Free and cheap date ideas for Valentine’s Day

Love it or loathe it, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. It’s that time when stores suddenly become excruciatingly pink and are more inclined to display their chocolate selection. And for those who prefer to be sweet and not salty on Valentine’s Day, it can often feel like our savings are left feeling heartbroken.  

Whether you’re celebrating your first, fifth or fiftieth Valentine’s Day with your partner, you’ll never regret spending it the frugal way and we’ve got six cheap date ideas to prove it.

Moonlight picnic 

Summer may be on the way out, but there’s still no stopping those warm nights. Take advantage of this by setting up a moonlight picnic for your partner. You can do this in a park or even in your backyard. To prepare, pack their favourite goodies, a bottle of wine and you’re good to go. Just don’t forget the blanket!

Break out the board games

Depending on who you ask, board games can either make or break a relationship. I mean let’s face it, how many games of Monopoly have ended positively for you? But despite the possibility of a flipped table looming in the air, board games let us indulge in our competitive side, which may actually be quite humorous to your partner. So this year, stay in and challenge your partner to a game of Battleship - loser pays for the next dinner.

Cook a meal together 

Speaking of staying in, why fork out for a three course meal when you’ve got a fridge filled with food? Head online to find recipes you can follow and prepare together, then get cooking! Not only will this help you spend quality time together, you’ll be saving your wallet from an overpriced dinner. But just in case dinner doesn’t work out, ahem...takeout can be a reasonable Plan B.

Fort movie night 

Because the classic movie night never gets old. But this year, do it differently by creating a fort out of blankets and pillows. There are no rules when going about making the perfect fort, but websites like Pinterest can help give you some inspiration. Then, grab your laptop, popcorn and settle in for a back-to-back movie marathon.

Create a getaway spa in your bathroom 

This one might be more for the ladies, but there’s no shame in a man who takes pride in his appearance either. For this, you’ll need a pair of fluffy robes, candles and a few ingredients from your fridge. Get creative by concocting your own homemade hair and facial masks and body scrubs. Coconut oil alone makes for a great hair mask, while mixing yogurt, strawberries and honey can give your complexion the exfoliation it needs.

Go for a long drive 

For a lot of Aussies, driving with or without someone can be therapeutic - unless it’s your mother nagging that you’re too close to the curb. While the sun goes down, jump in the car and go for a nice, long drive with your partner. Make the effort to put the phone away too and focus on the conversation instead. Many of us also open up more on road trips, simply because there’s nothing else to do, so speak your mind and let the truth set you free.

Savings accounts for Valentine's Day - rates updated daily

• Promoted

  Macquarie

  Macquarie

  Savings Account

  Maximum rate

  2.65% p.a. (for $0 to $250,000)

  standard interest rate

  1.35% p.a.(for $0 to $25,000)

  account fee per month

  $0.00

  Go to site

  *Bonus variable rate is available for the first four months.

• Promoted

  MyState Bank

  MyState Bank

  Bonus Saver Account

  Maximum rate

  2.00% p.a. (for $0 to $250,000)

  standard interest rate

  0.30% p.a.(for $0 and over)

  account fee per month

  $0.00

  Go to site

  *Bonus rate when at least $20 is deposited each month and five Visa Debit transactions are made each month using linked Everyday or Glide transaction accounts.

• Promoted

  IMB Bank

  IMB Bank

  Reward Saver Account

  Maximum rate

  1.75% p.a. (for $5,000 and over)

  standard interest rate

  0% p.a.(for $0 and over)

  account fee per month

  $0.00

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  *Minimum deposit of $50 and no withdrawals. Reverts to bonus rate of 0.90% after the first 4 months.

• Promoted

  Suncorp

  Suncorp

  Growth Saver Account

  Maximum rate

  1.90% p.a. (for $0 and over)

  standard interest rate

  0.20% p.a.(for $0 and over)

  account fee per month

  $0.00

  Go to site

  *Grow your balance by $200 or more and make no more than one withdrawal in the month.

• Promoted

  Bank of Queensland

  Bank of Queensland

  Fast Track Saver Account

  Maximum rate

  2.00% p.a. (for $1 to $250,000)

  standard interest rate

  0.20% p.a.(for $1 and over)

  account fee per month

  $0.00

  Go to site

  *Ongoing bonus rate applied if in the previous month $1,000 or more is credited to the linked Day2Day Plus account and 5 eligible transactions are made by the linked account. (Requirement temporarily waived due to crisis).

• Promoted

  Defence Bank

  Defence Bank

  iSaver

  Maximum rate

  1.70% p.a. (for $0 to $1,000,000)

  standard interest rate

  0.05% p.a.(for $0 to $1,000,000)

  account fee per month

  $0.00

  Go to site

  *Bonus rate for the first 3 months from account opening