Extreme bargain-hunter reveals how to woo your Valentine - on the cheap

This year, according to the experts, we're set to spend an astonishing £980 million on Valentine's Day - a £15 million increase on last year.

Last year saw £313 million go on food and drink, £518 million on gifts, and £135 million on items such as cards and wrapping paper, says analyst Verdict Research.

And separate research from credit card company Capital One found that one in ten people spends more than £100.

Not all of us can afford to splash out quite so extravagantly. But for those who want to delight their loved on on a tight budget, money-saving mum Holly Smith, who runs a website and blog highlighting 'extreme couponing', has a few ideas.

Eating out
It's worth remembering that Tesco Clubcard allows you to exchange your points for four times their value, for use at selected restaurants across the UK. This can be done online at www.tesco.com/boost.

"They have a large selection of restaurants to choose from (catering to all taste buds)," says Holly. "This is a fantastic way to eat for free but there is one catch. You can't use your vouchers to pay for drinks (but you can always order tap water because it's free!)."
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Eating in
If you don't want to eat out, why not stay at home and opt for a supermarket meal deal?

"Most supermarkets have them, and you can normally pick up one main dish, two sides and two desserts for only £5 for two people!" says Holly. "Meal deals are fantastic value and a great way to save £££'s."

Gifts
The main gifts given on Valentine's Day are chocolate and flowers - and, yes, retailers really to jack the price up at this time of year.

"To bag these goodies on the cheap, the key is to shop on the evening of the 13th February as this is when supermarkets start reducing Valentines gifts," says Holly.

"Most stores order in bulk to meet demand so it's extremely likely you will get a cracking deal. I once picked up a £10 bouquet of flowers for only 10p!"

Other deals she highlights include up to 50% off fragrance at Boots, 25% off lingerie at Boux Ave
and up to 70% off selected items at Ann Summers.

And for a gift that keeps on giving, says Holly, consider a subscription box. "Look Fantastic have some great offers on Beauty Box Subscriptions. Each box is beautifully packaged and contains at least £50 worth of products," she says.

"They have just released a Valentines Box which you can buy for £15 with free delivery for a one off box; or you can choose a subscription starting at £13.33 per month for three months. The longer the subscription, the cheaper the price."

Finally, Holly has one unusual idea that can cost much less than you'd think: a message from a celebrity.

Celebvm is a new website where you can order a personalised video message from a star for as little as £10.

"There are so many celebrities to choose from - there are actors from Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, reality TV stars and more," says Holly.

"You are bound to find someone your partner loves. Can you imagine the look on their face when you show them the video? Priceless!"