Are you looking for an alternative to the usual flashy jewellery? Are your arts and crafts skills lacking? Is a house full of flowers too basic? Especially red roses - 69% of the R31 billion spent on Valentines day flowers in 2021 was spent on red roses, seriously. Well, I’m glad to inform you that there is another category of Valentine's gift you could consider getting your special someone. That’s a gift that shows you care about them as well as investing in your relationship.

Valentine's day is all about showing how much you care and what shows you care more than helping your loved one with something that could be causing a lot of stress in their lives - finances. In 2021 Forbes reported that 72% of people indicated that they were stressed about money. Especially since it can land up having a large impact on your relationship, with money arguments being considered the second biggest reason for divorce.

So, if you would like to remove some of that financial stress from your partner’s life this Valentine's Day here are some ideas.

1. Donate to a charity on their behalf

I’ve recently found out about this amazing thing that happens in charity work. Some people who are given resources, like money, by a charity actually use some of the money they received to give back to the programme they received it from. They do this because of how highly they value giving back and it gave them a sense of dignity to be able to do that.

So, if you know your partner highly values being able to give back to the community it will be a really cool gift to help them do that. Doing charity work together can also be a relationship building activity that can help strengthen your connection and it’s something that you can give no matter how long you have known them.

2. Treat them to a monthly subscription box

These will be a fun way to make sure they get a treat every month and extend the caring vibes into the rest of the year. There are all kinds of boxes you can subscribe to for your partner depending on their interests. Hear are a couple of South African ones I’ve come across:

  • Bluebird Coffee Roastery: This one is for all the coffee addicts out there. It gives you the options between trying out new coffees or espressos each month.
  • Mantality: As the single friend I often heard my friends complaining about how difficult it is to find gifts for their boyfriends, so if you agree with them check this one out.
  • Squadbox: This is a box filled with all sorts of beauty related products, make-up, perfume, skincare etc. So this is definitely for all the people who like a spa day.

3. Pay off a loan

This one is guaranteed to remove some stress off their shoulders but it is only recommended for more well-established couples, just so you know you aren’t the Tinder Swindler’s next victim. Like all of the suggestions on this list be sure to combine it with a romantic moment for maximum swoon effect.

4. Invest in them

Deposit the money you would’ve spent into their investment account instead. This gift has multiple levels to its thoughtfulness. You are doing more than just giving them a gift, you are showing you support their goal and plus it can still be a really romantic moment over a candle-lit dinner.

If they don’t have an investment account yet, why not go the extra mile and set up a Franc account for them. Show them how well you know them by setting up their goal and personalising it for them.

There you have it, your Valentine’s Day gift can be a lot more practical than a house full of roses. If this article has made you think of any other gift ideas we’d love to hear them, please drop them in the comments section below.