Frugal Valentine's Day

Love Collection
My husband and I don't make a big deal out of Valentine's Day and we rarely spend more than $5. That being said, we DO like to make sure the other feels a little extra love on Valentine's.

Here are my favorite ways to let Mike know he is loved and appreciated without spending money on a card or gift.

1. Pray for him. I let him know that I am praying for him every day and sometimes I will write down the particular verse I prayed for him that day and leave it on a sticky note on his pillow. For ideas on what to pray for your husband read 31 Days of Prayer.

2. Write him a letter. He loves to get letters that are in my own words and not pre-printed cards. It's also easier for me to say things in a letter that I might stumble over or forget about if we are talking. I tell him why I love him, the more specific the better. One year I wrote in the letter how spoiled and loved I felt when he filled my gas tank for me (for some reason I hate putting gas in the van). I don't think I filled it once for the rest of that year. He made sure to check my gas gauge every weekend.

3. Cook a special meal and light candles. Even though I cook every night, I try to make something special that Mike loves for Valentine's Day and for his birthday. I also make his favorite German Chocolate cake.

4. Leave him a "thinking of you" voicemail. Sometimes I will call Mike during a meeting or some other time when I know he won't be able to answer his phone and leave him a funny voicemail. I only do this on his cell phone though. One time I left him a "singing" voicemail on his office phone and he played it back with a co-worker in the room. It was G rated and he thought it was funny, but I was definitely red faced when I found out someone else had heard it...

5. Watch a movie or play a game that he likes. Mike loves to watch movies. I'm not much of a movie watcher (I can never seem to sit still long enough) and when I do watch a movie, it's NOT an action/war movie. He also loves to play chess and cards and I'm not too fond of either. One way that I can really show him that I love him is to sit and watch a movie that he likes(no fidgeting!) or play a game with him.

For more Frugal Valentine Ideas visit Money Saving Mom