Textbooks.com Budget Guide to: College Romance

Being broke is a drag. Especially when there's a specific heart you want to melt with the perfect gift on a certain special holiday. But such is often the case for a college student on Valentine's Day.

Want a sincerely sweet date on a seriously small budget?

We put our expert cash-saving skills to the test and came up with some ideas:

1. Attend a book or poetry reading on campus. If you're feeling fearless, surprise your date by reciting something in their honor at an open mic.
2. Artfully craft a mixtape. Nothing else quite says "I think about you constantly, but not in a creepy way". This is a less-disruptive version of Lloyd Dobler's "meaningful song blasting outside your window" maneuver, and doesn't require scouring Goodwills for a boom box.
3. Pen a little love poem. Acrostics are charming and only require a sixth-grade writing level. A well-executed acrostic is the best way to look (at least) as cool as a sixth-grader in the eyes of your beloved.
4. Picnic on the living room floor with huge sandwiches and sparkling grape juice. If you execute this just right (i.e., clean your room, ever), there won't be any ants!
5. Write the subject of your affection a heartfelt note. But take it a step further than our boy Cyrano de Bergerac and sign your OWN name.
6. Netflix has a roaring fireplace vid that makes any room feel like it has a bear-skin rug.

And how do Textbooks.com Facebook fans turn up the heat, on the cheap?

• "Chuck-E-Cheese all the way! Just make sure your date is okay with it before you go."
  – Keith H. (VA)
• "Cook dinner together! Fun bonding time, cooking gives conversation points, and food to eat to finish up. You can have music playing and add a movie or any other options!"
  – Olewaseun A. (MA)
• "A long walk in the park, and feeding the ducks… if they don't chase you on to a picnic table like they did to me the last time." – Krystal P. (TX)
• There's a drive-in near where I live. $7 for a double feature! Can't beat that with a stick."
  – John O. (SC)