25 Free & Low-Cost Valentine’s Day Gift and Date Ideas
Are you one of the 61% of people who will be celebrating Valentine’s Day this year? In 2025, the UK is expected to see a total Valentine’s spend of £1.5 billion, with the average person forking out £52. Men are predicted to splash out slightly more than women, with an average spend of £62.
Showing your partner that you care shouldn’t have to come with a hefty price tag though! There are plenty of wonderful and clever ways to express your love on a budget, whether that’s through a thoughtful homemade gift or a low-cost day out, it’s all about creating memories that last.
From crafting a memory jar to spending an evening stargazing, Joe Lytwyn, a personal finance expert at thimbl.com, shares 25 low-cost ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day in 2025.
1. Craft homemade vouchers
Your homemade tokens could include things like:
- I pledge to take the bins out for the next 6 weeks.
- IOU your favourite cooked meal, whenever you choose.
- I promise to play a video game with you on an evening of your choice.
2. Host a games night at home
Whether you’re a fan of good old-fashioned Mouse Trap, or you’re more a Trivial Pursuit kind of couple, a games night is the perfect way to bring out the competitive spirit!
3. Write a poem
When it comes to gifting, it isn’t about the money, but the thought behind it. Your partner will really appreciate the effort that has gone into writing them a personalised poem. Set some time aside to channel your inner William Blake – don’t cheat and use Chat GPT!
4. Make breakfast in bed
You can’t go wrong with a lazy, long Sunday morning lie-in, complete with the treat of breakfast in bed. Rustle up your partner’s favourite brekkie or brunch as a surprise for them. From sweet-tooth saviours such as pancakes and waffles to classics like eggs benedict and smoked salmon and avocado toast, this BBC Good Food page has listed several Valentine’s Day brunch ideas.
5. Pack a picnic and go on a hike
Who needs a pricey meal at a swanky restaurant when you can grab some goodies from the supermarket and enjoy them over a gorgeous countryside backdrop with your favourite person?
Weather not on side, post-hike? Tuck into your snacks in the car instead. There’s something cosy about listening to the rain.
6. Cook together
Why not rustle up a dish native to a country on your joint bucket list, or concoct a ‘tapas style’ mix of foods from each country you’ve visited as a couple?
7. Make a personalised playlist
Use your chosen music app to create a custom playlist for your partner. You could add tunes that remind you of holidays you’ve been on, or perhaps a hit from each gig you’ve attended together. If you’re married, why not have a go at recreating your wedding playlist and invite your spouse to spend the night looking back at photos from your special day.
8. Treat your partner to a spa day at home
Run your partner a bath, complete with candles and a playlist of songs they love. You could even put together an affordable pamper basket, filled with things such as bubble bath, moisturiser, and nail varnish.
9. Enjoy a free day out at a museum or art gallery
You can find your nearest local free art gallery or museum here.
10. Make an ‘I love you because…’ jar
Fill a clear jar with folded bits of paper, each revealing a reason why you love your partner. They could take the jar to work and pull out a note whenever they’re feeling stressed. Clear jars can usually be found in most major supermarkets and craft shops, like this one for £1 at Hobbycraft.
11. Create a memory jar
‘Do you remember when we…?’
Remind your partner of some of the epic adventures and hilarious in-jokes you’ve shared by writing them down and placing them in a jar for them to discover. Memory jars can be bulked out with things like your loved one’s favourite wrapped chocolates and sweets.
12. Put together a ‘future date night ideas’ jar
Write some date ideas on pieces of paper and add them to a jar. Next time you’re stuck for things to do at the weekend, pull out one of the slips.
13. Host a themed night, based on the year you met
This is one for couples who’ve been together for some time! You could decorate a room with photos of you taken during the year you met, and create a playlist of songs that came out that year. If you met decades ago, you could incorporate things that symbolise the era, such as leg warmers for the 80s, and flower power for the 60s and 70s!
14. Recreate your first date
Take it back to basics and revisit the night you met. Either cook or order in the food you ate, or watch the film you first went to see at the cinema.
15. Try pottery painting
Pottery painting makes for a relaxing way to while away a couple of hours, particularly with your loved one on a dreary February afternoon. Why not have a go at painting something for each other? You should be able to find your nearest centre by typing ‘pottery painting near me’ into your search engine.
16. Make a scrapbook
Create a time capsule of your love story. Download the FreePrints app and get up to 45 free photos a month. You’ll just need to pay for delivery, which will never cost more than £3.99. Scrapbooks can be bought from high street stores such as Hobbycraft for as little as £4.
17. Supernatural savings
If horror films are your thing, have you ever considered taking part in a real-life ghost walk? Ghost walks are held in cities and towns up and down the UK – find your nearest by doing an online search of ‘ghost walks near me.’ You might find that a ghost walk works out cheaper than two tickets to see a horror film at the cinema.
18. Plan your future adventures
Check out this couple’s bucket list journal on Amazon, priced at just £5.99, excluding delivery.
19. Have a cosy day
Sometimes, it’s nice to simply spend a day doing absolutely nothing. Set a manageable budget to treat one another to some new PJs, slippers, and snacks, and spend the day chilling out together.
20. Fill a room with balloons
Add little notes to the balloons so that your partner can find them once they’ve burst.
21. Register for parkrun
If you’re a sporty couple, have you considered joining parkrun together? parkrun is a free, timed 5k event held every Saturday morning in a range of locations across the UK. Already registered? Why not try a new location and make a day of it this Valentine’s weekend?
22. Go stargazing
Is there anything more romantic than spending an evening looking up at the stars? If it’s a clear night, you might be lucky enough to make out some constellations from your own back garden. Otherwise, you may need to travel to a location with minimal light pollution. Check out this guide to stargazing for beginners for further information and tips.
23. Go wild camping
Keen adventurers with all the gear? Why not escape the crowds and spend Valentine’s weekend doing a spot of wild camping, just the two of you? Remember to do your research before you go. There’s a high chance that you’ll need to request landowner’s permission before you pitch your tent. For further information, please click here.
24. Try something new
Whether it’s a dance or cookery class, if there’s an activity you’ve always wanted to try as a couple, why not make it this weekend?
25. Plant flowers or vegetables together
It doesn’t need to be anything fancy or money-guzzling; it could be something low-maintenance and wallet-friendly, such as a herb, or some daffodil bulbs.