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Valentine’s Day dates for the cash-poor millennial

It ain’t cheap being in love; it comes at a price. There’s lavish anniversary dinners, random and expensive activities to ‘spice things up’ and lots of money spent on petrol. Valentine’s Day is notorious for chewing up our wallets while […]

It ain’t cheap being in love; it comes at a price. There’s lavish anniversary dinners, random and expensive activities to ‘spice things up’ and lots of money spent on petrol. Valentine’s Day is notorious for chewing up our wallets while couples chew up small plates of average food for $40 a pop. Okay, perhaps an exaggeration, but you get the picture; it’s an expensive holiday! Lucky for me, I’ve had a valentine for the last seven years (what can I say, boys adore me), and each year has been disgustingly cute – yet obscenely frugal. I think the most I spent one year was $30. Here’s how to save a buck (or hopefully more) on Valentine’s Day:

Drunk picnic

This idea has been used more than once; I think it’s my most popular Valentine’s Day activity. My boyfriend and I throw in our coins found in couches, car seats and old coats to bring together just enough for some cheese, crackers and a goon sack. There’s something about fruity lexia that makes me chuckle and sigh; I think it’s a nostalgic metaphor that represents my senior high school years (and unfortunately the years after high school as well). They’re cheap and taste almost okay with a dash of OJ. Also, it’s fun rolling around in the grass with a tummy full of cheese and wine with your one true love.

Price tag: $10 each


Bring them to your babysitting gig

Two years ago, my boyfriend at the time and I decided to try and see if we wanted to get back together (for the 50th time) and so we had some nibbles from his fridge together on his lounge room floor on Valentine’s Day. I guess you could call that an indoor picnic. I had babysitting booked in the night time, as I was technically single and had accepted the gig. The parents said if I had a special someone I could bring them along to hang out with me on Valentine’s Day. As we left his to get to the babysitting job, they texted me thirty minutes prior and said, “Don’t bring the boy, the children said they’ll be scared if he comes.” That text was as understandable as it was dramatic. He waited at my house until I was finished.

Price tag: $0


Go for a stroll

My first Valentine’s Day was when I was in year 10, with a boy whom I thought was the love of my life at the time (I now cringe everytime I think of him). We met up at the local shopping centre with a bunch of our high school friends. All together, the group walked around, window shopping. Who says you just have to spend time with one person on Valentine’s Day? Perhaps it was ‘risque’ in the year of 2012, but it’s 2019 now, so you can be as alternative as you like; the sky’s the limit.

Price tag: I think I found a 2 dollar coin that day, so $2 profit.


Movies with your bestie

In year 11 I had a very lovely boyfriend who said he doesn’t believe in Valentine’s Day and then broke up with me the day after (awww, at least he waited a day, that’s pretty cute). So still technically in a relationship on Valentine’s Day and with a stomach full of shitty gut feelings that he was going to dump me within at least week, my best friend came to the rescue. She took me to San Churros and then a movie – I believe it was Identity Thief starring Melissa McCarthy and Jason Bateman – and to me that was the ultimate Valentine’s Day.

Price tag: $20 each


Comment below your cheapest (or most expensive) Valentine’s Date: