Skip to Search Skip to Live Player Skip to Content Skip to Footer

Cameron

Cost Saving Hacks For Valentine’s Day

Avatar photo
Author Cameron Moore

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and it seems like every year, it keeps getting more and more expensive.

According to the National Retail Federation, the average American will spend an average of $181.85 per person on Valentine’s Day this year. That’s definitely not cheap!

Luckily, there are a lot of hacks and tips that can help you save money this Valentine’s Day.

My Fiancé and I never go all out for Valentine’s Day. For one, neither of us are huge fans of the holiday. But the real reason is he has a birthday in February, and I have one in March, so we usually save the bigger celebrations for those. Just because we don’t go all out though, doesn’t mean we don’t celebrate.

Here are some of my favorite cost-friendly ways to save money, while still celebrating this year.

Make Your Own Bouquet

Now this will take some creativity, so if you don’t feel like you’re the most artistic, you may have to ask a friend for some help. Instead of spending a ton at a florist, you can buy individual bunches of flowers at grocery stores (Trader Joes usually has the best), and make your own bouquet. Not only is it MUCH more affordable, but you can also customize it with your partners favorite colors and flowers

 

Make Your Own Card

Cards can be ridiculously expensive. I saw a card the other day that cost $6… that’s crazy. Make your own card at home on Canva, or Adobe Express, or even Paint or Word if it’s all you have. You can make it more personalized, and print it at home, and suddenly you’ve saved yourself that $6! As long as there is a heartfelt message inside the card, I don’t think anyone cares how fancy it looks on the outside.

 

Make a Meal At Home

The biggest expensive for Valentine’s Day is going out to eat. Restaurants are packed on this day, so why not, take a little extra effort, and prepare a meal at home for you special someone? Grocery store have made it SO easy. Even if you’re not the best cook, you can get pre marinated, or even “ready to cook” options at most grocery stores!

 

Hopefully these tips will help you to not break the bank this year for Valentine’s Day. After all, it’s about spending time with the people you love, not how much you spend, right?

7 Easy Ways to Make Extra Money

Do you ever feel like you’re working hard but don’t have the money to show for it? It’s a common sentiment. Well, the good news is that today, there are some ways to make extra money right now that can really add up. Now, there’s no “easy” solution to making more cash. But, we’ve researched some ways that people are making extra money, and they’re simple.

Before we get into ways to make extra money, let’s start with saving money. NerdWallet.com has some really simple tips for saving cash. A big one is to prepare for grocery shopping. That’s so that you aren’t grabbing a bunch of stuff that you don’t need on a whim. “A little work before you go to the grocery store can go a long way toward helping you save money on groceries,” they state. Prepping also means that you can maximize any coupons that you find for items you’ll be purchasing or knowing about loyalty programs ahead of time. The big one is to not impulse by. I’ve done that so many times, when I but cinnamon rolls or something else that I don’t really want just because it looks good at the time.

Another savings tip from NerdWallet.com is to restrict online shopping. Boy, that’s a good one. It’s so easy to sit there on your phone, saving items that look cool in your online cart. Then, all you have to do is hit “order,” but often, you’re ordering a bunch of stuff that you don’t really need. They suggest that, “Instead of saving your billing information, opt to input your shipping address and credit card number each time you order. You’ll probably make fewer impulse purchases because of the extra work involved.” Good idea. Find more tips on saving money from NerdWallet.com here. Forbes has some good advice, too, in suggesting to do real meal prep. It helps avoid eating out too much, which can really add up.

Now, let’s get into easy ways to make extra money.

  • 1. Sell Items You Don't Need Anymore

    This option has been there since the advent of the garage sale. If you have items sitting around that you don’t want or need anymore, sell them. It’s a quick way to make some cash. You can put them up for sale on eBay, a Facebook group or elsewhere online, or you can go the old-fashioned way and hold a yard sale.

  • 2. Pet or House Sit

    I’ve house sat quite a bit, and I personally love it. It’s very peaceful to watch over someone’s house. Duties-wise, it can involve anything from watering plants to just staying there so that nobody breaks in during a long vacation. Pet sitting is also a great way to make a little extra money. While you’re at it, try being a dog walker, too.

  • 3. Be a Mystery Shopper

    Being a mystery shopper is a real thing. You can shop, either online or in person, and get paid for reviewing your experience. But, watch out for scams. A great way to find legit mystery shopper jobs is by looking on job sites such as Ziprecruiter.com or Indeed.com.

  • 4. Take Surveys Online

    You can make money by simply taking online surveys. It’s not usually a lot of money, but it’s better than nothing, and you can do it during downtime. A few major survey sites include Swagbucks and Survey Junkie. Find more via NerdWallet.com here.

  • 5. Publish an E-book

    Self-publishing has never been so easy. If you are very knowledgeable in an area that people want to know about, why not self-publish an e-book? Using Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing, you can sell your books via the Kindle store. Publishing the book is free, and you can earn an upwards of 70% of each sale in royalties. You can even try your hand at a wild novel and see how it does, if you don’t want to write a practical book.

  • 6. Deliver Groceries or Food

    A quick way to make some cash during your off hours is by delivering groceries or food. Services such as Instacart and Shipt use independent contractors to deliver food to clients. Also, services such as Uber Eats and Doordash are often looking for delivery people.

  • 7. Open a New Bank Account or Credit Card

    It might seem odd to open a new credit card to try to make money, but it can help. Many credit cards offer new client deals, so if you spend a certain amount after signing up, you could get some cash back or other bonuses. Also, you could find a cash back card, where you get cash back on everyday purchases, such as gas or groceries. Say you don’t want a new credit card? You could also open a new bank account at a bank where they are giving cash-back offers for starting business with them. Also, to get the most for your money, look for a high-interest savings.

Hi, I'm Cameron! I was born and raised in North Carolina. I'm a super tall redhead who is always down for tacos, enchiladas, and margaritas. Okay, so Mexican food is my personal favorite, but I’m not saying no if you’re trying to eat out on the town anywhere. I I am on air for middays but also the Program Director for Kiss 95.1. I enjoy connecting with Kiss 95.1’s amazing listeners and being able to bring all of my favorite things like food, wine, and life online into digital content.

Make Sure You're Signed Up For The Kiss & Tell Newsletter

Get the latest celebrity and music buzz find out what's happening in Charlotte, plus exclusive contests, and more!

*
By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.
Avatar photo
Author Cameron Moore
Category:
Tags:
,,

More Cameron

Load More