So you need some romantic ideas, huh? We all get it. It can be hard to be creative when it comes to romantic ideas, and we don’t always have a ton of money to spend. It’s okay. It happens to, well, all of us.
And sometimes we just screw up and need to make amends – because most of the time when we screw up, our wives are the ones who catch most of the blowback from it. They see us at our worst – losing our temper, lost in our insecurities, and checked out ready to quit at times. And they still love us. However…
Sometimes we have to make up to them by doing something over-the-top and heartfelt. And sometimes we need to do those things when we haven’t done anything wrong simply because we love them.
Either way, romantic ideas are a dime a dozen these days, and most of them require a more-than-a-dime-a-dozen budget. So what’s a man to do? How can we woo our wives without blowing? Don’t get me wrong, spending money on nice things and memorable experiences for your wife is absolutely necessary. But not every gesture of love needs to cost money. In fact, many of the best ones don’t cost a thing.
So here are some budget-friendly romantic ideas for you:
#1: Make paper roses
Imagine walking into your house with a smile on your face then whisking your wife into your arms and handing her a beautiful, custom-made rose. Imagine the sheer amazement in her eyes as she sees how sensitive and creative you are. It’ll be a magnificent moment.
Okay, fine. To the less manly, yes, this is known as origami and it seems cheesy. But you don’t have to call it origami if it makes you feel better. Just be sure when you’re not around judgy, less-secure-in-their-manhood guys when you watch this video on how to make an origami rose out of a sheet of paper (and here’s part two of that video).
Then watch your wife melt when you hand her your creation.
#2: Make her a Spotify playlist
Do you remember the days when people used to make “mixtapes” for people they liked? It’s weird to even think about taking the time to download a list of songs (legally and illegally) hand-picked specifically for someone then burning those songs to a disk that you would then take the time to hand-deliver. It was a brave new world back in the days of compact discs, and the art of crafting the perfect music mix for another person has been lost. And society has yet to rebound.
But seriously, go into your wife’s Spotify account by either stealing her phone or telling her you need her Spotify password so you can look at a technical issue (wives hate technical issues so it works every time). Then look at what she’s been playing recently and which songs she’s saved. Take note of the top 20-30 (screenshots work great), then go back to your phone and create a playlist she’ll never forget. Oh, and name it something over-the-top-lovey-dovey so she can’t ever forget that you made her that sweet playlist.
#3: Do housework
Yeah, this one sucks and I’m sorry. But the way to most women’s hearts is through a clean kitchen and an empty laundry room. Take an hour or two when she least expects it, turn on some music (see #2 above), throw a load of laundry in, then start wiping counters, cleaning floors, and doing dishes. Bonus points if you can hold a baby while doing it or put a baby to sleep before starting.
When she starts to help you, tell her to have a seat, take in the tunes and beautiful flowers (see point #1), and relax. Very few things say, “I love you” like that.
#3: Make her a highlight reel
One of the best ways to show your wife that you care is to show her that you cherish your memories with her. If she’s at all the sentimental type, then she’ll probably have tons of pictures and videos on her social media accounts from the most memorable moments you’ve had together. What’s cool is, if you have an iPhone, you can save those videos and pictures, put them into the iMovie app, and make a custom highlight-reel-type video for your wife complete with sappy music and all.
(If you don’t know how to save a video or image, and you have an iPhone, you can take a screenshot of each photo and do a screen recording of each video. Here’s an article that shows you how.)
This kind of a gift isn’t intended to take her breath away; it’s intended to show her how much you care, how much you value the time you spend with her, and that you hold dear the moments she holds dear. It also shows creativity and forethought and that you didn’t just buy something or throw something together. It shows that you care and that she’s worth doing something meaningful for.
#4: Night away from the kids
This one can be tough and might not be free depending on your babysitter situation and how close you are to family, but this one shouldn’t cost you much regardless of your situation.
Here’s something you already know: your wife probably wants nothing more than a little quiet time and relaxation away from the kids. But many women won’t make time for themselves because there are so many things to do each day that they feel guilty if they step away from it all for even a couple of hours.
So you do it for her: line up a babysitter without her knowing, load up a cooler full of drinks (preferably wine or a margarita if you’re fancy), pack an easy dinner from home, and go to a park or some other quiet place where she can relax. This kind of date night is just simple enough to show her that it’s her that you care about, not just an expensive outing. Sure, it’s good to dress up and go out from time to time, but a surprise picnic with homemade drinks and food requires a level of thought and attention that paying for a meal at a restaurant doesn’t have.
