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31 Valentine's Day Ideas If You're Broke AF

Celebrating Valentine's Day sounds like a great idea and all, but not all of us can afford to drop $100 on dinner, flowers, a movie, and…whatever it is people do for Valentine's Day when they actually have money to spend.

But we all know love don't cost a thing, and there are plenty of ways to have a good time even if your checking account is in the red and your wallet has nothing in it but your driver's license and shame.

For Going Out (If It's Too Cold)

Look, I live in Minnesota, so it's USUALLY hovering around 0 degrees on Valentine's Day. Nonetheless there's stuff to do:

1. Find a free wine tasting, if there's one near you (they do exist).

2. Go to the pet store or animal shelter and spend some time with the cute floofs.

3. See if you can find a free amateur/open mic night at a comedy club…

4. …or bar/music venue…

5. …or poetry reading.

6. Go to a museum (lots of them are free).

For Going Out (If You Don't Live In a Frozen Tundra)

Some of you are lucky enough to live where Mother Nature blesses you with being reasonable (or sometimes those of us in colder climates get lucky).

7. Hiking, or just a walk someplace quiet. Good for conversation.

8. Urban exploration. (Just be safe and don't get yourself hurt or arrested.)

9. Go on a Pokemon Go date. Because catching Pokemon and hatching eggs is more fun together.

10. Try geocaching.

11. If you're lucky and it's both warm enough to be outside AND there's snow on the ground, you can't go wrong with a snowball fight.

12. If it's a clear night, stargaze.

For Staying In

This is the easy list. All you need are you, you significant other, and whatever entertainment you already have.

13. Get competitive with video games…

14. …card games…

15. ..board games…

16. …dice games…

17. …whatever games you've got. And place bets on them, like whoever loses makes the winner breakfast…

18. …or gives the winner a massage…

19. …or does whatever the winner wants in bed.

20. Or, just spend the day exchanging massages and doing whatever you want in bed.

21. …Or on the floor, or on the kitchen counter…you know, whatever. Get creative.

22. Show each other your favorite movies (preferably ones the other hasn't seen before).

23. Or, find a movie that's so good it's a must-see, even if you've both already seen it. (if you can't afford to buy/rent/Netflix it, borrow from a friend if you can).

24. Or maybe better yet, find a movie that is so ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE it's a must-see. (My personal favorite is the live action Mario Brothers movie.)

25. Cook the most elaborate meal you can together (with what you already have) in your underwear while listening to bad music.

26. Make a blanket fort. (Don't even try to act like you think you're too old for that.)

27. Just lounge around doing nothing. Wrap yourselves up in blankets and talk, tell each other stories about your childhoods…just be present with each other, with no pressure to do something amazing.

For the Gift Exchange

Okay, but what about the card and flowers, right? If you can't even afford a single rose and a cute card, let alone diamonds or something, that's fine. You can still do the gift exchange. It'll just have to be a little bit more creative.

28. Handmade cards. Or digitally made ones, if you're good at that. (Or even if you're really bad at it and have to make it in MS paint. That might be more fun.) That way you can include your own stupid inside jokes.

29. Write bad poetry about each others' best physical assets.

30. Make a book of gift certificates to be exchanged for "favors." (You can decide what kind of favors, *wink wink.* Anything from the NSFW to just helping them out with the dishes.)

31. Give them some art you made yourself. The worse an artist you are, the more entertaining this is.

So, you know, mix and match. Have some fun. Don't feel guilty that you can't take your partner on some whirlwind romance adventure or even to a nice dinner. Literally dancing around the kitchen while you eat ice cream can be romantic, and avoids all the cliches of flowers and teddy bears.

If you'd like to read more of Katie's writing, you can find here on Facebook and Twitter.