Valentine's Day has been and will always be either a day of happiness, grief, or indifference.  Regardless if you are in a relationship or living the single life this holiday tends to find a way to impact you.  However, no matter what your situation is, keep reading our blog to see our Valentine's Day hacks!

Don't Follow Everyone Else

We all see it in the movies; the guy sweeps his girlfriend off her feet by taking her to a really expensive restaurant, showers her in flowers, and buys her a life supply of chocolate accompanied by an oversized teddy bear.  While that all sounds great, most of the time that isn't what really happens.  Not because it isn't nice when someone spoils you, but because--and some may argue this--a tad bit unrealistic.  Regardless if you are the girlfriend or the boyfriend try to think outside the box.  I find it particularly nice to have a meal cooked for me.  Consider stopping by the Old Time Meat & Deli on Neil St. to pick up something nice for Valentine's Day dinner.  Or, feel free to check out your local grocery store such as Harvest Market, Meijer, or County Market to checkout what they have available.  Or if you really want to insist on going out to dinner I recommend checking out times to go on Sunday the 12th or Monday the 13th.  Especially to places such as KoFusion that offer $1 sushi!  Going out on Valentine's Day can turn into a big hassle and long waits if you don't arrive early enough to get a table at a popular restaurant.  Chances are places such as Minneci's, Big Grove, Dublins, Destihl, Nando Milano, and Farrens are going to have a two hour wait, so prepare yourself.  Doesn't staying home and watching Netflix sound better than testing your significant other's patience?

Gifts for Her

Here is another item I would recommend thinking out of the box for.  She may tell you that she doesn't want anything fancy or may not even want a gift at all, but this doesn't mean you should actually listen to her.  Unless you know for a fact that she genuinely doesn't like to receive gifts, generally 90% of women do want a gift regardless of what they tell you.  In fact, forgetting to get her something could lead to making or breaking your relationship.  So, whether you are into DIY's or wowing her with a dazzling necklace you should consider something.  If you are looking to buy something I recommend snooping around her Pinterest or Etsy account.  Generally, most women will post pictures of things they like or actual items they want.  However, if you are pretty handy and enjoy showing off your skills to your woman check out a few of these Pinterest ideas!

Gifts for Him

While some of you may be thinking that women are harder to shop for than men, you should never show how easy it is.  Now, if you have a similar situation to me and have a man who really does not care or have any expectations of any gifts you may be scratching your head trying to figure out what to do.  I am most certainly someone who can't stand the thought of not giving something to my significant other.  Whether it's my parents, grandparents, siblings, or even my cat I want to find a way to give a gift.  Try to think about something your boyfriend might actually use.  Most men typically want something that will somehow be useful to them, not something that will sit around and collect dust.  Consider some of these ideas here for thoughtful gift ideas and don't underestimate doing something simple like getting him a gift card to his favorite home improvement store.

Embrace the Single Life

I haven't forgotten about you!  There is still many ways to celebrate or perhaps not even celebrate Valentine's Day.  One of them--typically the most popular--is to simply ignore it.  Let's be honest, Valentine's Day is really just another consumer holiday that restaurants and candy companies get to "jack-up" their prices.  If you actually enjoy the holiday for the decorations and enjoy the great deals on candy then feel free to spend the day searching through some good movies to venture out to see and treat yourself to some popcorn and afterwards, ice cream!  If you really are indifferent about the holiday or despise it then ignore it!  Go about your day as you normally would, but I wouldn't miss out on the benefit of getting candy at such a great price.  Ultimately, it's just a day and don't allow the fact of whether you are in a relationship or not dictate how you feel about this holiday.

Whatever path you choose to celebrate Valentine's Day just remember to be safe and have fun!  And remember, don't use just one day out of the year as the only time you do something nice for yourself or your significant other!