Give Your Sweetie a Gift With a Longer Shelf Life This Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and couples will be exchanging gifts to show each other how much they care about each other.

Instead of taking the traditional route this year with flowers or chocolates which have short shelf lives, consider being more creative with your gift giving. Your significant other will thank you. Informa Research Services, a subsidiary of Informa plc (LSE: INF), suggests consumers think outside the chocolate box when showing their significant others how much they care ( http://www.homefinder.com/mortgage/ ).

Make an experience of it Instead of giving your loved one a material item, experiential gifts can be a nice way to change things up a bit. Has your hubby been raving about how much he wants to go skydiving? Has your girlfriend been asking to go horseback riding? Make it happen this Valentine's Day. Groupon and LivingSocial can be great places to snag deals on these types of adventures.

Start saving for your future together now According to the National Retail Federation, people will be spending $126.03 on average to celebrate Valentine's Day this year. Instead of spending that, why not put it toward something you two can share in the future. Do you plan on buying a home ? Start building your down payment now. Putting a significant amount down on your future home purchase will help you qualify for the best mortgage rates , which will help make your monthly mortgage payments as manageable as possible. Roses may be pretty, but they don't measure up to the investment of buying a home for your family.

Subscribe to spend time together Does your sweetheart enjoy movies or music? Giving them a subscription to services such as Netflix or Spotify might be a great way for them to enjoy your generosity all year long. To increase the romantic factor, personalize the gift by adding movies to watch together to your Instant Queue or create a Spotify playlist with songs you both enjoy.

Like any gift-giving occasion, be thoughtful about how you spend your money. Sentiment is a much overlooked value when it comes to gifts. However, spoil your Valentine with these thoughtful non-traditional gifts and they won't be disappointed.

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About Informa Research Services, Inc. ( www.informars.com ) Since 1983, Informa Research Services, Inc., has provided the financial industry's most extensive array of market research, mystery shop, and decision-support information.