as I have to work on V-Day!

I despise the markups for flowers and dinner on V-Day! It's crazy!

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Married to DH since 2003, Mom to Tanner (3) and
Braden (2) Baby #3 due 3/13/09

One year I ran my dh a candlelit bubble bath while I was preparing our dinner. But what we usually do is:
We will have a chocolate fondue with marshmallows, graham crackers, pretzels,& fruit.
Then after the kids are in bed we will have our Valentines Day dinner. Usually bacon wrapped steak, lobster tails, twiced baked potatoes and asparagus with jalapeno hollandaise.
Our anniversary is Valentines day so we will go out the following week or so for dinner just the two of us.

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"Before I was a Mom I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body." ~Anonymous

I make a nice dinner for us on Valentine's Day. We go out a few days before or a few days after. That way we can use the restaurant coupons. Most restaurants exclude Valentine's Day from their offers.

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~Jeweled

Our anniversary is 6 days before Valentine's so we don't usually do Valentine's. If he decides to do something- he will usually get me something small like carnations (I detest roses!)- or my fave calla lillies- they are usually a lot cheaper than roses and usually last longer for me at least.

I will usually decorate the house the day of valentines- if I feel like it. Usually it is handmade hearts and people swag out of construction paper. I make dinner- you can easily make any dinner seem nicer with candle light. I usually will make a dessert this day to make it special.

We're not usually frugal...we go out to dinner some years and some years I make something for us here at home. It really just depends on the mood we're in (this year we're going out).

Dh gets me flowers all year round, so it's not something he necessarily does just for Valentine's or with any regularity on Valentine's Day. Sometimes he does and sometimes he doesn't. I actually don't really like roses, there are so many other flowers I'd rather have, so he knows not to get me those.

I think you can make any celebration as frugal as you like...just depends on what you want to do, what you and your Dh like/dislike etc

We normally have a dinner that the kids pick. After which we have a heart shapped cake for dessert. Then we send the kids on a scavanger hunt for their gifts (normal cost is $5-10 each) however that doesn't mean I spent that much on that gift. I shop sales for things the kids would really like. This year all of the gifts cost me $8.00.

The kids really enjoy it and I don't care for the Valentines Day hype. If it takes Valentines Day for my dh to bring me flowers I don't want them and he knows it.

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