When thinking about a romantic evening, or planning a romantic outing with a partner, it’s not easy to see past the fact that flowers and restaurants cost money, and if you are on a tight budget then these can’t be the priority you would like them to be. What you need to keep in mind however is that romance isn’t about the environment, or the stuff, but rather it’s about the people, and the emotions. It’s about being together with someone you love.
The romance is in the time you are spending together and not necessarily in the money spent on that time. Sometimes it’s the gifts that cost the least that mean the most because those are the ones that required time to think about what the person you are buying for would really like.
One example of this would be with regard to flowers. Instead of buying roses which are really expensive at any time of year, and more especially on specific dates for Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, purchase a miniature rose tree, or even some bulbs or seeds – depending on the time of year – that you can plant together and watch grow. Your gift tag could indicate that this gift will develop in the same way as your love – use the words to create the romance as well as the gift.
Instead of having a meal at a restaurant, why not have a picnic instead? Tell your partner to dress for an outdoors surprise, and turn up with the picnic in hand. It doesn’t have to be something elaborate, as this could prove to be as expensive as the restaurant meal. Take a trip to the grocery store and buy items that are easy to transport, and require little preparation. Choose things which are easy to eat with your fingers, and that you know your partner enjoys. Food which is best eaten cold, and creates little mess is also a good choice!
Transfer the items into storage boxes which will keep it fresh and safe from being squashed during the trip to the picnic location. If you are having canned drinks, pick these out of the chill cabinet. If you are taking a bottle of wine, secure this inside a bucket with some ice and place the bucket in a clean garbage bag so that the ice doesn’t melt over the car if it’s warm outside! Vacuum flasks of coffee are great for cold days. Choose a location which has something nice to look at – either a drive out to a nearby lake or river, or into a woodland area.
A trip to the movies is a nice way of spending a romantic evening, but again this can be expensive, so organize a movie night at home instead. Rent a video/DVD that you both want to see, spread a blanket and some cushions on the floor, have a dish of warm microwave popcorn, and some tall glasses of iced soda standing by. The bonus is that instead of paying a high price to sit in uncomfortable seats, you can snuggle up together on the floor and watch the movie in real comfort.
Whatever you choose to do to put some romance into your relationship, always remember that it is the time you spend creating something romantic and special that you know your beloved will really enjoy that is more important than an expensive gift that is advertised everywhere but completely impersonal.
