Popular Valentine's Day Gift Ideas on a Budget

For Valentine's Day 2009, many people are finding themselves with little to no budget to buy gifts for this romantic holiday. Most Americans are more concerned with day-to-day life (groceries, utilities, housing, etc.) than to worry about Valentine's Day gifts. But, you can still make Valentine's Day special, personal, and memorable even on a small budget.

Mix CD (or, IPOD mix) - If you are looking to do something personal and inexpensive for any one in your life, you can burn a mix CD or load certain songs on to your gift receiver's IPOD. This is a great gift for any one - mom, dad, friend, brother, spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, etc. Get online and find songs that are significant from you to that person. If you are doing this for a significant other, look up songs that have always meant a lot to you as a couple - first dance together, fun songs you enjoy singing along to in the car, any special love songs, etc.

If you are doing this for a parent, there are some very sweet songs out there. Try "Cinderella" by Steven Curtis Chapman, "The Only Promise that Remains" by Reba McEntire and Justin Timberlake, and "Butterfly Kisses" by Bob Carlisle. Of course, you probably have some songs that are significant to you and your parents; if you are married, add any songs that you danced with your parents to at your wedding. You can also add the first dance song from their wedding. And, look up any old songs you used to sing together when you were growing up.

If you are going to use this Valentine's Day gift idea for a friend, just find some fun songs that sum up your friendship or songs that describe memories you have about you and your friend. I am sure most friends have songs that they enjoy singing together, danced to at a party one night, etc.

Then, once you download those songs, either burn them on to a CD and put it in an envelope for that person to open on Valentine's Day. Or, put the play list directly on to that person's IPOD. Just write a note about how special that person is to you and explain some of your song choices; put the note with the CD, or place it underneath their IPOD that you know they will find on Valentine's Day.

Time - This is one of the most inexpensive and easiest gifts to give any one in your life. With many people working extra hours to ensure their job safety, many people looking for work, and most Americans dealing with the every day stresses of life, we often take advantage of one of the simplest gifts out there - time. Whether you just have not spent a night-in with your spouse watching a movie/television show and talking, or you have been putting off visiting a parent, Valentine's Day is a great time to make use of this gift.

Think about the important people in your life and really ask yourself when the last time you spent some quality time with that person was; for most of us, we are always finding other things that need done (taking the kids somewhere, cleaning something at the house, making another trip to the grocery store, etc.) and put off visiting with the people that are always there for you.

So, for Valentine's Day 2009, call those special people in your lives and set a date to spend some time catching up; you do not necessarily have to make extensive plans, either. Go to one of each other's houses; pick up an inexpensive pizza and some soda, and just visit with one another.

This year, just be sure to tell the people in your life how important they are to you and why you appreciate everything they do to make your life a better one. Take advantage of each other's company and make some more memories in that way. Valentine's Day gifts do not have to be all about the shiny jewels, huge boxes of chocolates, or over-sized teddy bears; the holiday is supposed to be about appreciating the loved ones in your life. Remember that idea, especially if you are working with a tight budget this year.

Relaxation Basket - With the level of stress that many people face continuing to grow daily, why not put together a relaxation basket? You do not need to rush to the mall and pay for some over-priced items, either. Instead, head to your local Wal-Mart or Target. Many of the lines of lotions, massage oils, facial treatments, etc. that they carry are just as good of quality as places like Bath and Body Works, but the price difference will save you a lot in the end.

This is also a great gift for anyone in your life; just be sure to shop for gender specific items. If you are shopping for a woman, buy some bubble bath, lotion, or bath scrubs that smell feminine - rose, lavender, vanilla, etc. Or, you can buy the same items for a man, too; just make sure you pick out a scent that will not leave him smelling like bubble gum.

You can also find an inexpensive pair of slippers or a bathrobe at either Wal-Mart or Target, too. They also have inexpensive baskets in the craft sections of each store; or, you can always find something in the Valentine's Day department. Most of the time, they have special red, white, pink, etc. decorative baskets this time of year.

Homemade Meal - This is also a great Valentine's Day gift for any one special in your life; find an affordable meal that you can make, and have a small, intimate dinner party. If you have multiple people to shop for, just base your budget off of that when planning your meal. An inexpensive meal for several people is always spaghetti; you can get a basic jar of sauce and add some ground beef, then put it over noodles. Homemade desserts can also be inexpensive; Duncan Hines cake mix, brownie, mix, and frostings are usually always on sale. You would be able to make an entire meal for 10-15 people for under $20.00; if you have friends and family in the same circle that you know will be shopping for each other, you can make this a big, combined gift. Have everyone bring something special - wine, a cheese tray, a veggie tray, etc. This is a great gift that you do not have to spend a small fortune on to make special and another way to make more memories with your loved ones.

Valentine's Day Basket - As long as you do not go overboard, this can also be a great gift for any one. Again, head to your local super market or grocery store; pick up an inexpensive basket and load it with Valentine's Day related goodies. You can add a small box of chocolates, a small stuffed animal, and any type of fun memorabilia that you pick out. If you want to add a small gift card, you could always get a $5.00 gift card to your local DVD rental location (such as Blockbuster) so your gift recipient will have part of an inexpensive stay-at-home date night covered.

This is also a great gift if you have an entire family to shop for; for example, if you are shopping for a sister, her husband, and their children, you can add small toys and trinkets (heart-shaped tops, card games, etc.) and some candies that the whole family will be able to enjoy together. Valentine's Day 2009 should be about spending quality time with those that are near and dear to your heart; so, putting together a fun Valentine's Day basket can add a bit of fun to anyone's life that they can share with others.

Photo Book - This is another great Valentine's Day gift for any one special in your life, especially if you have more than one person to shop for that you know would enjoy the same gift (such as your father and father-in-law.) I personally recommend using MyPublisher (www.mypublisher.com); if you sign up for their mailing list, they will send you a code for a buy one, get one (of the exact same) book for free. Or, if you do not receive the email for some reason, you can Google MyPublisher codes. There are multiple websites that will give you the code you need for a buy one, get one free offer.

This program is very easy to use, and you can get a great book for under $50.00 (depending upon the size you order and if you add any extra pages or not.) You can add pictures of friends, family, children, etc. depending upon who you are ordering the books for; just make sure you give yourself enough time to make the book and get them shipped. Also, if you pick one of the book options where you add text, always make sure that you triple-check the text you add for any grammatical mistakes and typos.

For Valentine's Day 2009, just do something that will be special for your gift recipient. Help to make memories on an affordable budget; in the long run, those memories are what matter in life.