10 Ways to Pull Off Valentine’s Day for Free

If you’re panicking because Valentine’s Day is almost here and your bank account is looking thin, take a breath. You don’t need to drop $200 on a prix-fixe dinner or $90 on a bouquet that will die in days.

The National Retail Federation says the average person is expected to shell out a record $199.78 this year. That’s a lot of holiday money designed by greeting card companies. Here’s the truth: Most people actually prefer a gift that shows you’ve been paying more attention than the usual heart-shaped piece of plastic.

I have collected the best ways to please your lover for zero dollars. These are last minute in the sense that you can do them tonight, but they won’t look like you forgot.

1. Custom digital track

Back in the day, we had mixtapes on cassettes. Then burn CDs. Now, we have Spotify.

Create a playlist of songs that mean something to your relationship – the song that was played when you met, your first concert together or that track you both sing along to in the car. It’s free, it’s fast and it shows that you remember the little things.

2. Jar of memory

Find an old glass jar in the kitchen, clean it and take some scraps of paper. Write down your favorite memories of the past year – one on each slip. Whether it’s an inside joke or “remember when we got lost in the rain”, filling a jar with these notes makes more sense than any store-bought card.

(Related: See “13 Ways to Spend Less and Rekindle the Romance on Valentine’s Day.”)

3. Professional exchange

We all have skills that our partner does not. Maybe you’re a wizard at Excel, a decent photographer or skilled at changing the oil in a car. Create a two-hour gift certificate for your professional grade help.

It’s a service act that usually costs $50 to $100 an hour if they were to hire it.

4. Spa night at home

You don’t need a fancy resort to relax. Use what you already have in the cupboard. If you have sugar and coconut oil, you can beat a DIY body scrub. Dim the lights, put on that playlist from tip no. 1 and foot rub or massage. It’s about undivided attention, not expensive oil. (See “12 Affordable and Fun Date Ideas.”)

5. Timed characters

This takes about 30 minutes and a few envelopes. Write a series of notes that you will open to your partner from time to time: “Open when you’re having a bad day,” “Open when you need to laugh” or “Open when you’re stressed.” It’s the gift that keeps on giving long after Feb. 14.

6. A backyard or living room picnic

Dining out on Valentine’s Day is a nightmare — it’s crowded, expensive and rushed. Instead, clear the coffee table, throw a blanket on the floor and serve whatever is in the fridge with a little creativity. It turns dinner at home into an event by changing the venue.

7. Amazing love notes

Grab a pack of Post-it notes and hide them in places your partner will find them throughout the day: the bathroom mirror, the steering wheel, the inside of their laptop or a coffee can. Write one thing you like about each one.

It costs nothing but makes their whole day a series of small wins.

8. Photo editing and backup

We all have 5,000 photos on our phones and zero in albums. Spend an hour organizing a shared digital album of your best photos together from the past year.

If you want to go the extra mile, use a free app to turn those photos into a slideshow with music.

9. Acts of service

Is there a job your partner absolutely hates? Maybe cleaning the baseboards, organizing the junk drawer or scrubbing the grout. Do it. No complaining, no asking for credit – just do it.

Taking the hard work off someone else’s plate is one of the purest forms of love. (See “17 Ways to Keep Your Holidays Debt-Free.”)

10. A heartfelt, handwritten letter

In the world of “are you waking up?” texts and emojis, the real book is a rare commodity. Sit down and write three paragraphs about why you are glad they exist in your life.

Don’t bother being a poet; just be honest. I promise they will keep that book longer than a box of CVS chocolates.