With many individuals going out of their way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, Pearl Cele, Operations Manager at FNB Consumer Education, offers tips on enjoying the special day without breaking the bank.
Cele believes that as pleasurable as pampering your loved ones can be, it does not justify breaking the bank, especially if you did not budget and plan for it.
“There is nothing wrong with spoiling our loved ones. However, we should not spend money we did not budget for or use credit to buy gifts. You can still enjoy this special day with your loved ones by keeping it simple.
“If you are one of the people that celebrate Valentine’s Day, plan your activities ahead of time to avoid overspending on the day, also remember it is the thought that counts, celebrate love in ways that align with your financial situation,” says Cele.
She further shares five creative ways to spoil your loved ones:
Plan - Valentine’s Day comes around each year, one of the great things you could do from a budgeting perspective is to plan ahead of time. Planning will help you not to over-extend yourself financially when celebrating or purchasing gifts.
Use your loyalty programmes - If you are a member of a loyalty programme and have points that can be used to purchase gifts or vouchers, rather use them, than use credit to buy gifts.
Look for specials – Do your homework and look for ways to reduce costs, generally different companies are offering discounts for their in-demand products and services around this time.
Consider doing a cook-off – Instead of going to a restaurant, why not spoil your loved ones with a home-cooked meal, or get the family involved by doing a cook-off. This is more fun and cost effective.
Use your imagination and creativity – Challenge yourself to make something creatively or find a less costly activity that you can do with your loved ones. For example, a picnic. Avoid buying presents you can’t afford.
The Star