Valentines shmalentines...

With Valentines day being just around the corner and my wallet being as empty as a bald man's head. There is simply no time and no money for a fancy all expenses paid vacation to the Bahamas.

So I want to share with you a few easy made easy paid gifts and date night ideas...

Gifts for Mr Handsome:

Gifts for the man in your life that will leave you with a couple of bucks to spend on yourself (I Know you have been eyeing those shoes).

• A 365 Jar:

This is one of my personal favorites. In this jar you will use different colored paper.

With each color representing different categories. For example red paper would be all the reasons why I love you, green paper would be all my favorite things about you, blue paper would be song lyrics that remind me of you, yellow paper would be words of encouragement and purple paper would be all my favorite memories and special moments that I share with you.

This is such a cute idea that will cost you less than an arm and a leg that will definitely be able to get the message of love across for 365 days of the year. Just in time for the next Valentines.

• A Photo cube:

This is cute DIY project that can be used to convey the message of love while having a few photos at hand on his desk to look at whenever the 'I-miss-you' blues kick in at work.

You will have to pick out a few of your favorite photos together and have them printed together with a few wooden blocks (I would recommend 8), glue and some washi tape.

You can then cut and paste the photos on the wooden blocks to create this very cute yet very simple Valentines day gift.

• See, Hear, Touch, Smell, Taste Gift Set

As Captain Obvious would call this gift out for being, well, obvious. You can guess by the name that this gifts involves playing with the five senses. Sight being something that he can see - maybe a cool pair of new sunglasses, movie tickets, a watch. Hear - make him his own specialized mix cd of all his favorite tracks, bluetooth speaker or even an alarm clock . Touch - A massage, a leather wallet, soft bathrobe or a beard grooming kit. Smell - His favorite aftershave or cologne, beard oil or a meat smoker for a meat loving man. Taste - A few of his favorite drinks, food or candy or for a longer lasting option his own beer brewing kit or braai kit.

This gift idea is a bit more on the not-so-penny-wise end of the spectrum but is an absolute winner of a gift idea not only for Valentines day but even for birthdays. And I think price wise it depends on how expensive you make it out to be.

Date ideas with your Mister Perfect:

Yes, us girls can sometimes plan the date night and make it a pretty great one at that! Here I will share with you a few of my favorite date night ideas that vary in levels of romance and adrenaline.

• Old school and retro:

Let's kick out the high heels and jump into a pair of comfy shoes while we rock it on the Ten Pin bowling lane or at the (as we used to call it, Magic Company) arcade. Turn everything into a challenge while having some child-like fun with your amazing date. You can even grab a bite in between to calm the nerves and adrenaline of kicking his beautiful behind.

• Romantic Cliche Dinner for two:

This will always be a winning idea when you can't seem to wrap your head around a good date idea. A romantic dinner for two at your favorite restaurant shared with some good food and good wine. This idea sounds so cliche but is actually an all time winner. This will also allow you two to spend some quality time together to talk about all the things you love about one another.

• Pump up the adrenaline:

What better way to pump up the adrenaline than being surrounded by gun shots going off?! Grab your man by the hand and take him down to the nearest shooting range. Not only will he be impressed by your initiative but also by how sexy you look when you channel your inner Lara Croft.

• Home Bound:

Not feeling like going out into the wilderness that we call life?! Don't worry,I feel ya! Planning a night in can be just as fun as going out just minus the drama of finding the perfect outfit. I say grab those sexy pajamas that other people may call a Onesie. Call in some food or even get down and dirty by making a big deal of fondue. Plus a couple of glasses of wine a big bed and a stack of board games or even your favorite movies.

Now that we got the perfect gift and date night is set and planned. I want to remind you all of one last thing...

Valentines day is not about the amount of money we spend buying gifts or the amount of phone calls being made to get a table reserved at that fancy restaurant. It is a day meant for the love between two people. So if all else fails with regards to the gifts and the dates make sure that the time being spent together is time of love and quality with one another. each reminding the other of how much they mean to you!!!

Thank you so much for reading!

AND please share your Valentines ideas, maybe you got a golden one!

Lots of love,

Lelani

xoxo