Valentine's Day Romance

Valentine's Day is about love and romance. Somehow that got twisted into how much you spend. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's truly the thought that counts. And if the economy has made people stop and really put some thought into the little things they can do for that special someone in their life on Valentine's Day, they're going to be pleasantly surprised both with how little it costs and the results.

Here are some budget-friendly, thoughtful gestures you might want to try this Valentine's Day:

● Leave a 'racy' picture on your mate's cell phone.
● Text a romantic message at a time of day when you know things get rather hectic and your sweetie could use a pick-me-up.
● Leave a chocolate or single rose on your Valentine's pillow.
● Use a bar of soap to draft a love note on your bathroom mirror.
● Eat in for Valentine's day with candles providing the only light. Better yet, spread out a blanket and have your meal as a picnic on the living room floor-even better if you have a fireplace.
● Instead of a day at the spa, take turns giving each other back rubs.
● Have a glass of your loved one's favorite drink ready and waiting for them when they get home. If your loved one likes beer or wine, serve it in a frosted glass-unless they prefer it warm.
● Celebrate Valentine's Day on February 13 or 15 to make it 'your holiday' and not one shared with the rest of the world.
● Pick one household chore your Valentine usually does and surprise them by doing it before they get a chance to (e.g. making the bed). It may not sound romantic, but the thought will most certainly count.

You know, you keep hearing about the doom and gloom of today's economy, but it actually presents a lot of opportunities. One is to show the person you love how much by using your imagination and not your checkbook. And that is the secret to making Valentine's Day one he or she will always remember.

Inexpensive Dating Ideas

Whether you're talking about a night out on the town with a new boyfriend or date night with your husband, you've almost certainly got one big thing on your mind: money. Dinner and a movie have taken on a completely new (expensive) turn in today's economy so many couples are looking for low-cost ways to have fun and save money at the same time.

You'll know that money, however, has nothing to do with romance if you've read books by Michael Webb, Oprah expert, who says that Valentine's can be the least romantic day of the year thanks to so many people's insistence on just buying some roses and candy without any romantic thought. Michael offers creative, unique and fun dates in his book 300 Creative Dates.

You will find a collection of ideas in this guide. While many of the ideas are quite creative, others are only a good reminder of places that everyone knows about...but forgot or just never realized that they would make an ideal place for a date. Thankfully the, "I would-have-NEVER-thought-of-that-in-a-million-years!" ideas DO outweigh the date idea refreshers.

The book includes touches such as 'dating coupons' you can give to your partner to redeem at a later date. Some examples?

- Redeem this for a fruit-picking day at an orchard or berry patch
- Redeem this for a one-hour bike ride
- Redeem this for an evening at a nearby drive-in theater

While there are 300 ideas, you'll get bleary-eyed if you try to digest more than a few dozen in one sitting and some descriptions are a little lengthy (although you'll also find a nice list of bullets with quick and to the point dating ideas ready). Overall, it makes a good reference for those looking for dating ideas that don't break the bank.