This week is Rekindle Romance week, a time to really show your other half just how much you care. Valentines Day was 6 months ago, but who says that romance should be confined to February? Wining and dining your other half or buying them a nice treat can be very expensive, so how do you get that spark back without breaking the bank? Moneysupermarket.com has put this guide together to show you how to woo your partner without upsetting your wallet…
Romantic Meal Out
Get your glad rags on and go for a slap up meal. We realise that this is an expensive concept, but eating out doesn’t have to be expensive anymore. The recession has seen the vouchers market grow by 50% year on year, meaning that more restaurants are seeing the value in offering discounts. Before you choose where to eat do a quick search on moneysupermarket’s vouchers page for restaurant vouchers. Whether you’re eating out at a national chain restaurant or a smaller independent there will be sure to be some kind of discount you can get off your total bill. Whether it is 2 for 1 on main courses, a free bottle of wine or a percentage discount off the whole bill, you can still save a considerable amount. And the best thing is you don’t have to tell your partner- just discreetly hand the voucher to the waiter/waitress- they’ll never know!
Romantic Meal In
Why not show off your cooking skills and eat in? This will show that you’ve put a lot of effort in to rekindling your romance and it can be very cheap if you shop at the right places for your ingredients. Go to your local butchers and ask for the best cuts of meat. Butchers near enough always offer local and fresh produce and it’s very likely to be cheaper than shopping in a supermarket. There is no packaging apart from a bag to take it home in and you can order as much or as little as you want, therefore eliminating waste- and the extra expense. Other independent shops, like fruit and veg, cheese, wine and flower shops are likely to stock things that you won’t find in the supermarkets, meaning you can add a sense of occasion to your home-cooked meal.
Romantic Walk
Choose a day/night when the great British weather won’t get the better of you, and head off out for a walk. Choose a route with great scenery that won’t be too busy and just enjoy each others company. To make it a little more special, take a picnic with you and choose a nice spot to just sit and relax. This is a great, free activity which can be as romantic as you like.
Romantic Gestures
Do something that you wouldn’t usually do and catch your other half off guard. Send some flowers to the office, run them a bath and light some candles, or even offer to run them some errands. The smaller things can be the most romantic as well as the cheapest, so take full advantage of them and enjoy surprising your special someone.
Romantic Weekend Away
A weekend away need not be overly expensive. You can get some fantastic offers on hotels in the UK which you can drive to or get relatively cheap train or coach travel for. You don’t need to spend a packet on fancy excursions or meals out- just getting away from everyday life can be romantic. Remember to go armed with vouchers for the surrounding area and do a little research about the surrounding areas first so you know what there is to see and how much it will cost you. You could even just opt to go for a day out. Choose somewhere that you visited when you first started dating to bring back some happy memories, or go somewhere new where you can create new ones.
A romantic money saving article, written by Rachael Miller at moneysupermarket.com