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There’s no escaping we’re
in a worldwide recession, and we’re all making cutbacks - but this
doesn’t mean that romance has to go the way of the Dodo. Perhaps you
can’t afford to whisk her off to Paris for a weekend; you probably can’t
pay for a golfing break in the USA for him – but there are hundreds of
affordable - or even totally free – romantic things you can do for one
another. Here are our Top 10 ideas for a romantic recession:
1. Create a Spa day at home. Every woman loves to be pampered at
a Spa, but the cost of this can be sky-high. So why not create your very
own treatment centre at home? Buy some cheap massage oils, read a book
on technique (or find info on the web), and then spend an evening
massaging your loved one’s aches away. The spa sauna can be replaced by
a steaming bath, and you’ll already have robes at home too!
Painting your partner's portrait - image credit
Marjorie McCullough
2. Draw your loved one’s portrait. Totally free, and totally
romantic. Don’t worry if you’re not a budding Picasso, as it’s the
effort that has gone into it that counts, not the final picture. There
are many guides available on how to draw a portrait – try your local
book store, or do a search on Google. You’ll be creating a masterpiece
in no time.
3. Pen a poem. Poetry is timeless – a romantic cliché that really
works. Don’t think that it’s just for women, either, as lots of men love
receiving poems. It doesn’t matter if the last time you wrote a few
lines was when you wrote that limerick back at school – just sit down,
think about what that special person really means to you, and write.
4. Take them back to the place you met. Now, if you happened to
meet in The Ivy, then this probably would break our budget – but if you
met in the supermarket, in the park, or virtually anywhere else, this is
a great, simple and inexpensive idea.
5. Create a treasure hunt. Bear with me on this, because it
doesn’t sound too romantic from the title, but it really is. The idea is
simple: design a treasure hunt around your house – or, better still,
combine it with the tip above and do it at the place you first met, or
somewhere special to you both. With each clue, include a few words about
how special he or she is to you, and make the final prize be...you!
6. Rent a special film. And by this I don’t mean ‘The Specialist’
with Sharon Stone, I mean a movie that is special to you both in some
way. Perhaps it was the film you saw on your first date, perhaps it
contains ‘your song’ – whatever the reason, if it holds a special place
in your heart, then a romantic night in front of the TV is a cheap and
lovely idea.
7. Take a passport photo of yourself. And not just any passport
photo - hold a sign that reads ‘I Love You’ in the photo booth. Present
your loved one with this memento for them to carry in their wallet at
all times – they’re really
romantic gifts for her or him.
8. Cook a romantic meal. Yes, this does happen to be perhaps the
cliché of clichés, but it really is one of the best. It needn’t be
expensive, either, as sourcing some top quality ingredients is always a
lot cheaper than a Michelin-starred hotel. OK, you may not be an
award-wining chef, but as long as you have candlelight and your loved
one, then the night will be perfect.
9. Surprise them at work. Turn up in their lunch break, or just
when they’re about to finish for the day, and go for a walk or a small
bite to eat. Not only will it be a surprise – which everybody loves -
but it also shows that you love them so much you just can’t keep away!
10. Write a love letter. Another timeless tip, and one that
doesn’t cost a dime. Simply get out your writing paper (remember that
stuff?), your nicest pen, and write about how you feel. When it’s done,
you can either leave it on her pillow in the morning, send it to him at
work, or present it to her yourself (perhaps with a rose in between your
teeth too!).
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