Little Ways to Show You Care
Illustration
by Staff

Looking for a gift or just a unique way to say "I love you?" What do you give when his dresser is full of cologne and you're both on diets? When she thinks flowers die too soon, and you've already spent next month's paycheck? Here are 21 great inexpensive ways to tell the love of your life just how much you care.

  1. Make a homemade card with a picture of the two of you on the cover. Get ideas for a verse by spending a few minutes browsing through a card shop.
  2. Write a poem. It doesn't have to rhyme.
  3. Send a love letter listing the reasons "Why I love you so much."
  4. Pledge your love for a lifetime. Write it on calligraphy or design it on a desktop computer and print it out on parchment paper and have it framed.
  5. Plan a surprise lunch, complete with picnic basket, sparkling grape juice and goblets.
  6. Bake a giant cookie and write "I love you" with heart shaped redhots or frosting. (Don't worry about the calories, it's not for eating!)
  7. Make a coupon book and include coupons for a back rub, a compromise when about to lose an argument, a listening ear when needed, and doing the dishes when the other cooks.
  8. Kidnap the car for a thorough washing and detailing.
  9. Design your personal crest combining symbols that are meaningful to both of you.
  10. Compose a love song.
  11. Arrange for someone to sing a favorite love song to you and your love when you're together.
  12. Call a radio station and have them announce a love message from you and make sure your love is listening at the right time.
  13. Make a big sign such as: "I Love You, Kristi. Love, Joe" and put it in front of your house or her apartment complex for the world to see.
  14. Buy favorite fruits that aren't in season, like a basket of strawberries or blueberries.
  15. Hide little love notes in the car, a coat pocket, or desk.
  16. Place a love message in the "personal" section of the classified ads in your local paper.
  17. Florist flowers aren't the only way to say "I love you." Pluck a single flower and write a message about how its beauty reminds you of your love. For greater impact, have it delivered at work.
  18. Prepare a surprise candle light gourmet low-calorie dinner for two.
  19. Write the story of the growth of your relationship from your perspective, sharing your emotions and your joys. What a treasure!
  20. Make a paperweight from a smooth stone, paint it, and write a special love message on it.
  21. Promise to change a habit that your love has been wanting you to change.
ChristianGlobe Networks, Inc., Illustrations from ChristianGlobe, by Staff