I’m sure I’m not the only one that this happens to, right? Birthdays and holidays always seem to come up and catch me when I’m at my brokest (I’m fully aware that this is not a word… Will it make you feel better if I say financially strapped?). Today, I’m going to give you some examples of heartfelt gifts that will keep the focus completely off money and how much you love the person you’re giving them to instead.

These gifts vary from completely free to just a few bucks, so don’t worry, you won’t seem like a cheap asshole that just refused to buy anything at all. 🙂

Love Notes- I have always been a huge fan of love notes. My sweet Valentine gets them all the time. I write a note and post it to the refrigerator or leave it on his bed… Any number of places. They’re really simple. You just take the time to put what you’re feeling down on paper to let the person you love know how you feel about them. If you have time and would like to take it a step further though, I am a huge fan of taking different colors of paper (for Valentine’s day, I like red and multiple shades of pink) and writing down one thought or a favorite memory on each one (i.e. “You have the most beautiful eyes in the world.” “I love your laugh.” or “Your smile brightens my darkest of days.”). You’ll be folding these up and putting them in a jar. Make sure that you have enough to fill the jar (You get bonus points if you fold the paper into origami hearts!), and then close the jar and tie a pretty ribbon on it.

Notebook- If you’re feeling especially eager, take a journal (I LOVE the leather ones like this one!) and write down all of your thoughts about your loved one. There is always the option to step it up a notch: Write one love letter in it, give it to your loved one, and promise to write a new one each day. The trick is to remember to actually do it if you promise this.

Photo Collage- What better way to say I love you than to make a photo collage of your favorite times together and frame it? I am printing a 16×20 with a poem that I wrote for my sweetheart and framing it this year. There are many stores that offer a service that will do this for you, but it you’re handy with photoshop or a similar program, you can do it your self and really add a personal touch. 🙂

Dinner By Candlelight- Even if you can’t afford to go all out, there is nothing more romantic than dinner by candlelight.

Massage- To me, there is NOTHING better than a massage. What says I love you more than getting your neck, shoulders, back, and feet rubbed? Nervous about giving a massage? Look up some tutorials on YouTube, there are PLENTY!

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Hopefully I’ve given you enough ideas to get started. Why not share some of yours with me? Comment  below if you’ve thought of something I didn’t. And make sure to click “Like” if you liked what you saw!