It’s the same thing every year. By the 5th of January, we are inundated with Valentine’s day cards, offers for flowers, certificates (and reservation phone numbers) for restaurants, not to mention chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate. Ugh.
Don’t you get tired of the same old thing? We certainly do, but on the other hand, other options that sound so good are enough to make your checkbook cry real tears!
A Romantic Vacation for Two in Hawaii (Seriously?! We were lucky enough to afford Seattle for our honeymoon!)
Does Your Girlfriend Love the Smell of Leather? Buy a Red Leather Interior Mercedes Benz! (We won’t even go there)
Front Row Tickets on Sale for Famous Rockstar’s Concert- Now Only $350 Each! (We struggle to pay for Netflix, folks.)
While we admit that the Hawaii vacation sounds great, the truth is, why does Valentine’s day have to be either the traditionally boring dinner/roses/chocolate thing or outrageously expensive? Isn’t there any other alternative for budget minded folks in Juneau?
It’s not easy, but we’ve tried to uncover some of the top ideas, dates, and gifts you can give your SO this Valentine’s day and not need a loan to cover the costs.
Looking for Valentine’s Day Date Ideas?
If you are celebrating your golden anniversary or your 5th date, we hope these budget friendly ideas will inspire you this Valentine’s day, whether you are looking for valentine’s day ideas for him or her.
Idea #1- Wine Tasting
If you love the idea of going on a wine tasting tour but you can’t afford the airfare, why not do a little wine tasting in your own living room? It’s as simple as researching a few recommended wines within your price range, purchasing sample bottles or the smallest bottle you can find, and maybe investing in a new bottle opener! You can surprise your partner by decorating the table with heart shaped place mats or napkins or, if you don’t mind a mess, glitter. Even if you end up not liking some of your samples, what can go wrong as long as a little wine is involved? Strange as it seems, Fred Meyer is always a great place when it comes to wine.
Idea #2-Scavenger Hunt
It is going to be cold as heck this Valentine’s day, so you might want to make your scavenger hunt mainly indoors, but this could be a lot of fun. Each of you can make up your own scavenger hunt list for the other person. Set the timer and the first person who finds everything or finds the most things within the set timeframe wins….
This is where you can make it interesting. What sounds fun to you? Does the loser have to perform a strip tease? Does the winner get an Amazon gift certificate? Maybe the winner gets to pick all the shows they want to watch for the next week and the loser can’t complain about it? This is bound to be an unforgettable Valentine’s day idea for both of you, whether you win or lose!
Idea #3-Themed Dinner and Movie Night
This might be more enjoyable for the ladies, but we bet if you pick the right movie, this Valentine’s day idea for your boyfriend or husband might be right up their alley as well. It’s all a matter of finding something you can agree on.
Do you both love a particular type of movie or television series? If you both love the series Spartacus or the movie Gladiator, for example, you could both dress the part (you pick which character or theme you like) and then perhaps make a dinner of finger foods (think fried chicken and biscuits). If you want something more romantic, try the classic Roman Holiday with lasagna or Silver Lining Playbook with a mish mash of your favorite foods. If you both love zombie movies, well, we will let you figure out your own dinner plans for that one.
Idea #4-Karaoke
For all the wanna be American Idol contestants, this one’s for you. If you aren’t shy about singing, consider hitting up a karaoke bar. The Rendezvous has karaoke but only on Wednesday’s, but hey, that means fewer crowds, right?
For those who love to sing but only in the car or shower, consider buying a plug-in microphone (they are less than $25) and sing to your hearts content in your own living room. Just be sure that the neighbors won’t complain.
Idea #5-Have a Dance Party
Whether you choose to invite other people or not is up to you, but who says you can’t party in your own kitchen/basement/living room or where ever? Get out some crepe paper, put on some cute hats, throw some confetti around, take off your shoes and dance to your heart’s content!
Looking for some great decorations? Check out Balloons by Night Moods!
Idea #6-The Ultimate Cheap-O Fake It “Date”
For those who don’t really give two hoots (and only have about $20 bucks) about Valentine’s day but still want to impress people on social media, you can have a little fun faking it. Why not? Hollywood does it all the time!
First, go to any store with Valentine’s Cards. Set a timer and pick out a card. Meet your SO at the designated spot and read the card aloud to each other. Take a selfie with the card (be sure to not show the store interior). Now move on to a local flower shop. Repeat. Go stand in front of, or better still, stand in the bar, of a very expensive restaurant and take another selfie. You don’t have to order anything! You can get really creative if you want, including taking a photo of you with a new car, your boyfriend on a new Harley or Snowmobile, you name it. Celebrate by buying a couple of heart shaped cookies or donuts and some coffee.
Be vague when friends ask you about those photos. Let them wonder! That’s half the fun!
Idea #7-Thrift Store Chic
This idea can be a lot of fun if you just go with it and don’t over think it. Head to your favorite thrift store. Set a budget for each of you (say $10) and a time limit. Each of you picks out an “outfit” for your partner. They don’t get to see what you’ve chosen until you get home. Take turns modeling your new outfit. When you consider the selection at some thrift stores (a swimsuit and a garter belt with boots?) You can see how much fun this could be. You will find a little bit of everything at Juneau Treasures Thrift Store. Don’t be too serious, though. Who wants to dress up in a suit when that’s what you wear every day?
Idea #8-Gifts
Ok, so you aren’t the get-off-the-couch kinda person. We get it. Maybe you have little ones, or you work different schedules, so you won’t even see each other except when they are sleeping. These situations make leaving your partner a gift the sensible thing to do, however, let’s NOT do the same old, same old gift that everyone else is giving.
How about trying some of the following ideas?
- A crystal in a color that they love
- A favorite picture of the two of you in a beautiful frame
- Tech gloves from Juneau Electronics
- A basket filled with sweet scented lotion, bubble bath, face masks, etc. (think trial size!)
- Three or four super warm socks and a hat or scarf
- A subscription to a favorite magazine
- A classy liquor decanter
- A subscription to Dollar Shave Club
- New underwear (hey, everyone can use those!)
- Google Home Mini (only about $50) or Amazon Echo Dot ($30)
- A video game they have been wanting. See what Game On has on sale!
- A cool new yoga mat from The Yoga Path
- Gift certificate to a day spa or for a mani/pedi
- Gift certificate for a massage
- A handmade coupon for SOD (sex on demand)
Of course, if what your SO really wants is a big box of chocolates and roses, by all means, indulge them, but one men’s magazine asked their readers what they really wanted for Valentine’s day and the #1 answer was sex, which was the inspiration for the last gift on our list!
Do you have any other ideas for enjoying Valentine’s day in Juneau that won’t break the bank? We would love to hear from you!
We hope you found this article helpful, inspiring, and a bit amusing. Please feel free to share this with family, friends, and on your social media sites or via email.
The health care family at Better Health Chiropractic and Physical Rehab would like to wish you all a fun-filled Valentine’s day. If you are unable to enjoy this holiday because of back pain, neck pain, or other type of problem, such as arthritis or migraines, we encourage you to call us for a same day appointment. You can also click here to make an appointment online.
We know that you have choices when it comes to choosing a chiropractor, which is why we offer our unique 3-promise pledge. Did you know that our chiropractors were named one of the top 3 clinics in Anchorage? You can read more about how we were chosen here.
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