Today we have some great tech deals in addition to our Valentine's day deals. Ebay has a waterproof, fireproof 2 TB external hard drive marked down to $250 from the regular price of $420, Amazon has a 32GB flash drive marked from $74 to $23. We also have deals on flowers and gifts, picnic accessories, and other treats for your Valentine.
Here's our Valentine's Day gift to you: eight romantic date ideas that are fun, creative, and, truth be told, cheap. If you don't have the cash (or patience) for dinner at a fancy restaurant crowded by all of the other couples in town, alternatives abound. These ideas for a date will have you sipping fine wine, sharing an elegant dessert, and filling your head with art and culture. Best of all, they're cheap enough to be part of your regular weekend rotation.
Save Money on Experiences with Coupons and Group Deals.
Cut costs on an experience date by checking out group deals. Use a daily deal site to find bargains on everything from skydiving to bowling to cooking class. You may even find deals on recommended local restaurants or activities. Also, look for coupons from sites such as restaurant.com to save even more money on dining.
Pack a Picnic, Inside or Out.
What's more romantic than being alone with your date, giggling over a bottle of wine and snacks, surrounded by nature? Sure, at this time of year an outdoor picnic is hard to stage in many parts of the country, so improvise. Pick up a French baguette, some cheeses and spreads, fruit, and drinks of choice. With a blanket, warm jacket, hat and gloves, park yourself in the middle of nowhere, wherever that happens to be: the state park, a backyard, the front porch, or even the comfort of your own living room (sans all the winter gear, of course).
Wine and cheese.
Champagne taste on a beer budget? You can still enjoy fancy wine and cheese pairings without the steep restaurant wine markup, which is typically two to three times the bottle's cost to the restaurant. Visit your local wine store or beverage warehouse and ask for recommendations within your price range. Wine merchants are usually happy to suggest good food or cheese pairings for your bottles. If you're feeling adventurous, try wines from emerging wine regions or made from overlooked grapes (these are often a good value), and find gourmet cheeses to match.
Cook a Fancy Dinner for Two.
Good food doesn't have to be fancy. Impress your date with your cooking skills, or laugh about your mistakes afterwards, by making a three-course meal. Look for delicious but simple recipes, like roast chicken or spaghetti carbonara. Regardless how the main course turns out, you'll have spent quality time together. Set the table with candles and your best dishes to enhance the romantic ambience.
Bake a Cake (or Pie or Tart or Souffle...)
Get down and dirty with your honey -- in the kitchen. Spending quality time with your sleeves rolled up will make your flour, sugar, egg, and butter creation truly memorable. Tempting as it may be, try not to eat too much of the batter before it goes in the oven. Your patience will be rewarded with a sweet treat and fun memories. Try this chocolate souffle recipe, and you'll wonder how something that tastes so good can be made with just six ingredients.
Make Chocolate Truffles.
On the off chance that your date is a chocoholic, indulge in super smooth velvety truffles without the premium cost. Chocolate truffles are balls of chocolate ganache, a mix of cream and chopped chocolate. Make a customized set of truffles by picking out fun and unusual ingredients, and have fun decorating. But chocolate is no less romantic when ready-made, so check out our reviews of the best cheap chocolate.
Imagine hugging your sweetheart in front of a live band as the music envelops you. Bypass the ticket fees and long lines and check out a local band. Some venues hold multi-band shows for local, underground, and up-and-coming groups, so for a small cover fee (if any), you can enjoy several different bands in one night. Play a game to see who can spot a record company agent first.
See Contemporary Art at a Student Art Show.
Find out what's emerging in the art world. Check out student art exhibits at the local art college or find out which small galleries are holding openings. You may see things that are fresher and more exciting than what's showing in the art museums. A bonus: many gallery openings or exhibits offer a free glass of wine.
Whether you're in a new relationship or celebrating another year with your significant other, Valentine's Day is the perfect time to show how much you really care. For some committed types, however, the day of love can be a bit daunting. There's a lot of pressure to buy that perfect Valentine's Day gift and spend lots of money in the process. Forget all that. There are plenty of ways to express your feelings without flashing dollar signs. Let's take a look.
We turned to frugalista Vicky Oliver, author of The Millionaire's Handbook: How to Look and Act Like a Millionaire, Even If You're Not (Skyhorse Publishing, November 2011), for guidance. "Thought trumps the amount of money spent every time," Oliver says. "Sometimes, when you haven't put enough thought into a gift, it may end up costing you more."
To see what we could do with a budget of $35, we reached out to Oliver and did our own digging. Without too much ado we turned up several budget-friendly Valentine's Day gift ideas that are bound to make the recipient smile.
Make a Valentine's Day gift.
Oliver shared with us a pile of Valentine's Day gift ideas. For starters, she recommends creating a CD of songs that remind you of the other person, writing a poem, or making a collage of pictures of the two of you. If you want to do something with photos, ABC News notes that the picture kiosks at Target, CVS, Walgreens, and many other retailers let you quickly upload images to create Valentine's Day gifts such as personalized photo books and framed shots.
Give the Valentine's Day gift of time.
Ask any couple with full-time jobs and/or children and they'll tell you that time is at least as valuable as a pricey Valentine's Day gift. "It's not how much money the couple spends, but how much time they're willing to invest into their relationship," Oliver says. Try one of these Valentine's Day ideas: Go to a movie you both want to see or go on a romantic picnic (make it indoors, if necessary).
Give a traditional Valentine's Day gift.
Yes, jewelry is a traditional Valentine's Day gift and often costs an arm and a leg. It doesn't have to. We really like this idea from Frugal Dad: Buy your sweetheart a charm bracelet and every year add a charm. A simple sterling silver bracelet may go for as little as $20 and charms can be had for $10 to $20 each. Another traditional Valentine's Day gift that your honey is sure to love: cheap chocolate. If your guy loves wine, a Valentine's Day gift of cheap red wine or cheap white wine that you can enjoy together will definitely hit the spot.
While many of us shy away from this practice, Oliver sees no problem with it as a frugal Valentine's Day gift. "It's fine to re-gift as long as you show thought in the way you do it," Oliver explains. "The key thing with a re-gift is to know the person well enough to be certain that he or she will enjoy it." In other words, think of an item you already have that your significant other really likes -- it could be the old college sweatshirt your girlfriend throws on all the time or a book your boyfriend keeps borrowing.
And finally
, as you begin your Valentine's Day shopping, remember that the price tag doesn't indicate how much you love your sweetheart. The thought does. "We live in an era when the grand gesture can be more meaningful than a present costing hundreds of dollars," Oliver says. "And with a little forethought, your Valentine's Day gift will convey just the right amount of love."
With just over a week until Valentine's Day, this is a great time to score a deal and have it shipped in time. Woot.com has a $5 Swarovski crystal necklace, Groupon is offering a 4 bottle romantic wine sampler, and we found several other Valentine's Day gift deals. If you have a Giant's fan to woo, check out the photo of Super Bowl winner Eli Manning from eBay.
If our recent cheap snowboards article left you jonesing for the slopes, we're getting you even more psyched with our top picks for cheap snowboard boots. We've also suggested the smartest money-saving purchases to make in February and tips on hosting a Super Bowl party for less.
Experts say the boots are even more important than the board. They advise frugal riders to devote as much of their budget as necessary to a comfortable pair of boots before buying a board or bindings. Our list of top cheap snowboard boots includes 2012 models for men, women, and children that cost $130 or less. Stay tuned for our guide to the best inexpensive bindings.
New Blog Posts.
What to Buy in February.
If you missed our "best time to buy" blog post in January, not to worry. We'll be giving you the breakdown month by month so you can plan your expenditures wisely and buy select items when prices are likely to be lowest. The first monthly post, on February deals, recommends that you watch out for TVs and home theaters (if you've been following our daily deals posts, you've probably noticed all the HDTV deals we've highlighted), bicycles, chocolate, and winter fruits and vegetables.
How to Enjoy Super Bowl 2012 for Less.
If you're watching the Super Bowl from home this year, and especially if you're hosting a party, you'll enjoy big savings by planning ahead. Sodas and chips are likely to be on sale at your local grocery, but steer clear of pre-made dips and pre-cut veggies; concocting dips and cutting vegetables yourself will shave costs. Check out our Super Bowl tips for frugal menu items and other ideas.
We have three HDTV deals this week to get you ready for Game Day and, just for fun, an NFL-logo sandwich maker. We also found a good deal on K-cups and a $20 for $10 deal at Overstock.com. Enjoy!
Deals sites continue to roll out great deals on Valentine's day gifts, like jewelry, wine sets and chocolates, but we also found an HDTV deal to get you ready for the big game and other daily deals.
Knowing when to purchase what can mean big savings throughout the year. Savvy shoppers take advantage of two major, and related, trends: seasonal shifts and post-holiday efforts to clear out inventory. In February, with winter halfway over, retailers want to get rid of their seasonal merchandise -- anyone who needed a winter coat has probably already bought one, right? Also, stores usually have a lot of electronics left over from the holidays and need to make room for new gadgets, so now is a good time to upgrade. Read on for a full rundown of February deals.
With Black Friday and Christmas long past, retailers advertise cheap LCD TVs and home theaters for yet another national "holiday": Super Bowl Sunday. Game day couples with January's Consumer Electronics Show to spur retailers toward February deals on things like HDTVs, speakers, surround-sound systems, and other components to clear out inventory and make room for new models shown at CES. Snap up a 3D TV on the cheap and make your Super Bowl party the hottest ticket in town.
Digital Cameras.
Like TVs, point-and-shootdigital cameras see a round of price cuts in February after the holiday rush and CES. Amid technological advances and a wave of new models, retailers will be itching to sell off the old ones. If you're a budding photographer who has always wanted to own a digital SLR, look for February deals on our picks for best cheap DSLR camera.
Video Games.
Video games are usually released in early winter, just in time for holiday gift-giving. Wait until February, though, and even the newest and hottest video game titles should be discounted. For savings year-round, check eBay or Craigslist.
Coats and Cold Weather Gear.
With winter coming to an end, now's the best time to scoop up coats, outerwear, gloves, scarves, hats, and sweaters. Cold weather accessories are an especially good buy because styles don't change much from year to year. This far into the season usually means huge markdowns on coats and jackets, so take advantage of February deals and pick up next winter's coat today.
Air Conditioners and Humidifiers.
Who wants an air conditioner when it's freezing cold out? Well, smart shoppers do. The winter months are the best time to buy a budget air conditioner because no one needs more chill in the air. Low demand for AC units leads retailers to offer February deals to move units out the door. Another bargain worth snapping up is a cheap humidifier to counteract the skin-drying effects of winter air and indoor heating. One easy-to-find cheap pick is the Crane EE-5301 Cool Mist Humidifier.
Bicycles and Motorcycles.
Slick streets and icy winds deter most people from hitting the road on two-wheelers, so sales of bicycles and motorcycles slow during winter. Take advantage of the lull and buy your bike at the best prices you'll see all year. Already have a bike? February is also a good month to get it serviced for cheap.
Just in case you're yearning for a yacht, the winter off-season and mid-winter boat shows make February the right month to buy a boat. Dealers may offer discounts and deals to entice buyers, so be ready to bargain, whether at a boat show or on the showroom floor.
Foods in Season.
Eat seasonally, proclaim the food gurus. And what a feast you can find this time of year. Winter fruits and vegetables include oranges, grapefruit, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and sweet potatoes. Enjoy these February deals while they're plentiful, fresh, and reasonably-priced. Check Epicurious's peak-season map to see what's freshest in your area and try out new recipes, like Rachel Ray's Brussels sprouts with bacon or the Korean spicy fermented cabbage dish called kimchi.
Chocolate.
Like a kid in a candy store, chocoholics can satisfy their chocolate cravings on the cheap after Valentine's Day. Raid the candy aisle to find enticing February deals on Valentine's Day packages as retailers try to clear the holiday stash. And don't be afraid to stock up -- chocolate lasts for several months when stored in a cool, dry spot. Our picks for best cheap chocolate: Cadbury Royal Dark Chocolate and Lindt Lindor Truffles.
($34.99; $79.98 value)
($19.95; $50 value)
($159.99; $399.99 value)
($29.88; $81.18 value)
child's educational toy, ages 8-12 ($21.95; $32.99 value)
36-count ($15.99; $28.99 value)
($69.99; $149.99 value)
