Valentine's deals for every budget!

Whether you're playing it stingy, sensible or steep this Valentine's Day, Robert Powell has some do's, don'ts and essential bargain hunting tips for a cheap Feb 14th.

"Show your dearest how much you love them… at half price."

I have nothing but full-price admiration for the cutback Casanova that penned this Valentine’s Day store slogan.

Yes, February 14th has increasingly become a tale of two types of romancing: those who couldn’t care less (and most likely shop at the aforementioned store) and those who go feet first into a sluice of overpriced flowers, tacky cards and rip-off restaurants.

So as a single and romantically apathetic person, I feel perfectly placed to sift the stingy schmoozers from the arm-and-a-leg admirers and suggest some bargain tips for a cheap Valentine’s Day.

Gifts

Stingy schmoozers: Now they may not necessarily be the stingiest gifts, but research from the UK Gift Card & Voucher Association (UK GCVA) has revealed the most unpopular presents for women this Valentine’s Day. Top of the list was household appliances, closely followed by underwear that is too small - or worse, too big.

Top tips: The internet is a hive of cheap, quirky and romantic Valentine’s Day gifts. We looked at 15 off-the-wall online gifts – including heart earrings, a personalised plectrum, lego cufflinks and ‘I love you’ necklace – in this article. Personalised gifts are another option: gettingpersonal.co.uk offers customised wine, mugs, calendars, phone covers and football team books.

Mainstream sites like Amazon are also worth a look, although the site’s heart shaped frying pan, ‘I love you’ toast stamp and heart-shaped cookie cutters may not be to everyone’s taste.

If you know your loved one's taste in perfumes or aftershaves, ordering a bottle of the smelly stuff online could also be a frugal and thoughtful choice. Cheapsmells.com, Boots, cheap-perfume.co.uk, perfumeplus.co.uk and fragrancedirect.co.uk are all chocked with offers.

Vouchercodes.co.uk and MyVoucherCodes both have designated Valentine’s Day pages that include money off codes for gift sites and fragrance shops, so make sure you check them before buying. Many of the deals expire before the day itself though, so get moving.

Dinner

Arm-and-a-leg admirers: If you’re looking to shell out a fortune on some posh nosh this Valentine’s Day you could do worse than head to the Lake District’s Lindeth Howe Country House, home of the world’s priciest dessert. The chocolate pud is styled as a Faberge egg and made of gold, champagne, gold leaf and diamonds, among other things. But with a price tag of £22,000, I’d stick with the treacle tart.

Top tips: For bargain bites I’d usually suggest grabbing a voucher code or diners card and hitting the high street. However, restaurants have a nasty habit of suspending all decent deals on Valentine’s Day, replacing them with rip-off set menus. That’s not to say there aren’t still good deals out there, but you’ll have to hunt for them and make reservations.

In my book, a far better idea is to stay in and hit the kitchen. It’ll be cheaper, easier and you won’t have to stomach the inevitable hordes of revolting smooching couples. Unless you are a revolting smooching couple, in which case; don’t listen to me and fill your boots!

Take a look at our sister site lovefood.com for some top stay-at-home recipes for this Valentine’s Day.

If you absolutely have to eat out with your beau then why not leave it a day or two? Book a table for the 15th or 16th of Feb and avoid the crowds and the pricey set menus. And for those who like me will be spending Valentine’s Day at home in front of the telly, Domino’s Pizza is offering Nationwide card holders £10 off when you spend £30 online. Who needs a loving, adoring partner when you can get a discounted stuffed crust pizza the size your head?

Cards

Stingy schmoozers: Asda has provided an answer to the perennial question of exactly how cheap a Valentine’s Day card can be. The supermarket’s ‘Smart Price Card’ costs just 7p and features Asda’s basic range branding inside a ‘charming’ Asda-green shaded heart.

Top tips: While snapping up Asda’s bargain card may save you a few pennies, it will probably cost you a relationship. You can get hold of reasonably priced Valentine’s Day cards across the high street and online. If you are after something a bit different, there’s a host of personalised card sites all with their own teeth-gratingly annoying TV ads: moonpig.com and funkypigeon.com are two of the biggest. Take a look at this article for some more off-the-wall Valentine’s Day card ideas.

Flowers

Arm-and-a-leg admirers: Outside of creating budget cards, Asda has managed to find 170 hours to knock up a dress made from 1,725 flowers. The red Valentine’s Day frock weighs just under two stone and was designed by 23-year old florist Joe Massie.

Top tips: Ordering flowers online can cut the cost of your bouquet without cutting the quality. Sites that dispatch from the Channel Islands are definitely worth a look. Sendabunch.co.uk has bundles starting from £14.99 while flowersbypost.com has a budget bouquet at £8.95. But remember, postal orders can always go wrong so try and order your bouquet as soon as possible.

Serenata Flowers is another good choice, especially if you’re after a specific morning or evening delivery. The site is currently offering a dozen red roses for £19.99. Not bad when some online florists are trying to flog a single rose for £15!

It’s also worth checking the Valentine’s Day pages of Vouchercodes.co.uk and MyVoucherCodes for discount deals before ordering flowers online. Interflora has free wine and chocolate offers with selected bouquets or 14% off orders over £28 through the two sites. If you hold a Nationwide debit or credit card you’ll also be able to get 14% off purchases over £30 thanks to the building society’s Simply Rewards scheme.

Supermarket flowers are another budget choice if you’re after a bunch in a rush. And if you’re not keen on the look of the packaging, there’s nothing stopping you picking up some wrapping paper, a bow or gift bag and redecorating.

Days away

Arm-and-a-leg admirers: For those with a taste for the bubbly, a London hotel is offering the ultimate Champagne experience. Yes, London’s Cadogan Hotel’s champagne baths for two start at £4,000 for a dip in Louis de Custine Brut 1998 and run right up to £25,000 for the Dom Perignon Vintage.

The hotel uses 120 bottles to fill the bath and you’ll even get a glass of the stuff to sup on while you’re soaking.

Top tips: If you’re after a Valentine’s spa break lastminute.com is offering several half price deals. A couples day at the River Wellbeing Spa costs just £90 while a pamper day and champers lunch is on at £49. One night spa breaks are also available from £129. The site also has a designated Valentine’s gift page including discount chocolate making classes, beauty treatments and even mountain boarding lessons.

lastminute.com’s secret hotel page is a good way to bag a hotel bargain. Rooms are discounted substantially as the user is not told the exact details of the hotel – just the location and quality. So you could end up with a 5* room for a 2* price!

Vouchercodes.co.uk and MyVoucherCodes.co.uk are again worth a look if you’re after a hotel room. Hotels.com currently has a half price flash sale that ends this evening (Thursday) on Vouchercodes.co.uk, along with discounted Premier Inn and Travelodge rooms. MyVoucherCodes has offers on Virgin Experience Days including medieval banquets, massages and brewery tours and Red Letter Day short breaks.

The stingiest tip going!

Do as I will be doing come Tuesday, and avoid Valentine’s Day altogether!

But if you are more romantically inclined, let us know about your plans and money-saving tips in the comment box below.

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