Valentine’s Day. The day in which you are expected to spend tons of money to prove to someone you love them.

Okay, okay, I know I sound jaded, and it isn’t because I don’t believe in love – I am happily married – but I don’t believe that you need to spend huge amounts of money to prove for ONE day that someone means something to you.

I remember my first Valentine’s Day with my husband and how this helped shape our marriage entirely.

We are pretty simple people. We like going out to eat, but Applebee’s for a date night is more our scene vs. fancy silverware and pinstriped suit jackets.

So, when we decided our first Valentine’s Day had to be something out of a Hallmark movie, it was no surprise it became something more out of Pretty Woman (think the escargot scene).

We got all dressed up. I think I wore two pairs of spanx to ensure all things stayed in place and my husband wore a button up shirt much to his chagrin. The restaurant’s cheapest plate started at $75.00 and everything was sold separately.

What do you mean it’s $110.00 just for the steak?

I just wanted some French fries and a burger.

We giggled the whole time, probably too loudly for some of the patrons, as we both looked at each other struggling to figure out which fork goes with which course (thank you, Google) and stared in awe at our plates that came with just enough steak to feed a newborn baby. I swear it was only one bite.

We ended up passing on dessert and still spending almost one of our entire paychecks at the time and drove to someplace really special to us:  the mall.

The mall held a special sentiment to us, as on our first date we went to the mall and got milkshakes at this kiosk. Holy delicious!

Dressed to impress, I hobbled to the milkshake kiosk on my way-too-high heels and ordered my favorite. Hand in hand we walk through the mall, laughing and joking about what a disaster dinner was, vowing to never spend money on something just because we feel we have to in order to seem cool or keep up with the Joneses. We quickly realized we just aren’t those people.

Over the years, our Valentines Day’s have changed, now including children, but we have stayed true to a few things. Simple is more our style and we don’t have to spend a lot of money to know that the other one cares about them.

To be honest I haven’t even thought about Valentine’s Day this year. It’s nice to not have to stress about a fancy reservation, a dress that makes me super uncomfortable or trying to find the perfect gift to express how much I love my husband.

Every day we are blessed to wake up next to each other, and usually a toddler in between, snuggle in bed and watch cartoons. Every day we make sure to let the other know how much we care with little things like buying their favorite snack when out running errands, or a quick peek on the cheek when they least expect it.

I have learned over the years that it is the little things all throughout the year that solidify love and companionship in a relationship, not one day but days, months, and years all coming together to form a relationship that will last a lifetime.

So remember that, if you can’t afford a fancy dinner or a car that shines as bright as your love for your significant other, it’s okay because at the end of the day, it’s the little things that matter the most.