Loving for less: Budget friendly Galentine’s ideas in Manchester

Valentine’s Day: The annual celebration of capitalism in its final form. Overpriced set menus, £50 bouquets of flowers and a markup on all heart shaped jewellery. But while some are dropping their student loan on pink desserts, you and your girls can have a way better time, for way less.

Galentine’s is about celebrating the real loves of your life: Your mates, cheap drinks, and a solid slice of pizza. So, if you’re looking for something fun (and affordable) to do in Manchester on the 14^th, we’ve got you covered.

Guilt-free grub: Pizza and cocktails on a budget

Romantic candlelit dinners are overrated. The real love story? You and £1.25 margarita pizza slices. At Ramona’s in NQ, you can grab one (or three) alongside a £6 margarita cocktail between 4-10pm on Friday. Alternatively, head to Diecast for more pizzas, burgers, kebabs, wings and puddings at a whopping 40 per cent off. That’s what I call a meal deal.

DIY Galentine’s: Get creative

There’s no better way to say “I love you” than with a handcrafted gift, no matter how questionable the execution. Head to Fred Aldous in NQ, grab some craft supplies and spend the evening making Galentine’s cards, jewellery, custom wine glasses, etc. The perfect excuse to pretend you’re artsy when you’re actually just messing around with PVA glue.

Movie night: Bridget is back, baby

Nothing says Galentine’s like watching the new Bridget Jones: Mad about the Boy and pretending you’re not slightly relating to her chaotic energy.

Vue is offering tickets from £7.99, so grab your mates and smuggle some snacks through in your tote bag; we won’t judge.

Comedy club: Laugh for less

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If your love life is already a joke, why not commit to the bit and head to a comedy club? Creatures of the Night Comedy Club is hosting “Happy Hour Comedy: Cheap Drinks, Cheap Laughs” a free show with exit-by-donation. With fresh local comedians trying out new material, there’s a 50/50 chance you’ll witness either stand-up gold or an absolute train wreck. Either way, it’s going to be entertaining.

If your love language is talking smack over a game of beer pong, Pong & Puck in The Great Northern Warehouse is the place to be. The gaming hall has pool, table tennis, shuffleboard, and a free game of darts with any drink bought. Its Friday happy hour from 5-7pm includes £4 pints and £5 cocktails, making it the perfect place to go head to head with your mates in a battle of skill, luck, and increasingly bad aim.

Whether you’re celebrating with your girls, your flatmates, or just yourself (which is so valid), Manchester has plenty of fun, affordable, and enjoyable ways to spend Galentine’s. So, skip the overpriced roses and do something that’s actually worth your money. Love might be complicated, but having a great night out without blowing your budget? Easy.