Free/Cheap Valentine's Gifts - Babies and Bathwater

This should go without saying, but there are some things a cheap mama simply won't accept on Valentine's Day...

#1: Overpriced flowers from a delivery service. An ex-boyfriend knew my policy on that and actually sent me flowers on Groundhog's Day instead. Clever move.

#2: An over-priced prix-fixe at a restaurant.

Still, Valentine's Day is a nice concept and we really should throw the baby out with the bathwater. So here are a few suggestions...

From him to her:
A gift certificate for a manicure and pedicure (or similar). Sure, it's been done, but here's how to make this gift good and somewhat original: Call and make the appointment for her and take care of the kids while she's gone.

Pick of the prix-fixe Valentine's menu at her favorite restaurant and make the meal yourself. Bring the kids to Grandma's or serve it after they're in bed. Eat it in the dining room, not in front of the TV. Think of details like candles. And, PS, don't have her watch the kids for 3 hours while you cook. Bring the kids to Grandma's EARLY or invite over a neighborhood pre-teen to keep them occupied until bedtime.

From her to him:
See the above prix-fixe menu suggestion.

Call up his mom and get his favorite childhood recipe and make it for him. Even if it's tuna noodle caseroodle.

The cheesy coupon book, with coupons for an hour of free time, control of the remote for a night, whatever...You can make this yourself. Budget 101 has plenty of suggestions, some of which are cheesy (a lifetime of happiness? please!): http://www.budget101.com/giftcoupon.htm#More_Printable_Coupons!.

Make him truffles using the Organic Valley recipe: http://www.organicvalley.coop/recipes/single-view/recipe/easy-decadent-chocolate-truffles/.

From the kids to whomever...
This is the easy one. Homemade is always better from kids, isn't it?

Have them make their own Valentines. It kills time in the Winter anyway. I love this idea from parenthacks.com: http://www.parenthacks.com/2008/02/valentine-ha-12.html.

Make homemade cookies. No need to brake out the rollers and cookie cutters, unless you want to. Just shake on Valentine's sprinkles. We found a nice selection at Target for $2.

Kitchen Mix Gifts is another great site for coming up with homemade concoctions.

From you to your kids:

I like the coupon book idea for this one. You can include coupons to choose the dinner menu one night, plan a Satruday outting, choose whatever cereal they want (even the sugary kind). Budget 101 has good ideas for this as well.


So what will we be giving and getting? Top secret until Friday, of course.