Thrifty DIY movie date night for Valentine’s Day

Just in case you didn’t know and have stayed away from the high street shops for as long as I have, it’s Valentine’s Day this Saturday! So today I wanted to share a blog post about thrifty ways to celebrate the big day with a DIY date night, which is especially good if you’re looking for low-cost, last minute options. The cost of Valentine’s Day can really add up, so I’ve had a think about different ways to show your partner that you care and will be sharing my ideas on the blog this week.

My first money-saving plan for Valentine’s Day is a cinema date night. At home. Wait, bear with me – it gets better! The last time I went to the cinema was to see Paddington (which was bloomin’ awesome!) and that was because I had some vouchers that needed using before the expiry date. When hubby and I got to the cinema we were even more grateful for those discount vouchers because going to the movies these days would cost close to £20, and that’s without any of the essential snacks and drinks, not to mention car-parking charges. I’m pretty sure that’s the last time we’ll be going to the cinema for a while (based on the price!), so this Valentine’s Day I’m planning to enjoy a film-night date at home by gathering together some of my favourite romantic films for a cosy night in.

After quite a few Valentine’s Days together over the years, the celebration has begun to get a little ‘samey’ for my husband and I. Last week I found myself in a card shop and couldn’t find anything that I wanted to spend a couple of my hard-earned pounds on, nor did I think that he would appreciate another cheesy Valentine’s themed gift. This year we have been working doubley-hard and saving every penny for a future home so we want to be as thrifty as possible in our celebrations and gift-giving. That, coupled with a lack of space in our current home, means that I don’t want to give or receive ‘just another’ Valentine’s gift this year. Hence the movie date night idea!

Even though we’ve spent years and year together I still want to show my husband how important he is to me this Valentine’s Day so rather than doing nothing to mark the occasion, I do want to create a special date night for him. My husband and I went on tons of dates at the beginning of our relationship, and spent more time together than apart, going to the cinema, museums, walks along the coast and so on, so I’d like to keep this up but in a more thrifty fashion!

Back in the early days we barely spent a night away from each other and moved in to our first rented flat together after just 6 months. Okay, it was a one-room studio flat with bathroom down the communal hallway but both our names were on the lease so we packed up our stuff and settled down together. We got a joint account as soon as possible so that we could pay our bills and ever since then we’ve only ever had the one bank account between us. No separate savings accounts, no halving the rent, and definitely no splitting the bill on a meal out. Our money just goes into one big pot and we share everything. So is there any point in buying each other a Valentine’s gift from our joint savings? I think that I would much rather enjoy a night at home with my husband and look forward to what we will be spending our savings on in the future; travel and a new home.

So for a DIY romantic night in ‘at the movies’, I would suggest dimming the lights, adding extra throws and cushions to the sofa, lighting some scented candles and gathering together some romantic classics. Sleepless in Seattle is ideal because the film concludes on Valentine’s Day and You’ve Got Mail is another Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks classic love story so you could watch both as a movie marathon! I also like When Harry Met Sally for all the ‘how we met’ stories throughout the film, and basically any Drew Barrymore chick flick! If you want a slightly more manly suggestion, try What Women Want, Hitch or High Fidelity for romantic comedies told through the eyes of men – and really tasty men at that 😉

Get the snacks out – popcorn, ice cream, soda floats and hotdogs – and you can even make up a ‘ticket’ to your movie date night to include in your partner’s Valentine’s Day card. Later this week I will be sharing ideas for a DIY luxury afternoon tea too. Let me know your Valentine’s plans and whether you too will be having a night in with your special someone. I’d love to hear what you’ll be getting up to so please leave me a comment below.