1. Rethink the flower purchase. Everyone is going for the roses, so why not go with something unique and wonderful just for your honey? You can choose from white, peach, and pink in a variety of other (less expensive!) flowers that are sure to please because they come from YOU!

. Nothing spells L.O.V.E. better than a home cooked meal. Light some candles, get dressed up, and stay at home! It doesn’t matter if you’re serving filet mignon or frozen pizzas, it’ll cost less and mean more because you cooked it yourself.

Why stick with the same old, same old when you can say more with a handmade gift from the heart? It’s your chance to shine here! Make a piece of jewelry, bake a cake, or give a creative gift certificate. Clean out the car for someone who is always on the go. Make bath salts for someone who has a stressful job. Use your imagination and not your credit cards!

Gone are the days of the cassette tape and the mad, passionate mixes we made for one another, but you can recapture that sentiment by burning your love a mixed CD. Just pop open your iTunes account, make a playlist and get to burning. No CD burner in your PC? That’s okay, make a playlist and dedicate it to your sweetie.

This is a vacation game my family plays that translates well to the garish hullabaloo surrounding Valentine’s Day. You each get say, $10 and the challenge to to pic out the tackiest gift imaginable. It’s fun; it’s silly; and it makes for some happy memories with your sweetheart. Isn’t that what Valentine’s Day is all about?