7 ways to love your guy without breaking the bank
Last week’s blog was for the guys, now this one is for you! When life gets busy with work, taking care of the children, and the demands of everyday life, sometimes saying I love you gets forgotten. Financial concerns add yet another challenge to delivering your love message. But showing your man you love him doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg! Taking the time to be creative is the key to keeping your love fresh and exciting.
Why creativity? Because while expressions of love are important in a relationship, letting someone know you love them always takes a personal turn. Everyone wants to be loved in different ways. How can you communicate your message of love in a way your guy is sure to hear?
My advice to you for love: Know your guy!
Make sure you know your guy well when thinking of creative ways to show your love for him. Do you know what his pet peeves are and what his fondest desires are? Without this knowledge, messages of love can unintentionally fall on deaf ears.
Use your knowledge of him to help you love him the way he wants to be loved. Don’t gift him with something that has no meaning to him. Find out how your partner wants to be loved, and then make it reality.
Also, find the proper timing. Delivering a love message at the wrong time is almost as ineffective as not delivering it at all. For instance, if your guy comes home from work hassled from a 2 hour commute and just wants to cool down, it is not a “seize-the-moment” opportunity – you might even find that your best attempt at affection fails. Avoid that trap, watch for the perfect moment and then go for it.
Take a look at these seven simple tips. With creativity, you can show him you care-without causing your bank account to crash.
- Messages of love Send a loving text or voice mail to his phone during the day. Keep it light hearted. Short, simple and playful will do the trick.
- Picture this! Take a picture of yourself in an outfit he likes, preferably one he has commented on before. Send it to him via text or phone. Add a fun caption underneath: “thinking of you now.”
- Invite him to a romantic dinner. Set the time and place: your dining room, the backyard or deck. Then do your homework first: Find a neighbor for the kids, prepare his special meal and put on his favorite outfit. Talk about him and how he makes you happy. Avoid “shop talk.”
- Write a love letter. Mail it! Tell him what he likes to hear and seal it with a kiss.
- TV Time Give him an uninterrupted evening with the TV remote, without complaints.
- A special date. Prepare for an intimate encounter: arrange for childcare, find a sexy outfit, and dim the lights. You know the rest.
- Praise, praise, and more praise. Men love to know they are the cat’s meow, especially your cat’s meow. Let him know it frequently.
Gifts of love are always welcome. As you can see, they don’t need to cost a lot. Gifts of love from the heart say it all, loud and clear. Be a lavish giver today and every day in some small way and you can be blessed with the gift of a lifetime relationship.
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WOW! Such great tips and advice, Barbara! I don’t have a guy in my life but if I did, I know that your info would come in handy! Thanks for sharing such valuable info.
I love that your article points out how gifts of love don’t have to cost a lot. The biggest smile I get from my husband is when I tell him how much I appreciate him, which I’ll be honest I don’t do nearly enough!
Great tips and advice. It’s important for people to feel special, and it’s refreshing to know it can be done without a big price tag. Gestures, like the ones youe mentioned are the best. ) Thank you
Thanks Terressa,
With financial responsibilities rising, it is nice to get creative with expressions of love. Maybe we could get creative with other aspects of our lives too and make our money go further. But then again I am not a financial planner, just a caring person.
Keep those compliments coming. You are definitely on the right track, Carolyn.
You never know when this advice will come in handy. If not for yourself, for someone you know.
How about pick him some flowers from the garden? I think flowers are universally considered to be a woman’s gift, but men like them too.
Lovely ideas to bring you closer in your relationship. What a blessing you are to so many!
Great! I love how you always talk about issues from both sides, sign of a good therapist.
Thanks for including an article for us ladies
Barbara, I am so glad that you wrote a post for us, as well as the guys (last weeks post)! Those are very doable as well as simple tips. Thanks!
Such wonderful suggestions and such an important reminder that we not loose sight of SHOWING we care for one another midst the every day stuff of life.
Luckily I am single at this time and can continue my workaholic ways without having to worry about this just yet, though I will keep your article in mind when it does happen ; )
Great Karla. Just bookmark it for a “rainy” day.
It is so easy to forget expressions of love, especially when our lives are so full. Yes, the showing is as important as the saying.
But if course Sherie, it works both ways.
Thank you Sherry for the vote of confidence!
These are fabulous tips, Barbara. I’m guilty for waiting for the perfect moment to give a special gift. It ends up sometimes being awkward. Going to try these tips. Thanks!
Love these tips! I always love to surprise my spouse
We do a lot of visits to parks, especially with our dog. We manage coupons from online “clubs” of restaurants and ice cream places for “buy one get one” specials. And we buy an entertainment book for the date specials!
Wonderful tips, Barbara! I think #7 is one of the most appreciated gifts that both men and women enjoy
Thanks!
Great tips! Praise and time seem to go well with my husband.
Praise always works. We all like to hear what we are doing right. It makes us want to do it more. Thanks, Mandy
So glad, Susan, that you found one especially meaningful. Hope it all helps just bring you a little bit closer. Relationship enhancement is one of my goals for all.
Thank you for these ideas, Sally. They are all good ones. You are really creative. I think you just gave me an idea for my next blog. Watch for it.
Curiously, my best relationships were those where we didn’t have a whole lot at the moment, but found creative ways to have fun and to show one another we cared. The key is to keep that going once things loosen up …
Thanks Sharon for this. It is all about caring. Keep doing what works and you will have a relationship to last a lifetime.
Nice post Barbara. Funny that your tips are so obvious (to me anyway) and so apparent yet people seem to overlook such simple methods and techniques for keeping the spark alive and making your significant other feel special. It definitely doesn’t take money (lots of it anyway) to put your special person on a pedestal and I always say that messages of love and “effort” such as writing, texting, etc. are actually more valuable emotionally and energetically than just spending money. I call it “touches”. How many touches per day do you make with your partner? People tend to see the touch count decrease in time, and this is one of the simplest ways to show you still care, without having to spend a penny. A phone call, a text and perhaps a light happy hour after work are three awesome touches you can make in any given day.
Thank you for the post!