Ditch Those Cheesy Valentine’s Day Traditions & Try These Instead
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We’ve heard it all before. Valentine’s Day has been hijacked by capitalism, and the lovebirds are forced to shell out double the price for everything connected to this day. But for some, not partaking in the merriment of Saint Valentine could lead them down the road of singledom.
Cheesy profession of love is NOT at the heart of Valentine’s Day, but sincerity with a dash of creativity is. Profession of love and affection can be done in thousands of ways, not just through roses and chocolates.
If you want to show your better half how much you love them on this special day, here are some unique ideas that are more meaningful and lasting.
Instead of roses and chocolate…
Roses and chocolates have been the no-brainer gifts for one’s Valentine way too long. It is also the perfect saviour for those who are getting their gifts on the eleventh hour.
On V-day, these are probably the first few things that inflate in prices faster than you can stuff those cute little heart-shaped chocolates into your mouth.
A bouquet of 12 roses with a charming little balloon that says Happy Valentine’s Day go for over RM150 on normal days, but the price balloons to RM250 or more on the few days before and after V-Day. That’s 57% increment!
Pair the roses with 12 pieces of premium chocolates (est. RM200) and a greeting card (RM12), you will be spending over RM600 on things that last a maximum of three days.
Shouldn’t your gifts symbolise the everlasting love you have for each other? Here’s an idea, instead of blowing close to RM600 on buying these temporary possessions.
- Book cleaning services for a month because nothing is more romantic than someone else washing the bathroom! With someone else doing the cleaning, you and your honey can spend more time with each other. Estimated cost = RM120 per session, with RM600 you can book up sessions for 1 and a half months!
- You can even top-up each other’s Touch n’ Go card with that amount to last for a few months.
Instead of candlelight dinner…
I blame it on bad romantic movies for the notion that V-day is incomplete without playing footsies and staring at each other across the table, while being bathed in flickering candlelight. It’s all well and good if you are not paying through your nose for food that would cost half the price on normal days.
A quick survey of restaurant promotions and you will soon realise that a Valentine’s Day set menu can cost RM200++ to RM300 per pax. That’s easily RM600 for you and your honey to wine and dine on Valentine’s Day.
Here’s something equally romantic (if not more) that you can splurge on instead:
If he/she just makes minimum payment on a RM800-card balance, it would take him/her 4 years and 10 months to pay off the amount, and incur RM270.69 in interest. He/she will love you for it when the credit card statement comes next month.
Instead of watching a rom-com movie…
Don’t care much about what happened between Harry and Sally? Or what’s written in that darn notebook that had everyone crying?
If romantic comedy is not your cup of tea, why waste money and time sitting in the theatre, surreptitiously glancing at your watch?
Watching a movie at the cinema is not cheap these days. Here’s how much you will likely spend on a movie date:
| Movie tickets (Couple seats for newly released movie) | RM50 |
| Popcorn & drinks | RM15 |
| Petrol (Assuming a Perodua Myvi) | RM2.05 x 2 ways = RM4.1 |
| Parking (3 hours) | RM4 |
| TOTAL | RM73.10 |
Why spend so much on something that one of you don’t enjoy, and honestly, that you can both do on any other days?
Ticket price: About RM85 to RM90 per person
This may be a little more expensive than watching a movie, but laughter is priceless!
Instead of a designer handbag (or designer anything) or jewelry…
Once a year, your social media timeline will be littered with pictures of Valentine gifts from your friends’ better half. These gifts often come in little blue boxes from Tiffany, or peppered with the Louis Vuitton monograms.
Don’t fall prey to peer pressure. Just because everyone else is buying luxurious, designer products doesn’t mean you have to. Especially if your better half is not really that into branded goods.
Even if you dial back on the generosity, a designer handbag can easily cost you over RM5,000 (and this is one of the cheaper ones).
Instead of spending thousands of ringgit on a single item that will likely go out of style in the next few months, why not make those thousands work harder to bring in more money? Any money you park away in a simple online investment account stand a better chance of some real return on your investment. Unless you can shell out over RM200,000 for one of those designer bags that can actually appreciate in value!
Read More: 7 Unusual Investments That May Work In Your Portfolio
Be smart and don’t spend your money on depreciating assets. Instead, show your partner that your gift to him/her has the ability to blossom into something more!
Remember to show your other half that you spend the time and effort to think about something different to do for a change. Of course, you don’t have to show him/her this article *wink*!
