Valentine’s Day Gifts That Won’t Leave You Broke

Valentine's Day doesn't have to cost a lot of money. You can still get your sweetie something nice and still have enough left over for dinner. 

Skip the boring chocolates and roses. It's cliche. If your love is a big fan of scotch or wine, a bottle of wine or their favorite alcohol with a personalized label will go a long way. They will never forget something so unique. There are a lot of websites out there that offer personalization of bottles in all price ranges. You also get to choose the message and the bottle design and you can include a picture of the two of you.

If your mate is a cubicle dweller, those can seem very sterile and cold, so a personalized gift of a photograph in a nice frame can make it seem more homey. If there's one photo of you two that you know they just love, have it blown up, matted and placed in a nice frame. If you can't pick just one, try a photo collage. This one is especially nice if you have a family. What's even sweeter is if you make two. One for your office and one for theirs or one for the home office if your spouse doesn't have an office or cubicle.

If your husband or wife has a hobby that they love, something that goes along with their hobby will get a lot of use. If your wife is a gardner, clogs and matching gloves is something that they're going to use all the time so it will be money well spent. If your husband is a DIYer, a new tool belt or a new tool box is a great idea and tools are an off season gift, so you'll likely be able to find them on sale. Bonus! Whatever you do, guys, don't buy her a new kitchen appliance unless she asks for it. If you know your mate loves to cook or bake and they said they need a new mixer, blender or kitchen tools, then you have the green light, but otherwise it's just going to land you in the dog house and in case you haven't noticed, it's cold outside.

If your mate complains that the two of you "never do anything exciting", plan an adventure. It doesn't have to be anything like jumping out of an airplane or anything like that, but something as small as learning how to snow shoe or learning how to cross country ski can really build the bond between the two of you. If getting outside and exercising isn't your cup of tea, hit the tubing park at Powder Ridge. It's fun, you're outside and it's a great way to make memories. After your "adventure" hit up dinner at your favorite spot and laugh about what a great time you had.

Having fun and buying gifts doesn't have to be expensive. It truly is the thought that counts.