- Many greeting cards can be purchased for less than $5. If you don't have any money, make your own greeting card on your computer. Open any paint program and set the image to 8 inches by 10 inches. Design your card and print it. There are some greeting card programs that are installed on many new computers. You can also send a free greeting card online. There are various websites out there that offer online greeting cards. If you can't buy your loved one anything, a greeting card will at least let them know that you thought of him.
- Sometimes it can be hard to think of a poem. Poetry.com offers various services, free of charge, to help you write a poem. They also have a "rhymer," a program that lets you enter a word and find words that rhyme. Give the person the poem, slide it into a card, send it to his email, leave it in his car or on his pillow on Valentine's Day morning just after he's gotten up.
- Some candy can be purchased for less than $5. Give heart-shaped candies or a small box of chocolates. Or, cook something. Make them breakfast in the morning or dinner that night. A single rose, which can be purchased for less than $5, along with a meal cooked by you, will satisfy your valentine.
- Find nightgowns, perfume, a bouquet of flowers, a bath and beauty set or a stuffed animal for under $20 at many department stores. Most women are happier about the gift, rather than what it cost. By adding a single rose, a letter from the heart, or a card, you can make it a special Valentine's Day for under $25. If you do not have any money to spare, a letter or a poem will suffice.
- Some cheap gift ideas for men include wallets, hats, pajama sets, cologne, hobby magazines, fishing gear, sporting goods or a new basketball or helmet. Include a nice card and you can spend less than $25. Try cooking breakfast and giving him a sweet letter if funds are in short supply.
