It would be nice to spend indiscriminately, especially on a holiday like Valentine’s Day. But not everyone has the necessary financial situation to go on a spending spree. The good news is: you can have a great Valentine’s Day without spending a lot of money! Retailers want you to spend your money, but there’s no reason to buy into their hype. Love can’t be bought.

Here are some affordable Valentines Day ideas (that are practically FREE):

Eat dinner at home, but go out for drinks and dessert

Forget the reservations and the high cost of a meal in town. Cook a delicious, romantic meal at home. Head over to a nice bar for dessert.

Find a flower option besides roses

Roses cost a small fortune on Valentine’s Day. Find another flower your significant other loves. Many women don’t like roses. Ask about her favorite flower.

Rent a few romantic movies and stay on the couch

Forget the movies, it’s all about the Netflix and chill vibes. It’s easy to find a list of romantic movies. You don’t even have to get dressed up. The popcorn is less expensive at home, too. You can even talk during the movie.
Go to a hotel in lieu of a trip. Save on travel expenses and visit a local hotel for the night. Consider finding one with a tub for two.

Have an indoor picnic

Unless you’re in the south, it’s a little cold for an outdoor picnic in February. Clear out space on the living room floor and have your picnic inside. Anything is possible.

Look for free or inexpensive entertainment

You can find quality entertainment on the cheap. Museums, local theater companies, art galleries, and food and wine tastings can all be both entertaining and inexpensive.

Use coupons!

A coupon might not go over well on a first or second date. However, if you’ve been together for a while, that awkwardness no longer exists. Both partners realize the saved money could be spent on something else.

Deliver your own flowers

The florist is more expensive than the grocery store or the farmer’s market. Deliver them yourself and enjoy the smile you receive.

Choose a different date

Valentine’s Day might officially fall on February 14th, but why not consider celebrating the following day. Restaurants, flowers, and cards are all significantly less expensive. You can avoid the crowds, too.

Write a love letter

Everyone has a sheet of paper and a pen. Take a few minutes and put your romantic thoughts down on paper. It’s free, and you’ll score big points.

Give each other a massage

Pick the music and the massage oils. Light a few candles and turn on some music. Let your fingers do the talking.

Make your own card

Who says you have to support Hallmark by purchasing a card that costs $4.99? Psshhhh. They usually end up in the trash anyway. Make a card this year instead. It will be remembered forever.

Go out for breakfast

It’s the most important meal of the day, and the least expensive. Why not go out for breakfast instead of dinner this year? Lunch is another option.

Make a gift

Make a scrapbook. Create a CD of her favorite songs. It’s the thought that counts.

Set a budget and brainstorm

Sit down together and determine how much you’re willing to spend. See how many ideas you can list that stay within the budget constraint.

Love doesn’t require money. A fun and memorable Valentine’s Day can be enjoyed on a budget. Make a list of inexpensive ideas that will thrill your significant other. Avoid letting financial challenges ruin your holiday.

If you’ve tried to lose weight and failed, you’re probably thinking that it’s a mighty difficult task to accomplish. Do you feel like you’ve tried every diet out there and nothing works?

Don’t give up! Achieving your weight loss goals might be easier than you think!

Small Changes = Big Results

As you’ve no doubt noticed, weight loss isn’t a quick fix. You can’t go on a two-week diet, lose the weight, and then think that the weight will stay off for good. Even if you’re really good about following a diet at first, you’ll more than likely gain the weight back.

Why?

It’s because a two-week diet does nothing to alter your lifestyle. The best results come from changes that you incorporate into your daily life, and many of these changes aren’t drastically different from what you do now.

You can even continue to enjoy the foods you love as long as you do so with a wise plan!

If you make a series of small changes, one at a time, you’ll give yourself a chance to get used to them. It won’t seem like such a shock to your system when you introduce the changes gradually. Sooner than you think, you’ll lose the weight and gain the healthy body and lifestyle that you desire!

Here are some weight loss tips to implement into your new lifestyle:

Use low-fat milk

When you use low-fat milk, you’ll still get the nutritious benefits of milk, but without all the fat grams. Try substituting skim, 1%, or soy milk in your cereal, coffee, and cooking.

Cut out soda

Soda is a big offender when it comes to empty calories. The best thing you can do for your body is to replace the soda you’re drinking with water. Water is critical to your good health. It also helps fill you up and has zero calories, no matter how much you drink!

If you’re having trouble kicking the soda habit, try alternating soda and water each time you go to get a drink. This will gradually get you used to less soda and increase your water intake.

Start walking

If a regular exercise routine is difficult for you, strive to walk more often. Walking doesn’t feel so much like true exercise, but it is and you’ll be rewarded for it.

• Park farther from the store so you have to walk a little distance.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Go for an enjoyable walk with your neighbor. You can visit, catch up, and exercise all at the same time!

Watch your portion sizes

Portion sizes just keep getting larger and larger. You may not even realize that you’re consuming a portion that’s much too large for you. Look up what a healthy portion size really is for the meal you’ve chosen. You might be surprised at the results!

• Start your meals with a full glass of water.
• Combat oversized portions by using smaller plates.
• Half your plate should be vegetables, a quarter should be protein, and the other quarter should be carbohydrates.
• Give yourself the correct amount of food and then refrain from seconds.

Have desserts sparingly

Save desserts for special occasions or times when you deserve a nice treat. Avoid eating them every day, or you’ll be adding massive amounts of calories to your daily intake.

• It’s a good idea to plan ahead for occasional desserts and only buy them for those certain meals. That way, they aren’t there tempting you the rest of the time.
• Have plenty of healthy snacks available to curb hunger or cravings in between meals.

You can easily turn these tips into healthy habits by incorporating them into your lifestyle one at a time. Get used to one tip before you add another one. Most of them involve only small changes. However, these small changes will enable you to achieve your weight loss goals!