So Valentine’s Day is upon us once more, much to the chagrin of stressed out boyfriends gearing up for possibly the highest-pressure Thursday of the year – yup, worse than performance review.

More than one Singaporean guy is having nightmares of spending hundreds of dollars on a bouquet of flowers that costs 10 times more than it should and a meal at a posh restaurant where he commits every faux pas imaginable, only to have his date complain that it just wasn’t romantic enough.

If you’re determined to show your date a good time on Feb 14 without having to schedule your next date for 6 months later as you struggle to rebuild your savings, you’ll have to be very selective about what you choose to do. Here are some wallet-friendly suggestions.

Valentine’s Day 2022 – 9 date ideas in Singapore under $90 per couple

Art jamming at Boulevart ($70)

Remember how much fun you had goofing around with paints back in school? Now you get do that as an adult with your significant other at an art jamming session (yup, it’s a thing now).

In contrast to art lessons, which are more serious and focused on techniques, art jamming sessions are just for you to muck around and have fun. At most places, all art materials are provided, so you and your partner just need to show up, preferably in some old clothes you don’t mind ruining.

Cost: The cheapest place we found is Boulevart at City Gate which charges $35/pax for two and half hours with all materials included. Other places that you can also consider include Artary ($39.50/pax for three hours) and Artify Studio ($38/pax for two and half hours).

Ice skating at The Rink ($48)

Invite your date to go for a run or head to the gym on Valentine’s Day, and unless you’re dating Mr Ironman or Ms Ironwoman, don’t be surprised if your suggestion is met with zero enthusiasm.

Ice skating, on the other hand, is romance disguised as a sport, especially if your date sucks at it, because, as every bashful secondary school boy knows, it gives you the perfect excuse to offer, ahem, a helping hand.

Cost: $18 per adult for two hours at The Rink. Skate boots rental costs $4 per pax, and gloves rental $2 per pax, which makes $48 for a couple.

Picnic (under $50)

There are few things that can leave your date more starry-eyed than a panoramic view of Singapore’s skyline as you clink your wine glasses and make a toast. But that doesn’t mean you need to suck it up and pay for expensive cocktails at 1-Altitude or Ce La Vie.

There are a ton of free-to-access picnic spots in Singapore. So long as it’s not raining, all you need are:

• Picnic mat or groundsheet ($2 at Daiso)
• A bottle of wine from Wine Connection or the supermarket (budget ~$30)
• Some nibbles from the deli section of Cold Storage (budget ~$10 to $15)

My personal favourite is the lush and green grass patch by the sea at Marina Barrage. No, you don’t actually walk up the Barrage. Instead, head towards the open air car park and walk towards the yellow barricades. You’ll see a lot of people sitting on the grass beyond the barriers. Yup, that’s the spot!

Cost: Depends on how fancy you want your picnic to be. You can get a nice spread for two for well under $50.

Cafe hopping in Keong Saik ($50 to $70)

What happens if your beloved is the sort of person who likes nothing more than prancing from hipster cafe to hipster cafe, sipping on flat whites and gazing at you across vintage-style tables?

You head to the Duxton vicinity, of course. Just take the day off work and head to Keong Saik Road, Spottiswoode Park Road, and Everton Park – heaps of IG-worthy cafes to choose from here.

Other than the novelty of feeling like you’re overseas and the thrill of having to watch out for bag snatchers, you also get to enjoy lower hotel prices if you decide to throw in a staycation.

Cost: If you’re visiting cafes, $50 should more than cover both of you.

Changi Jewel Mirror Maze ($27)

On Valentine’s Day, all the malls are going to be filled with couples whispering mushy crap to each other, spending four-figure sums on dinners at celebrity chef restaurants. But you don’t have to do that to enjoy V’day with your squeeze.

Instead, consider visiting the Changi Jewel Mirror Maze (within Canopy Park, level 5) which runs till 8pm daily. Admission is $13.50 for adult Singaporeans and there’s lots of light and mirrors to take couple wefies with. Plus, it’s basically an infinity haven for the perfect TikTok #fyp video.

Cost: $13.50 per adult (Singaporean), ticket includes admission to the Canopy Park, Discovery Slides, Topiary Walk, Foggy Bowls, and Petal Garden as well

Dinner at the beach ($50 to $70)

If you want to have a romantic restaurant meal in beautiful surroundings, get ready to beg your boss for a cash advance, because Valentine’s Day set menus are insanely expensive with prices starting from $148 and $168++ per pax for a three-course dinner without drinks this year.

However, we get that the ambience at Subway or Seoul Garden won’t exactly have your date feeling amorous. So as a compromise, consider whisking your date to one of the more low key beaches. (Think Pasir Ris Park or Changi rather than Tanjong Beach…)

There are also some casual-but-nice restaurant options here, such as Georges at Pasir Ris Park and The Seagrill at Changi Beach. They’re not exactly cheap, but still a lot less expensive than a meal off a Valentines’ Day menu at Dempsey, which start from $200/pax.

If you have a tent or a laptop with a few good movies, bring them along, as these little touches can really add to the atmosphere. Just don’t forget to bring lots of bug spray.

Cost: Refer to menus to get an estimate. Remember to come armed with a good credit card for dining too.

Movie date at Cathay Platinum Movie Suites ($76)

So maybe both of you have been dying to see a new movie, but the current movie lineup of Ah Girls Go Army is just so blah.

Well, upgrade the experience to a premium date at Cathay Cineplexes’ Platinum Movie Suites and your date gets first class treatment at a price that’s really not too expensive.

You get huge, comfy seats in a posh setting (no idiots kicking your seat from behind) that can recline pretty far back so you can pretend you’re on a business class flight. It’s like watching a movie in the private living room of a very rich friend. Book ahead to avoid having to compete with every other couple in Singapore.

Cost: $38 per ticket

ALSO READ: Valentine's Day suggestions for diehard foodies

Pottery Class ($56.29)

Looking for a Valentine’s date idea more meaningful than an overpriced dinner followed by Ah Girls Go Army? Try a couple pottery session if you haven’t. While most pottery classes start from $80/pax, this Taoz Ceramic Klook deal halves the price, so you get a session for two pax at $56.29.

The pottery workshop is pretty no frills and entails a very quick kneading and throwing session followed by a guided session of moulding and shaping. You’ll only get to choose one of the “template” designs (cups or bowls) – so there’s no freedom or leeway for any creativity.

That aside, the instructor will ask you for your phone so he/she can snap lots of videos and photographs of you in action. When you’re done, you’ll have to leave your final product with them. Taoz Ceramic will fire it for you and send you a SMS approximately two months after to come back for the colouring or collection. That’s a super long waiting time but, hey, that guarantees you another date at least.

Cost: $56.29 per couple

Gin distillery tour & tasting ($90)

Here’s an alternative to getting wasted at your favourite atas bar: Tour a real gin distillery and learn to actually make your own cocktails instead.

For this V-day, head to Tanglin Gin’s distillery for their distillery tour, gin and cocktail tasting. You and your date can peep into the makings of gin, walk away with more bar cred, and maybe a little tipsy too.

Not only does the activity sound fun, it can potentially help you save money if you learn to make and enjoy cocktails at home.

Cost: $45 per person, inclusive of gin & cocktails

ALSO READ: Valentine's Day experiences in Singapore 2022: Candlelit dinners, sweet staycations, and crafty workshops 

This article was first published in MoneySmart.