There is no clear consensus of this but for the most part everyone tries to show their special person of interest more attention on this day but would you not be a happier couple if your partner showed the same affections and attention to you throughout the year? I am sure a lot of the ladies out there were just like yes and some of the guys probably were too and yet a majority probably groaned about having to work more. You see everyone is capable of showing the “love” they show on Valentine’s Day throughout the year but its more about effort and not giving into commercialism. 

You might think you are resisting commercial pressures and you might be but if your special person is into the whole commercialism of love on Valentine’s Day then you are still giving in to the pressure. Now you might be thinking how can one avoid this commercialism pressure then, Mr. Know-it-all? Answer is simple do what you would do on Valentine’s Day more throughout the year and talk with your special person about not making the one day a year more important than the other 364 days a year (365 if it’s a leap year like in 2012). The benefits for your relationship based off doing this will of course be a stronger relationship but there are others like a deeper connection and understanding of your special person. Nothing is more intimate than your partner being able to make you feel loved and cherished consistently.

Finally the question of how do I go about showing my love more throughout the year? Again another simple answer to a complicated question, just think about what you normally do on Valentine’s Day, typically on Valentine’s Day everyone gets their special person a gift of some type, has a special dinner or a date, then well get intimate before going to bed. To do these throughout the year just simply do all this randomly and as often as feasibly and financially possible. If your partner normally cooks for you try switching it up a few days a month or week if possible. Get your partner what I call, “just because it’s *insert date here*” gifts, which can itself be anything. 

For gifts they don’t have to be a boat or a car every 2 months or anything that extravagant that is unless you’re just that well into the money but even then you still don’t. The simpler and more thought out the gifts the more they will mean. Sure diamonds are a girls best friends but “Honey I got you that *insert item* that I saw you looking at when we went to the store” will get you farther. Or even better just go simple as words and compliment them more often, nothing is sexier than confidence. Just make sure any gift you think out clearly what you get them don’t just be like “I went to the store and saw a toothbrush that reminded me of yours so I got you floss” not only will that be awkward but will most likely end in some sort of argument and no one likes to argue.

So for this Valentine’s Day, remember if you were to do this more often with your partner how happy you both would be. Also when you see them and give them their gift take note on how they will glow and savior it cause you can use this to your advantage if you can replicate this later on throughout the year. Good luck with your future endeavors and remember, this applies to both sexes, showing your partner more attention will benefit both of you.

Further Reading:

Valentines Day: A Day Of Forced Love?

It is easy for lovers to become bogged down with careers and children, and they often lack date nights with each other. Especially today, when times are tough and money is tight. If lovers can find the time, there are many fun ideas awaiting them without breaking the bank.

Enjoying a movie together is a common date idea for lovers, but the costs often add up quickly. A movie at home not only costs much less, but it is also more comfortable and relaxing. Decide on a cheap rental or cable television, and treat yourselves to soda, popcorn and candy for only a few additional dollars. Fluffy pillows, a warm blanket and a couch can be found free of charge from within your home.

Having dinner at a quality restaurant can be quite expensive. If you are feeling the urge to go out to eat, it would be best to find coupons beforehand. Go during special days or times, perhaps lunch hours verses dinner hours, to help save a few dollars. Having a nice, romantic dinner at home can cost much less, but may require a little more work. Dinner can be an extravagant, homemade favorite or something as simple as spaghetti. This too should be planned ahead so coupons and sale ads can be used to help lower costs.

If the season and weather permits, move your date night to the great outdoors. This can be down from your own backyard for free, or at a low-cost, local campground. Pitch a tent, have a small fire for roasting marshmallow and go for a late-night stroll. Even if in your own yard, it will feel as though your miles away and getting a short break from the real world. While extra travel expenses may incur, camping can even be done in a more distant, scenic location.

Local craft shows, yard sales, Chinese auctions and rummage sales can make a fun and inexpensive day date. You and your significant other can create a travel route for the day and enjoy each other’s company while driving around town. Finding second-hand goodies for each other or the household can actually save you money in the long run. Plan on stopping for a burger half way through the day, or pack some sandwiches to eat at a nearby park.

Another favorite date night, and absolutely free of charge, is hanging out with your best buddies. With the stresses of work and family, friendship and laughter can make for a great time. While you can still communicate and bond with your lover, you can also bond with your own individual friends. It does not cost a single penny to enjoy love and friendship!

2.) What’s better than to spend an evening cuddled up in a blanket together and watch the sunset or star gaze.

3.) Take a stroll on the beach (either ocean or lake), pick shells, and skip rocks.

4.) Go to a local restaurant that offers a dollar menu and order food from there then  go to a park and enjoy a picnic.

5.) Stay at home and relax either watch movies and eat popcorn or play board games.

6.) Have a campfire and roast hot dogs and make s’mores. If the weather isn’t that great, you could also roast marshmallows over candle light.

7.) Have a dance party in your living room and spend the evening dancing to your favorite songs.

8.) Bring your camera and take photos together at the tourist spots around town.

9.) Go to a local park and go for a hike.

10.) Fly a kite at the park.

11.) Sit on a park bench or in a shopping mall and people watch, make up names for the people and stories about their lives.

12.) Dressed up and go to a coffee shop as if you just came from a party.

13.) Go for a bike ride.

14.) Instead of a dinner date, go for a desert date.

15.) Window shop – its fun to dream.

16.) Blindfold your partner in your car and drive around for awhile so they don’t know where they are, then  take them to a lake and have a thermos of hot chocolate and  a couple of mugs during  an Autumn day.

17.) Some towns, during the summer, show movies in a park. They are usually free.

There are so many cheap date ideas, and if you have any, please share! It’s great to hear what others are doing on their dates.

Dating can be very expensive if you are not careful, so in these hard times it is not surprising that people are deciding to cut back.

However when you meet someone new you want to be able to indulge yourselves with nice treats such as fancy meals, cinema trips or concert and theatre visits. But these types of activities all add up and end up being very expensive when you are doing them two or three times a week.

However if you start dating sensibly on a budget then you will not have to stop dating altogether, you can still have lots of fun and at the fraction of the cost. You simply need to be more creative and find cheaper and, even better, FREE alternatives so we are still able to have a good time when you meet a new person.

So here are ten brilliant, inexpensive dating ideas for you to try out:

1. Renting a DVD. This can work out a lot cheaper and can sometimes be more romantic than going to the cinema, as you will be in the privacy of your own home, on a comfortable sofa. However if you want to see the latest film, then many cinema companies have cheaper nights and deals on throughout the week, so try and find out if a cinema near you offers this service and find out when it is, as sometimes it can be nearly half the usual price.

2. Stay in and cook. You can have an enjoyable night in, cooking and eating together, it can actually be more fun than being waited on in a restaurant. Also another alternative is to keep your eyes peeled for offers for restaurants, as sometimes they have offers on or publish vouchers in local magazines etc. so look out for them.

3. Go for a walk. If it is a nice night and the stars are out, go for a stroll and enjoy being out in the fresh air. You could stop off at a pub or cafe for a drink and walk back. Also during the day you could go out for a walk, there are loads of parks and gardens just waiting to be discovered, so go out and have a look at what you can find.

4. A picnic in a park, garden or field that you know or find. If the weather is nice take a blanket, food and wine and sit in the sun and enjoy a cheap picnic together.

5. The beach. If the weather is good, you could visit your local beach and have a picnic or just a walk along the waterfront, stop for a drink or an ice cream and walk back.

6. Try the local arcades. You could take some two pence coins and play on the slot machines, or on the crane games, now this can be very cheap, especially if you win your money back, you could even make a few pounds.

7. Sports or exercise activity. If you are quite a sporty couple and like the same kinds of sports and exercise then this is something that you can do together on a fun date. For instance you could go mountain biking or jogging together or try another sport that you enjoy, like playing tennis or badminton.

8. Art Gallery openings. If you keep your eyes peeled you can always find events like this and even if you are not that into art, there can sometimes be free food and wine, so could definitely be worth a look, and you never know you might surprise yourselves and enjoy the art.

9. Open mic nights and poetry readings. There are often events like this going on in different venues such as Art Centres or pubs for example, these can often cost a small ticket price but can go on all day, with a wide variety of different entertainment that will keep you occupied.

10. Board games or card games at home. If you really are short of cash then this can be a surprisingly fun alternative to an expensive date.

So hopefully these few ideas will get you going, so you can enjoy more cheap and enjoyable times with your partner or new person in your life.

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1. Rent a movie and cook dinner
2. Take a walk
3. Go for a scenic drive
4. Go to a small corner café/coffee shop
5. Go for ice cream
6. Go to the bookstore and share your favorite books
7. Go to the park and sit on a bench and people watch
8. Sit and play a board game
9. Read a book together (take turns reading pages)
10. On a nice, warm, clear night – Take a blanket and lay on your back to look at the stars

Get a notebook and jot down all your “cheap date” ideas. Try to think creative, imaginative.

Picnics are always good “cheap dates.” You and your “cheap date” can bring something to the picnic. You can picnic in the park, at the zoo, at a botanical garden, at your local playground, at the beach. Include a mix of all your favorite items, including gourmet and snacks.

Shopping dates at the mall. Have a cheap shopping budget, buy cheap products, like cheap jewelry, cheap books, cheap clothes, cheap toys–and find a cheap restaurant.

Concert dates. Find out if there are free or cheap concerts in your area.

Movies, especially low-budget movies, including popcorn and candy make for cheap dates.

Lectures. Maybe there are some favorite lecturers in your area. Go to a lecture, then have a cheap meal.

Sporting events can be free and cheap.

Home-cooked meals. Include your favorite dishes.

Walking tours. Schedule a walking tour. Include a trip to a favorite local & cheap restaurant.

These are just a few of the “cheap,” “low-budget” and “bargain” dates. Get out your “cheap date” notebook and try to come up with other “cheap date” ideas. Ask your friends if they have any good suggestions for “cheap dates.”

However, it would be good if you kept a “dating fund,” saving some of your money, a small percentage, so that every now and then you can take your “cheap date” on an expensive date, say to a gourmet restaurant, a fine dance club, or a movie premier. Then, of course, you can return to your “low-budget” or “no-budget” dating. But continue to keep that “dating fund.” And continue to budget your dating money.