Valentine’s Day on a Student Budget

By Zaneta Kennedy
     As Valentine’s Day quickly approaches, you probably are wondering what to get that special someone for Thursday. Seeing as we all are college students and money is tight, it would be a bonus if your gift was affordable as well as thoughtful. Here are a few simple ideas that won’t hurt your budget and still will put a smile on your sweetie’s face.
 
Flowers and Plants
     Giving flowers or plants to a loved one is one of the simplest yet most thoughtful gift ideas. Try scouting out floral arrangements at your local grocery store. Piggly Wiggly offers an affordable basic rose arrangement, starting at about $40 for one dozen roses, gypsophila, and sala. If this is still too rich for your budget, Harris Teeter offers another simple and cost effective arrangement with its Deeply Devoted Bouquet, which is a single red rose, lily grass blades, and an aspidistra leaf in a vase for $20.   Also, you can make your own arrangement with  loose bunches of flowers sold for $3 at Publix, Harris Teeter, and BiLo. 
     If your special someone has a green thumb, try looking for plants. They last longer than cut flowers. Year-round house plants, such as bamboo and Aloe Vera plants, can be found for low prices at hardware stores and last a long time. Lowe’s sells an 11-ounce Aloe Vera plant for under $4.

Chocolate
     Giving your loved one chocolate is another thoughtful idea, and you don’t have to break the bank to do it. Stores like Wal-Mart offer a plethora of choices when it comes to assorted chocolates for low prices. You could also try shopping at dollar discount stores, like Family Dollar or Dollar Tree.  If your special someone is allergic to nuts, try assorted chocolate truffles instead. They’re nut-free, and they can be found at discount stores like Wal-Mart.

Homemade Valentines
     Nothing says “I love you” like a homemade valentine. It offers a creative touch, which is more personal than a store-bought card. Moreover, homemade valentines are more cost effective. Try searching your materials at craft stores like Michael’s. They offer sales on many products during the week of Valentine’s Day. Keep your sweetheart’s personality in mind when you shop for the materials, for that will determine what type of valentine you’ll make for him/her.  Or you can choose items to reuse and recycle from around the house. To make it your own, write a note or poem inside the valentine.   

     If you’re not particularly creatively inclined, don’t worry. There are plenty of suggestions and craft ideas on the web. If you’re looking for ideas of how to make your valentine as well as a poem to go with it, try http://www.valentinespoems.org/ . This site offers craft ideas, as well as Valentine’s Day poems sorted into categories. Read through the craft ideas and poems to find the right one that suits your special someone. It involves a little effort, but it will definitely be worth it when you see your loved one’s smile.
     You can see that there are many options for Valentine’s Day gifts on a student budget.  But if your budget is close to zero, a phone call and a kind word can go a long way.