What can I do for Valentine’s Day with no money? Turns out, quite a lot. Check out these free Valentine’s Day ideas.
There is no relationship between how much you love someone, and how much you spend on them for Valentine’s Day.
In fact, I would argue that some of the best Valentine’s Day gifts cost your time, thought, and energy, and not your money.
Let me show you what I mean with free Valentine’s Day ideas that will make your partner swoon.
Free Valentine’s Day Ideas
SO, you’re looking for free things to do on Valentine’s Day?
Fortunately for you, I’ve got loads of free Valentine’s Day ideas to keep the romantic spark alive (without overwhelming your wallet).
Hint: most of these are completely free, but take a few supplies you likely have at home – if you don't, then there's plenty of other options to choose from.
1. Plaster their Steering Wheel in Lovey-Dovey Post-It Notes
If you’ve got a mountain of post-it notes, then you’re good to go. Just write one reason, per note, of why you love them (or one thing you like about them).
Plaster the steering wheel in their car for a fun surprise on Valentine’s Day morning!
2. Put Together a FREE Escape Room at Home
Have you ever done an escape room together? They’re pretty neat.
And if you don’t have the time or money to go out and do one in person, why not bring some of that magic in your living room?
I just love these free escape room kits – you’ll find audio files for the missions by downloading the free iPhone app or free android app.
Get the materials together ahead of your actual Valentine’s Date night (stuff you probably already have, like scissors, pens, single-sided printed copies of the free missions, etc.).
Solve puzzles, decipher morse codes, and deactivate bombs – all while working together.
3. Make Candy Sushi + Eat with Chopsticks
Raid your silverware drawer for leftover takeout chopsticks, and build just a few ingredients into your next grocery shopping trip to pull off these super-cute candy sushi.
What a surprise this will be!
4. Give a Deluxe Home Massage
Offering a massage is always appreciated, but you can also add some glam to it and show your loved one how much thought you have put into them.
A few suggestions:
- Brush up on your massage skills with some free instruction
- Find a comfortable and warm part of your home (increase the heat, use a space heater, or light a fire if need be)
- Check your landscaping for some smooth pebbles and follow these instructions to give a hot stone massage
- Use oils on hand (baby oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, vegetable oil) to make your own massage oil
- Warm up the oil/lotion, towels, etc. to create a very relaxing atmosphere
- Light a few candles
5. Use Some Homemade Chocolate Body Paint
Try out Chef Curtis Stone’s recipe, or this recipe for chocolate body paint. Grab a soft brush from the craft closet…and have fun.
6. Play a Couple’s Game
Here’s the free Heads-Up Spouse game you can print out.
You’ll also want to check out this free Pictionary Game for couples.
7. Join a Spouse Challenge
There are spouse challenges out there, like the Encourage Your Husband challenge, you can join for free.
These challenges give you wonderful ideas for how to do nice things for them leading up to Valentine’s Day (or starting from Valentine’s Day).
Surprise them by just starting to do things…and then when they ask what’s up, you can explain what you’ve done!
8. Clean Out their Car
A little elbow grease can create a more meaningful Valentine’s Day gift than a regular box of chocolates.
Take everything out from the inside and their trunk. Throw away all the trash, and put things away in the house/garage that don’t need to stay in the car.
Clean the mirrors and inside of the windows. You might want to use a defogger.
Then, wipe down the dashboard, radio area, and any hard surfaces. Scrub out the cup holders (sometimes a q-tip is the best way to get into all the nooks and crannies). Get your vacuum cleaner out, and vacuum everything (including the car seat, if you’ve got one – those things can get gross!).
Don’t forget to clean the outside of the car, too!
Hint: got a few extra bucks? Go ahead and put a lovely smelling air freshener under their driver seat. This is my favorite car air freshener, by the way.
9. Create Love Coupons
Do you have a printer?
There are tons of love coupon templates out there, or love coupons you can just print off and assemble.
10. Create a Mason Jar of Memories to Walk Through
Go back through scrapbooks, albums, your photos on your smartphone, etc., and write little snippets of memories that have meant something to you on small pieces of paper.
A few I’d write in our own jar:
- “Our bullfrog walk in Louisiana, after a light rain”
- “Waking up to a light snow coming down on orange trees (with oranges on them) in Japan”
- “Hiking for an hour with our little guy, then sliding on our backs through a small crawlspace to see our first petroglyphs together”
- Etc.
Fold them up, stick them in a mason jar, and present your love with a jar full of moments you’ve shared together.
Have fun reading them out loud over dinner after the kids go to bed.
11. Create a “Kiss the Ground You Walk On” Trail
Did you ever want to set up one of those romantic trails through the house for your partner?
Use these free printables from The Dating Divas to set up a romantic path your loved one will see as soon as they get home.
12. Set Up a Valentine's Day Scavenger Hunt
Here's a really cute, free printable that lets you set up a whole Valentine's Day Scavenger Hunt at home – how romantic.
13. Surprise Your Loved One with a Clean House
Paul and I have each surprised one another at different times with a completely clean house.
And let me tell you – coming home to a clean, organized home (that you were no part of) is a great feeling.
Light some candles for when they get home, and you’ve got the makings of a beautiful evening.
14. Leave a Lipstick Message on the Mirror
Grab some lipstick or lip gloss and leave a heart, kiss, or message for your beau.
15. Pack their Lunch and Add a Love Note
Tuck a love note inside of a lunch you pack for them.
These could be free printable Valentine’s Day lunchbox jokes, or ones you’ve written on pretty paper.
16. Finish Something You’ve Been Promising to Get to
We have a cabinet door that would not stay closed for the last two years in our kitchen.
Talk about annoying!
The other day Paul installed a magnet thingy and now it stays closed. I cannot tell you how happy that little act made me.
Is there something that you have been promising to complete around your apartment or house? Working on this (and completing it) will show how much you care.
17. Send Poetry Texts
Go to your local library and get out a book of romantic poems.
Throughout the day, send a line or two of a romantic poem you have chosen. If nothing else, it will leave your partner guessing. This could be over email, through text, over voicemail, etc.
Hint: emojis are appreciated.
18. Meet at Home or your Significant Other’s Office with Bagged Lunches
Depending on your work situation and location to home/spouse’s office, wouldn’t it be fun to meet up and eat bagged lunches together?
When my husband, Paul, and I lived in our apartment, we were both ten minutes away from home. Every so often, we’d meet up for a “honeymoon lunch” together.
It wasn’t much time together, but it made the day a bit more special.
19. Wake Up Early and Cook a Hot Breakfast (During the WEEK)
I don’t know about your household, but in ours we only cook hot breakfasts on the weekends.
Waking up extra early and making a weekday feel more like a Saturday with eggs, bacon, French toast, or whatever you like to eat (*actually* use that waffle maker!) would certainly show your loved one how much you care.
Doe Valentine’s Day fall on a weekday?
Here’s several options for prepping the night before:
20. Give a Home Pedicure
Many people love having their feet pampered.
You’ll need a container big enough to fit both feet (filled with hot water), a towel to place around it, and the rest is up to you and your home supplies.
You can make an easy homemade sugar scrub to exfoliate with just sugar and oil. Here are some other great tips on how to liven up your home pedicure.
Pssst: You might want to check out the 5 Languages of Love List, my list of 31 date night gift ideas for couples or 27 valentine’s day gifts for girlfriend for some more ideas!
21. Do a Couple’s Yoga Video
There are free couple’s yoga videos all over YouTube – here’s a beginner couple’s one.
Have I proven to you that showing your partner how much you appreciate and love them on Valentine’s Day has nothing to do with how big your receipt is? Seriously – try one or two of these free Valentine’s Day ideas out, and get ready for a beautiful day of love.
Amanda L Grossman
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