What have you done the past few Valentine’s Day? If you have a special someone in your life, what have you done each year to show them some extra love? Roses? Chocolate? Wine?

What if we told you you could change things up, have a better experience, and maybe save some stress all at the same time? Let’s get to it!

Flowers

Did you know roses cost, on average, 100% more around Valentine’s Day? Crazy, I know. Now, you can go to big box stores to get a partially better deal on roses, or you can change things up, support a local business, all while getting a better deal!

When you’re looking for flowers, try peonies, chrysanthemums, asters, daffodils, tulips, orchids, or lilies. With many colors available, these all symbolize romance in one way or another(if that matters to you).

Reservations for Restaurants

If dinner for two in a crowded restaurant doesn’t appeal to you, we can’t recommend exploring the outdoors together enough. Pick a day when it’s not going to be freezing or blazing hot, and pack a picnic. It’s as easy as putting food in a bag, putting it in a lunchbox, and then eating on the tailgate of your truck or your trunk lid in front of a scenic overlook. You can’t go wrong with Willow City Loop, north of Fredericksburg.

Now, there is something special about a romantic dinner at a nice place. If you have to have a traditional date night, but you want to avoid the crowds, try reserving a spot at Milanos or El Chaparral the days leading up to or after Valentine’s Day. Doing it this way means a more pleasant and intimate experience. If you’re going to spend the money anyway, why not have a better time while you’re at it?

Try OpenTable for reservations and Yelp for reviews.

The little things

You don’t have to plan an extravagant night out or a special surprise to make your partner feel loved. Remember, it’s the little things that count, like a text message at lunchtime letting them know you’re thinking about them. When was the last time you hugged them and told them why they make you happy?

Head over to our Facebook page if we managed to make your day better, and let us know what you think!