Why celebrate Valentine’s Day just once a year? Follow these tips to enjoy a romantic evening at home, at any time, without breaking your budget (or your heart)!

Mix a fancy cocktail

Most cocktails are easy to make and use just a few, simple ingredients. Mix up a special drink or open a nice bottle of wine. It’s easy to make fancy non-alcoholic drinks, too, with fresh fruit and sparkling water. Pulling out your nicest glassware is a great way to make any drink feel a little more special.

Make a playlist

With streaming services, you have worlds of music at your fingertips. Create a playlist that expresses how you feel about the person you love or reminds you of happy times throughout your relationship. Need some ideas to get you started? Try our Love Is in the Air playlist on Spotify!

Cook a meal together

Keep dinner simple (unless you are an adventurous chef)! Complicated recipes that take three hours to prepare might leave you grouchy instead of happy and romantic. Plenty of dishes for two have only a few steps and are easy to make. Take a look through this list of recipes that only require five ingredients.

Order a meal, set the table

Don’t love to cook? Order delivery from your favorite restaurant and serve it on your best dishes. Set the table, light candles or dim the lights, and put flowers in a vase to increase the ambiance. Try to give each other your full attention and keep your phones away from the dining area.

Don’t forget the chocolate

Science agrees, chocolate is the food of love! Have a few chocolates handy or make a simple dessert with chocolate fondue. Fruit and cookies make great dipping items, but if you’re planning on watching a movie during your romantic evening, try drizzling melted chocolate over some popcorn!

Be the one that cleans up

If your significant other usually does the dishes, now is the moment for you to jump in and clean up. If dishwashing is equitable in your house, try turning on some music or making a game out of the task to put new life into the chore.

Sit together

If you have a fireplace, light a fire. If the weather is nice, sit outside. Snuggle on the couch. Once you are sitting together, turn off your phone, and really pay attention to each other.

Watch a movie or two

If each of you picks a movie, you can compare and contrast your preferences and find new ways to bond. Streaming services like Netflix and Hulu have plenty of movie genres to suit both of your tastes. Better yet—recreate an early date and rewatch the first movie you saw together.

Include the kids

If you have younger children, your stay-at-home evening probably needs to include them. Plan a family craft, activity, or game night that everyone can enjoy. Alternatively, you can get everyone involved in the kitchen. Have them help with dinner or try baking a dessert together with one of these delicious recipes.

Whichever way you choose to spend your romantic evening, we hope you enjoy it with peace of mind in your home!