Valentine's Day offers the chance to get romantic with gift-giving, but romantic doesn't have to mean expensive. Some searching and creativity will turn up plenty of products and homemade goods available for less than $25 that will go a long way toward showing a loved one you care.
Price: $23 | Buy it on Amazon
Whether a significant other already loves tea or is simply looking for a way to kick their coffee habit, a glass teapot makes a practical and aesthetically pleasing gift to enjoy together. The base set comes with four blooming teas that open to reveal their full colors only once submerged in hot water.
Price: $20 | Buy it on Uncommon Goods
For the cook who doesn't have enough space to start growing their own veggies, try getting this indoor herb garden set, with a moisture-regulating hydroponic system in rustic mason jars. The product includes herb seed packs that simply need to be planted in the jar and placed beside a sunny window.
Price: $20 | Buy it on Uncommon Goods
Invert an old Valentine's Day cliche by forgoing real rose petals that will only wither with time in favor of "bathing petals," which look like flowers but smell even better, with notes of bergamot, cedarwood, and, of course, rose. Sprinkle the petals in the bath for a spa-level aromatherapy experience at home.
Price: $19 | Buy base and molds on Amazon
Go the homemade route with a soap gift set by buying a melt-and-pour glycerine soap base and silicone mold to dry into bars or fancier shapes. Customize the soap with a loved one's favorite fragrances by adding fresh herbs such as lavender or essential oils to the melted soap base.
Price: $19 | Buy it on Amazon
Longer lasting than candles and thus a better value in the long term, essential oil diffusers can add humidity, light, and fragrance to any living space. This humidifier from Amazon lights up in different colors and can be set to release a soothing fragrant mist automatically for up to six hours.
Price: $16 | Buy it on Etsy
These inverted, jellyfish-esque planters -- four "sea-urchin shell" planters for fascinating plants that absorb water from the air rather than from soil -- are exotic, unique, and, like all indoor plants, can help improve one's mood.
Price: $16 | Buy it on Amazon
This earthenware melting pot includes a tealight to keep broth or cheese warm for a shared fondue dinner. Break it in for Valentine's day with a batch of marshmallows and strawberries submerged in chocolate.
Price: $15 | Buy it on Etsy
This heart-shaped necklace is romantic, but also a practical gift for a loved one with a passion for tech: A magnetic cap opens to reveal a 2GB flash drive. To personalize the gift, consider filling the drive with curated photos of your time together as a couple.
Price: $15 | Buy it on Etsy
Bath products are great for couples to enjoy together, and can add invigorating novelty to a morning routine. Give this wood-packaged set of four handmade natural soaps derived from oil, coconut, and avocado oils to a significant other who loves staying clean and trying out fragrances.
Price: $13.50 | Buy it on Amazon
"Pillow Thoughts" is an acclaimed collection of poetry and prose about love and heartbreak, divided into sections to suit readers' emotional states. It's honest and romantic, but far from the only cheap choice for reading love poetry together.
Price: Starting at $13 | Buy it on YesStyle
Buying underwear for a significant other is a bit of a Valentine's cliche, but it's been reinvigorated by the digital age. The internet makes it easy to find matching briefs and panties to suit any couple's style. Pop culture obsessives can also find $15 pairs of SpongeBob, Superman, and more.
Price: Starting at $12 | Buy it from Easy Canvas Prints
Make a vibrant canvas print of a favorite couples photo to hang or put on a desk or dresser.
Price: $12 | Buy it on Uncommon Goods
Similar to an herb garden but more specialized, this kit comes with six seed packets for popular cocktail garnishes such as mint, thyme, and Thai basil that can start growing in the egg-carton-style packaging before being replanted in a larger environment. There are pizza- and salsa-themed kits from the same seller.
Price: $12 | Buy it on Uncommon Goods
It's better to spend money on experiences than on things, and here's a gift that encourages more experiences -- to document adventures together afterward by writing notes on tickets and receipts.
Price: $11.50 | Buy it on Amazon
"Soppy: A Love Story" is a hardcover collection of illustrations from British artist Philippa Rice, depicting in cute comic strips the tiny, relatable romantic gestures that make up a loving relationship. Any couple with a passion for comics or love of reading will enjoy poring through a coffee table book such as this.
Price: Starting at $11 | Buy it on Etsy
Uncertain about what jewelry to give a loved one? Consider a necklace or other kind of jewelry boasting real natural beauty, in the form of vibrant dried flowers inside glass.
Price: Starting at $10 | Buy it from TisBest
If your Valentine already has a cause, contact the organization directly to arrange a donation in their name. Or buy a charity gift card that allows the recipient to choose from hundreds of charities and choose whether they want the amount to combat world hunger, protect the environment, aid animals in need, or help dozens of other causes.
Price: $10 | Buy it on Uncommon Goods
This fill-in book contains 50 quick prompts (such as "I never get tired of your ...") to be completed with personal, humorous, or sincere sentiments specific to you and your significant other. This can be a lifesaver for the partner who has trouble putting their feelings of love on paper.
Price: Starting at $8 | Buy it on Etsy
A couple can immortalize the city or neighborhood where they met and fell in love with a custom heart-shaped map of the area, with names and anniversary date in the space just below. Send a Google maps link to personalize the exact area, then hang up the poster for a pleasant reminder of your history as a couple.
Price: $7 | Buy CDs or tapes on Amazon
Some throwback gifts stick around for a reason. However they're played back, audio mixes are how we can share meaningful music and express romantic feelings. Blank media is relatively inexpensive, and a carefully considered mix of new songs and shared favorites will give a couple more to share.
Price: Starting at $5 | Buy it on Art.com
Whether a couple lives together or not, a significant other will appreciate a display of taste and decor (and of knowing what they like) in picking artwork to hang and enjoy. A robust clearance section is worth checking first for beautiful prints of famous artworks and stylish destination posters.
Price: Starting at $4 | Buy it on Amazon
Himalayan pink sea salt is appealing in any form, and having a hot-or-cold massage stone of it may be just the incentive a couple needs to get intimate.
For an inexpensive expression of love that can last the year, try filling a glass jar -- found already at home or at a secondhand store -- with folded love notes inscribed with heartfelt messages of affection that can be as simple as "You're beautiful." A significant other can keep it on their desk or dresser to read a few reassuring words of love whenever they want.
Price: Two stamps | Get it from the Loveland, CO, Chamber of Commerce
It's hard to beat the old-fashioned romantic appeal of a handwritten, heartfelt love letter, even if the attempt is a little clumsy. Add a specialized touch by mailing a pre-stamped and addressed love letter to the postmasters in Loveland, where they'll re-mail it with their own Valentine's themed postmark.
This one's a bit of a cliche, but nonetheless guaranteed to impress with the right amount of thought and effort. Design a personalized coupon or flier a loved one can cash in to do something they love (not just a chore for the giver to do), whether that means a discounted cooking class or beach day. Look up templates online for guidance, then alter common retail phrases to fit ("See any participating husband for details").
