Love is in the air! But it ain’t cheap. Valentine’s Day at Cornell has always been an exciting time for couples on campus. Whether you’re still in your honeymoon period or have long passed that, Ithaca offers a plethora of activities to foster a more intimate connection with your partner. You can go to one of the countless restaurants it has to offer, or visit one of our many beautiful gorges and waterfalls. With the colder weather, spending quality time with each other indoors would do wonders for your connection. However you’d like to spend your Valentine’s Day, there is one common trend that picks up during the season of love: spending.
To readers who have read my last guide, you know how much of an advocate I am for responsible spending. I will always push against spending unnecessary money on things that you could easily do for yourself. The same general principle applies here but even more so since it is effort that makes the biggest difference when it comes to love. While following this guide might require some advanced planning and learning new skills, you would be generally fine if you provide these three basics: flowers, a gift and quality time. But if you would like to get more bang for your buck this Valentine’s Day, you’re in the right place. To all of you broke boys who have that special lady to impress, pay close attention!
DIY Bouquet: One thing you can never forget when planning a romantic date with your loved one is some kind of hook to set the tone. While this can be done with a few other things depending on her preferences, flowers are generally a good bet. It always pays to know what kinds of flowers she likes, and work on a bouquet. Wegmans is the obvious place to get the cheapest flowers. You can also shop online pickup in the store to select a wide variety of flowers that you can put together in a bouquet. Yes, it may seem tacky that you are buying these flowers individually for cheap, but a personally arranged bouquet shows thoughtfulness and that will not be discounted.
Gifts: For this one, it helps to put some planning into it. So, if you’re reading this on Valentine’s Day when this article comes out, you’re already at a disadvantage, but can still pull it off. For future Valentine’s Days, or special occasions, it helps to buy your gifts in advance, when there is little demand and lower prices. For those of you whose girlfriends “go to another school” and have to wait until later this week to meet your loved-one, you’re in luck. Prices drop drastically after the day of love, when demand for themed-gifts and flowers are the lowest. So, a quick and easy tip for those who celebrate after is to simply keep an eye out for those sales.
What I recommend much more is to make one. Not only would it likely be the most cost-effective option, it shows the most effort towards your relationship. Nothing shows love more than a personalized gift made with your own hands. If you’re into wood-carving, carve something cute. If you’re artistic, you can draw or paint the two of you together. If you’re into video or photography, obviously make a compilation of your favorite moments. The most important advice I can give here is to know well enough what her interest is, or if she even wants a gift at all.
Cook your own meals and spend some quality time: This is a no-brainer. Everyone goes out on Valentine’s Day. Do you want to be stuck sitting in a crowded, overpriced restaurant, struggling to hear each other and regretting the sheer unoriginality of this idea? Or do you want to save yourself money and the embarrassment?
By far, Walmart sells the most affordable meats, though Wegmans sells a slightly larger variety. Other items are best bought from ALDI, as they sell the most cost-efficient ingredients, I’ve found. I am not much of a drinker, so you’re on your own when it comes to alcoholic drinks. But if you want to flex, alcohol-free mint juleps are cheap, easy to make and delicious.
This Valentine’s Day is projected to be quite cold compared to last week, so you might as well stay in and spend some more quality time together. No matter what, this Valentine’s Day, it is incredibly important to simply spend some quality time together. Everything else, every minor mistake, every awkward moment will be drowned out by the wonderful moments you share.
This article is not just about being cheap. While it is always the most cost-effective to do things on your own, you have to realize that this path is even more valuable when done for someone else for love. Effort and personalized attention are crucial parts of a relationship. On such a special day, be it Valentine’s Day, an anniversary or otherwise, demonstrating careful and proactive planning and personalized expressions of love would go far in making your partner feel special and strengthening your bond. It just so happens that doing so tends to be more cost-effective than outsourcing the work to restaurants and gift manufacturers. It is a simple step in the right direction but can often be overlooked. This Valentine’s Day, in anticipation of higher than normal spending, show your commitment and create lasting memories by crafting the perfect day with your own hands. Or …
Stay single: Save yourself the trouble of spending and just ignore the day. Understandably, it’s probably not by choice, but thinking about how much time and money you’re saving is a useful cope.
Daniel Obaseki is a fourth year student in the College of Arts and Sciences and the President of the Cornell Political Union. His fortnightly column Beyond Discourse focuses on politics, culture, and student life at Cornell. He can be reached at [email protected].
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