How to Celebrate Valentine’s Day With Your Family on a Budget + Free Printables

Valentine’s Day is the perfect holiday to show your family how thankful you are for their love. Whether you have a small or large family, there is always something special about celebrating this holiday all together. It may consist of putting away your phones and cherishing time spent with your kids and partner, breaking out your best cooking skills or celebrating over chocolate and crafting with your kids. Sales in 2019 alone hit an all-time high of $20 billion—that’s an average of $161.96 per person! But Valentine’s Day is about love, not breaking the bank. Luckily, no matter what you prefer, there are plenty of budget-friendly options for spending love day with your whole family (little kiddos included).

Have a Family Game Night

There’s nothing better than a little family competition. Pull out your favorite board games or print our Valentine’s Day Scramble and see who will win a treat. Bake your favorite cookies to hand out as prizes, or offer to take a chore off the winner’s plate whenever they choose.

Host a Craft Night

Kids love crafting with their families. Bring out your washable markers, crayons, or watercolor materials to have a Valentine’s Day craft night. Cut out hearts to personalize for each member of your family or color in your family’s favorite coloring book. Make your craft night extra special by talking about your favorite memories that you’ve shared together. This could leave you dying of laughter or crying from all your family’s heart-warming memories.

Show Love By Reconnecting With Your Family

Kids love playing a role in decision making in the house. Get motivated for the rest of the year by going over what goals your family would like to focus on. Discuss what your family would like to accomplish together, what you have in common, and share some strengths and weaknesses for a family bonding activity. Take it a step further and start putting your family plans into action. Whether that means planning a hike on a mountain you have wanted to scale for a while, or kickstarting your family’s efforts to be active every single day.

Plan an Outdoor Adventure

Get outside and get active. Test your fitness and spark healthy family competition. Grab a baseball and glove, football, soccer ball, or lace up your hiking boots to head outdoors. Pack a picnic for your family to enjoy after the full day of activities instead of splurging on a lunch in town. Go around the group and share your favorite thing that happened that day and one thing you love about each member of your family.

Have a Movie Scavenger Hunt

Settle on your favorite Valentine’s Day-inspired movie and pop some popcorn. Print our Valentine’s Day Scavenger Hunt to see who spots the chocolates, hearts, rings, and flowers first. Whoever gets a four in a row first may just win a cookie, ice cream, or the honor to pick out the next family meal. A Valentine’s Day scavenger hunt can quickly become a beloved family tradition that can save you hundreds from going to an actual movie theatre.

Share Your Love for Your Hometown

Pretty much every town has its own sights to see, yet the majority of us haven’t made the time to partake in these events. Check out your local Facebook group, news stations, and papers to see what free Valentine’s Day events are happening for an inexpensive, but fun-filled holiday. If your family wants to learn more about your city’s history or heritage this is the perfect time to do so!

Make a Home-Cooked Meal Together

Restaurants can get expensive, especially if you’re sitting more than three or four people at the table. Make a trip to your local grocery store to purchase the necessary items for an at home bake-off. Whether your family wants something healthy or indulgent, this is a great way to save on a celebratory dinner. You can even surprise your family with a chocolate strawberry decorating contest to wrap up your Valentine’s Day evening.

Read a Book Together at the Library

Get in a small circle with your favorite Valentine’s Day book and read to each other. This is one of the greatest budget-friendly family bonding activities to do together. If you want to make family reading time a daily or weekly routine, check out a couple of extra books for the rest of the week. For younger children, this is a great learning opportunity and memory to look back on.

It can be tempting to host a huge Valentine’s Day celebration to show how much you value your strong relationships, but Valentine’s Day is about valuing your love, not buying it. Save some money and make this holiday extra special for your family by partaking in activities that cost nothing, but your time. Whether your family wants a healthy competition over a scavenger hunt, a family soccer game, or a calm night in decorating your own pizzas, there’re many different ways to save on your Valentine’s Day plans.

Sources: Brides | The Penny Hoarder | Part-Time Money