A romantic dinner and a movie date are the safest bets that everyone thinks of when it comes to celebrating Valentine’s Day. While these two never go out of style, they’re also a little less interesting as everyone can do them even on regular days.  If you think your relationship deserves something more meaningful beyond a candlelit dinner or catching a movie together, there are more ways than one to pull it off. Valentine's Day, after all, is not about dropping cash on an overrated chocolate tart, a bouquet of flowers, or on a fancy dinner date. With a little creativity and tons of effort, you can pull off not just a romantic occasion, but also one to be remembered! Just putting the effort to personalize the experience with a dose of sincerity is all it takes to make it a memorable occasion.

Themed lunch or dinner date

A dinner date is a given for any special occasions, especially for intimate ones like Valentine’s Day. Also, what better way to celebrate this intimate occasion than to share a table filled with sumptuous cuisines with your family… or a special someone. A typical romantic dinner is a given for Valentine’s Day, but if you want to shake things up and make the experience a little more fun and memorable, it pays to give more thought into the details. Adding your own touch into the experience will not only make the experience more romantic but also more distinct! If you want to pull off a date night that’s one for the books, what better way to do it than to do it yourself! Veer away from the typical dinner date and DIY Have a boodle fight for lunch at the beach side, a barbecue picnic, or it can be a fancy French-inspired dinner. Whether or not it’s fancy, what matters is it should be a different kind of your everyday dining experience with your loved ones to make it memorable. Remember, sophisticated doesn’t always equate to romantic - your effort does. [block type="content-reverse" title="20% off on Food and 15% off on Beverage at Raffles Hotel Makati with a Citi credit card"] If you want to have a French-inspired fancy dinner this Valentine’s Day with friends and family, Mirèio at Raffles Makati will deliver not just a satisfying gastronomic experience, but also an exceptional view of the metropolis as you dine![/block]

Staycation with the fambam (or your significant other)

What better way to spend any kind of holiday than to put your feet up, relax, and stay in bed. Valentine’s Day is one of those holidays, and if you’re the type who just wants to stay away from the crowd and simply enjoy a cozy moment with your family or special someone, a staycation is an idea that may excite you. While a staycation may seem like an activity that only involves lazing around your bed until your next meal, and a very unlikely thing to do on an extra-special day, it can turn out to be more than that if you want it to. To spice up your staycation experience this Valentine’s season and make it a lot less about lazing around, the first step is to choose the right hotel. Find one that offers more than just a fancy room and a delectable breakfast. [block type="success" title="Where to stay"] Check in on a hotel that at least has a pool or is near the beach, or perhaps one that has in-house spa services (you could never go wrong with this).[/block] [block type="content-reverse" title="50% off at Fairmont and Raffles Makati with a Citi credit card"] Staycation offer includes 50% off best available room rates with the inclusion of American breakfast for 2 in Mireio and welcome amenity in Pralines. Promo runs until March 24, 2019, and stay period is until March 31, 2019. Click here to learn more about the promotion[/block]

Spa session

Chocolates are lovely and are a classic way to express you care, but nothing speaks the language better than a pampering treatment at the spa. What better gift to your loved ones than a spa experience that will caress their stresses away.  Some good old pampering is always a good idea no matter the occasion, because who can say no to that? You can go on a couples’ massage where you each enjoy a massage side-by-side with two therapists that work at the same time. While on the background plays soothing music, some aromatherapy, and other amenities designed for your total relaxation. If messages are not your thing, there are other ways to make memorable experiences. The important thing is to spend quality time together as a couple or family, whether you enjoy biking, cooking, reading, drawing or even dancing. If you want to ensure that you and your loved ones get that time away from it all, make it a vacation.

 Go on a trip!

If you’re feeling more audacious this Valentine’s Day and your wallet permits you to do so, a quick getaway can be a great idea. February 14 falls on a Thursday making it an ideal day to go on a holiday without spending much of your leave credits (hello long weekend!). A vacation getaway may not be an inexpensive purchase, but will certainly make a memorable occasion to remember. Whether you want to step up your dating game this love month or you simply want to break away from the typical routine that everyone else is doing, a brief trip away from the noise of the big city alone already sounds romantic enough reason to do so! Dive into a fun time and hit your favorite beach with your favorite people (fambam or special someone) this Valentine’s Day.  Siargao and Boracay are some of the hotspots for a top-notch beach experience, summer or not. However, if you’d rather stay uphill and save that beach adventure for Summer, the north will always be remembered as the go-to destination for some cool time uphill. Or, if you can afford to spend more and go all out, why not go on a cruise? Wherever your inner Don Quixote takes you, make sure you involve your family or special someone with every experience along the way - because that’s what Valentine’s Day is all about after all. [block type="content-reverse" title="PayLite on your airline tickets"] Enjoy lighter and affordable monthly payments when you PayLite for your airline tickets, and take advantage of flexible payment terms of 3,6,12, or 24 months.[/block] Enjoy 50% off at Astoria Hotel in Boracay [table id=457 /]

Promotion runs until March 31, 2019. For more information, visit: https://www.citibank.com.ph/gcb/promos/travel/astoria-hotels-resorts.htm?icid=PHTDIH6ENSCCPCBLM

If you truly want to prepare for a memorable Valentine’s Day for you and your family or special someone, it can cost you a good sum of money.  But there are some tricks to that you can do to pull that off without going broke. Arm yourself with a good credit card that will reward you for spending such as the Citi Rewards credit card. Here’s how you can do that.

1. Swipe and earn points

Earn 1 reward point for every ₱30 spend and 3x points on shopping and dining purchases. With a monthly spend on ₱40,000, you will earn a total of 1,300 rewards points! You can then choose to either do the following:

• Exchange for a reward Go to Citibank www.citibank.com.ph/thankyou and choose from a wide range of items and perks to exchange with your points.
• Pay with your points (PWP) in-stores Universal Pay with Points (PWP) allows you to pay for up to 100% of your purchases at any Citibank partner stores. 10 points are equivalent to ₱1.
• Book a flight with your points No need to transfer your points to frequent flyer programs! Use your points to book and pay for flights or hotel accommodations directly through www.citibank.com.ph/thankyou.

2. PayLite after Purchase

Use your Citi credit card to spread your Valentine’s Date expenses into light and flexible monthly payments. Apply now and enjoy low converted monthly factor rates! [block type="info" title="For example"]

• Airline tickets worth ₱30,000
• Pay only ₱1,847 per month for 24 months[/block]

Rate Table: [table id=458 /] Always remember, having the right credit card is only the first step to managing your finances. It can help you juggle your daily expenses, not just your travels, shopping, dining, and valentines date.   Stay cautious and keep track of your spending. It is important to pay on time and pay in full to make sure you are getting the most out of your credit card perks such as low-interest rates, flexible payment terms, rewards, and cash back. While shaving off those extra expenses with useful promotions and discounts is helpful, the brunt of the late fees and charges will negate its benefits if you don’t practice prompt payment. A credit card such as the Citi Rewards Card is one of the best tools that you could use to cut your cost for life’s little luxuries — if you know how to make full use of the perks and privileges.

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