8 Fun Things M’sian Couples Who Are Broke AF Can Do This Valentine’s Day

As the month of January is coming to an end (time sure flies!), many couples in a relationship would gradually start thinking about the celebration that is Valentine’s Day. Every couple celebrates it differently but in general, it usually means that many of us will end up spending quite a bit of money on an extravagant dinner and/or fancy gifts for our significant others.

Well, if crying after checking your bank balance post-Valentine’s Day is not something you want to go through this year, say no more fam, we gotchu! Here are some fun options to consider for that V-day date with your S/O without burning a hole in your pocket!

 

1. Ditch the candle light dinner and have a special themed dinner instead

Truth is, you can still be romantic minus the fancy candle light dinner! You can make it more memorable with a themed dinner that both of you will appreciate. Take your pick from exciting locations, your shared interests, or even just make the theme all about you guys as a couple!

If you’ve got no clue where to start, here are a few ideas:

• Parisian theme – Decorate the place with simple Eiffel tower cut-outs and flowers, play French music on a speaker and have delicious homemade baguette sandwiches. Don’t forget macarons for dessert!

Source: Pinterest

• Harry Potter theme – Wear your Hogwarts house colours, quiz each other on Harry Potter trivia and enjoy your own little feast of sweet/savoury pies, chocolate frogs (Cadbury’s ‘Freddo’ chocolate, anyone?) and jelly beans. Compliment with an ice-cold glass of butter-flavoured beer!

• Celebrate your timeline as a couple – Mark out milestones from the beginning up till now, do a couples challenge together (just for memories) and have the other person eat your favourite dish.

 

2. Have your own Valentine’s Day-themed Amazing Race…sorta

Instead of stressing yourselves out while finding the perfect gift, here’s something even more fun that will get your adrenaline pumping!

Just follow these steps:

1. Head to any mall or area where you have access to a wide variety of shops.
2. Decide on a budget. It can be any amount you want (we suggest a RM15 – RM20 budget. Challenging, but still fun!)
3. Allocate a certain amount of time to complete the challenge. For example, 30 minutes to about an hour is enough.
4. Split up and go buy each other gifts according to that time and budget and yes, it should be wrapped too.
5. Gift whatever you’ve got to each other while you enjoy a simple meal together!

Don’t fret about disappointing your partner – you’ll get to laugh about it later over a meal and it’s definitely a memory you won’t forget!

 

3. Curate your own little fast food buffet

You know what they say, “Couples that eat together, well… eat together“. If you can’t be bothered to make your own food, why not just order in and have your own little buffet at home? Pro tip: personalise your spread and order from few outlets if you want!

Source: BodyBalance

Yes, indulge in that crispy fried chicken, burgers and pizza because hey, it’ll probably end up costing around the same as a fancy hotel buffet anyway, except that you’ll definitely enjoy the food that you’ve ordered and customised yourself.

Psst, a bouquet of chicken nuggets might not be a bad idea either…

Source: Uproxx

 

4. Recreate your first date (on a budget)

First dates can either be fancy or a bit more on the low-key side (depending on what sort of couple you are). If your first date was on the fancy end of things, make it a challenge and re-create the date, but on a budget.

If it was a dinner, why not attempt cooking together instead and recreating the exact same dishes that you had the first time?

If you guys went for a movie, try looking for any free movie screenings around town; there’s usually a few happening every few weeks. Otherwise, simply download or stream that exact movie you watched together on your first date. Netflix and chill!

 

5. Get creative together

Remember when you were a kid and you found joy in colouring or creating something out of household items or paper? Well, why not do it with your S/O as adults for Valentine’s day?

Source: Pinterest

Head to your nearest art store and grab some art block and oil pastels, colour pencils or whatever you guys like to play around with. You can choose to create portraits of each other or maybe even head to a nearby park to draw the landscape or people. Alternatively, you could always get an adult colouring book – they’re so popular now!

If that doesn’t seem appealing enough, why not attend an art & craft class together? It could be an origami class, terrarium-making, embroidery, calligraphy or even pottery. On top of being a great learning experience, it’ll bring you closer together too!

 

6. Pamper yourselves at your own DIY spa

Valentine’s Day is the perfect reason for you to just chill out and pamper yourselves. You can use ingredients available in your kitchen to make your own face mask or scrub. Make it even more fun by applying it for each other!

Source: Deliciously Ella

Or if you prefer, just head to your nearest pharmacy and get some cheap masks – they work just as well!

Candles, a nice hot cup of your favourite beverage and suitable mood music are definitely recommended for an even more ‘atas‘ spa feel.

 

7. Explore a part of town that you rarely visit together

Regardless of where you are, there’s always a certain part of town or somewhere that you haven’t been to. Hence, it’s the perfect opportunity for the both of you to explore and play tourist for a day!

Source: Malay Mail Online

Head to that particular place and try out the different things that you see. Whether it’s food or an interesting-looking activity, you may just discover some things you both have in common along the way.

 

8. Get active together minus the pain of expensive fees

If both of you hate the thought of being couch potatoes, why not get back to nature with a V-day hike or an alternative outdoor activity? If one of you has a pool, take a dip on a sunny day or trek to a waterfall and have a picnic with homemade finger food!

Source: 4ever.travel

Source: Trip Advisor

If hiking or anything outdoor-related is not really your thing, you can always opt for other activities like laser tag, escape room, paintball or even have a water fight at home with water guns and water balloons.

 

So, think you’re ready to give any of these a shot? If you know other cost-savvy V-day ideas, don’t forget to share with us in the comment section!

Happy V-day, lovebirds!

 

Also read: 6 Unique Date Ideas In Malaysia For An Unforgettable Experience This Valentines Day