Stay in this Valentine’s Day – Keep it Special and Save Some Cash

Valentine’s Day in 2011 is on a Monday, so a lot of us won’t exactly be rushing out to hit the town, stay out late and be a mess Tuesday morning. To combat the post-Valentine fatigue you could move the ‘holiday’… or you could just take it easy.

Staying in on a pretty traditional night out doesn’t need to be a cop out. Borrow some of these tips to have a great holiday on a budget.

Cook Something New

Nothing says ‘great date’ like a great meal, so you’re going to have to pull out the big guns (but that doesn’t mean you need to empty your wallet). This Valentine’s Day, challenge yourself to make something new to make your way even further into your honeybear’s heart.

Check out those cookbooks that are gathering dust in your cupboard, or a great site like Epicurious.com for something that isn’t run-of-the-mill. You want to be sure it’s special… but not impossible. You’re not going to impress your date with a burned pile, or undercooked meat.

Set the Mood

Download some new music and grab a few candles from a dollar store. These nice touches will make your house/apartment feel a bit more special. Don’t be afraid to move the furniture around or bring in some different lighting to change the mood in your standard place.

Treat Yourself

Picking up any bottle of wine at a liquor store is going to be much cheaper than out at any restaurant. If you and the sweetie like wine, then make that a feature part of the evening. If you like something else, make sure to indulge (responsibly) because, after all, this is a great holiday for that.

Have fun out there, lovers.