Things are tough financially at the moment with interest rates rising and the cost of living going off the charts and that is making I harder for many of us to do those fun, discretionary things like going to the cinema, going out for dinner or popping to the pub. The thing is, Valentine’s Day is coming up and it is the one day when couples take the time to appreciate each other. No matter what anyone says romance isn’t dead, but sometimes, especially on Valentine’s Day, it isn’t cheap. So how do you keep the romance going on a shoestring budget? If you’re not feeling too flush at the moment, but still want to make that romantic effort, read on and we will give you some great hints and tips.
Talk to each other
In the daily hustle and bustle it is easy to forget to actually talk to each other. We’re not talking about discussing what went wrong at work that day or anything practical. Why not just talk about your first date or reminisce about the great things you’ve done together or even what you would love to do in the future together? You might not be able to afford a grand holiday but why let that stop you chatting about winning the lottery and how you would spend time together using the windfall? You can be snuggling on the sofa, just lying on the bed, it doesn’t matter, what matters is having a quality conversation about yourselves.
Dance together
How often do you manage to go out and just slow dance together? If you’re anything like us, that only happens at weddings (at the beginning and end of the reception). Put together a playlist of all your favourite slow songs. Dim the lighting, crack open a bottle of whatever you enjoy and just spend the evening kitchen dancing to the music you both love. It doesn’t have to be all serious, have a laugh about how little rhythm you have or do some crazy moves. The important thing is to be close and have fun together. It’s amazing what a tonic that can be.
Write a poem
We don’t expect you to be the poet laureate, but a simple poem (or limerick) can be very well received. Spend time penning a poem for each other or about your dreams and aspirations for your life together.
Have a home Cinema night
This might be a little casual, but it’s about just being together. You can start your evening by cooking a nice simple meal together. Just cooking together is a very romantic thing to do, then grab some popcorn, dim the lights and put on back-to-back romantic films. Just snuggle together on the sofa, on the bed, on the floor and lose yourselves in the moment.
Do a photo shoot
We’ve all got cameras on our phones and we are selfie addicts aren’t we? Why not have some fun with an impromptu photo shoot? Dress up, dress down, pose like a supermodel or even just be silly. Take loads of photos of each other and then spend time whittling them down to the ones you would like to put into a photo album. You’ll have great fun doing the photo shoot, even more fun looking at them and choosing your favourites and then you’ll have memories for years to come.
When push comes to shove romance really doesn’t rely on spending money. Romance is about spending time together, appreciating each other, being close to each other and simply being there for each other. Make the time you spend quality time not an expensive time.
