Marriages are made in heaven. The world accepts that without each other, men and women feel lost as if they have no purpose. This is the reason why they are attracted to each other and the beautiful institution of marriage was set up.

“Let the wife make her husband glad to come home and let him make her sorry to see him leave,” said Martin Luther, a well-known religious reformer. God has blessed husbands on Earth by giving them wives. Yes, sometimes they eat your head out by dishing out nonsensical gibberish but that is just sometimes, pun intended. But you’ll have to admit that life without your wife, would not be life. And for that, you have a responsibility to keep your marriage happy and chirpy. This happiness can be achieved through small acts as well. It’s not necessary to bring money into play. 

We have grown up learning from our elders that money can’t buy happiness. But is it really viable in today’s world, where money is so crucial Yes, it is still possible. So let’s have a look at easy and affordable gestures that will keep the wife smiling. 

15. Buy her a cupcake

Cakes are the symbol of celebration in almost every country and religion. Irrespective of the occasion, an ornately designed cake must be on the table, with a burning candle to cherish the moment. Your wife would love such a gesture wouldn’t she? However, bakeries know this too and hence that ‘ornately designed cake’ won’t be cheap.

A normal Magic Brownie or a Tiramisu cake will cost you no less than $50! It’s true if you have saved $200 for your wife’s birthday party, at least a half of it will be spent for the cake. So here comes the catch, why not a cupcake? Just for a mere $2, you can buy a birthday cupcake for your beloved lady and with the remaining money, you can get  her a small gift or just save it in your pocket. Most men would prefer the latter. In fact, the majority of women like cute cupcakes. Keep your fingers crossed and remember to keep the bill a secret.

14. Invite Her Parents home

She is your kids’ mother but would remain always a little girl to her parents. Women are emotional and have a deep-seated attachment to their parents. Throughout the day, your wife is engaged in multiple tasks. Cooking the food, cleaning the house, going to the office, helping the kids with their assignments and after this hectic schedule, sleeping with you. In her busy schedule she rarely gets time to visit her parents who are in their old age and you, my friend, are aware of it.

Arrange a surprise visit! Either you can take your wife to her parents’ place or bring her parents to the house for a day or a week. Your sweetheart will be on top of the world with a musical and chirpy feeling about her. And you will feel happy, sensing the happy vibes radiating from her as she has a whale of a time. Go for a drive with the whole family and have a lunch together at home. All this will make you spend few pennies, but definitely, bring a lot of joy to your wife’s face. And trust us, that sweet smile of hers will make your day.

13. Encourage Her Passion

Your wife knows each and everything about you. But do you know about her hobbies and interests? “Oops! I never had time to think about it.” 90 % of husbands would give this excuse. She may be a good driver, a passionate singer, a musician or a wannabe fashion designer before getting married. But in the process of coloring your dreams, somewhere her own dreams were being washed away. Make amends now and bring out the talent which is hidden inside her soul. For example, if your wife is a musician, find a teacher who can shape her skills. Is she a good cook and interested in taking part in competitions? Fill forms for her and send it to organizers.

Be the man who can stand out from the crowd! She doesn’t want you to make her a champion or leave your work just to boost her talent. All she wants you to do is to express your concern. And it requires no materialistic inputs. When she’ll come to know that her husband is toiling hard for her, she’ll feel so loved. Don’t you want that?

12. Cherish the smallest of memories

For your wife, every precious moment of her life is beautiful, including you. It may be your wedding day, the first anniversary, the birth of your kids or your daughter’s engagement, she wants to cherish those memories every day. Perhaps you also want to sit next to her in the couch with her in your arms and rewind the precious moments of life once in a while. But your work restrains you from doing that.

So how can you make your wife feel that you too value each beautiful moment of your life spent together? It’s simple, decorate your house with photos. The first place to start is to search your family album and pick the best pics. You can also check your wife’s personal collection of photographs. Just bang the doors of any photo studio or place an online order for photo frames. Hang these photos in the most frequently visited places in your house and don’t forget your bedroom! These photographs will make your wife feel your presence even when you are at work.

11. Grow a plant for her

A bunch of flowers can turn an occasion very special. Every average husband buys a bouquet for his wife, but they wilt ultimately. But you, my friend, are unique and your ideas should be too! So, rather than buying a bouquet that gives temporary happiness, grow a flowering plant for your wife. But please do not reveal that you are growing the plant for her! In a few months, you can pluck the flowers from the plant and make a bouquet for your better half.

To bring this idea into reality you will need a flower pot with fertile soil and nothing else. Capturing the growth of the plant in your camera and crafting a collage out of it will enhance the gifting experience. Sounds interesting, right? Ask for some flower plant seeds from your neighbour or visit the market. And after she knows that the plant was for her, you’ll see her tending to the plant every day. And that will give you great satisfaction.

10. Plan a Low-Cost Family Trip

When someone says “vacation” what comes to your mind? It may be either Switzerland or Bali or even Iceland. Just like every other husband living next door, you too dream of taking your wife and kids to a tourist spot. But the low bank balance disappoints every time. But what if you find out a cost effective plan for vacationing? Let’s get you abreast with the best tips. You can ask your friends or google for unheard beautiful places in the vicinity that will not drain your wallet.

Search those places where an entry fee is not asked. And as you know, restaurants charge too much for food in tourist locations, so it’s better if you carry your own lunch and snacks. Throughout the journey, you can play your wife’s favorite songs. Such trips improve your bonding and helps relieve stress without burning a large hole in your pocket.

9. Go for a coffee date

After coming back from a long day at the office, you will really want to rest or watch some television that will entertain you. But your poor wife has been working like a machine with no time for pleasure. Go an extra mile and take her on a coffee date in the evenings. Spend some time with her and listen to her day. Soon, you’ll have a smile on your face as she narrates her day with all her emotions and expressions that made you fall for her years ago. Rather than ordering for her, hand over the menu card to her and appreciate her choice at the end. You were an expert on such dating techniques before tying the wedding knot with her, so it’s time that you invoke that “lover boy” still hiding in you because she is your girl and you’ll always be her boy.

8. Present her with handmade gifts

There are millions of cards and gifts in stores with heart touching wordings on them. But there is no originality in them. No doubt, your wife will be excited about your greeting cards and gifts, but handmade gifts are a class apart. They provide a very pleasing and soothing sensation to the person. And the best thing about a handmade gift is that it has “LOVE” written all over them and mark these words, nothing can please her more than this. Also, handmade gifts don’t cost much. There are millions of sources that can help you make something for your lady love even if you are “less creative” – no disrespect. Material like artificial pearls, colors and colored pages can create wonderful pieces of art in no time.

7. Show your concern for her pets

Is your wife a pet lover? That’s a good thing. Most women have a soft spot for pets and they love to have these furry companions around. Of course, at this point in your life you might not be able to afford a thousand dollars for an Alsatian or a Beagle. But yes, your wife’s desire to own a dog can be completed without spending a buck. There are NGOs who give away pets for free adoption. However, after bringing the pet home, you must look after its needs. Enjoy the relation with the dog, don’t consider it a responsibility. Make her feel that you too love her pets. Buy a dog collar or some food for her pet once in a while. Take the puppy for a walk and give it a bath. Only a loveable husband can do all this to make his wife happy. Are you one?

6. Call her often when away

Sometimes even the voice of your loved one can instil a sense of security when alone. Even a simple phone call can convey your love to your wife. After reaching the office, you can call her once or twice and ask whether she has eaten on time or not. When you are out of town for a business trip, she may feel lonely and insecure in the house. Hearing your voice can heal her loneliness and bring a smile on her face. All this may sound drawn up to you, but if you give a thought to it, you will realize the importance of constant communication. Not only will this help you in building a strong rapport with your wife but will also help keep her cheerful always.

5. Order Food Once In a While

Some husbands believe that arranging weekend parties at home can make their family members happy. Yes, they are right. Family members love weekend parties since it gives a chance to spend time together. But such family parties may make your wife busier in the kitchen, cooking a wide variety of special food for all.

Yes, your wife maybe the best cook in the world but even the best cook needs a holiday! Eating out every day can cost an arm and a leg for middle-class families, but you can order food from a restaurant at least once a month. Your wife can also take some rest for a few hours and keep herself away from kitchen work.

4. Take her to a movie

You can hardly find a person who doesn’t like to watch a movie. Almost everyone loves it! Most of the married couples stop going to the movie theatre after having their first baby. The reason because “life is too busy.” That’s a bad reason for you to stop. Stay-at-home wives rarely get time to visit the theatre with friends since their responsibilities are too many. As a loving husband, you must understand her need for entertainment. When a much-anticipated movie hits the theatre, buy a couple of tickets and surprise her. She will be tickled pink!

3. Buy a piggy bank

Yes, a piggy bank for your sweetheart. Now a question may be swirling around your head, “Does she really need a piggy bank?” You would perhaps buy a piggy bank for kids, but for your wife too? In fact your wife is in need of it more than your kids. A stay-at-home wife always needs to save some money for her small needs like buying chocolates for kids, a magazine for herself etc.

Wives are geniuses. They prefer saving whatever they earn from their part time or freelance work. Even if you contribute some money towards your wife’s personal expenses, she will look for the best ways to spend as little as possible. Usually, women keep the saved money in their handbag or keep inside their personal diary. So, if you can buy a piggy bank she will feel more encouraged to save money. But, keep one thing in mind, never ask her to break the piggy bank!

2. Give her a surprise party

Birthday parties are predictable. In fact, your wife is also aware that you will give her something on her birthday. But there is one more beautiful day every woman wants to cherish. That’s Mother’s’ Day. She will not expect a Mother’s Day party from her kids if they are too young. But you can make it possible. Ask your kids to make a greeting card or at least let them scribble “Happy Mother’s Day Mamma” on color paper. You can buy a small gift and your kids can present it to their mom. It will bring tears to her eyes. Tears of happiness! At least you can do this for your loved one.

1. Bring the gym to her

Since you know the saying “Health is wealth,” you hit the gym every day. A little weight gain makes you worried. Usually managing time for the gym is very difficult for women. After having babies, majority of women gain weight and it affects their health badly. Spending time on physical exercises is not an option, but a necessity to lead a healthy life. In the morning hours, your wife may not find enough time to reach the gym since she has to send your kids to school and prepare your breakfast. But you can bring the gym to her!Get a gym mat and also some simple equipment like skipping rope, tummy trimmers, fitness dvd’s, and also a pair of sports shoes. All this is cheaper than a one month gym fee. Staying fit will automatically make her feel healthy and happy. When you buy all these items for her, you will clearly see the joy in her eyes.