Valentine's Day on a Dime

Not sure what to do this Valentine’s Day? Whether you have a SO or are spending the day alone or with friends, there are ways to spend the day without spending a dime!

As college kids, we all know the struggle of not knowing what to do when we don’t have enough money; some of us refuse to even check our bank accounts. Regardless, don’t fret! There are ways to spend the day and still have lots of fun.

Image by JD Hancock via flickr.com

Spending the day with your SO?

NETFLIX AND CHILL

Who doesn’t love to Netflix and chill, especially when you get to do it with a SO? Well, Netflix has made sure we have plenty of options this month. Whether you’re into animated movies, horror films, or anything really … Netflix has added movies like Finding Dory, The Jungle Book, and Captain America: Civil War along with TV shows like Once Upton a Time, Meet the Blacks, and Blacklist.

There are TONS of options, including romantic comedies, to binge watch. All you need is a TV, somewhere to chill, and some yummy snacks!

TAKING A WALK ON OR OFF CAMPUS

Even though it’s February, a lot of places that usually have snow may actually be a little warmer this time around. However, even if it’s cold, taking a walk with your SO can be peaceful. Whether you live in Arizona or Cali or Indiana or Maine, go take a walk with your sweetie and just enjoy each other’s company. If it’s cold, don’t forget to bundle up. Whenever you come back you can make a cup of hot cocoa and relax.

DINNER AND CANDLES

Sometimes going out for dinner can be completely overrated, especially when you’re on a budget and don’t feel like waiting over an hour to sit down at a restaurant. Whether you’re a chef or a complete newbie, there are millions of recipes online that you can follow to make you and your sweetie a nice dinner for as little as $10.

Not sure where to start? Try websites like All Recipes, Food Network, or Pinterest to find the best and easiest recipes! Add some candles to your dinner table (or couch) and enjoy the romantic vibes.

Spending the day with your best friend?

WINDOW SHOPPING

Window shopping with your best friend: what’s better than that? I know we all like to actually buy what we see but sometimes window shopping can be fun. Or, even go a step further and try different outfits on. Though you might need to drive to different stores or to the mall, this can be a fun way to spend VDAY without worrying about what actual couples are doing.

allrecipes.com

DIY PHOTO SHOOT

UHhhh … who doesn’t love dressing up and taking model-selfies? Raid each other’s closets, mix, and match, do each other’s makeup, and take selfies until your phone doesn’t have any more memory space. Find places around campus or town to take the cutest selfies in the cutest outfits. Show people how you spent your VDAY and show it off in style!

BAKE SOME GOODS

Who doesn’t love to bake? Actually, who doesn’t love to eat? Especially us college kids, we eat everything. I know I said a dime but you can buy a box of brownie or cake mix, or even cookie dough for $1-$2, and all you need is to follow the directions and stick the goodies in the oven. Baking is fun whether you’re alone or with friends, and since it’s VDAY, you get a pass to treat yourself!

Spending the day by yourself?

WORK OUT

That may sound boring or too broad, but if you enjoy working out, sometimes the best way is to go alone. If you have been feeling lazy or down, working out can make you feel so much better. Go the gym, shoot some hoops, run around town or in a park, go swimming, take a dance class, or do some yoga. Working out will not only make you feel better but also give you something to do that will pass a little bit of time.

PAMPER YO’SELF

Yes, you, pamper yourself.  Sometimes we forget to pamper ourselves and to pay attention to our own personal and mental health. The harder college gets, the less time we have to take a breather and do something nice for ourselves. Paint your nails (TOES AND HANDS), dye your hair, try some different hairstyles, sleep, do your eyebrows, try some new make-up styles, etc. Pampering yourself will make you feel special! After all, it is VDAY.

CATCH UP ON HOMEWORK AND ASSIGNMENTS

This year Valentine’s Day takes place on a Tuesday, so for those of you who don’t care about VDAY or feel like doing anything special, try catching up on homework. If you don’t have any homework to catch up on, do a few things early! That may sound boring but after all, we are college students and homework is just a part of that. Ya know?

Whether you are spending the day with your SO, your best friend, or yourself, there’s always something to do! Feel free to mix and match ideas, even. Feel like taking selfies with your SO? Go for it. Feel like Netflix and chilling by yourself? Go for it. There’s no right or wrong answer but there are ways to spend this Valentine’s Day doing something fun!