It’s Valentine’s Day! What? You forgot? The restaurants are booked, you don’t have a lot of money, and you really want to impress your sweetheart. What’s a person to do?

Fortunately I have a few frugal and fun ideas to impress the special person in your life. I’ve even tried a few of these myself with a lot of success. So if you haven’ t prepared, pick one of these gifts, and go with it!

Ladies: What to Give Your Man

  • A reason you love him for every inch of him. Grab a roll of calculator tape and measure out a piece as long as your man is tall. For every inch on the tape, list a reason that you love him. I’ve done this one before. At about 3 feet, you start to come up with some really unique reasons for loving your guy. My then-fiance, now husband was really impressed.
  • Make a special dinner….and present yourself as the dessert. This one never fails. For special dinners in the past, I’ve made Cornish Game Hens for two or Calzones (with cream cheese and artichoke hearts…yum!). If you have children, make it a late dinner, after they’re in bed.
  • Leave a love note on your husband’s car while he’s at work. He’ll be surprised when he leaves for lunch or for home. If you want to really turn up the heat, make a promise of a VERY romantic evening at home.

Men: What to Give Your Woman

  • Write her a love letter. I always love getting letters from my husband. I reread them when I’m having a bad day.
  • Sing her a song. If you have any musical ability whatsoever, woo your woman with a love song. A couple of my favorites are I Will Be Here by Stephen Curtis Chapman and If You Could See What I See by Geoff Moore and the Distance (our wedding song). I melt every time I hear those songs.
  • Plan a special date at home after the kids are in bed. Candles, a bubble bath, and romantic music. That’s really all you need, isn’t it?

Whatever you decide to do, make sure your spouse knows that he/she is loved and appreciated….not only today, but every day.

What are you doing to celebrate Valentine’s Day?