Short on gift ideas for your Valentine, and even shorter on money? Don’t let advertisements talk you into spending enormous amounts of cash this February in your efforts to prove your love to your significant other. Instead, opt for giving a less expensive homemade gift. Not only will it be cheaper, but the effort you put into it will mean it comes closer from the heart than something store-bought.

In need of some ideas? Consider the following five:

Gift basket: You can put together a Valentines gift basket on your own with less than $10 in materials and the cost of whatever you choose to include. Stop by a crafts store and buy a high-handled wicker-basket and nab some translucent plastic wrap of an appropriate color for your loved one. Pack it with edibles, toiletries, or whatever you feel your significant other will appreciate. Wrap it in the plastic, add a bow, and you’re good to go.

Baked goods: This can work well in conjunction with the aforementioned gift basket. Whether it’s cookies or a red velvet cake, creating a comforting culinary concoction is one of the best homemade ways to say I love you to someone. You can even get creative with coloring and shape to turn standard sweets into something special for the holiday.

Mix tape: Whether via CD, MP3, or an actual cassette tape (good luck making it and finding somewhere to play it) you can quite easily compile a specific list of songs for your loved one that he or she is sure to appreciate. Every couple has “their” song while most couples have quite a few. Put them all on one playlist and give it as a gift.

Love letter/Handcrafted card: Personally there is no Hallmark card in the world that could ever surpass the sentiment of something my husband wrote or made himself. You don’t have to be Balzac to write a beautiful letter, nor do you have to be Mary Engelbreit to design a memorable looking card. Thought and effort goes a long way in the eyes of a loved one.

Kind gestures in general: It may not seem romantic, but taking a day off of work to paint the kitchen or tackle some other big household project is a great way to make your significant other happy without dropping enormous amounts of money. Nothing says “I love you” more than some elbow grease without prompt.

Before giving into radio ads that trick you into thinking this is the Valentine’s Day to remember by spending big, think about ways to make it memorable on the cheap. Home-made gift ideas are probably your best bet. They’re mostly easy to make or easy to do, cost little to achieve, and are a much better gauge for determining the intensity of your devotion to a particular person. Anyone can buy a gift, it takes true love to sit down and make one.

Related posts: