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Have you planned your Valentine’s Day surprise for your loved one? Or are you still cracking your head to think of somewhere special to take that special someone to? If the recent fear of an economic recession, talks of zeo bonuses and increments and threats of pay cuts are putting some strain on your wallet, read on for top 5 things you can do for free (or almost-free!) this Valentine’s Day!

Valentine’s Movie Date

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Curl up on the couch together in the comfort of your own home with cosy cushions and your favourite ice cream or popcorn to watch a romantic movie. Recommended movies include Love Actually, Mamma Mia, Pretty Woman, Sleepless in Seattle and The Truth About Cats & Dogs.

Home Cooked Valentine’s Breakfast

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Why not surprise them with a delicious home-cooked breakfast? It costs hardly anything to prepare and would certainly put a smile on your loved one’s faces. Go creative and create pretty hearts with cookie cutters to decorate your breakfast with.

Read more tips for saving on Valentine’s Day below.

Recommended Romantic Spots

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Go back to nature this Valentine’s. Instead of jostling with crowds in shopping malls and overpriced restaurants, take a quiet walk in the nearby parks or beaches. Local parks include KL’s Lake Gardens, KLCC Park or a short drive to KL’s famous Look Out Point. Spend some time getting to know each other again amongst the cool comfort of the trees.

Start A Love Project Together

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Plan something together this Valentine’s and watch it grow. Grow a plant together and watch it flower over time. If you’re photography buffs, why not plan to save up for your DSLR or a photo outing trip? Or sit together and plan your next holiday. Whatever it is, choose something you both enjoy and look forward to!

Valentine’s Day Spa

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Create your very own spa at home! If you have a bathtub at home, luxuriate in a bubble bath with pretty flower petals and sweet smelling bath salts. Or have a nice scrub under a hot shower and finish up with a relaxing massage for each other. It’s a great end to a wonderful day.

Ultimately, Valentine’s Day isn’t about flowers, presents or expensive dinners. It is about laughter, time and fun together. Sometimes, the best things in life are really free!

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So you’ve got your Valentine’s dinner all ready and dessert cooling on the counter to surprise your loved one. How can you then create a lovely and romantic ambiance in your home for less?

If you notice, cozy and romantic restaurants are always about soft lighting, candlelight and that little touch of flowers that always symbolise love and romance. Ladies too love the fact that soft lighting are usually more flattering on their features

So read on below to create Valentine’s Day decorations for less without spending too much money.

Play around with candles and tealights to achieve a beautiful soft look.

You can buy cheap tealights from Ikea which come in a block of 100 tealights for just RM9.90 or beautiful scented and coloured block candles for as cheap as RM7.90 for a pack of 4. Put them on your dining table and around your house to create a sweet smelling and romantic welcome for your loved one.

Candle floaters also make a great decorative centrepiece. Place them in a glass bowl of water and top it off with some pretty flowers.

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Finally, sprinkle some rose petals all around the table or perhaps create a sweet trail of rose petals from your main door to the dining table. Loose rose petals are available very cheaply from florist shops or wholesale florists such as those in Petaling Street.

Make it a Valentine’s Dinner your loved one will never forget

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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If you have decided break away from the commercialism of expensive restaurant meals by cooking a home-cooked Valentine’s meal for your loved one, why not finish it off with a delicious dessert that is easy and cheap to make!

Have you always avoided cooking or creating delicious desserts because of the mess it creates? Would you rather spend RM10 or more on a small slice of cake or tart? Well, do away with complicated recipes and messy flour and create a wonderful Valentine’s Day surprise with this quick and easy puff pastry apple tart below.

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All you need is a pack of frozen puff pastry and apples which can be easily obtained from your local supermarket. Click here for the full recipe and you would be surprised at how quickly it can be made!

Cut it into slices and serve with ice cream after your home made dinner and you can have a delicious Valentine’s Day dinner for two for much less!

Enjoy!

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Valentine’s Day is just 10 days away and couples everywhere must be really happy to know that it falls on a Saturday which gives them a full day of romance and fun together. However, with the fears of a recession looming, here’s a tip on how you can save on your Valentine’s dinner yet have a private and romantic evening together!

Restaurants all around the world take advantage of Valentine’s Day to come up with overpriced set menus which often range in the hundreds for a 3-course meal. Worse, they often increase the number of tables in their limited areas to accommodate their customers that you might find yourself sitting elbow to elbow with the couple next to you or inadvertably eavesdropping on their romantic whispers!

This Valentine’s, why not take the advantage of the weekend to whip up an easy but delicious meal for your loved one?

Read below for an easy recipe you can prepare yourself right at home!

Roast Duck Fettucine

Doesn’t this look delicious?

It is incredibly easy and very affordable to prepare! All you need is some roast duck, fresh mushrooms and pasta to prepare this delicious fusion Valentine’s dinner that your loved one will definitely enjoy!

Hop over to HaveYouEaten.net for the full receipe and preparation steps!

Best of all, it’s at a tiny fraction of the price restaurants and cafes will be charging you this Valentine’s!

Stay tuned for more great simple, affordable yet delicious desserts and appetizers and wonderful ideas on how you can decorate your Valentine’s dinner table for less!