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5 last-minute Valentine’s Day ideas that won’t blow your budget

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Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to show that special someone how much you care. While some folks prefer to be showered in gifts and affection, the yearly expectation is usually just centered around a romantic night you’ll both remember. So if you didn’t manage to make a reservation weeks ago, it’s likely a little too late to formulate that perfect dinner date.

That doesn’t mean you’re in the doghouse just yet. When it comes to romance, it’s thought, effort, and ingenuity that will bring a smile to your favorite person’s face — so don’t panic just yet! Take a look at these five last-minute date ideas to salvage your Valentine’s Day.

Groupon

last-minute date ideas
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Whether it’s your first date or date 2,483, Groupon can be your savior. With deals on local activities, gifts, and just everyday stuff, Groupon is your last-minute sanctuary for great date night ideas. If you’re looking for something your significant other will love at a price that won’t make you cry, this is the site for you.

If it’s your first time using Groupon, just make sure you check the dates of the events you are signing up for prior to purchasing.

Get Date Ideas

Rent a movie and stay in

Amazon Movies
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Who said you need to go out to have a good time? Maybe all you and your significant other need to do is turn on a good movie, open a bottle of wine, and avoid the Valentine’s Day rush altogether. You may want to throw a few thoughtful gifts into the equation, but beyond that, spending some quality time together should do the trick.

Amazon has a wide selection of movies to rent, so you won’t even need to leave the house. You can also pick up a 30-day free trial of Hulu and get your binge on if that’s your thing.

See all Movies

Living Social

Spa Day
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If you’ve never used Living Social before, you’ll find it’s a lot like Groupon. With savings on spas, movies, events, and activities, it shouldn’t be too hard to find something to love this Valentine’s Day. You can take a look at the Living Social Valentine’s Day page for all of the options, then pop back over to Groupon to compare pricing.

If your life is all about saving money, living social is a great place to do just that. Just because you’re being cheap doesn’t mean you can’t be romantic.

Get Date Ideas

Make the food come to you

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Going out on Valentine’s Day can be a pain, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a delicious meal at home. Making dinner for your loved ones is one way to make them feel special, but if you don’t have the time, you’re fortunate enough to live in the era of on-demand everything. That means tacos, ice cream, pizza and more are all at your fingertips for date night.

There is a wide variety of food apps you can choose from, but we’ve provided you with two of our favorites below to get you started.

Try Caviar Amazon Restaurants

Create a scavenger hunt

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Scavenger hunts are always fun. You can add the element of surprise and thoughtfulness to the smallest of gifts if you create a puzzle for your special someone to solve — even if you only got them chocolates. It’s about the journey, not the destination, right? You can take her for a walk in your local park, lead her to dinner, or make her check her phone for hints as you go.

Actually coming up with ideas for a scavenger game can be quite difficult and time-consuming, so we found this scavenger hunt creator that helps you get creative.

Create a scavenger hunt

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Jacob Kienlen
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jacob Kienlen is a culture writer for The Manual and Amusement Muse and an SEO Strategist for Digital Trends. Born and raised…
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