7 Ways to Spend $20 or Less on a Valentine's Date In and Around Swampscott

With flowers, candy, gifts and dinner on the agenda, Valentine’s Day can get really expensive really fast.

But even those of us on a budget deserve a special night out on Valentine’s Day. So for anyone pinching pennies in Swampscott, Patch has a few suggestions to keep your date to $20 or less:

Flowers

Shaws Supermarket: ICYMI, flowers can be wicked expensive. Especially if you get them from a florist or online (a single red rose from 1-800-FLOWERS costs $25). So even though it might not feel romantic, head to Shaws in Lynn or Salem. You still can’t bring home a dozen roses ($24.99), but the store has a build your own bouquet option and other cheap non-rose selections that just might win you points for creativity.

Chocolate

Stowaway Sweets: Nothing says love better than a box of chocolate – and especially a really good box of chocolate. Stowaway Sweets in Marblehead isn’t the cheapest chocolate around, but it is delicious. So even if you end up blowing your whole budget on a box of candy, chances are your date won’t mind. Just lay in bed with Netflix, maybe some wine, and eat chocolate for dinner – sounds like a great date.

CVS: Drug stores like CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aide are great places to scoop up some cheap chocolate. And Valentine’s candy is on sale right now. You can get two bags of Hershey’s Kisses for $6 at CVS. Who wouldn’t want 100 kisses on Valentine’s day?

• Do you know a local business offering Valentine’s Day deals? Tell us in the comments.

Dinner

Qdoba: I know what you’re thinking: Mexican food - not so romantic. But what if I said “free Mexican food.” Now, that sounds a little more sexy. And it’s as easy as giving your date a kiss. The restaurant, with a location in Swampscott, is offering a buy one, get one deal on Valentine’s Day for for anyone willing to kiss their Valentine (or a perfect stranger). Buy one smothered burrito (up to $8.40), give a quick smooch and get another smothered burrito free. Sounds like love to me.

Haley’s Wines and Market Cafe: One surefire way to keep your Valentine’s Day dinner low-cost...make it a lunch date. This year Valentine’s is on Saturday so lunch won’t be hard to do, and Haley’s Wines and Market Cafe in Marblehead is a great option. With menu items like “soup du jour,” Haley’s offers up a little bit of fancy that won’t break the bank.

Cindy’s Pizza & Subs: What’s more romantic than Italian food? Current coupon offers on the Swampscott pizzeria’s website include a super fancy, large shrimp scampi pizza for just $13.95. Challenge your date to drink her recommended eight glasses of water a day and you might have enough for flowers, too!

Village Roast Beef and Seafood: By taking your date to dinner at this Marblehead mom and pop shop, you’ll not only have a delicious dinner but also support a great local business! The high-rated restaurant (4.5 out of 5 stars on Yelp) has many options below $10 a person.