Php1,000 European-Inspired Valentine’s Day Celebration
Wednesday, February 14, 2018My husband and I have been celebrating Valentine’s Day together for 7 years. We’ve had romantic dinners, we traveled, watched concerts, and went on staycation – and every year, I’d always end up being the receiver of everything nice and fancy.

Let’s say I’ll treat my husband this Valentine’s Day and I only have Php1,000 to spend. What I would do is sharpen my budgeting skills and whip up something tasteful at home. Yes, I’d rather choose to make some magic in my kitchen than brave the Manila traffic or wait in line for hours at a fancy restaurant. Plus, this will remind him of our honeymoon in Paris as I prepare a European-inspired dinner.
Set-Up
Because it’s a special day, I’ll take out the best dinnerware we have at home, including goblets and complete set of cutlery intended for formal dining. I’ll put my tealight candles in a small bowl or glass to make the entire place as romantic as possible.
Food
Appetizer: I’ll prepare cream of mushroom soup that’s ready in less than 10 minutes. In addition, I’ll put together a simple salad made with lettuce and tomatoes. For the dressing, it will be a combination of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), balsamic vinegar, salt and freshly ground pepper. This dressing is the most basic salad dressing you’ll find in many European countries.
Main Course: If it’s a European-inspired dinner, the main course has got to be pasta! I’ll make it light, quick, and easy to cook. My choice is sardines pasta as it is easy to prepare and the basic ingredients are readily available at home (i.e. salt, pepper, garlic, and onion). I’ll add garlic pesto bread in a bowl or a small basket, with EVOO and balsamic vinegar dip on the side.
Dessert: My husband loves ice cream, so I’ll get him a pint and choose a brand and flavor that’s different from the usual.
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Ingredients for appetizer and the main course |
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Ice cream for dessert! I'd love to have Raspberry Rapture or Banana Sundae (or both!). |
Drinks
A special day isn’t complete without a celebratory beverage to pair your dinner with. There are many affordable wines in the supermarket and liquor store, but I’m choosing a non-alcoholic juice cocktail that fits our dessert. I prefer not to mix alcoholic drinks with dairy.
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Ingredients for balsamic-evoo dip, garlic bread, and sparkling cocktail juice |
The best way to set-up the V-Day mood is to play romantic music in the background... and it starts with the language of love. Even with a free account, it’s easy to create a playlist in Spotify. I’ll make sure La Vie en Rose (our wedding song during our first dance as husband and wife) – the original French version – is included in the playlist. Who knows, my husband might scoop me up and lead me to a dance.
Entertainment
The Godfather is my husband’s favorite movie of all time. Although it’s primarily a crime film, I know my husband would appreciate me watching this award-winning film with him. It’s perfect because it’s available on Netflix and I haven’t seen it yet. I do have an online subscription, but Netflix has free trial as well.
Gift
My husband always tells me that on Valentine’s Day, men buy gifts and women receive them. When I ask him what he wants, he simply says nothing. However, I always buy a greeting card and write him a letter. While it’s easy to send messages via email or social media, receiving a hand-written letter makes the day more heart-warming and special as I put more thought and effort into it.
Overall Cost
Set-Up
|
Free
| |
Food (Appetizer)
| ||
· Cream of Mushroom Soup
|
Php 39
| |
· Lettuce
|
Php 75
| |
· Pack of Tomatoes
|
Php 22
| |
· Extra Virgin Olive Oil
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Php 149.50
| |
· Balsamic Vinegar
|
Php 97.50
| |
Food (Main Course)
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· Pasta
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Php 55.25
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· Spanish Style Sardines
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Php 105
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· Pesto Garlic Bread (4 pcs)
|
Php 68
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Food (Dessert)
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· Ice Cream (Pint)
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Php 115
| |
Drinks
|
Php 219
| |
Ambiance (Spotify Playlist)
|
Free
| |
Entertainment (Netflix)
|
Free
| |
Gift (Valentine’s Card)
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Php 29.50
| |
TOTAL
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Php 974.75
| |
Change
|
Php 25.25
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Alternative Cost
Valentine’s Day isn’t just for couples. It’s a day that celebrates relationships that go beyond romantic love. If you’re celebrating this day with your bestfriend, your mom, or if you’re a dad who likes to show your daughter how she should be treated by a man (and set that high benchmark), here’s an alternative option for a European-Inspired Valentine’s Day dinner.
Set-Up
|
Free
| |
Food (Appetizer)
| ||
· Lettuce
|
Php 75
| |
· Pack of Tomatoes
|
Php 22
| |
· Extra Virgin Olive Oil
|
Php 149.50
| |
· Balsamic Vinegar
|
Php 97.50
| |
Food (Main Course)
| ||
· Pasta
|
Php 55.25
| |
· Spanish Style Sardines
|
Php 105
| |
· Pesto Garlic Bread (3 pcs)
|
Php 51
| |
Drinks
|
Php 219
| |
Ambiance (Spotify Playlist)
|
Free
| |
Entertainment (Netflix)
|
Free
| |
Gift (Valentine’s Card)
|
Php 29.50
| |
Gift (1 Long Stem Rose)
|
Php 195
| |
TOTAL
|
Php 998.75
| |
Change
|
Php 1.25
|
Celebrating Valentine’s Day should not be expensive, complicated, and stressful. All you need is a little creativity, strategic budgeting skills, and an extra sprinkle of effort. I hope this simple idea helps you with your upcoming celebration this love month!
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The Perfect Spot to Spend Valentine's Day is Right Next to You! |
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